Brewing your own beer by hand is soooo 1992. You can now automate most of the process using an Arduino controller and some source code over at Halfluck.com.

As for materials, you’ll need an Arduino board, an LCD and serial board, two temperature sensors, four push buttons, four solid state relays, one 2400-watt heater element, two perastaltic pumps, and one spit motor.

The system, once assembled, can apparently whip up a pretty consistent batch of beer and can be remotely controlled and monitored. As for the copious scrubbing and disinfecting involved with homebrewing equipment, you’re on your own for that.

Halfluck Automated Brewing System (HABS) [Halfluck.com via Make]

Turns out you can mod the Nike+iPod kit to make your car doors unlock when you walk close enough to the vehicle. And of course, the doors lock once you walk away. You only need to take your keys out to start the engine.

Courtesy Sparkfun

Totally cool, the setup involves hooking up the iPod adapter to custom electronics, and pocketing the footpod. The full how-to is available at Sparkfun, and includes details on how author Nate had to actually weaken the radio receiver of his Mazda so that the car wouldn’t automatically unlock while he was walking around the office (he wrapped part of the assembly in foil).

Obviously, some experience tinkering around with electronics is a prerequisite. Anyone here got that? Custom component sold on Sparkfun—an iPod serial board—also required.

Post from: The Gadget Blog

This Sparkfun project by Nate creates a keyless entry fob for a Mazda using a Nike+iPod kit, allowing you to leave your car keys at home. Using a serial board you can read the input and output bits of the footpod and grab signals and decode them.

He then used an Arduino Pro Mini connected to the lock and unlock wires in the car. Now all he has to do is walk up to the vehicle and it unlocks automatically.

While testing I found the range of the transmitter (the footpod) was really pretty impressive at 50+ feet. This was cool, but I didn’t want my car to be unlocking/lock while walking around my house or office. To cut down on the reception, I sabotaged the antenna. I could have hacked into the footpod, but then it wouldn’t have fit so nice in my pocket. Instead, I completely wrapped the receiver with a few layers of aluminum foil. This cut the reception down to 20-25ft. Jeesh! What do I have to do to kill the power on these things? These devices are designed and built very well!