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https://hackaday.com/2021/12/06/tricked-out-breadboard-automatically-draws-schematics-of-whatever-you-build/ | Tricked-Out Breadboard Automatically Draws Schematics Of Whatever You Build | Dan Maloney | [
"Misc Hacks",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"Arduino DUE",
"continuity",
"I/O",
"KiCAD",
"python",
"schematic"
] | When it comes to electronic design, breadboarding a circuit is the fun part — the creative juices flow, parts come and go, jumpers build into a tangled mess, but it’s all worth it when the circuit finally comes to life. Then comes the “What have I done?” phase, where you’ve got to backtrack through the circuit to document exactly how you built it. If only there was a better way.
Thanks to [Nick Bild], there is, in the form of the
“Schematic-o-matic”
, which aims to automate the breadboard documentation process. The trick is using a breadboard where each bus bar is connected to an IO pin on an Arduino Due. A program runs through each point on the breadboard, running a continuity test to see if there’s a jumper connecting them. A Python program then uses the connection list, along with some basic information about where components are plugged into the board, to generate a KiCad schematic.
[Nick] admits the schematics are crude at this point, and that it’s a bit inconvenient to remove some components, like ICs, from the breadboard first to prevent false readings. But this seems like one of those things where getting 80% of the work done automatically and worrying about the rest later is a big win. Plus, we can see a path forward to automatic IC probing, and even measurement of passive components too. But even as it is, it’s a great tool. | 18 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404495",
"author": "Andrew",
"timestamp": "2021-12-06T09:18:15",
"content": "Rookie mistake. I always draw my schematic /before/ I build the board.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6404502",
"author": "cyberteque",
... | 1,760,372,862.95522 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/bass-guitar-gets-shapeshifting-pickups/ | Bass Guitar Gets Shapeshifting Pickups | Bryan Cockfield | [
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"effects",
"electromagnetic",
"electronics",
"guitar",
"movable",
"music",
"pickup",
"slide",
"strings"
] | Electric guitars were the hip new thing back in the mid-century. The electrification of the common and portable guitar opened up a lot of avenues in terms of sound and technique. Specifically, the use of the pickup, an electromagnetic device which converts the vibrations of the guitar strings into electrical signals, increased the number of ways that a musician can alter the guitar’s sound on-the-fly. Some guitars have several rows of pickups which can be used in any number of ways, but
this custom guitar has a single pickup which can be moved around the guitar’s body instead
.
[Breno] was gifted this Dolphin bass guitar to start learning after years of playing a regular guitar, and while they aren’t known for high-quality instruments this guitar seemed to play and sound well enough to attempt this modification. First, a hole had to be cut all the way through the guitar’s body in order to accommodate the build. The pickup for this guitar is then mounted on two rods which allow it to move in various positions along the strings, and a second set of adjustments can be made to bring the pickups closer or further away from the strings. Some additional custom circuitry was added to control it and also to handle the volume and tone knobs, and while this was being added [Breno] and his friend [Arthur] decided this would be a great time to build some effects into the guitar’s now-custom electronics as well.
While this was largely a project for [Breno] to understand in greater depth the effect of moving the pickups around an electric guitar, the finished product looks ready to play some live shows. The addition of some extras like the effects really adds some punch to this guitar and it looks to be completely original. The nearest thing we could find is
this guitar which uses hot-swappable pickups
but even those are mounted in fixed locations. | 19 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404468",
"author": "echodelta",
"timestamp": "2021-12-06T06:32:00",
"content": "Mid century the most popular instrument by sales and else was… Far Side comic. First panel. “Welcome to heaven, here’s your harp” second panel ” Welcome to hell, here’s your accordion”. It wasn’t the ha... | 1,760,372,862.898824 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/two-wire-sensors-on-led-strips/ | Two Wire Sensors On LED Strips | Lewin Day | [
"News"
] | [
"led",
"led strip",
"zener",
"zener diode"
] | While addressable LED strips are all the rage, [Mike] from [mikeselectricstuff] has been working on an installation using the more basic two-wire strips that are simply controlled via PWM dimming. He’s recently figured out a tidy way to send sensor signals down these strips
without adding any additional cabling.
The circuit in question.
The build uses 24 V LED tape, which consists of gangs of 6 LEDs in series with a forward voltage of 3V. Thus, these strips don’t even begin to light until approximately 18V is across them.
By adding a 15 V Zener diode and a resistor across the MOSFET which dims the LEDs, a voltage of around 9 V can be put across the LEDs without lighting them up when the MOSFET PWM dimmer is in its off phase. A PIC10F322 microcontroller and an accelerometer can then be run from this voltage, with the aid of a 3.3 V regulator wired in parallel with the LEDs. The regulator must also be able to handle the full 24 V when the LEDs are switched on.
A transistor is also wired up, switching a 2.2 K resistor in parallel with the LEDs. When turned on by the PIC, this transistor causes roughly a 10 mA current to flow through the Zener diode and its series resistor. The voltage developed across that series resistor can be measured as the transistor is turned on and off. In this case, the pulse width used to turn that transistor on is relative to motion detected by the accelerometer on the end of the LED strip.
Turning the LEDs on at 100% duty cycle prevents the system working, as the pulse widths generated by the sensor circuit can’t be detected when the LED line is held high all the time. However, in practice, it matters not — running the LEDs at a maximum 98% duty cycle eliminates the issue.
It’s an ingenious way to send sensor signals down a two-wire LED strip, even if it does take a second to wrap one’s head around it. It also seems to do a great job of adding motion-reactive effects to the LED strips in question.
It’s not the first LED project we’ve seen from [Mike], either
. Video after the break.
[Thanks to Tim Gremalm for the tip!] | 7 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404150",
"author": "DainBramage",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T16:03:09",
"content": "Very clever!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6404171",
"author": "ColinM",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T17:55:20",
"content": "Not a lot ... | 1,760,372,863.186965 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/wake-up-robot-does-it-gently/ | Wake-Up Robot Does It Gently | Kristina Panos | [
"Raspberry Pi",
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"opencv",
"raspberry pi",
"Raspberry pi camera",
"servo"
] | For hundreds of years, people have fallen asleep while reading in bed late at night. These days it’s worse, what with us taking phones to the face instead when we start to nod off. At least they don’t have pointy corners like books. While you may not want to share your bedroom with a robot,
this wake-up robot by [Norbert Zare] may be just the thing
to keep you awake.
Here’s how it works: a Raspberry Pi camera on a servo wanders around at eye level, and the Pi it’s attached to uses OpenCV to determine whether those eyes are open or starting to get heavy. The bot can also speak — it uses eSpeak to introduce itself as a bot designed not to let you sleep. Then when it catches you snoozing, it repeatedly intones ‘wake up’ in a bored British accent.
