For security (and shenanigans) worthy of Ferris Bueller, set up this laser to detect parents, roommates, and other snoops.

Make an easy-to-assemble table that breaks down quickly and packs flat for storage. A striking silhouette and Banksy theme earn it extra style points.

For those interested in reducing their carbon footprint—or just saving a bit of money—Adafruit’s Tweet-a-Watt kit wirelessly keeps tabs on power usage, broken down by outlet.

Inexpensive and easy to make, this project delivers a rugged LED bicycle light with three settings.

Put on your shiny helmet and go DIY Daft Punk with Arduinome, a maker-friendly version of the Monome USB Midi controller.

Perennial plant killers rejoice: The open source Botanicalls uses moisture sensors and an Ethernet connection to let your leafy friend tweet you when it’s thirsty.

7 RFID pet feeder

Prevent pet-food theft with a system that uses RFID-tagged collars and a repurposed CD-ROM player to distinguish between pets. Your active cat gets fed; your fat one gets denied. Get started: wrdm.ag/pet_feeder



8 Home weather station and HVAC control

Adjust your AC and heating systems from the same panel that displays readings from the solar-powered weather station in your backyard. Get started: wrdm.ag/solarhvac



9 Earthquake detector/reflector

Using data from RSS feeds, this Arduino-based device vibrates in conjunction with the magnitude of an earthquake. Get started: wrdm.ag/vibrate



10 Multicolored door-lock keypad

What do you get when you cross sci-fi film aesthetics, home security, and a game of Simon? This push-button door lock. Get started: wrdm.ag/colorkeypad



11 Quiz-O-Tron 3000 four-contestant game show system

Add some Trebek flair to your local pub’s trivia night with a contestant buzz-in system. Get started: wrdm.ag/gamebuzzer



12 UAV spyplane

Forget garden gnomes. The best way to freak out the neighbors is by setting a UAV drone loose over the neighborhood. GPS and autopilot should keep your bird from going rogue. Get started: wrdm.ag/uavspyplane