Although it is snowing in Colorado as we speak, most schools are getting out this week (if they aren't already) and with summer just around the corner, we're here to help kickstart your calendar for the season with some of our finest summer-appropriate projects, tutorials and products. You may love to get outdoors, but you can still find a project to accompany you. Maybe it's a stormy day and you need an activity to pass the time. Perhaps it is way too hot outside to be comfortable, which makes for the perfect excuse to stay inside and cool. Whatever you reason may be, check out all the parts and projects below to get a better idea of what to get started on!
Weather
Summer is the best time to get outside, which also makes it perfect for getting accurate temperature, humidity and barometric readings. We have multiple options to get you started, including an incredibly handy kit utilizing micro:bit!
Health
What better time of year focus on fitness? We offer a multitude of different options to find your heart rate, electromyography (EMG) and oxygen readings, all from very simple set-ups!
Music
Be the life of the party when you bring your very own, custom audio player to your next BBQ, party or impromptu get-together! People will be sure to ask how you made it, but be warned, they'll also probably hit you up in the future when one of their electronics breaks down (if they don't already)!
Project Ideas
To round out the post, here are a few random projects we've created that can be put to good use in the warmer months! If you don't see one you like, we have hundreds more over on our Learn Site.
Interactive Smart Mirror
February 8, 2016
Build a smart mirror that displays weather data using the Intel® Edison.
DIY Light-Up Shoes
September 28, 2017
This tutorial provides everything you need to know to make your own light up high top sneakers!
Wireless Audio Bluetooth Adapter w/ BC127
December 14, 2017
Build a custom wireless audio Bluetooth adapter using BlueCreation's BC127 and add it to your old speaker system!
Raspberry Pi Zero Helmet Impact Force Monitor
March 8, 2018
How much impact can the human body handle? This tutorial will teach you how to build your very own impact force monitor using a helmet, Raspberry Pi Zero, and accelerometer!
LED Crystal Goddess Crown
September 27, 2017
Follow this tutorial to make your own Crystal Goddess Crown with LEDs!
Building an Autonomous Vehicle: The Batmobile
December 6, 2016
Documenting a six-month project to race autonomous Power Wheels at the SparkFun Autonomous Vehicle Competition (AVC) in 2016.
Light Up Pennant with E-Textiles
September 17, 2015
Show your school spirit, geek pride, or fandom with a light up pennant using the LilyTwinkle or LilyPad Arduino.
Sunrise Machine with the Tessel 2
October 13, 2016
Are you to sleepy to enjoy a sunrise on a brisk morning? Yeah...us too! No worries, with a Webcam, a Tessel 2 and a bit of code you can sleep in and catch the sunrise at your leisure with the Sunrise Machine.
These are just a few ideas to get you started this summer. Maybe you want to build a drone or robot? How about tackling machine learning and artificial intelligence? You can even stay in and read a book! Regardless, let us know what you are making this summer!
i came here for the thumbnail pic. i was disappointed :(
I'll second that! Dude in a red shirt is about to launch something off the roof of a building using an elaborate (and slightly sketchy) slingshot contraption. What is going to happen? There seems to be a lot of potential energy stored in that slingshot but it's his left foot that's keeping the whole thing in balance ... will the bands break? will the whole thing flip over? will the slingshot actually work and fire its payload over the parapet?? The 12 year old in me is all over this. I click ... I wait .. I land ... here? OK .... I'm looking for the dude in the red shirt ... maybe it's related to the different categories: Weather? ... Health? ... Music? ... nope nope and nope ... Ahhh project ideas ... mmmmmmm ... nope. huh.
The 12 year old in me is feeling ripped off.
I must say, I agree with you guys on this one. A slightly misleading thumbnail...but let me explain!
That dude in the red shirt is me, at AVC 2016. The event was held at our headquarters in Niwot, CO. At AVC's It is customary for us to give away a lot of free swag and that year we had the grand idea of launching t-shirts off the roof of our building towards the spectators below! The slingshot was a device made by a formal employee of ours. It was actually pretty sturdy. I had a blast sending t-shirts ripping through the air at the (usually aware)crowd. Only a couple close calls... :)
Sorry no design files or tutorials on that one...
No worries :) - Thanks for the explanation.