We were sure that the thing was designed to slap [Norbert] in the face a la [Simone Giertz]’s robot alarm clock, but no, that long-fingered hand just slowly swings down and gently taps [Norbert] on the arm (or whatever is in the path of the slappy hand). Check out the short demo and build video after the break.
Do you want to be awoken even more gently? Try a sunlight lamp. We’ve got dozens in stock, but
this one gradually gets about as bright as the sun
. | 6 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404102",
"author": "Josiah Walker",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T08:42:51",
"content": "eusing this as a guide, not sure that we can even generalise to “for one hundred years”…. hundreds of years beggars beliefhttps://nces.ed.gov/naal/lit_history.asp",
"parent_id": null,
"depth... | 1,760,372,862.996356 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/is-it-finally-time-for-christmas-decorations/ | Is It Finally Time For Christmas Decorations? | Orlando Hoilett | [
"Art",
"Holiday Hacks"
] | [
"555 timer",
"Blinky Circuit",
"christmas"
] | [Arnov] is trying to get into the holiday spirit and is doing so the way he knows how. He was thinking of some cool decorations for his Christmas tree and decided the best decorations are the ones you make yourself, so he made his own
blinky Christmas tree ornament
.
The famed “
blinky circuit
” is certainly one that we are no strangers to here at Hackaday. Some of our readers will be very pleased to see that he did in fact
use a 555 timer and not an Arduino
. The 555 timer is wired to drive the clock pin of the CD4017 decade counter and the outputs of the decade counter are wired to the LEDs. The LEDs are lit up sequentially upon each low to high transition of the clock pulse though you may try getting creative with your LED wiring scheme to achieve different blinking effects.
What readers might really take away from this build is [Arnov] detailing how to import images into his CAD tool of choice, OrCAD in his case. We know that can be a bit tricky sometimes. Finally, we love that this project doubles as
PCB art
and a
soldering challenge
. It would definitely make for a good demo project at your next beginner soldering workshop.
Cool project [Arnov!] | 14 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404081",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T04:30:26",
"content": "(Upvote!)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6404086",
"author": "Mark",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T05:12:30",
"co... | 1,760,372,863.390707 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/paper-plate-surround-sound-system/ | Paper Plate Surround Sound System | Al Williams | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"audio",
"speakers",
"transducers"
] | With the holiday season, you might turn to paper plates to cut down on dishwashing after having family or friends over. But what do you do with the extras? If you are [TKOR] you make some speakers. The process is fairly simple and if you know how a speaker works, you won’t find any surprises, but there are some neat techniques you might pick up. You can see
the video below
.
A drill and a steel rod help with the coil winding duty. You can probably adapt the technique to make other kinds of coils and we’d rig up an encoder to count revolutions, too.
In addition to paper plates that act as transducers, paper bowls form the back of the speakers. They wound up with 16 speakers which would have been expensive to buy, but it might not be very attractive, depending on your sense of fashion.
In the end, they used an insulation foam board to make a giant speaker, although they used an off-the-shelf driver which, you’d imagine, has better sound than the homebrew ones they were using.
How does it sound? Hard to say since you are hearing the audio over a video, but it didn’t sound bad. We liked how they suspended the foam board over the ceiling to make a full-room audio system. A little paint and some LED effects would fit decor better than the paper plates. They even cut some of the board into decorative shapes and made a logo that plays music.
These might not suit the audiophiles, since there is
a lot more to a speaker than meets the eye
. You can also do some
speaker magic
with 3D printing. | 14 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404074",
"author": "Col_Panek",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T02:28:30",
"content": "Well …. educational, anyhow.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6404076",
"author": "John",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T03:02:21",
... | 1,760,372,863.044294 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/print-sewing-machine-parts-extend-singers-range/ | Printed Sewing Machine Parts Extend Singer’s Range | Kristina Panos | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"cam",
"sewing machine",
"sewing machine hack",
"tinkercad",
"treadle"
] | [Grow Your Own Clothes] had finally found their ideal sewing machine for doing zig-zag stitches (/\/\/\) and converting to a treadle drive (mechanically foot-fed) — a Singer 411G. This is a well-respected workhorse of a machine, and if you see one in a secondhand store, you might want to grab it. The only problem is that its multi-step zig-zag stitch is a 4-stepper and not a 3-step, which is what [GYOC] prefers. Having heard it was possible to hack them into doing a 3-step,
[GYOC] set out to learn Tinkercad and grow their own sewing machine parts
.
The new zig-zag top hat cam in place.
So once upon a time, sewing machines didn’t just do a bunch of things out of the box. They needed an array of plastic cams to do different stitches, kind of like trading out the element or disk in a typewriter to print in italics. While most machines still have exchangeable feet for different needs and special parts for sewing things like buttonholes, most domestics now have decorative stitches and their cams built in.
The 3-step zig-zag cam was just the beginning. [GYOC] decided to make a few more parts before their Tinkercad knowledge faded: a needle adapter with an improved design, some tension stud sprockets for a different machine, and a couple of buttonhole templates for making different sizes with a buttonholer. Although they aren’t giving away the files for free, all of these parts are available quite cheaply in
their Shapeways store
.
Got an old machine you don’t know what to do with?
Try converting it to a computerized embroidery machine
.
Thanks for the tip, [Raphael]! | 6 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404031",
"author": "willmore",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T21:29:52",
"content": "This is a really cool hack!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6404040",
"author": "Ronald K Daub",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T22:48:13",
"co... | 1,760,372,863.345852 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/this-ham-radio-is-unsafe-at-any-frequency/ | This Ham Radio Is Unsafe At Any Frequency | Al Williams | [
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"ham radio",
"safety",
"transmitter",
"tube"
] | When we were kids we rode bicycles without pads and helmets. We drank sugary drinks. We played with chemistry sets and power tools. We also built things that directly used AC line current. [Mike] remembers and built one, presumably more to discuss the safety precautions around things that can shock you and not entice you to duplicate it. He calls it The
Retro QRP Widowmaker
, if that’s any kind of a hint. (Video of this unsafe transmitter also embedded below.)
The design showed up from time to time in old electronic magazines. Built on an open board and with no ground wire, the radio didn’t need a complex power supply. This wasn’t limited to transmitters, either. Some TVs and radios had a “hot chassis.” That’s why we were taught to touch an unknown chassis with the back of your hand first. A shock will contract your muscles and that will pull your arm away instead of making you grab the electrically active part.
For safety’s sake, [Mike] used an isolation transformer to keep from having a disaster. A big resistor drops a lot of voltage to supply the tube in the circuit. There was a neon bulb to indicate if you have your plugs the wrong way around making things dangerous.
