Fun hack for the Ice Tube clock! Who doesn’t want satellite-precise timing? This firmware mod allows you to add any 4800 TTL NMEA GPS module. Check that the module can run from 5V power, and has a wire that outputs NMEA 4800 baud at TTL levels. Do NOT use any RS-232 level outputs, they can easily damage your clock!
Our favorite Soviet-Era display that found its way into a present-day kit now displays time from orbiting satellites. A GPS module patched into an Ice Tube Clock with modified firmware will be able to provide a satellite-synced time. The firmware, modified by yours truly, parses the GPS module’s NMEA RMC sentences for the time and date information and then updates the clock’s time and date. Fun was had making sure the alarm went off at the correct times when the time was updated by the GPS. Overall, it was a fun project and we look forward to seeing additional Ice Tube Clock hacks.
We picked up a few of these now-discontinued GPS modules specifically for those that want to use them for time-keeping purposes. They use an older chipset and our testing determined that while they function perfectly fine as a GPS, they are not as accurate as the EM-406 modules we carry for location applications. For that reason, we don’t suggest them for location logging.
Above is an an example of the new track feature in Google Earth 5.2 (released today) showing a bike route to work. You could/can use these new features to do all sorts of great data logging and display.
Visualize your hiking, biking, and running tracks – Google Earth has always been a great tool for viewing your outdoor activities, whether it be hiking, running, biking, skiing, sailing, or just about any other way you choose to explore the world. With the release of Google Earth 5.0, we added the ability to connect your GPS device directly to Google Earth and import your track. Now, with Google Earth 5.2, we’ve added the ability to view elevation, speed, and other data as a graph directly in Google Earth. Just connect your GPS device to upload your track, and select “View Elevation Profile” from the menu. This will bring up elevation and speed graphs. If your GPS device records additional information such as heart rate or cadence, these will also be available to view in the graph. You can also see statistics such as total elevation, maximum slope, and average speed. You can select a portion of your ride and get statistics for just that section.
The age of cheap, plentiful sensors, tracking everything from heartrates to the noise pollution slowly driving everybody insane is here. Joe Saavedra’s modular neuroid is a wearable, reconfigurable sensor system that monitors pollution we probably don’t wanna know about.The modular part of the system is that it works with different kinds of sensors. Currently there are working sensors for methane, liquid petroleum, light and sound pollution, and carbon monoxide. The flagship device, built with an Arduino + Adafruit GPS system and three connection points for sensors, is a little bulky—more of a bag-hanger than a pocketable unit, but it’s easy to see how it’ll be miniaturized over time. It pairs up pretty nicely with a Nokia N900
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