This past February in this space we announced the Spectrum/Make DIY contest, in which we asked you to send us your best DIY projects. Now, we’re happy to announce the winner: Alan Nishioka of Redwood City, Calif. Nishioka wowed us with his computerized Etch A Sketch toy, in which he uses computer-controlled stepper motors to create spirograph patterns. Nishioka demonstrated his project at the Maker Faire at the San Mateo, Calif., fairgrounds on 19 and 20 May. Congratulations also to our four runners-up: Rogerio Dionisio of Fundão, Portugal; Kevin M. Hubbard of Issaquah, Wash.; Michael Gaspari of Racine, Wis.; and Goran Hult of Trollhattan, Sweden.
Building a Bicycle Barometer
A networked dial makes it easier to choose whether to commute by bike or train
DIY Electronic Bicycle Derailleur
Upgrade your bike with a microcontroller and servo
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Easy Prototyping With Microsoft Gadgeteer
Build your own consumer electronics with this system from Microsoft
Putting the Meter Under the Microscope
How a smart-meter kit changed my energy habits
A Custom Game Controller
The Arduino Leonardo makes creating USB peripherals simple
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Build Your Own Google Glass
A wearable computer that displays information and records video
The DIY Kid-tracking Drone
Building an Arduino-based gyrocopter that can follow a child
Video: Build a Coffee-Can Radar
A quick look at the workings of the DIY coffee-can radar from MIT
Coffee-Can Radar
How to build a synthetic-aperture imaging system with tin cans and AA batteries
Handheld Laser Engraving
Laser mouse: A quick-and-dirty tool for engraving large images
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Electrifying Burning Man
At a desert art festival, power engineers take on challenges they can’t tackle at work, while educating others
How to Run the Khan Academy Off-line
With a basic knowledge of HTML, you can tailor this complex app to your needs
Printing On Demand
The best services for making and selling a single copy of a paper book
Self-Publishing 101
Electronic books offer a direct channel to readers
Teleconferencing on the Cheap
With Skype and a little hacking, you can converse clearly with a room full of people
Sculpteo wants to be a 3D Shutterfly
This French company says it has blasted through the technical barrier that kept the average consumer from embracing 3D printing
The Aliens Would Win
SETI astronomer and film consultant Seth Shostak weighs in on why correctly depicting alien life wouldn’t work in films
DIY Laser Engraver
A recycled DVD laser makes a great engraving tool
Arduino’s Playmate
The $25 Raspberry Pi will do for computing what Arduino has done for robotics
The Poor Man’s Solder Reflow Oven
A cheap controller and a Walmart toaster oven kept the price down
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