We enjoyed [Mike’s] excellent code using an old J-38 style key. Not everyone uses a paddle or a keyboard. Nowadays, you don’t need
high voltages for little transmitters
. Also, $50 today is probably worth less than $10 was back then. If you have a hankering for vintage gear, try
old transistors
, instead. | 40 | 18 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404008",
"author": "Bill2462",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T19:39:59",
"content": "Shake hands with danger!I love it!Although there is one feature missing. There should be small red button that when pressed blows everything up!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
... | 1,760,372,863.257494 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/building-the-diy-hp41c-a-field-report/ | Building The DIY HP41C: A Field Report | Al Williams | [
"Featured",
"Retrocomputing",
"Reviews",
"Slider"
] | [
"calculator",
"HP-41C",
"hp41c",
"kits",
"retrocomputing",
"RPN calculator"
] | I have a confession to make. I write about a lot of projects for Hackaday, but there are very few I read about and then go actually build a copy of it. I don’t have a lot of time and I’m usually too busy building my own stuff. But once in a while, something strikes my fancy and I’ll either raid the junk box or buy the kit. The most recent case of that was the
PX-41C
, a replica of the classic HP-41C.
Nicely bagged parts.
The HP-41C is a somewhat legendary reverse-polish notation calculator. I still have my original HP-41C from 1979 (a very low serial number). It is still a workhorse but at 43 years old or so, I don’t like to leave it hanging around or near anything that might damage it. It has enough wear from the daily use it received 40 years ago. Sure, I have great emulation on my phone and I use that too, but the PX-41C kit looked fun, and with all through-hole parts it would be a quick build. The black Friday sale
on Tindie
sealed the deal for me.
Start-Up
The kit arrived on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, I decided to tackle it while waiting for some 3D prints. The components were all nicely bagged and marked. Tearing into the bags was a bit frustrating, but not hard and it did keep everything separate. There was a bill of materials, but — I thought — no instructions. Turns out the last part of the bill of materials is a link to some instructions. They aren’t much and I didn’t realize they were until after completing the board, but it isn’t hard to figure out. All the parts are marked on the silkscreen and you can probably figure it out — with a few caveats.
Note components squashed down for the LCD.
Several components go under the LCD display and that is soldered in, so you need to put them in first. I wondered if you should install them on the back of the board, but the pictures showed them front-mounted and you realize pretty quickly you have to bend them down to let the LCD sit flat. The instructions, if you read them, do mention this.
Once I had everything but the switches done, I powered up to make sure it all worked. It did — or, at least — it powered up and said MEMORY LOST.
Switches
With 39 switches, you need 156 solder joints…
There are 39 little tact switches to install. Luckily, they have little legs that spring into the holes, so it isn’t very hard. However, they can pop out, so I suggest doing a column or two at a time. One switch was a little bent out of shape but there was an extra, so I didn’t bother trying to unbend it.
With a few keys in the bottom right corner, I could power on and do a few quick calculations with no problem. The board takes a CR2025 and I only had a thinner battery. A dime made a good spacer and let me fit the thin battery and get the thing working.
Configuration
The board has a backlit LCD and a clock — features a regular HP41C didn’t have. However, I didn’t see an obvious way to set them. I had found the documentation by then and it said to hold the 0 key while powering on to get into the configuration menu. Turns out, it is the divide key, which took a minute to figure out. In addition, the keys to operate the menu system are a little wonky (but, in all fairness, the firmware put a help message on the screen until you release the divide key).
Just in Case
The case looks great and the key springs are very precise. The tape on the overlay is very obvious in the photo, but not as bad in person.
There is a 3D printed case and a way to print an overlay for the keys along with a springy key matrix. They were nice enough to send me these already made up, although I’m not sure that’s always included. The overlay looks great at first, but if you look closely, it is taped down and that detracts a little from it. Don’t lift up the tape! It will ruin the overlay.
The case looked good, and it is fairly simple. There were a few problems, though. First, the LCD was poking up at an angle. The instructions tell you to tape it down to the CPU, but that didn’t really help. After taking these pictures, I pulled the LCD off and reinstalled it carefully with new headers and had it come out nice and flush.
The other problem was that the R/S key in the bottom right corner didn’t want to work with the case in place. Sometimes it was inoperative. Sometimes it would work but didn’t click like the rest of the keys and was more like a touch panel. Sometimes it was stuck pressed down.
I tried filing the case a little but that didn’t seem to help. There are some nubs that keep the board from coming down too low on the key springs. It looks like the case was warped enough to have that corner a bit lower than the rest. If you left the back off and pushed on that corner, it would reproduce the problem, but the other corners were fine.
I thought about reprinting the case myself — I have enough 3D printers, after all. But I finally made a little paper shim to make the stop in that corner a little thicker. I just took a small strip of paper and folded it many times until it was about the same size as the stop and inserted the stop into the paper making a sandwich where the paper was the bread and the stop was the meat. This seems to have cleared up the keyboard issue. It doesn’t look like the problem was related to the key installation, but anything is possible. I’m pretty sure it was just a subtle warping in the case.
Last Impressions
Done. Sort of. Works great! The tape is very reflective in photos.
For the price (about $40) this is a fun kit and is actually useful. It would be nice if the LCD had a socket. It would also be nice if the overlay install looked cleaner, but for a casual glance, it is fine and it still looks better than just a bare PCB with keys — unless you like that sort of thing.
I haven’t tried to see if the emulator will do synthetic programming yet, but it is on my to do list. Otherwise, I now can use my HP41C with no phone and without risking my real one. After forty-some-odd years, it can use the rest.
For some reason, the projects I tend to build after writing (or reading) about them are mostly for retrocomputing. I built the
KIM UNO
(and repurposed it for the
1802
). I built a
PiDP-8
(and need to find time for the PDP-11 version). Possibly my favorite was the
$4 Z80
which I actually
added a bit to
, software-wise. | 20 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403987",
"author": "dudefromthenorth",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T18:25:54",
"content": "but without the HP style buttons?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403995",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren",
... | 1,760,372,863.452012 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/back-to-the-future-we-go-with-this-flux-capacitor-pcb-badge/ | Back To The Future We Go With This Flux Capacitor PCB Badge | Orlando Hoilett | [
"Art",
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"back to the future",
"DeLorean",
"Dr Emmett Brown",
"Marty McFly",
"movies"
] | [Arnov] is a huge fan of the
Back to the Future
franchise, so he wanted some memorabilia from the movie to decorate his work area. Official memorabilia from successful movie franchises can be pretty expensive, so [Arnov] opted to make something himself instead, creating his own
flux capacitor PCB badge
.
Fortunately, [Arnov’s] design isn’t as complicated as Doc’s was from the movie (pictured on the right), so it should be a lot easier to replicate. We have a simple LED circuit driven by an 8205S MOSFET and controlled by an ATtiny microcontroller. There’s a small diode for auto-switching between USB and battery power as well as a few current limiting resistors for the LEDs. Fortunately, [Arnov’s] project only requires 0.017 W to power, so no plutonium nuclear reactor is necessary and you can easily power it with a standard coin cell battery or with a USB. That’s quite a relief.
