Computers

Video Game Door Locks

Categories Computers, Electronics, Music, Video GamesLeave a Comment on Video Game Door Locks

Video Game Door Zelda Key

Wouldn’t it be neat to hear a familiar video game chime when you unlock your front door? Like the sound when opening a dungeon or treasure chest in a Zelda game. Suddenly the mundane task of entering or exiting your home would sound like an adventure.

I feel that creating a deadbolt with a speaker would be the best way to accomplish this. Another way is to incorporate a sound chip into the key itself, but that would be difficult to create an electronic key fob that will fit onto any key.

Special thanks to my friend Matt Rose for suggesting the latter idea (the chime built into the key).

UPDATE: You might have noticed that Zelda chime when the door rang at the beginning of the Scott Pilgrim movie! I think an accompanying door bell would be great too.

Star Trek Viewscreen Lights

Categories Computers, Electronics, Robots, TV6 Comments on Star Trek Viewscreen Lights

Star Trek Viewscreen lights USB 2010 davesgeekyideas dave delisle dave's geeky ideas

A simple device you place under your TV to recreate the viewscreen lights seen under the main screen in Star Trek. Powered by USB, which all TVs have these days. It could emit Sound Effects like the pings heard on the show.

Thinkgeek kicked the tires on this one, but I don’t think they’ll be making it.

R2-D2 Assistant

Categories Computers, Electronics, Gadgets, Robots, ToysLeave a Comment on R2-D2 Assistant

R2D2 USB Desk Toy

This is an open-ended idea, so bear with me. Basically it’s an R2-D2 figure on a platform interacting with one of those revolving gears (as he often does). There would be 2 motors, one to revolve R2’s head and one to revolve the gear. This toy would feature lights and sounds.

As for its function this gadget could be: a bookend, a USB hub, a recharging dock for your phone, a wireless speaker, a desk lamp, and so on. The gist of the idea is that R2 appears to be “assisting” you by turning that gear.

Personally I’d love to have him placed against the wall on my desk (like the picture above), connected to my computer via USB. He’d then react to me opening programs or writing files, stuff like that.

There are many possibilities for this gadget! I have a feeling that we’ll see something like this one day, as there seems to be a new electronic R2-D2 toy coming out every week.

Ecto Containment Unit USB Hub

Categories Computers, Films, Robots, Toys9 Comments on Ecto Containment Unit USB Hub

Ecto-Containment-Unit-ghostbusters-USB-Hub-design-by-Dave-Delisle-2010-davesgeekyideas

This is an all-in-one gadget design that is loosely-based on the Ecto Containment Unit from Ghostbusters. It’s a case for an external hard drive, USB hub, and a card reader. For fun I’d like to see it come with a USB Flash drive that looks just like a ghost trap (more on that here). The ghost trap would have it’s own dedicated port, like the one seen above.

Continue reading ➞ Ecto Containment Unit USB Hub