Video: Autonomous DIY Copter Drone Lands on a Moving Target Using a Wiimote's Eye. Pretty amazing stuff from the DIY UAV world: robotics researchers at the University of Tübingen in Germany have created a small, fully autonomous helicopter that can track and land on a moving target--a simulated aircraft carrier landing pad mounted on the back of another robot--tracking its LED runway lights with a Wiimote's infrared camera.
It's an interesting demo of what can be done with ultra-cheap, consumer-level parts. Reading the info from the harvested Wii IR sensor, as well as onboard accelerometers monitoring the orientation of the copter, is an onboard Atmega microprocessor. Software analyzes the orientation and intensity of four LEDs on the landing pad, then regulates the four electric motors to guide it in for a soft touchdown. Video: DIY Magnetic Silly Putty Slowly, Creepily Eats and Digests Magnets. Silly Putty is pretty much the best non-Newtonian viscoelastic liquid we can think of--it stretches, it bounces, it transfers ink, it's reminiscent of mussel fibers, and it can be broken with a sharp blow.
But what if it's blended with magnetic powder? Turns out magnetic Silly Putty has an unquenchable hunger for magnets. Instructables posted a guide to creating your own magnetic Silly Putty. It's pretty simple, basically requiring you to slowly fold ferric iron oxide powder (which can be found in art supply shops) into a clump of Silly Putty. How to Start Making Your Own Electronics with Arduino and Other People's Code.