Collaborate Disseminate
Canadian firm Mint Tiny House Company recently completed a new model that shares its name with the large Canada Goose bird. This is fitting because the home is huge and certainly up there with the biggest tiny houses we’ve seen. It measures 4… Continue reading Massive Canada Goose tiny house is worth a gander
After being commissioned to create an extension for a Victorian-era terrace in London, MATA Architects conceived a neat method of providing fine control over the amount of light inside and the privacy available. The firm installed a complex p… Continue reading Mechanical shutters control light and views in compact home office
KWK Promes was commissioned to create a house in a suburban area of central Poland and given the instruction that it must respond to the sun in some way. The firm came up with a remarkable luxury home centered around a novel moving terrace.
… Continue reading Innovative moving terrace regulates light entering this remarkable home
Some aspects of humanity affect all of us at some point in our lives. Whether it’s getting caught in the rain without an umbrella, getting a flat tire on the way to work, or upgrading a Linux package which somehow breaks the entire installation, some experiences are truly universal. Among these is pulling a few squares of toilet paper off the roll, only to have the entire roll unravel with an overly aggressive pull. It’s possible to employ a little technology so that none of us have to go through this hassle again, though.
[William Holden] and [Eric Strebel] have …read more
While “The Clapper” probably first conjures images of low-budget commercials, it was still a useful way to remotely switch lights and other things around the house. But if the lights you want to switch weren’t plugged into the wall, like a ceiling fan, for example, The Clapper was not going to help you. To add some functionality to this infamous device, [Robin] built one from scratch that has all the extra features built in that you could ever want.
First, the new Clapper attaches to the light switch directly, favoring mechanical action of the switch itself rather than an electromechanical …read more
With Google’s near-monopoly on the internet, it can be difficult to get around in cyberspace without encountering at least some aspect of this monolithic, data-gathering giant. It usually takes a concerted effort, but it is technically possible to do. While [Mat] is still using some Google products, he has at least figured out a way to get Google Home to work with location data without actually sharing that data with Google, which is a step in the right direction.
[Mat]’s goal was to use Google’s location sharing features through Google Home, but without the creepiness factor of Google knowing everything …read more
Someone who decides to build a house faces a daunting task. It’s hard enough to act as the general contractor for someone else, but when you decide to build your own house, as my parents did in the early 1970s, it’s even tougher. There are a million decisions to make in an information-poor and rapidly changing environment, and one wrong step can literally cast in stone something you’ll have to live with forever. Add in the shoestring budget that my folks had to work with, and it’s a wonder they were able to succeed as well as they did.
It …read more
Ok, now this is something special. This is a home network and security system that would make just about anyone stop, and with jaw hanging agape, stare, impressed at the “several months of effort” it took [timekillerjay] to install their dream setup. Just. Wow.
Want a brief rundown of the diverse skill set needed to pull this off? Networking, home security, home automation, woodworking, running two thousand feet(!) of cat 6a cable, a fair hand at drywall work for the dozens upon dozens of patches, painting, staining, and — while not a skill, but is definitely necessary — an amazingly …read more
Continue reading A Home Network, Security System, And A Hidden Room Behind A Bookcase
Google plans on adding 22 new languages to Assistant by the end of this year, plus the ability to use multi-languages at the same time.
The post Google Assistant Is Getting Multilingual Capabilities, Better Integration for Android Phones appeared firs… Continue reading Google Assistant Is Getting Multilingual Capabilities, Better Integration for Android Phones
[Will Donaldson] has whipped up a quick hack for anyone thinking of dipping their toe into home automation — or otherwise detest flicking off the bedroom light before navigating their way to their bed: a remote control light switch!
This remote switch uses a sg90 servo, an Arduino Uno, and pairs of ATtiny85s with HC-05 Bluetooth modules assembled on protoboards. The 3D printed mount screws easily on top of a standard light switch cover while still allowing the switch to be flipped the old-fashioned way. It’s also perfect as a temporary solution — [Donaldson] is presently renting his apartment — …read more
