Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks [Paperback]

Scott Fullam (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 28, 2004

Put a hacker in a room with a Furby for a weekend and you'll hear a conversation that's fairly one-sided in its originality. Toss in an 802.11b network card, a soldering iron, wire cutters, a logic probe, and a few other carefully selected tools and materials and you'll have potential. Add a copy of Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks and by the end of the weekend that Furby will be saying things you never imagined.

From building an Internet toaster to creating a cubicle intrusion detection system, Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks offers an array of inventive, customized electronics projects for the geek who can't help looking at a gadget and wondering how it might be "upgraded." Beginning with basic hacks, tools, and techniques for those who may not have a background in electronics, the book covers the tools of the hardware hacking trade and basic soldering techniques, then moves into more advanced hacking projects. Clear step-by-step instructions allow even those with no formal electronics- or hardware-engineering skills to hack real hardware in very clever ways.

Hacks in the book are rated on a scale of difficulty, cost, and duration. Projects range from those that are truly useful to some things you may have never thought to do, but which are really cool, such as:

• Building your own arcade game
• Making radio-controlled cars play laser tag
• Building an automobile periscope
• Hacking an 802.11b antenna
• Building a building size display

Perhaps you're an electronics hobbyist who likes to learn by doing. Maybe you hack software and want to see how the other half lives. Or, maybe you've never hacked at all, but you'd like to get started quickly with some projects that do something interesting from the start. If you're any of these, then Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks will indulge your inner mad scientist. Using the projects in this book as a jumping point for other new and clever hacks, it won't be long before you're looking around, asking, "I wonder what I can improve next?"

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...Fullam (the author) provides an excellent introduction to practical electronics, as well as a whole lots of fun." - Will Knight, New Scientist, March 20th "...this is a nice book for getting ideas on how to build nice projects. All basic knowledge of electronics and assembly are in the book, which makes it perfectly suitable for a beginner, while also providing ideas and details for the more tech-savy experts in the field. While reading through projects you'll learn the basic items needed for your own project. A fun book to read and to learn from and get new and novel ideas." Wirelessleiden.nl - http //wiki.wirelessleiden.nl/wcl/cgi-bin/moin.cgi/BoekenPg "Overall the book is good fun, and after reading it, you start to look at household objects in a different light."Linux Magazine, June

About the Author

Scott Fullam has been hacking hardware since he was 10 years old with his first RadioShack 100-in-1 electronic kit. He built an "intruder" alarm to keep his sister out of his room. Scott attended MIT earning Bachelors and Masters degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. While an undergraduate he built a "shower detection" system so that he could see if the community shower was in use. After graduating from MIT Scott designed children's toys and built close to 50 prototypes in 2 years. He then went to work at Apple Computer in the Advanced Technology Group designing digital still cameras. In 1995, Fullam co-founded PocketScience, which develops revolutionary mobile e-mail communications products and services. As the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Fullam personally developed all of the algorithms for the company's products. Scott now works as an independent consultant assisting consumer electronic companies design high quality products. Never satisfied with how the consumer electronics products he owns work, he often takes them apart and enhances their capabilities.

Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1st edition (January 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596003145
• ISBN-13: 978-0596003142
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #672,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a really fun book!, February 5, 2004

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks (Paperback)

Contents
This is a fun guide to hardware hacking projects from beginners to gurus.

The book is divided into three parts:

Part 1 - Basic Hacks, Tools, And Techniques - How To Build A Portable Laptop Power Supply; How To Build An Aquarium Inside A Macintosh; How To Hack 802.11b Antennas; How To Build A PC Water-Cooling System; How To Hack A Furby (And Other Talking Toys); How To Hack A Video Periscope For Your Car

Part 2 - Advanced Hacks, Tools, And Techniques - How To Build A Digital Video Recorder; How To Hack A Building-Size Display; How To Build A Cubicle Intrusion Detection System; How To Build An Internet Toaster; How To Build A Home Arcade Machine; How To Build A Remote Object Tracker; How To Make RC Cars Play Laser Tag; How To Build A Wearable Computer; How To Build An Internet Coffeemaker

Part 3 - Appendixes - Schematic Capture Software; Communication; Easy-to-Use Microcontroller Boards; Power Sources; Resources; Index

Review
I'm a software guy, not a hardware nut. To me, plug and play has been a godsend. But every once in awhile, I wish I had the chance to play around with wires and such. I'd like to be able to hack together something cool just to say I could do it. And with this book, I now have the chance.

