• Physical computing in a virtual world

    Apr 14.10 | Design   

    I was an inaugural subscriber to Make Magazine, and haven’t missed an issue since with the count now at volume 21.  I have  collected a tool box full on all sorts of odd electronic parts, drawn by the electronics hacker ideal, but haven’t actually built anything electronic.  Well that is all about to change, as I’ve signed up for a physical computing workshop led by Jonathan Zalben.    Our hacking is based around the Arduino controller.  So far we learned how to get an LED to blink.  Not much, but it does give a nice sense of accomplishment.  Next week we tackle the one skill I’ve never quite mastered — soldering. Read the rest of this entry »

  • Achieving balance – working with head and hands for better health

    Jan 06.10 | Lifestyle   

    Learning something new is good for the brain and the hands.  L. Francis Herreshoff, the designer of some of the most beautiful man-made objects ever, wrote “there were among men a few, a very few, who used both their hands and their heads, and they achieved a happiness that nigh passeth the understanding.” (He was also a bit of a character).   So in learning something it is not simply enough to just read about it, you also should also strive to create something.  In A Place of My Own, Michael Pollan states an appreciation for “forms of knowledge that seem to yield most readily to the hands.”  He goes on to say “Different kinds of work, performed with different sets of tools, can disclose different faces of the world…”

    Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to RodeWorks

Randall Rode's online home for thoughts, notes, and experiments with a wide range of technology topics. Visit the about page for info on my recent projects and professional background. I welcome your comments!

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