As with many of [Arnov’s] projects, the beauty in its design lies in the detail he places on the PCB layout. In this case, the layout is a bit easier than some of his other work needing only to arrange the blinking LEDs in a “Y” shape to mirror the flux capacitor seen in the movies. He also adds a bit of detail to the silkscreen to help complete the aesthetic.
We think this is worth adding to your
PCB badge collection
. | 8 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404459",
"author": "arnov sharma",
"timestamp": "2021-12-06T05:21:30",
"content": "Thanks for the article!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6404465",
"author": "Joshua",
"timestamp": "2021-12-06T05:58:01",
"content":... | 1,760,372,863.301085 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/hackaday-links-december-5-2021/ | Hackaday Links: December 5, 2021 | Dan Maloney | [
"Hackaday Columns",
"Hackaday links"
] | [
"arduino",
"cons",
"crypto",
"cryptocurrency",
"hackaday links",
"infrastructure",
"limited edition",
"mini",
"Mr. Goxx",
"naturalism",
"Sri Lanka",
"uno",
"water main"
] | Sad news from Germany, with
the recent passing
of a legend in the crypto community: Mr. Goxx, the crypto-trading hamster. The rodent rose to fame in the crypto community for his trades, which were generated at random during his daily exercise routines — his exercise wheel being used like a roulette wheel to choose a currency, and a pair of tunnels determined whether the transaction would be a buy or sell. His trading career was short, having only started this past June, but he was up 20% over that time — that’s nothing to sneeze at. Our condolences to Mr. Goxx’s owners, and to the community which sprung up around the animal’s antics.
It might seem a little early to start planning which conferences you’d like to hit in 2022, but some require a little more lead time than others. One that you might not have heard of is
DINACON
, the Digital Naturalism Conference, which explores the intersection of technology and the natural world. The con is set for the entire month of July 2022 and will be held in Sri Lanka. It has a different structure than most cons, in that participants attend for a week or so on a rotating basis, much like a biology field station summer session. It sounds like a lot of fun, and
the setting couldn’t be more idyllic
.
If you haven’t already killed your holiday gift budget buying NFTs, here’s something you might want to consider: the
Arduino Uno Mini Limited Edition
. What makes it a Limited Edition, you ask? Practically, it’s the small footprint compared to the original Uno and the castellated edges, but there are a bunch of other extras. Each elegant black PCB with gold silk screening is individually numbered and comes in presentation-quality packaging. But the
pièce de résistance
, or perhaps we should say the
cavallo di battaglia
, is that each one comes with a hand-signed letter from the Arduino founders. They honestly look pretty sharp, and at $45, it’s really not a bad collector’s piece.
And finally, the YouTube algorithm giveth again, when
this infrastructure gem
popped up in our feed. You wouldn’t think there’d be much of interest to see in a water main repair, but you’d be wrong, especially when that main is 50′ (15 m) below the surface, and the repair location is 600′ (183 m) from the access hatch. Oh yeah, and the pipe is only 42″ (1 m) in diameter, and runs underneath a river. There’s just so much nope in this one, especially since the diver has to swim into a special turning elbow just to get pointed in the right direction; how he turns around to swim out is not worth thinking about. Fascinating tidbits include being able to see the gravel used to protect the pipe in the riverbed through the crack in the pipe, and learning that big water mains are not completely filled, at least judging by the small air space visible at the top of the pipe. Those with claustrophobia are probably best advised to avoid this one, but it’s still amazing to see how stuff like this is done. | 15 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404409",
"author": "Hirudinea",
"timestamp": "2021-12-06T01:30:13",
"content": "” Digital Naturalism Conference”. Isn’t “Naturalism” just another word for Nudism? No thanks, not my kind of dongles.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_i... | 1,760,372,863.538623 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/rolling-screw-extruder-goes-brushless/ | Rolling-Screw Extruder Goes Brushless | Sonya Vasquez | [
"3d Printer hacks"
] | [
"3d printer extruder",
"bldc extruder"
] | In the name of saving weight and pushing plastic, it’s nice to see continuous tweaks on 3D printer extruders from folks in their spare time. And to go where no extruder has gone before, [wayne dalton] has managed to
combine the rolling screw thread extruder concept directly onto a brushless pancake motor
. The result is a filament pushing mechanism weighing in at just under 90 grams. What’s more, this modification arrives a few weeks weeks after we first saw an
open source version of the rolling screw thread extruder
land on Thingiverse back in September.
Getting a direct-drive BLDC extruder off the ground comes with a number of geometry challenges. First, filament needs to be fed through a motor with a hollow shaft. Since this motor will be operated under closed loop control via an ODrive, the motor also requires an encoder with a hole down the middle too. [wayne dalton] patiently walks us through all the changes made over seven iterations to produce a setup that will eventually mount onto a machine and start printing. But for that last step we’ll need to check back a bit later. Finally, this progress comes with the promise of a possible open source release of the design files, so we’re pretty eager to stay tuned for future videos.
In the last few years, we’ve seen state-of-the-art extruders move away from NEMA 17 motors in favor of more compact solutions like
planetary gears
and even
lasers
to push printers faster. We’re excited to see that folks keep trying to set the bar higher.
Thanks to [ImpC] for the tip! | 33 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404379",
"author": "Mechenger",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T21:47:05",
"content": "I like it!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6404395",
"author": "Gravis",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T23:21:38",
"content": "I saw the orig... | 1,760,372,863.603158 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/is-the-game-up-for-baofeng-in-europe/ | Is The Game Up For Baofeng In Europe? | Jenny List | [
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"baofeng",
"fcc",
"FM transceiver",
"radio",
"transceiver",
"UV-5R"
] | For radio enthusiasts worldwide, the inexpensive Chinese handheld radios produced by the likes of Baofeng and other brands have been a welcome addition to their arsenal. They make an ideal first transceiver for a new licensee, a handy portable for any radio amateur, and an inexpensive basis for UHF or VHF experimentation. Unfortunately with the low cost comes something of a reputation for not having the cleanest spectral output, and it seems that
this has caught the attention of regulators in Germany and Poland
. In Germany this has resulted in
the announcement of a sales prohibition
(PDF in German) which seems likely to be repeated across the rest of the EU.
It seems what has happened is that the quality of the Baofeng radios on sale doesn’t match that claimed in their conformity documents, which should honestly come as a surprise to nobody. It is interesting that the paperwork mentions the Baofeng UV-5R specifically, as it seems likely to us that an inevitable game of whack-a-mole will ensue with the same radios appearing under ever more brand names and part numbers. The basic UV-5R already appears under a number of variants, for example the one where this is being written is a near-identical but slightly more powerful BF-F8, so this should again come as no surprise.
If you live in Europe should you panic buy a Baofeng while you still can? Probably not, unless you really need one. Something tells us they will remain readily available from the usual overseas sources for years to come. Meanwhile
this isn’t the first time a regulator has raised questions about this type of radio
.
