Frank Piesik built the ElektroCaster, an awesome open, modular guitar-synth.

The incredibly versatile ElektroSynth is playable as both an electric guitar and and synth, and also has a pretty impressive list of features such as:

• Parametric OpenScad modelling (changable string count, scale, space between strings,…)
• Fully controllable RGB-Led-iluminated Fretboard (Only the first 17 frets for now, but easily exendable)
• Touch-sensing-frets
• Long scale (700mm) for low tunings
• Two micros, one for audio an one for everything else.
• Per string signal path
  • hexaphonic pickup
  • hex-preamp

This project came about because Frank had always wanted an illuminated fret-board to display information such as scales and sequences.  Armed with a 3D printer, CNC router and other maker tools, he set out to build a guitar from scratch.

The HackADay project page has some great information on the project as well as a detailed build log.  This is an open source project with the code available on GitHub and design files available on Dropbox (a Dropbox login is required)

Brett Garberman is part of a team that developed Pitch Plus, a wearable device for Little League baseball pitchers

Repetitive pitching is a leading cause of non-contact injuries in Little League.  Monitoring the number of pitches per player for a game, season, or month can be a challenging task.  The Medical Device club at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Health-Tech initiative developed Pitch Plus to help with monitor the pitching activity of Little League players.

The PitchPlus uses a Teensy 3.2 as its processor and also has an ADXL377 accelerometer.  The device collects data on the pitching activity of the player and stores it on an SD card.  Not only does it record pitch count, but the level of force in the pitch as well.  The data can then be imported into MATLAB for analysis.  It also includes a Bluetooth module that allows the data to be live-streamed for live visualization.  This allows for coaches to better monitor players and limit play time when needed to prevent injury.

Edward Ringel as built Yet Another GPS Alarm Clock that does quite a lot more than tell time.

An alarm clock with everything!  Has a high accuracy temperature compensated clock (DS3231), automatic sync to GPS time, large touchscreen user interface, handling of time zones and daylight savings time.

Code and schematics for the project are available on the ElektorLabs project page, but it looks like you will have to create an Elektor account to access them.

 

Hubert (forum user inovasim.de) has created the TiSi Box, a hardware add on to X-Plane that allows for a new kind of visual control.

The TiSi-box combines the nose wheel steering with the sight control using a self-centering rotary knob.  It interfaces with the X-Plane flight simulation software though a Teensy 3.2.

The TiSi-Box will available on the iNOVASim website.

Johan Berglund built a very cool 16-note, multi-scale laser harp.

This impressive build features 16 beams, MIDI over USB and 5-pin DIN, adjustable octave and transposition, and and extensive list of  selectable scales.

This project page offers detailed information on how to build your own as well as schematics.  The code is available on GitHub.

Isacc Snider and a team of people upgraded a coin-op fortune teller by adding uncanny eyes to it.

The project uses a Teensy 3.2 and a couple of small displays and uses a modified version of the Uncanny Eyes sketch.  The modifications make the eyes look up and down when a quarter is inserted.

FilleK built a 3D scanner using a webcam and a couple of line lasers.

The scanner works by setting an object on a rotary table and a Logitech C920 webcam to capture images of it to a computer over USB.  All the hardware (except for the webcam) is controlled by a Teensy.

Evan is working on upgrading his Otamatone by replacing the internal analog synthesizer with a digital synth.

Using a Teensy 3.2 paired with an audio shield, the project aims to put a digital synth in an Otamatone that will include presets that can be configured on the fly.  This could be very useful in making the instrument a bit easier to play.  After all, the world needs a better Otamatone.

Code for the project can be found on GitHub.

 

 

 

David Henderson and his brothers installed their own ambilight on the back of their new TV and the end result looks awesome.

Ambilight is a technology by Philips that uses LEDs mounted on the back of their TVs to add ambient light.  David retrofitted his TV using a total of 100 addressable LEDs.  The project uses a Teensy 3.2 and takes advantage of the FastLED library.

Check out the Instructables page for details on how you can build your own.

Code for the project is also available on GitHub.

“A guy called Tom” made the Polaron, a 16 step, 6 track digital DIY drum machine.

Driven by his curiosity to understand and experiment with interaction patterns on digital musical intruments, Tom made the Polaron.  It combines features from other drum machines that he knows and loves as well as new features he found useful during development.  The current list of features includes:

• 16 step sequencer
• 6 instrument tracks
• 2 pots for parameter control
• parameter locks: all instrument parameters can be recorded for each step
• different pattern length for each instrument track
• midi sync
• crunchy 12bit stereo outputs

This video show the Poaron in action with a Waldorf Blofeld keyboard synthesizer

The project is fully open source with the code available on GitHub

There is also Wiki page available with instructions on how to build your own