Hello everyone and welcome to yet another Friday New Product Post. We have a good list of new products and a video, as usual. As yet another reminder, today (Friday, November 4th) is inventory day for us so that means no local pickups (unless already cleared/arranged) and no shipping today. But don't worry, we'll start shipping again right after inventory is over.
Our videographer is doing some filming over in Europe this week so our videos will be a bit shorter and simpler than usual next week. I have every intention of doing more explanation and demonstration in later videos, but we need Gregg to get back and get settled in before a big video.
Our first product is an exciting one! This is the Electric Sheep. Perhaps you've heard of the source of this product's name? The Electric Sheep is essentially our version of the Arduino ADK. Based on the ATMEGA2560-16AU and carrying the same bootloader as the Arduino Mega 2560, this board communicates with your Android device over USB by taking advantage of Android's "Open Accessory" protocol.
Oh Polymorph. I remember getting the sample of this stuff in awhile back and having a blast making all sorts of shapes and parts with it. The best part about it is that you only need warm or hot water to start making shapes; no other tools are required. Of course you can get creative and do some pretty cool things with casting techniques. I also love the fact that it can be reused over and over, which makes it a fantastic prototyping tool when you just want to test out an idea. We carry it in 250g bags and also large 1kg tubs.
If you need the connectivity of an Arduino Mega, but don't have the space for the board, why not check out the Mega Pro Mini 3.3v? It uses the same IC, a modified bootloader, and breaks out all the same pins, but in a much smaller form factor. We did away with the traditional Arduino Mega form factor, shrunk it down, and used JST-SH 8-pin headers for connecting all the I/O pins. And since it's a 3.3V board, you can power the whole thing with a LiPo battery.
We also have this JST-SH cable for use with the Mega Pro Mini 3.3v. This plugs directly into one of the 10 sockets on the Mega Pro Mini 3.3v and allows you access to all the I/O pins. They are 8" in length and have unterminated tinned leads on the end.
The Ardupilot Mega has been a pretty popular board and many great projects have come out of it. We now carry the accessory board to go with the Ardupilot Mega, the Oil Pan.The Oil Pan includes all the sensors you need to turn the Ardupilot Mega into a full autopilot solution with data logging, airspeed, gryro, accelerometer, etc.
We now have a new supplier for our conductive thread bobbin. This new version now has 60ft of thread per bobbin as opposed to only 30ft from our previous version. It's like, half-price or something man. Get sewing!
We've finally rounded out our selection of light pipe. We now have the 3.5mm white core in 5 foot lengths. We also have all the other varieties, so check them all out if you want an alternative to EL wire.
We are now including a coin-cell battery with the ProtoSnap LilyPad E-Sewing Kit. If you haven't yet checked out this or any of our other ProtoSnap products, you might want to take a look at them. They are a great way to start learning about electronics because they don't require soldering, you just load code and watch them go. Or in the case of the E-Sewing Kit, add battery and hit the on switch.
We also have a revision of our famous Bluetooth Portable Rotary Phone. Thsi time it's with the red version of the phone. We've updated the guts a bit and it now includes an ATMega328. Other than that, it goes largely unchanged. One day in the distant future, we might be retrofitting iPhones with whatever the new technology becomes.
In an ongoing effort to educate the world about electronics, we have a few more classes listed. Starting January 14th, 2012, we have 3 classes in a row. We will be offering our popular Introduction to Arduino on the 14th, ATMega In-Depth on the 15th, and Exciting XBee on the 16th. So if you're coming from out of town, you can take more than one class in the same trip.
Yet another new product post comes to a close. But don't worry, I'll be back next week with even more new products.Thanks for reading and see you next week.
Cool stuff! I have a bunch of ideas for Polymorph.
I know this is off topic, but anyone know where I could get a couple of square feet of anti static IC foam for cheap? I recently acquired a bunch of CMOS DIP's. Also, is the pink stuff just as good as the black stuff?
Thanks
Ebay carries it by the ton, hundereds of sellers have it.
I wish Sparkfun would just sell conductive foam. I know it's possible to make your own, but I'm a bit lazy (plus I must buy the foam anyway, so it'd probably be easier just to buy pre-made conductive foam...). Sparkfun obviously already has the conductive foam too, they give it to you in your orders of IC's. It would even be a new product they would have to source, because they already have it. Please start selling conductive foam, Sparkfun!
You could just to stick 'em in a sheet of aluminum foil or keep them in an anti-static bag.
The pink stuff isn't conductive (doesn't work with the capacitive trackpad on my netbook), the black stuff is. GET THE BLACK.
The ADK board made me instantly think of this:
http://store.dieselsweeties.com/products/electric-sheep-shirt
Awesome product post. Excited to order some polymorph and make some awesome small robot frames.
And if it doesn't work, then just shape it again! Then when you've exhausted the Polymorphs abilities, just toss it in the back yard! It's biodegradable!
Lol... does your inventory day have anything to do with a possible free day 2012? :) luv sparkfun.. youre definitely going on my christmas wish list this year :) :)
hey i got a few videos on spark fun products check them out (more to come) http://www.youtube.com/user/jpedamen
Does the bobbin happen to fit any particular sewing machines?
Ohhh! With a "gryro", my robot will NEVER get lost!
Videographer? What no one else can work the web cam' on the table? :->
What can you use as a mold release for Polymorph?
I am just joking here, but I wounder if plain Pam kitchen spray would work? I use PAM with Ice cubes to releace from the ice cube tray. This stuff seems water phobic. Just don't use the butter flavor type.
Did someone at Sparkfun take the DeLorean out for a spin? I'm pretty sure it's November 4th :P
Polymorph,that stuff must come from the Gods; cause that's stuff is Amazing! If I added coloring to the hot water do you think it will pick up the colors?
I have played with this stuff before, and it's pretty unfriendly towards water, so probably wouldn't pick up the colour. However, I have seen t coloured before, so its definitely possible.
At what temperature does the polymorph reach a liquid consistency and does it stick to abs plastic?
Polymorph doesn't really reach a "liquid consistency". It would end up burning first.
A heat gun also works to soften Polymorph (use a relatively low temperature setting).
Yes, it sticks to ABS plasitic. I've used it with Lego gears and it sticks to the Lego plastic(ABS).