Thanks [2ftg] for the tip.
Header image: Варвара Каминская,
CC BY-SA 4.0
. | 121 | 28 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404344",
"author": "Thomas Weeks",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T18:11:20",
"content": "Would like more output specs and specific spectrum issues.Following..",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6404827",
"author": "Richard Mi... | 1,760,372,864.28333 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/hackvent-calendar-will-open-the-door-and-get-your-kids-soldering/ | Hackvent Calendar Will Open The Door And Get Your Kids Soldering | Kristina Panos | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Holiday Hacks"
] | [
"advent",
"advent calendar",
"arduino",
"arduino mega"
] | Who says it’s too early to get in the holiday spirit? We say it’s not. After all, people need time to get in the spirit before it comes and goes. And what better way to count down the days until Christmas than an
electronic Advent calendar
?
[Tom Goff]’s kids had some pretty cool ideas for building a decoration, like a musical, lighted sleigh complete with robotic Santa Claus. While that’s a little much to pull off for this year, they did salvage the music and lights part for their Hackvent calendar.
There are 24 small LEDs for December 1st through the 24th, and a big white star for December 25th. Each day, the kids just push the button and the day’s LED lights up. On the big day, all the small lights cascade off and the white one lights up, then it plays Jingle Bells through a sound playback module.
Each LED is connected directly to an input on an Arduino Mega. While there are several ways of lighting up 25 LEDs, this one is pretty kid-friendly. We think the coolest part of this build is that [Tom] and the kids did it old school, with nails hammered into the laser-cut plywood and used as connection terminals. Be sure to check it out in action after the break.
The more time you have, the more you can put into your Advent calendar build.
Like chocolates, for instance
. | 1 | 1 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404334",
"author": "That kid",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T16:47:06",
"content": "Thank you for this!!!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
}
] | 1,760,372,864.131816 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/get-down-to-some-african-tunes-with-this-homebrew-synth/ | Get Down To Some African Tunes With This HomeBrew Synth | Dave Rowntree | [
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"africa",
"Modular synthesizer",
"solenoid"
] | South African
[Afrorack] claims to have built the first home-built modular synthesiser in Africa. Whilst we can’t be sure of this (and to be frank, it doesn’t actually matter) what we can be sure of is that the
latest additions to this rig sound pretty rad
. (video, embedded below) There really isn’t much doubt that the African nations are the kings of rhythm, and that living in the less well-to-do areas you need to have a certain resourcefulness to use the materials around you. It’s not like you can just pop down to the local electronics store for a missing part, even if you had the funds for it.
The modular synth looks pretty nice, rough and ready like a real homebrew, and the use of an oil can as a bass drum and rice in a plastic skiff as an instrument might look crude, but sound pretty good. All three additions to the rig are simple spring-loaded solenoid affairs, but since off the shelf stuff is an expensive luxury, hand wound coils were in order. With a bobbin formed with a metal rod and two suitably trimmed fanta bottle lids, a wire spool holder sitting on what looks like a cake stand, a drill powered coil winder was constructed. We did smirk a little when in an early shot, wire was guided by hand, which was rapidly followed by an adjustment to guiding with a rag. Darn friction burns! We’re watching this with interest to see what the next additions will be, but for now, just sit back and nerd out to some
sick African techno tunes
!
Want to see a
mess-o-wires turn into something meaningful
? Got some Game Boys lying around needing something to do?
How about a chiptune synth
?
thanks [aaron] for the tip! | 9 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404304",
"author": "Enkerli",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T13:13:07",
"content": "“Bamanya Brian is from Uganda, east Africa”.So… not South Africa.https://www.arturia.com/stories/brian-bamanya",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6405... | 1,760,372,864.091792 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/05/keep-the-sparks-away-with-a-plasma-cutting-table/ | Keep The Sparks Away With A Plasma Cutting Table | Bryan Cockfield | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"bath",
"cnc",
"cutting",
"metal",
"plasma cutter",
"sparks",
"table",
"tools",
"water",
"welding"
] | For one-off projects or prototypes it’s not uncommon for us to make do with whatever workspace we have on hand. Using a deck railing as an impromptu sawhorse, for example, is one that might be familiar to anyone who owns a circular saw, but [Daniel] has a slightly different situation. He had been setting up metal workpieces on random chunks of brick in order to use his plasma cutter, but just like the home handyman who gets tired of nicking their deck with a saw,
he decided to come up with a more permanent solution and built a custom plasma cutting table
.
Plasma cutting has a tendency to throw up a lot of sparks, so most commercial offerings for plasma cutting tables include a water bath to catch all of the debris from the cutting process. [Daniel] builds his table over a metal tub to hold some water for this purpose. The table itself is built out of aluminum and designed to be built without welding even though most people with plasma cutters probably have welders as well. The frame is designed to be exceptionally strong and includes curved slats which add to the strength of the table. The table is also designed to be portable, so the curved slats stay in place when the table is moved.
While this might seem like an average metal table at first glance, the table is actually being designed with a homemade CNC machine in mind which [Daniel] is working on. The CNC plasma cutter needs a sturdy, flat surface and can’t be set up on bricks in the driveway, so this table suits both [Daniel]’s immediate needs to not shower himself in sparks every time he cuts something and also his future CNC machine’s need for a sturdy, flat workspace. We look forward to seeing that build being completed but in the meantime take a look at this
motorized plasma cutter
which has the beginnings of a CNC machine if in one direction only. | 8 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404290",
"author": "Tricon",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T10:25:35",
"content": "Sorry for being an armchair critic.It is a neat table.The water not so much. In my experience with plasma cutting the water table (as in water level) sits just above the torch tip.This is a nicely construc... | 1,760,372,864.046739 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/the-safest-model-roller-coaster/ | The Safest Model Roller Coaster | Brian McEvoy | [
"Toy Hacks"
] | [
"Allen-Bradley",
"HMI",
"plc",
"programmable logic controller",
"Rockwell Automation",
"roller coaster",
"rollercoaster",
"touchscreen"
] | [Jared Holladay] is a computer engineering student at the University of Cincinnati and a life-long roller coaster fanatic. A lot of people look at roller coasters as an exciting example of physics, like potential energy versus kinetic energy or inertia, and rightly so.
[Jared] looks at them and wonders about the controls
. Video also below and there is a
feature-length explanation
with more details. Some Hackaday readers and writers can identify the components, so we think his coaster model belongs here.
Like many folks in this field, he’s built K’nex models to get a handle on construction. He’s toured STEM shows with the tracks and undoubtedly wowed kids, adults, and physics teachers, but since he can speak to the programming, he is a triple threat. Now, he’s growing out of the toy construction plastic and moving into 3D printed parts with needle-fine tolerances.
