Menu Close

Articles on DIY

Displaying all articles

Maker spaces give engineers and designers the tools to build low-cost medical equipment using locally available materials. Brandon Martin, Rice University

‘Frugal design’ brings medical innovations to communities that lack resources during the pandemic

Engineering students in Malawi and Tanzania have used the materials and tools available to them to build ventilators, personal protective equipment and UV disinfection systems.
Suddenly unable to smell your morning coffee? You likely have COVID-19. Kseniya Ovchinnikova/Moment via Getty Images

Daily DIY sniff checks could catch many cases of COVID-19

COVID-19 patients often lose their sense of smell and taste. This is rare for a viral infection. At-home smell tests could be used as a screening tool and help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Natosha, a houseless resident in Los Angeles’ Skid Row points to a DIY handwashing station. Pete White/LA CAN

How can the houseless fight the coronavirus? A community organization partners with academics to create a grassroots hand-washing infrastructure

A community effort is creating do-it-yourself hand-washing stations for the homeless population in Los Angeles.
Dr. Kofi Amegah of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, installing a small air sensing unit built by the University of Massachusetts. Kofi Amegah

Can we rely on DIY air pollution sensors?

Citizens and activists are using cheap off-the-shelf sensors to collect their own data on air pollution. It’s a promising trend, but these devices have serious technical limitations.
DIY antennas are often placed in churches for better visibility, longer distance and better quality connections. Freifunk.net

DIY networking: the path to a more democratic internet

A more democratic internet is possible via personal and community networking. Find out how to build your own connection to the world.
The scientific evidence for brain stimulation is only in its initial stages. Image from shutterstock.com

It’s electrifying: non-invasive brain stimulation

A simple procedure requiring only a nine-volt battery and a few cords strapped to your head is gaining momentum with DIY types eager to improve brain function. Brain stimulation involves weak electric…
Glowing plants are frivolous? Most people don’t think so. jsalamandras

DIY scientists should not trade creativity for funding

The hobbyists who conduct biology in their garage are not a threat to society, according to a recent report published by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. They aren’t developing a new…
A home-made hexapod robot on display at a Mini Maker Faire at Somerville in the US. Chris Devers

Makers bridge the gap between science and art

One evening when I was young, my father confiscated my radio because he said I was playing it too loud (I wasn’t). Fortunately, I had a bunch of broken down receivers in my room, so I built a new one…

Top contributors

More