Field News

20 years ago, PCB production was expensive and required a multitude of phone calls and emails to a fab with significant minimum order restrictions. Now, it’s cheap and accessible online, which in addition to curtailing the home etching market has created significant new possibilities for home projects. Now that flexible PCBs are also readily available, […]
The Van De Graff generator is a device capable of generating potentially millions of volts of electricity which you can build in an afternoon, probably from parts you’ve got in the junk bin. This is not a fact that’s escaped the notice of hackers for decades, and accordingly we’ve seen several Van De Graaff builds over […]
The failed launch of Soyuz MS-10 on October 11th, 2018 was a notable event for a number of reasons: it was the first serious incident on a manned Soyuz rocket in 35 years, it was the first time that particular high-altitude abort had ever been attempted, and most importantly it ended with the rescue of both […]
A digital clock based on seven-segment displays? Not exciting. A digital clock with seven-segment displays that’s really big and can be read across a football field? That’s a little more interesting. A large format digital clock that uses electromechanical seven-segment displays? Now that’s something to check out. This clock comes to us by way of […]
The story goes that Atari was developing a premium model of their popular home video game console, the Atari 2600, for the 1981 fiscal year. Internally known as the Stella RC, this model revision promised touch sensitive game selection toggles, LED indicators, and onboard storage for the controllers. The focus of the project, however, was […]
When Sony announced they planned to release their own classic/mini/plug-n-play system this year, many fans were filled with excitement at the chance to relive countless classic games from the 90s. However, once the actual list of titles were made public that excitement faded as reality set in. So many favorites like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro […]
With new social media applications launched every day, it’s often difficult for parents to stay informed and monitor which are the safest and which are the riskiest. Twitter, Snapchat, Whatsapp, and Instagram are no longer the only concerning social media platforms for parents. Tweens and teens are continually seeking new entertainment and immediate gratification, which […]
      Being a parent always comes with a certain amount of anxiety. Today, the news is full of horrific tales of school shootings and kids dying from street drugs and Tide Pods. When considering the risks your children face on any given day, it’s sensible to be cautious and do whatever you can […]
On June 18th, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially added Video Game Addiction to its publication, The International Classification of Diseases (ICD). While the United States uses the ICD for medical conditions, psychiatric conditions are diagnosed using the criteria in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association. For now, Video […]
It’s impossible to ignore the fact that the coming generations will be growing up with more and more technology. It’s everywhere and impossible to hide from. But that means that you need to set boundaries and make rules for your children, to allow them to safely explore. While some parents try to ban all technology, […]