His latest base is extruded aluminum, like what you’d want in a rigid CNC or printer. In addition to the industrial-grade surface, Rockwell Automation sent him a safety programmable logic controller, PLC, and a touchscreen HMI. Our fellows in the industry tell us those are far beyond the price scope of regular hobbyists. But fear not; your Arduino clones will suffice until you get your first grant.
The point of all the ruggedized hardware, aside from authenticity, is to implement safety features the same way you would in the industry. The redundant PLC connects to inductive prox sensors to check train speed and location. Other moving parts, like friction brakes, have sensors to report if there is a jam. After all, it’s no good if you can’t stop a train full of people. There are hundreds of things that can go wrong. Just ask [Jared] because he programmed on-screen indicators for all of them and classified them to let an operator know if they can keep the ride moving or if they need to call maintenance.
Not all
homemade coasters
are scale models, and some of the traditional ones have
more than meets the eye
.
Thank you, [Milo Bascombe] for the tip. | 9 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403824",
"author": "Alysson+Rowan",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T00:42:38",
"content": "Impressive!I wouldn’t mind seeing a ride-through made using a mini wireless cam or similar – just to flip my mind a bit.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"co... | 1,760,372,863.922967 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/impressive-hack-turns-bolt-into-pneumatic-engraver/ | Impressive Hack Turns Bolt Into Pneumatic Engraver | Kristina Panos | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"bolt",
"engraver",
"pneumatic"
] | Did you ever see one of those videos that causes you to look at an everyday object in a new light?
This is one of those videos
(embedded below). And fortunately for us,
there’s a write-up to go along with it
in case you don’t always understand what’s going on.
In this case, what’s going on is that [AMbros Custom] is masterfully turning a stainless steel M20 bolt into a pneumatic engraving tool. Yeah, you read that correctly. But the most amazing thing about this hack is the minimum of tools used to do it. For one thing, there’s not a lathe in sight — [AMbros Custom] just chucked it into the drill or added a few nuts and clamped it in a vise.
So, how does it work? [AMbros Custom] hooks it up to a compressor, which causes the piston inside to go up and down, agitating the engraving bit. If you don’t want to watch the video, there are a ton of build pictures in the write-up.
What else can you do with a bolt? If you have the tools, you can do plenty.
You could even turn one into a secret cash stash for buying more large bolts
. | 24 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403781",
"author": "Arno",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T21:28:31",
"content": "Well it’s great manufacturing and I’m happy to see it here, but at this point is it really a “hack”? Just like turning steel tunes into a bike… I’m personally happy when I hack a bolt into a bottle opener.",... | 1,760,372,863.98367 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/clever-motherboard-hack-brings-late-90s-motherboard-into-the-early-2000s/ | Clever Motherboard Hack Brings Late 90’s Motherboard Into The Early 2000’s | Ryan Flowers | [
"Retrocomputing"
] | [
"amd",
"Asus",
"asus motherboard",
"k6-2",
"P/I-P55TP4XEG",
"pullup resistor",
"socket 7",
"super socket 7"
] | Some people look at specifications as a requirement, and others look at them as a challenge. You’re reading this on Hackaday, so you know where [Necroware] falls. In the video below the break,
you’ll see how he takes a common mid-to-late 90’s motherboard and takes it well past its spec sheet
.
[Necroware] does what all soldering iron ads think people do with soldering irons
Having already started with replacing the Real Time Clock with his own creation, [Necroware] looked for other opportunities to make the Asus P/I-P55TP4XEG more capable than Asus did. And, he succeeded. Realizing that the motherboard has the ability to have an external voltage regulator board, [Necroware] made one so that the Socket 7 board could supply more than a single voltage to the CPU- the very thing keeping him from upgrading from a Pentium 133 to a Pentium MMX 200.
While the upgrade was partially successful, a deep dive into the Socket 7 and Super Socket 7 documentation helped him realize the need for a pullup resistor on a strategic clocking pin. Then, [Necroware] went full Turbo and smashed this author’s favorite single core CPU of all time into the socket: the AMD K6-2 450, a CPU well beyond the original capabilities of the board.
It really goes to show that, of course,
It’s All About The Pentiums
. Thanks to [BaldPower] for the doing the needful and dropping this great hack into the
Tip Line
! | 32 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403739",
"author": "Lee",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T19:35:35",
"content": "More like mid 90’s to late 90’s.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403773",
"author": "Joshua",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T21:06:37",
... | 1,760,372,864.534736 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/motorsports-are-turning-to-alternative-fuels/ | Motorsports Are Turning To Alternative Fuels | Lewin Day | [
"car hacks",
"Featured",
"Interest",
"Original Art",
"Slider"
] | [
"alternative fuel",
"alternative fuels",
"bioethanol",
"biofuel",
"biofuels",
"car",
"cars",
"e-fuel",
"e-fuels",
"efuel",
"fuel",
"hydrogen",
"motor sports",
"motorsport",
"motorsports",
"racing"
] | As the world grapples with the issue of climate change, there’s a huge pressure to move transport away from carbon-based fuels across the board. Whether it’s turning to electric cars for commuting or improving the efficiency of the trucking industry, there’s much work to be done.
It’s a drop in the ocean in comparison, but the world of motorsports has not escaped attention when it comes to cleaning up its act. As a result, many motorsports are beginning to explore the use of alternative fuels in order to reduce their impact on the environment.
A New Focus
Historically, motorsports have paid little heed to things like emissions or efficiency. Instead, the focus was on generating the maximum possible power available, everything else be damned — barring excessive fuel consumption, which could necessitate extra pit stops. However, in recent decades, automakers and sponsors have desired to get away from this devil-may-care attitude, which can reflect poorly on them outside of the motorsports fan base.
Early moves towards cleaning up motorsports have seen Formula 1 begin using hybrid power units, as well as the establishment of all-electric series like Formula E. However, the world of motorsport is still almost entirely powered by fossil fuels, something which is only now beginning to show signs of change.
The Contenders
There are three main replacements for traditional fossil fuels that are slated for use in the world of motorsports. Biofuels, synthetic fuels (also known as e-fuels) and hydrogen are of great interest, as they promise to bring motor racing closer to a carbon-neutral ideal, at least when it comes to tailpipe emissions.
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is one of the simplest “clean” fuels out there. Generating it is as simple as running electricity through water, and if you do so using renewable energy, congratulations! You’ve created a clean fuel without creating any carbon emissions, and burning it only creates water as a byproduct.
Typically, when we talk about hydrogen as fuel, we think of
fuel-cell vehicles
. These combine hydrogen with atmospheric oxygen to generate electricity to drive electric motors. However, there are louder, more exciting ways to use hydrogen, too. Internal combustion engines can be modified to run on hydrogen, producing comparable power outputs to similarly-sized petrol engines.
Hydrogen is already seeing use in motorsports. Toyota entered a Corolla Sport car with a hydrogen-burning engine in this year’s
Fuji Super TEC 24 Hour race.
