Nice Chip !

TAOS TSL230R Light Intensity to Frequency IC
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8940

http://www.flickr.com/photos/svofski/3145837238/

Don't really understand what this is

http://www.flickr.com/photos/americalinx-company/2207848066/

Just a few thoughts...

The translucent PCB from Make magazine is most likely a thin fibreglass PCB that's been wetted with water, making it translucent -- there's not much copper, no soldermask and no silkscreen layer.

The completely transparent block with all that internal structure looks to me like a fluid logic circuit.  That is, a logic circuit (AND, OR, NOT) implemented not with electrical signals but with fluid pressure, either air, water or hydraulic fluid.  I wonder how it's made?  Some variant of the lost-wax process (investment casting)?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluidics

As for PCBs, take a look at Flickr's Copper Farm pool: http://www.flickr.com/groups/circuitfarm/

If you like round PCBs, have a look at HWYDD: http://interactive-matter.org/2008/10/how-was-your-day-darling/

And for some of my own PCBs, take a look at my Flickr sets: http://www.flickr.com/photos/anachrocomputer/sets/72157607701477131/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anachrocomputer/sets/72157607180910289/


(http://www.flickr.com/photos/anachrocomputer/2910085966)

My bigger issue is enclosure aesthetics.  I can't get my finished projects to look good.

Quote:


One simple project I have finished on a breadboard right now I'm looking to finish nicely is a wireless trivial buzzer receiver.  Hardwarewise, it's an IR receiver, an RGB LED, a piezo beeper, and batteries.   When it receives an IR code, it lights the RGB a colour depending on the code, sounds the buzzer for a second, delays several more seconds and then turns off the LED and waits for a new IR code.  

For the enclosure I want as small a form factor as possble, somewhere to mount the IR receiver with as wide a viewing angle as possible, and somewhere to mount the LED with a diffuser.  At the moment I'm looking at a very over-sized project box which makes the LED look dinky and I still don't know what to do about the IR receiver.

As far as paying, I am prepared to, but it is a one-off project so I wouldn't want something with lots of upfront fees and that really limits the budget.

Thanks everyone for all the infos, keep posting the beautiful PCBs (and enclosures) ^^

Now for the fun stuff (even if you certainly already saw it):

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/mobiuscircuit


http://deryke.blogspot.com/2009/01/ch3ck-th1s-0ut.html

I'm not equating my efforts to fine art but I just received my very first self-designed custom PCB from a board service bureau.  I had to show it off because it's pretty exciting to see your Eagle files turn into something you can hold in your hand.




Now to see if it actually works...