Science Nation Army

Using video footage and sounds from a working science lab, the Inside Knowledge team at the blast lab at London’s Imperial College have recreated the White Stripes song “Seven Nation Army” using only their laboratory equipment. The bass guitar is played by a sensor output cable. The bass drum was a blast rig. The toms and hi-hat sounds were created using a hammer, a storm case, and oil spray. The cymbal sound was a blast plate while the guitar sounds came from an accelerometer cable with fastening strings. The vocal melody was reproduced by strumming strung laces typically used to contain dummy support legs during a test explosion.

We love this song and were quite impressed with the work these students put into this cover tune. It’s our video of the week. Enjoy.

(via Design Boom)

High school robotics geeks

Girls taking part in competitive high school robotics in a big way.

A recent post by ED Lynch highlighted the world of competitive high school robotics. Mr. Lynch says, “Some kids play football in school. Other kids build bone-crushing combat robots with the expressed purpose of dismembering competing bots in thrilling caged-death matches.” A new documentary called Bots High by Joey Daoud follows three teams of high school robotics geeks who build and battle their way to a national robotics competition in Miami.

We think it’s cool. See some of the action below.

Related articles

• The Latest in Hobby Robotics 11 (makezine.com)

Millennial technology usage about being mobile

Millennial technology use is showing a propensity for mobility according to the latest study from the Pew Research Center. Knowing how youth communicate and organize their lives can also help us better understand how to market to them. Here are some interesting facts from the study that I think are worth highlighting. The full article can be viewed here.

Millennial ownership of cell phones nearly ubiquitous.

• 95% of Millennials own a cell phone (Gen X is at 92%).
• Taking pictures and text messaging are the most popular functions of cell phones among youth.
• Millennials way more likely to use their phones for things like taking photos, texting, going online, sending email, playing games, listening to music, and watching videos.
• Millennials are the only generation that is more likely to own a laptop computer or netbook than a desktop.
• Game console ownership among Millennials and Gen X are about the same (63% own one).

Related articles

• Marketing Data RoundUp: Smartphones more effective for ads | 85% of adults own a cell phone (marketingvox.com)
• Pew: Generations and their gadgets (bespacific.com)
• Generations 2010 Report Claims Millennials Not Only Tech-Savvy Group: Important News for Marketing (drdianehamilton.wordpress.com)

Video of the Week: We All Want to Be Young

Brazilian research company BOX1824’s short film “We All Want to Be Young” takes a behavioral science approach to looking at youth and Gen Y in particular, a demographic that obviously holds a special place in our heart at Campus Media. The generation of “global youth” as they are referred to here, is the first to be raised during a time of constant interaction with the internet, thus exposing them to far more outside influences than generations of youth before them. Here, the filmmakers examine what effect this environment has had on the behaviors of Gen Y and why the youth of the world continually act as a catalyst for social change.

Plus, it includes clips from some of my favorite movies and killer soundtrack (Phoenix, Radiohead, Spoon, Arcade Fire? Yes, please.).