The car completed the race successfully, though was only able to achieve 10 laps at a time before needing to refuel. Neither could the car refuel in the usual pitlane; the hydrogen tanks instead had to be topped off in a special area in the paddock. However, it served as a useful demonstration of hydrogen combustion engine technology.
The Gaussin H2 Racing Truck aims to spotlight the company’s efforts to build battery-electric and fuel-cell Class 8 trucks. Credit: Gaussin, press photo
On the other hand, Gaussin, a manufacturer of a variety of battery-electric and fuel cell vehicles, plans to take its H2 Racing Truck to compete in the 2022 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. The gruelling race takes place in the desert, with competitors travelling over 7000 km throughout the event. Support crews will have to truck hydrogen across the desert to support the effort in much the same way as race teams do with gasoline today. The H2 Racing Truck can be refuelled with 80 kg of hydrogen in under 20 minutes for a range of 250 km at racing pace. With fuel cells outputting 380 kW and a full 82 kWh of batteries on board, its twin 300 kW motors can accelerate the truck up to the rules-mandated maximum of 140 km/h.
Biofuels
Many of us are already familiar with biofuels, which have been used in the transport sector for years now. Bioethanol, typically produced from corn or other sugars or starches through fermentation, is often mixed with traditional gasoline in 10% and 85% blends, sold as E10 and E85 around the world. Biodiesel, on the other hand, is produced from oils or fats in a chemical process, with waste cooking oils, vegetable oils, or soy often used as a feedstock.
These fuels are considered more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels. This is because the plant-based feedstocks used to make the fuel capture carbon out of the air as they grow. This offsets the carbon output by vehicles that burn the fuel.
V8 Supercar refuelling with E85 fuel via Getty Images
Race series such as
V8 Supercars in Australia
and
Indycar in the US
have used E85 fuels for years now, with the fuel coming with a benefit of reduced detonation, allowing higher performance with the right engine tune. Meanwhile,
NASCAR runs an E15 blend
.
Diesel is less commonly used in motorsports, particularly since the
Dieselgate fiasco
spoiled the fuel’s environmentally-friendly brand. Regardless, a handful of teams have used biodiesel to fuel their racers over the years. Mazda did just that
in the recent Super Taikyu race,
filling its car with fuel derived from waste cooking oil and processed microalgal fats.
e-Fuels
e-fuels, also known as electrofuels, are a relative new development. The basic idea is simple. Hydrogen, ideally split from water using renewable energy, is combined with carbon dioxide captured from the air, to make useful hydrocarbons that are drop-in replacements for the fuels we use today. Intense chemistry and plenty of electricity is required to complete the process.
Essentially, the idea is to take renewable electricity from sources like solar and wind, and store it in the chemical bonds of hydrocarbons to be released through combustion in the traditional way. Some e-fuels are intended to be direct drop-in replacements for petrol or diesel without requiring any engine modifications. This would allow regular cars to be run in a far more environmentally-friendly way, with the fuel production process capturing CO2 to offset vehicle tailpipe emissions.
By using water and captured CO2 as feedstocks, with renewable energy supplying the required electricity, to the process is theoretically carbon neutral, there or thereabouts. However, carbon capture is
not a mature technology,
nor particularly efficient. Plus, burning hydrocarbons of any sort in an internal combustion engine wastes a lot of energy as well. Generally, it’s far more efficient to simply store renewable energy in the batteries of an electric car, and use it that way, rather than turning it into fuel first, transporting it, and then burning it later. One study estimates that using renewable energy to make e-fuels for combustion engines leads to a total system efficiency of just 16%, versus 72% by just putting the electricity directly in an electric car.
Porsche has broken ground on a pilot plant in Chile, where abundant wind energy will help produce millions of liters of e-fuels by 2026. Credit: Porsche, press photo
Regardless, some manufacturers are still pursuing e-fuels. They have the attraction of working just fine in existing combustion engines, while going some length towards assuaging environmental concerns.
Audi has been working on the technology.
Fellow German automaker
Porsche has also dived in,
beginning construction this year on a pilot plant that hopes to produce 550 million liters of e-fuels per year by 2026. The project will combine hydrogen with air-captured CO2 to produce methanol, which will then be further processed into a synthetic e-fuel product. Meanwhile, the company is already testing lower-carbon fuels
in its motorsports programs
.
The hope is that these new fuels can cut carbon emissions by up to 90%, and go some way to allowing the cherished internal combustion engine to carry on some ways into the future. While they may be less clean than simply running electric cars, e-fuels could go a long way to enabling the existing combustion-engined fleet of vehicles to run more cleanly for years to come.
Summary
Alternative fuels are, at this stage, a great way for motorsports teams to polish up their environmental credentials. In a political moment when everyone is being asked to clean up their emissions, the world of motorsports needs to be seen to be doing its part, lest sponsors and automakers quickly abandon the sport in droves.
However, alternative fuels aren’t perfect, and typically only reduce carbon emissions rather than eliminating them entirely. They also don’t do anything to make up for the huge amount of emissions created flying race cars, drivers, and team members all over the world.
In any case, the technology will continue to be developed, and we may see these fuels become more mainstream in motorsports in future. With “cleaner” fuels like E85 already strongly establishing themselves, there’s clearly scope for more of the same in the future. | 53 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403712",
"author": "Pat",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T18:13:36",
"content": "“One study estimates that using renewable energy to make e-fuels for combustion engines leads to a total system efficiency of just 16%, versus 72% by just putting the electricity directly in an electric car.”... | 1,760,372,864.464478 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/low-buck-pvc-rov-is-definitely-a-mvp/ | Low Buck PVC ROV IS Definitely A MVP | Ryan Flowers | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"brushed motor",
"DC Brushed Motor",
"ethernet cable",
"ethernet cable hack",
"PCV",
"rov",
"sea shanty",
"submarine"
] | Do you have a hundred bucks and some time to kill? [Peter Sripol] invites you to
come along with him and build a remotely operated submarine
with only the most basic, easily accessible parts, as you can see in the video below the break.
Using nothing more than PVC pipe, an Ethernet cable, and a very basic electrical system, [Peter] has built a real MVP of a submarine. No, not Most Valuable Player; Minimum Viable Product. You see, there’s not a microcontroller, motor controller, sensor, or MOSFET to be found except for that which might reside inside the knock-off GoPro style camera which is encased in a candle wax sealed enclosure.
Instead, simple brushed motors live right out in the open water. Single pole double throw switches are connected to 100 feet of Ethernet cable and control the relays powering the motors. The camera signal is brought back to the controller through the same cable.
Simple
is the key to the build, and we have to admit that for all of its Minimum Viability, the little ROV has a lot going for it. [Peter] even manages to use the little craft to find and make possible the retrieval of a crustacean encrusted shopping cart from a saltwater canal. Not bad, little rover, not bad.
