It's Finally Here: REAL-LIFE MARIO KART!

I know I have been promising people this would eventually come out, but we are finally ready to let RLMK go out the door. This was the finale of the Waterloo Labs summer internship program, so this shows what four engineers can do after just a few weeks of training. I posted a detailed system overview, so that should cover most of the technical details. We are actively working on our next project as this video releases and we can say for sure that it will come out in the January, so subscribe and stay tuned!

New Video: Karaoke on Fire

Looking to learn more about the incredibly awesome spectacle you just witnessed? Great– you’ve come to the right place!

The Fire-Breathing Karaoke setup consists of a homemade Rubens' Tube connected to a LabVIEW-powered karaoke program. Propane feeds into the tube through a valve at one end and slowly leaks out through a row of holes drilled along the top of the pipe. This gas is then ignited, forming a line of standing flames. A speaker sealed to the other end of the tube emits sound waves into the pipe.

Our karaoke program utilizes three NI myDAQ devices, connected as seen in the diagram below. Two NI myDAQ devices serve as audio in/out for each player, connecting to a microphone and set of headphones.The third NI myDAQ device takes in the song to be played and outputs the music to the speaker attached to the Rubens' Tube.The NI myDAQ devices then connect to the computer via USB.

The LabVIEW code is available here, along with a more detailed description of how it works. Enjoy, and stay tuned for even more epic projects coming soon!

Progress on the Intern Videos

I know it has been so long since we've released a new video, but we are making headway now. The intern projects from this summer will be up soon. As a preview, here is a screenshot from the first of the three projects. We filmed several of our projects at the ATX Development Center in Austin. They were nice enough to let us use their facilities for our intern projects. If you need space for your projects or start-ups and access to 3D printers, Plasma cutters, spray booths, and smart people, check out their website.