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Learn by Example: How to Design Light Pipes

Light plays an important role in the design of many hardware products. Often, they are both decorative and functional. Indicator lights are the most minimal user interface: They tell you whether the device is turned on, low on battery, or “thinking” really hard. On modern electronics, the light’s source is almost always an LED. However, […]

Teardown

Hoverboard Teardown

By now, you’ve almost certainly seen a hoverboard out in the wild. While the current models still aren’t quite the quality of Marty McFly’s hoverboard (thanks, Doc!), it’s just as mesmerizing to see someone majestically gliding through the daily San Francisco sidewalk traffic. Not everyone feels the way I do, though—some find them dangerous (like the […]

Teardown

The Great Robotic Vacuum Showdown Part 2: Neato XV-21

Welcome to part 2 of The Great Robotic Vacuum Showdown! If you didn’t have a chance to check out Part 1 of this series where we took apart the Roomba, go ahead and check that out first. Neato Robotics is a newcomer to the robotic vacuum business compared to iRobot; it only began shipping products in […]

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The Great Robotic Vacuum Showdown Part 1: Roomba 650 — Mechanical System

The Jetsons predicted flying cars, jetpacks, and robot maids serving us lucky people living in the 21st century. Well, we kind of have two of those things, but only one has achieved mass market adoption. No… I wasn’t talking about jetpacks. iRobot is probably the brand name most commonly associated with robotic vacuums. It was […]

Teardown

Under Armour Band Teardown

Here’s the final piece of Under Armour’s technological trifecta: the Under Armour Band! That’s right, to rival Nike Fuelband and Fitbit, Under Armour has come out with a wearable of its own. Sleek and sporty, the band can measure heart rate, hours of sleep, and activity. In addition to counting steps and keeping time, it […]

Teardown

Under Armour Heart Rate Monitor Teardown

The next piece of Under Armour’s fitness-in-a-box solution is a heart rate monitor! If you missed the first teardown of the Under Armour Scale, check it out here. I had seen the promotional videos, featuring chiseled athletes breathing heavily through explosive exercises, wearing the strap above a cut abdominal core—heroically glistening Adonises and Aphrodites, cranking […]

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Your Prototyping Toolbox

There are a ton of different tools available for prototyping hardware. But how do you know which tool is the right one at any given time? One of the main properties we look at to determine whether or not a tool is appropriate for a given design phase is repeatability. Repeatability refers to the ability […]

Teardown

Under Armour Scale Teardown

Fictiv got me a scale for Valentine’s Day. I think someone is trying to say that second helpings of the catered lunches aren’t doing me any favors. Whatever; when life gives you subtle hints in the form of a personal health product, you tear that thing down! The UA Scale came as a part of […]

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5 Options for Building Large Scale Prototypes

3D printing is a fantastic solution for building fast, cheap prototypes. Small enclosures? Piece of cake. 5 variations of a door handle? No problem. But what happens when your dimensions surpass that of a 3D printer build bed? Here are a few alternative methods for building prototypes larger than 1-2 ft. 1. 2-Dimensional Cutters CNC […]

Teardown

Teardown Showdown: Logitech Gaming Mouse Edition G600 MMO vs G502 Proteus Core

I’ve been doing CAD modeling with Logitech mice for years. Their combination of design, utility, and value can’t be beat. When I was handed not one, but two high-end Logitech gaming mice this week, I couldn’t wait to tear these apart and uncover the secret ingredients inside. Our two contenders are the G600 MMO mouse and the G502 Proteus Spectrum […]