Scott Fullam has put together a fun volume of projects that span the range from rank beginners to people who read schematics on a daily basis. Each project is rated for cost, time requirements, and difficulty. Based on that, you can figure out whether or not the project is one you can reasonably expect to complete based on your skill level. There are some basic instructions on tools and reading schematics, but I think that you'd be better off if you come into the project with at least a little background knowledge beforehand. You could probably figure out the easier ones, but the advanced projects will be out of your reach. Where applicable, each project also lists a bill of material and schematic drawing that will make it easy for you to get the items you need to build your dream device. There are numerous illustrations and photos to keep you on track, so if you're a visual learner you're in luck.

What do I see myself doing from this book? The portable laptop power supply is a definite possibility, along with the hack for the 802.11b. I've got to imagine it's a geeky status symbol to have a soup can antenna attached to your laptop when you're sitting at the local Starbucks. I could also see the monitor aquarium being a fun project with the kids. I'm sure they can teach me something... J

Conclusion
If you're a true hardware hacker, you'll love this book. If you're a hardware hacker wannabe (like me), you'll still find projects you can do while being entertained by the possibilities.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Training the young hardware geek, October 5, 2004

By 

Eric Lindsay (Airlie Beach, tropical North Queensland, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks (Paperback)

This is a big, floppy paperback full of projects many geeks or would be geeks already know about. After all, the internet leaks this sort of information all over. However despite some of the projects being a little underwhelming for the geek about town, the fifteen projects would probably be the perfect introduction to hardware hacking for a youngster keen to get into electronics and computers.

Now that there are very few electronic hobbyist magazines around, it is hard to know how any except the most talented youngsters will get started on hacking gadgets, except via books like this. Having a talented toy designer write the book is a great ploy, as many of the best gadgets are derived from subverting toys and general consumer appliances.

Some of the introductory projects are a little wimpy. The author doesn't really make it sufficiently clear that an external battery pack for a notebook computer is unlikely to extend your working time much (alkaline batteries are ill suited to most high current drain computers). However there is an undeniable need for a very simple introduction to the tools and materials you need to use. This is one of six tasks teaching tools and materials. The last couple are hacking Furbys, and making a video periscope for a car.

The advanced section includes digital video recorders, building lighting control, a remote GPS object tracker (just like James Bond). There is a very nice one chapter introduction to making wearable computers.

The book would make a perfect gift for the potential hardware geek.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cool projects for rising hackers, March 1, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks (Paperback)

Are you an electronic enthusiastic with a lot of spare time and some extra cash laying around? Well, turn those resources of time and money into awe-inspiring hacker projects. Scott Fullam's latest book is the tool you need for that transformation. Inside you'll discover plans for your own cubicle intrusion detection system - cube warriors of the world unite! See what's causing the traffic jams with your homemade video periscope for your car. Go all out and build a gigantic (building-sized) low-resolution display, perfect for declaring your love for your girlfriend, or for mad games of pong.

The book is nicely laid out like a textbook and crammed full of illustrations and tables and schematics and photos. Page 270 (describing wearable computers) inspired me to hack my old camcorder's viewfinder for a handy head-mount display. Perhaps you'll be motivated to build your own home arcade machine (page 213) or customized TiVo from scratch. Whatever your hacking fancy, you'll find related projects within these pages. A must read for the experienced or up-and-coming hacker