1. Raspberry Pi Hack Unlocks Door When It Hears a Dog’s Bark

Maker David Hunt created a clever hack for a door for dog owners who are tired of getting up to let Fido outside. Called Pi-Rex, it is a bark-activated (note, not voice activated, but bark activated) door.

2. Make a Battery with Spare Change

This project from King of Random teaches you how to build a battery with the spare change in your pocket. In just a few steps, a handful of pennies can power a small calculator or an LED bulb.

3. Make a Small Wind Turbine That Kids Can Help Build

This project from masynmachien via Instructables is meant to be easy enough for older kids and adults to do without too much experience. It’s a great way to brush up on your own skills or teach renewable energy basics to kids.

4. Make a Steampunk Solar Night Light in 10 Steps

From Winged Fist on Instructables, learn how to cheaply make a Steampunk solar night light for your home. Because… why not!

5. Make an Emergency Light Powered by Fire and Water

This DIY from Joohansson on Instructables is not only a neat project for creating an emergency light but also an excellent project for kids learning about science.

6. Turn an Old Laptop Screen Into a Stand-Alone Monitor

We often hear of how using a second monitor can boost work efficiency by splitting up tasks between two screens. This project from augustoerico at Instructables gives you a neat DIY way to get a second monitor hooked up while also re-purposing an old laptop and giving it new life.

7. Home Brewer Makes a Digital Tap List Using Raspberry Pi

A first-time tinkerer going by the name SchrodingersDrunk on Reddit has rigged up this cool digital tap list display using our favorite DIY platform, Raspberry Pi, and a 19″ Samsung monitor. For those who want to follow in his footsteps, he’s made the project available on GitHub and answers questions over on Reddit.

8. Make a Hand-Crank Rechargeable Flash Light

From brunoip, this DIY project takes on a gadget that can easily be bought in a store, but instead lets you use materials you already have to make something useful. It’s also a great way to build your maker skills.

9. How to Make a 35-Watt Solar Panel out of Broken Solar Cells

Provided by mattfelice, this project is totally adaptable to the amount and size of solar cells you may have on hand, and the best part is that those discarded cells won’t become e-waste, but a functional, clean energy-producing solar panel instead.