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[on:]

We've been having some Christmas fun at work with Sergei the dancing and singing meerkat http://www.designspark.com/content/merry-christmas-sergei-arduino-singing-meerkat

I hooked up an Arduino / XBee base station to a python script which poles the gmail atom feed and fetches the number of unread emails - if the count increases it sends a signal to the remote transceiver triggering a relay starting Sergei's dancing and singing routine.

Sergei moves around our office here singing and dancing Jingle Bells every time he receives a new email. So far he has received emails from as far away as France, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa and he dances and sings his heart out each time he receives one. 

sergeithesingingmeerkat@gmail.com

[Reply #1 on:]

Like the replies on your blog, post a live stream video already!!! Happy holidays!! I'm in USA, upper Midwest. Your Sergei wants emails underneath deep snow? Just kidding, we didn't have any decent snow since the winter began. I have some computer geek friends. In general they don't like non-consumer electronics much but sending emails to trigger something, that is right down their ally. I wish you had a live stream so I can show them Sergei sings if I just email him. They could get interested in Arduino right away and I don't have to spend money buying them arduinos and show them how to do a Christmas light show etc!!!

[Reply #2 on:]

Due to popular demand, here's the livefeed - you may have to wait up to 1 min for Sergei to activate
http://livestre.am/1c3cE

[Reply #3 on:]

Due to popular demand, here's the livefeed - you may have to wait up to 1 min for Sergei to activate
http://livestre.am/1c3cE

wow, was that me? There are 3 viewers so I can't be sure

Thanks!

[Reply #4 on:]

Must be me! I got Sergei's email as proof! Thanks again! Even if this won't be live tomorrow dinner time I've got solid proof for my geeky friends to envy what they miss out not having an arduino!

[Reply #5 on:]

Yes, that was you - I've got Sergei here at home with me now so I'll keep him online until we go to bed here in the UK - I don't want him singing all through the night!

[Reply #6 on:]

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