Student upgrades a 1930s typewriter for modern-day messaging
When people restore old typewriters, they mostly just make them (1) look new and (2) usable again. Joe Hounsham from Plymouth University in the UK, however, had other ideas in mind: he took one and added the appropriate upgrades to turn it a high-tech typewriter that connects to the internet. To be precise, Hounsham's device called Dico connects you to a random person from a chat room -- in fact, it starts looking for a stranger to talk to as soon as its ultrasonic sensor feels you approaching. The other person's messages are then processed by an Arduino microcontroller, which controls the solenoids the pulls down the keys on the typewriter. Yes, a paper serves as the device's "screen," and to reply, you need to type on it, as well.
Filed under: Misc
Via: Physorg
Source: Plymouth University, Joe Hounsham, IBM Business Mobile Insights