Smartphone DIY Scanner and Microscope and DIY Smartphone

Need to digitize your class notes? Sure, you can just snap a picture by-hand with your smartphone, but that always creates problems with shadows, roll, and yaw. Solution: Build A Smartphone Scanner To Digitize Your Notes

How about a microscope? Foldscope is a great initiative, but their initial 10K Microscope beta-trial is now closed. They are working on a commercial version, but in the meantime your only option is the follow the instructions in Foldscope: Origami-Based Paper Microscope (Cybulski et al., 2014, PLOS One). Or, try this $10 Smartphone to digital microscope conversion!

Of course, why not go the other way and Build Your Own Smartphone - the TyPhone:

The Ed-Tech Holiday Gift Guide

Just in case...here are some ed-tech and geography-themed gift ideas, some of which may actually be usable for teaching and learning:

• Are your students bored with your flipped classroom? Impress them with 360 degree videos (example) using the Ricoh Theta series that they can watch on Facebook.
• Turn any smartphone into an infrared camera with the Seek Compact or Compact XR and keep it charged.
• Or, use the visible spectrum better with the Creative Mobile Kit.
• Bored with your lectures, online classes or MOOCs? Experience them as virtual reality (oh...the irony) with the Samsung Gear VR. 
• A 3-D printer for every student? Why not with the M3D Micro!
• A computer for every student? Why not with the Kano or the Raspberry Pi Zero (for $5).
• A drone for every student? Why not with the Axis Wallet Drone!
• There must be some use for this in the classroom or lab: The Drop scale and app.
• For the map geek: Circle Maps or Below The Boat.
• Design your own map-based clothing or accessories @ Monochome.
• Design your own map-based wall art @ Woodcut Maps.

Still not sure? You can always Adopt-A-Glacier via the National Snow and Ice Data Center. One of my favs, Qori Kalis Glacier in Peru, is available.

Qori Kalis Glacier (June 2015)

The Holiday Gift Guide

Just in case...here are some tech ideas - some of them actually useful for teaching and learning:

• How about an adapter that connects your Mac to whatever TV, monitor, or projector?
• Or maybe the perfect stylus for your tablet or a good charger for all your mobile devices?
• The Kano Computer Kit is a nicely-packaged Raspberry Pi kit with all the accessories you need to get started.
• Maybe a Photojojo lens to clip on your smart phone?
• The Narrative Clip is a tiny automatic camera that you can clip anywhere.
• A bit larger, the Polaroid Cube is a tiny 1080p HD video camera.
• Even cooler: how about the Panono Panoramic Ball Camera? 
• Or maybe just a Ladybug 2 Quadcopter?

Finally, how about adopting a glacier from the National Snow and Ice Data Center? Qori Kalis Glacier (see below) is available!

Interactive Projectors and WeTables

Interactive projectors are simple: just combine a regular computer projector with an infrared controller (think Kinect or Wii) and you can create an interactive touchscreen or smart board on any wall.

Or, take an ultra short-throw interactive projector and turn any table into huge touch screen.
Or, mount the projector on a stand to create an interactive touch floor!

You also stick a regular projector on a tripod, connect a Wii controller, and built your own interactive projector - just google WeTable for examples, including the Delaware Sea Grant College Program.

Collaboration anyone? Let me know if you want to try one!