We’re all for technology being used to better the human race, but there’s nothing wrong with using technology to make something just for the fun of it. A company called Design NORI is making laser-cut sushi that’s probably not going to change any lives, but it will definitely make sushi more interesting.

Nori is the seaweed used to wrap around sushi rolls. It’s densely packed with nutrients and, when used well, tastes amazing. Some types, like the kind Design NORI uses, are thick and durable enough to tolerate significant manhandling.

Design NORI uses a secret, proprietary method to laser-cut intricate designs into sheets of nori. Because the process is so delicate and labor-intensive, the designer seaweed is expensive: around $10 (US) per smallish sheet, though at the time of publication they are completely sold out.

Despite the current trouble keeping up with demand, the company head is hopeful for the future. He’s seen seaweed consumption in Japan steadily declining and hopes that this fun new form will help boost sales and consumption of this tasty, nutrient-packed veggie.

(via: RocketNews24)

The post Designer Dinner: Intricately Laser-Cut Sushi Seaweed first appeared on Gajitz.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if an old low-tech toy was given the power to control a modern, really very dangerous tool? The folks at Just Add Sharks did, and they came up with a beautiful thing: the Etch-A-Sketch laser cutter. Armed with an Arduino, a laser cutter and some technical skills, they were able to create a perfect union of retro and modern.

The laser cutter used by JAS has two settings: one that will cut right through wood, and one that will just burn a design on the surface a la Etch-A-Sketch drawings. After re-routing the laser cutter’s original wiring, the new controller had to be constructed. The classic Etch-A-Sketch shape was cut from plywood and stained with mohogany dye. The Etch-A-Sketch logo even appears at the top of the controller.

The wooden knobs are actually attached to rotary encoders that control the laser cutter’s path. Sadly, you can’t see the shape you’re drawing on the “screen” of the controller, but you do get the see the laser moving as you twist the knobs, making art just like you did when you were a kid. But this time, if you mess up you can’t just shake the picture clear. If you want to try it yourself, the schematics can be found at Just Add Sharks.

The post Generational Mashup: Etch-A-Sketch Controlled Laser Cutter first appeared on Gajitz.

Some classic cuts are receiving new homes. Designer Amanda Ghassaei, who has previously worked with 3D printing, moved over to laser cutting technology to create wooden LPs, as well as some on acrylic and paper. She managed to put classics records from Radiohead and Velvet Underground on maple.

With a “theoretical precision of 1200dpi,” the records don’t exactly boast strong audio qualities. Ghassaei estimates the bit rate to be between four and five, with a crusty-yet-manageable sample rate of 4.5kHz (typical mp3 quality is 44.1kHz). The reason for the low quality, as explained by Ghassaei, is that the laser is too wide to cut the very-thin grooves needed for higher sound quality.

Each song sort of sounds like an MP3 that’s been ripped about 2000 times, transferred to cassette, then copied another 20 times. While this doesn’t exactly lend to deep, active listening with those $200 headphones you just bought, it has the possibility of refinement. Ghassaei has created an Instructables page for the project, complete with instructions and code to make your own records. We can already feel the pretentious indignation of vinyl devotees around the world.

The post New Revolutions for Classic Vinyl Lay in Laser Wood Cutting first appeared on Gajitz.