Fun Projects

Wii-Remote hacking

The Linux Laptop Orchestra at Virginia Tech introduced a new wearable controller in 2019 that consolidates the Nintendo Wii Remote, MotionPlus extension, and Nunchuk into a wearable controller. The desired improvements were to:

• make the controller wearable;
• enable independent arm motion;
• increase expressivity;
• reduce the controller’s footprint, and
• maintain low-cost scalability.

The takeaway design principles for the design process were:

• Hardware robustness for increased longevity.
• Design simplicity for fabrication feasibility.
• Symmetrical pattern for balanced handedness.
• Modular design for the use and reuse of commercial sensors.

The Barwin cocktail robot

Barwin, a cocktail machine that uses an evolutionary algorithm to refine cocktails for its users.

Source code: algorithm and web interface, control interface.

Original team: Marcel Jira, Peter Regner, Peter Reschenhofer, Kyriakos Tsoukalas, and Jakob Unterwurzacher.