BlinkM makes Dishonored lamp look cool

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We discovered a great video posted by Anna Hegedus about how she used a BlinkM to upgrade an LED Victorian lamp she got as a pre-order deal for the (very awesome) video game Dishonored. The original lamp had a boring blue LED, so she used a BlinkM to give it a much more realistic flame-like appearance. The video is also a great rundown of how a BlinkM works, how to set up an Arduino for BlinkM programming, and how to integrate a BlinkM into an existing product.

Watch her video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L3v8914uN0

blink(1) Update: Production Samples!

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We have received production-level samples of all components: the electronics, the enclosure pieces, and the packaging.  They look great and we're almost there!  We have been encountered a few frustrating (but not unexpected) delays.

To read the full update about our production process and how this affects the ship date please visit: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/334543?ref=email

blink(1) Update: Happy Mooncake Festival!

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Hi everyone!

Ever heard of the Mooncake Festival?  It's a pretty big holiday around China, with everyone taking at least a week off. It looks really fun, and mooncakes are delicious.  We knew we were going to run into this holiday and have it affect our schedule, but I'd hoped we'd have most of the production done before it occurred.  We didn't quite make it, so we lost about a week from it.

For more details about the electronics, enclosure, packaging, and applications please just click here!  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/328132?ref=email&show_token=d4b889a6ba9a602e

blink(1) October Kickstarter Update!

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The ThingM team has had their hands full with developing the hardware and applications for blink(1).  This is the first update in four weeks and will be a big one!

Here's what we've been doing:

  • Shipping projections
  • Electronics part changes
  • Enclosure manufacturing
  • Application design
  • IFTTT integration
  • Data collection for shipping
  • Pre-orders for those who missed the Kickstarter

For full details please visit our kickstarter post page: www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led/posts/319111

 

 

ThingM September Newsletter!

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blink(1) POST KICKSTARTER UPDATE We have been hard at work turning the blink(1) into a reality!  The main focus for September was programming and manufacturing blink(1) chips - as well as developing the blink(1) packaging.More about blink(1): http://shop.thingm.com/blink1/ Questions: blink1@thingm.com UX BRIGHTON 21012 This November Mike Kunivsky, ThingM’s Co-Founder, will be speaking at UX Brighton 2012! This years theme is “Past and Present Interactions”.  A mix of practical and theoretical, commercial and academic – the idea behind this year’s theme is that knowledge of the past informs us to create better products for the future.THINGM BLOG We have posted a awesome new Seedkit project on the ThingM blog!  Let the Georgia Tech students introduce you to the world of digital puppetry, where they use BlinkMs to create the puppets personae.

ThingM Seedkit: Digital Puppetry

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The spring 2011 LCC 4730 course was a unique experience for the Georgia Tech students who participated that semester.  Professor Alexandra Mazalek and her students delved into the world of digital puppetry - the class project consisting of teams building a cat, gangster, security guard, small boy, and old lady puppets using various electronic devices.  The final performance was a museum robbery masterminded by the old lady.

The cat and gangster teams used ThingM BlinkM's to exaggerate the puppets personae.  The cat's eyes convey anger by changing color while the gangster puffs as cigar the audience can see. BlinkM's were a great choice for both projects since the LED's were very bright, allowing audience members easily see the puppets features.  The BlinkM Sequencer software allows the LED's to fade in and out as well as change color.  This is crucial to the puppets, which use color and lights to display emotion to come alive!

Mike Speaking at UX Brighton 2012!

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This November Mike Kunivsky, ThingM's Co-Founder, will be speaking at UX Brighton 2012!

This years theme is "Past and Present Interactions".  A mix of practical and theoretical, commercial and academic – the idea behind this year’s theme is that knowledge of the past informs us to create better products for the future.

More info: http://2012.uxbrighton.org.uk/

blink(1) Post Kickstarter Update!

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Hi everyone! We've been working steadily towards creating the 6000 blink(1)s.  Here's what we've been up to:

Chips Programmed

Chip programming is how we start manufacturing for our other products, so we figured it would be a good way to do it for blink(1) too. This does mean that firmware has to be done and tested at the very start of the manufacturing run. Oh, if we could only wait to the last minute! The firmware was finalized over a week ago and sent off to our programming house.  They are laser-engraved at the programming house with "BLINK1" to let us know they've been programmed and to let you know you have a real blink(1)!

Packaging

We've also been working with a packaging manufacturer to make a unique white box with magnetic clasp to hold blink(1). We've had two samples created so far and are working on a third. Once we get some nicer pics we'll post them in an update. We plan on the packaging will be nice enough that you'd be happy giving a blink(1) as a gift.

ThingM August Newsletter!

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blink(1) KICKSTARTER CONCLUSION As of last week our blink(1) Kickstarter campaign came to a close. We are both amazed and excited to announce that our campaign surpassed it's original goal by 400%! With over 2,500 backs and $132,000 in funds to launch blink(1) we're busy with the next stage of the project. A huge thank you to everyone for the support!

More about blink(1): http://shop.thingm.com/blink1/ Questions: blink1@thingm.com

2012 SEEDKIT LAUNCH For the last few years we've been offering students and institutions an opportunity to experiment and play with ThingM products through our Seedkit program. This year we've changed it up a bit, in exchange for a greatly reduced price, all we ask is participants commit to documenting and sharing their process with us. We'll hopefully inspire our ThingM community by sharing the best ideas on our blog and in our newsletters. This year we have two options, a whole schmogasborg of ThingM goodies called the Grab Bag, as well as a Wearables Kit specifically geared for soft goods.

All Seedkits are intended for educational, non-commercial purposes, you must have a .edu email address to request a Seedkit.

Grab Bag: http://store.thingm.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=11&zenid=t7024k8qvadlgb7hlhobnjcan3 Wearables: http://store.thingm.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=12