Inventive Hobby?

[Pyropyro]

I'm thinking of starting a hobby that can also be used to generate inventions. They'll probably involve electronics or robotics but I'm not sure which sub-field. Income generated by my job could use a little boost (wooing is expensive) and I want to have fun at the same time. Any suggestions?

* Using University tools and resources are out of the question. I don't want to be cited for Conflict of interest. In short, it has to be relatively cheap.
* Biology and Chem based hobbies is certainly out of the question since a studio apartment wouldn't pass biosafety requirements and I don't want to freak my roommate out.
* I also want the parts associated with the hobby swappable so that I can re-use old prototypes to make new ones.
* Having good starter kits/ free e-books would be awesome.

Don't worry about me getting not having enough information/skill to work with the hobby that you will be suggesting. Part of my job is to study certain inventions until I can re-create them in theory.

 

[Cognisant]

* I also want the parts associated with the hobby swappable so that I can re-use old prototypes to make new ones.

Lego/Meccano is a good start, some Plastimake will help too but just keep in mind large pieces take a LONG time to melt so it's going to be a hassle taking stuff apart with a bowl of hot water from an electric jug.

A 3D printer isn't so bad, an SLA printer produces much better quality parts but an extrusion printer can print larger ones, personally I've got a hobby CNC mill which I use to make wax parts which are in turn used to make silicon molds (via plaster) which can produce high quality resin cast parts.

A good source of parts is Hobbyking and most any electronics you need can be found on the internet, just be sure to shop around so the price isn't too bad, also pay attention to where your parts are coming from as you may find cheap parts but they're only cheap because you'll have to pay to have them shipped out to you.

 

[Pyropyro]

Lego/Meccano is a good start, some Plastimake will help too but just keep in mind large pieces take a LONG time to melt so it's going to be a hassle taking stuff apart with a bowl of hot water from an electric jug.

A 3D printer isn't so bad, an SLA printer produces much better quality parts but an extrusion printer can print larger ones, personally I've got a hobby CNC mill which I use to make wax parts which are in turn used to make silicon molds (via plaster) which can produce high quality resin cast parts.

A good source of parts is Hobbyking and most any electronics you need can be found on the internet, just be sure to shop around so the price isn't too bad, also pay attention to where your parts are coming from as you may find cheap parts but they're only cheap because you'll have to pay to have them shipped out to you.

Good leads Cog. I might tap my IRL INTP friend to house the 3D printer though.

 

[Cognisant]

So what exactly do you want to build?

Toys are good money makers.

 

[Pyropyro]

So what exactly do you want to build?

Toys are good money makers.

My tech would probably revolve around Disaster Management especially since my country eats disasters every rainy season.

I'm thinking aquatic and/or airborne drones. These drones may be able to identify people stuck in floods or give them food and clean water until it is safe enough for rescue workers to fetch the victims. Of course we can always stick weapons on them...

Another possible path are gadgets that can work off the grid like wind-up radios, improvised water purifiers, solar chargers etc.. There are things like these on the market but I want to make them cheaper.

I can do toys too but it's probably low in the importance queue.

 

[Cognisant]

In the interim between my last post and this one I got bored and came up with a toy you could prototype.

You could get the Oculus Rift or just make a 3D printed version of this:
http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/389374,how-to-make-a-google-cardboard-vr-headset.aspx

If you need 3D design software download Blender, it's free, and if you don't have a 3D printer just send your design (as a .stl I believe) to Shapeways and they'll print it for you, and if you can neither afford that nor get Blender to run on you computer I'm sorry you're beyond my ability to help.

No the idea is to make a 3D virtual arena for Pokemon to fight in, develop a prototype and then pitch the idea to Nintendo, preferably by getting one of their people to play with it.

You attach 3 small shitty cameras to the two VR headsets you make and you also make four IR markers, basically a plastic spear you stick in the ground with some IR LEDs on top and another shitty camera inside it with a rotating lens so it gets a 360* view. The markers have RF modules in them, they tell each player's smartphone what they see so the phone can figure out each marker's location relative to the others and when the player steps inside the arena with their VR headset on it can also see where it is relative to the markers.

So the headsets know where they are in the arena and how big the arena is, now they can overlay the simulated Pokemon in the player's vision and if it's all set up right the players will see their Pokemon battling in 3D in front of them, assuming you're written the software to simulate this.

It could just as easily be a space battle, a virtual tabletop game or porn.

 

[Cognisant]

Another possible path are gadgets that can work off the grid like wind-up radios, improvised water purifiers, solar chargers etc.. There are things like these on the market but I want to make them cheaper.

Trying to out-engineer another engineer is hard, you're unlikely to succeed.

I'm thinking aquatic and/or airborne drones. These drones may be able to identify people stuck in floods or give them food and clean water until it is safe enough for rescue workers to fetch the victims. Of course we can always stick weapons on them...

Better, but this sounds like you want the government to pay you and getting a government contract for anything is hard, especially when it comes to unproven technology, still it's possible so don't let me discourage you.

If you need help selecting airfoils let me know.

 

[Pyropyro]

Trying to out-engineer another engineer is hard, you're unlikely to succeed.

I'll take that in mind. Hmm... perhaps I'll focus on things that they haven't thought of instead.

Better, but this sounds like you want the government to pay you and getting a government contract for anything is hard, especially when it comes to unproven technology, still it's possible so don't let me discourage you.

If you need help selecting airfoils let me know.

Securing gov't contracts isn't that hard if you know what to put in your proposal.