Also noteworthy is that the video below has its own PVC ROV Sea Shanty, which is something you just don’t hear every day.
Underwater ROV builds are the sort of thing almost every hacker thinks about doing at least once, and some hackers even include
Lego, magnets, and balloons
in their builds! | 8 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403691",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T16:52:08",
"content": "Probably not practical for long term salt water immersion.But, it the motors were watertight, would their electrical signals attract Great Whites?Once you start getting depth, ... | 1,760,372,864.576489 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/keebin-with-kristina-the-one-with-the-cat-keyboard/ | Keebin’ With Kristina: The One With The Cat Keyboard | Kristina Panos | [
"Hackaday Columns",
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"Futaba MD",
"IBM model F",
"Model F",
"num pad",
"one-piece split keyboard",
"split keyboard",
"Teensy"
] | Special thanks to [Maarten], who stumbled upon
this old gem of a geekhack thread by [suka]
. It’s essentially a show and tell of their DIY keyboard journey, complete with pictures. [suka]’s interest started with a yen for ergonomic keyboard layout alternatives. They soon found the geekhack forum and started lurking around, practicing layouts like Neo and AdNW, which [suka] still uses today.
When it was time to stop lurking and start building something, [suka] got plenty of support from the community. They knew they wanted a split ortho with a trackpoint and plenty of thumb keys. [suka] started by building them from old Cherry keyboards, which are easier to come by in Germany.
The first build was a pair of num pads turned landscape and wired up to a Teensy, but [suka] wanted those sweet, clacky Cherry MX switches instead of MLs. So the second version used a pair of sawed-off num pads from old MX boards.
When the
Truly Ergonomic
came out, it got [suka] interested in one-piece splits. Plus, they were tired of carrying around a two-piece keyboard. So their next build was a sexy monoblock split with a laser-sintered case and keycaps. But that was ultimately too uncomfortable, so [suka] went back to split-splits.
Everyone takes a different path into and through this hobby, and they’re all likely to be interesting. Is yours documented somewhere?
Let us know
.
What Could Have Been: The Dygma Raise
I do some streaming here and there, mostly for the sense of focus I get out of being live on camera. I like to find out what my people in chat are clacking on, and one of them told me they have a staggered split called the
Dygma Raise
. I hadn’t heard of it before that day, but this keyboard has been around for a few years now.
This same person told me that Dygma might make an ortholinear version sometime soon, but apparently Dygma wanted it that way from the beginning. According to the timely video below sent to the tips line by [deʃhipu], Dygma’s original plan was a split ortho with few keys and presumably a layer system.
So why did we end up with this half-hearted ergonomic that has more on hand to satisfy the staggered rectangle crowd? Well, because the staggered rectangle crowd is larger and has more money. But if you ask us, it wasn’t the ortholinear part that turned people off so much as the low key count. Asking people to go split
and
ortho
and
use layers from the get-go is simply too much at once.
It’s Complicated: Futaba MD Switches
So I picked up this bare TI-99/4A keyboard for building a cyberdeck, and it has some fairly interesting switches. There are 47 of these
Futaba MD complicated linear switches
, plus a single one that latches for the ALPHA LOCK key. These funny cylindrical switches are pretty large compared to Cherry MX switches, and they have MX-compatible stems.
And they’re aptly-named, too. These complicated linears have 16 parts to them in total, which is quite a count for a switch that has no audible click or tactile feel to it at all. Deskthority took one apart and
they have a nice gallery showing each step of disassembly
. I tried to do it for myself with a similar Futaba MD, but I just can’t get the legs to unscrew, which is supposed to be Step 1 of getting them apart.
Cat-Like Typing Detected
Anyone who owns both a cat and a keyboard knows that they are inextricably linked. Even if your cat never actually sits on top of your keyboard, there is probably enough hair in there to clone little Chairman Meow a couple times over.
If you’re looking for your first split keyboard, the Alice layout is a good choice. But an Alice layout on a cat silhouette? We predict that this kitty’s gonna hold its value on r/mechmarket simply for the novelty.
So don’t miss this Pikatea keyboard group buy, which comes in a rainbow of colors and a variety of key switches
. It ends on December 15th or as soon as 50 of them are sold, whichever comes first.
Historical Clackers: the Namograph
Image via
Antikey Chop
Remember the index typewriter? That’s the kind that doesn’t have a standard keyboard, just the alphabet and an arrow for choosing and printing one letter at a time. They still exist in the form of embossing label makers.
Here’s an index typewriter that was meant to personalize your pencil, pen, toothbrush, pipe handle, wallet, or whatever —
the Namograph
. It was a small machine that weighed only 7½ pounds and plugged into the wall. The Namograph didn’t sell well, and the company that made them from 1921 to 1922 never made any other product. Although they failed, the concept obviously did not — it lives on in hot foil stamping machines.
ICMYI: Model F restoration
[Epictronics] recently got a hold of an IBM Model F that some people might have deemed too far gone to bother with. It was missing its badge and about ten keycaps, which was enough to reveal just how much crud was strewn about the switch plate.
But [Epictronics] wasn’t worried about vintage crumbs. The biggest issue was the old, rotten foam inside. It took some doing, but they made a nice replacement with a sheet of neoprene, a big hole punch, and a lot of patience.
There’s a lot more to this restoration that gives plenty to learn from
. Lacking the robotic equipment IBM would use to take the keyboard apart, [Epictronics] resorted to resting it face-down on a pair of pool noodle halves and whacking it just right with a rubber mallet to remove the back plate.
Once all the dirtier deeds were done, [Epictronics] moved on to aesthetics, removing a stain on the case with a careful application of car polish, and tightening up the coil on one end of the cable with some taped-up threaded rod and a heat gun.
Got a hot tip that has like, anything to do with keyboards?
Help me out by sending in a link or two
. Don’t want all the Hackaday scribes to see it? Feel free to
email me directly
. | 8 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403665",
"author": "geekabit",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T15:31:27",
"content": "[quote]this old gem of a geekhack thread[/quote] It’s Deskthority actually.But love your column as always.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6403674",... | 1,760,372,864.639186 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/play-doom-or-gta-v-with-your-own-custom-controller-and-xbox-emulator/ | Play Doom Or GTA V With Your Own Custom Controller And Xbox Emulator | Orlando Hoilett | [
"Games",
"handhelds hacks"
] | [
"atmega32u4",
"doom",
"pac-man",
"video game",
"xbox"
] | [Arnov] is bringing his own custom-made controller
to the party and it is sure to impress. The design appears to have been inspired by the Xbox controller layout. Two joysticks for fine control of game characters, 4 face buttons, and two shoulder buttons. He opted for all through-hole components to make the assembly easier.
No messing with tiny surface mount components here
. We really appreciate the detail given to the silkscreen and the homage paid to a staple of retro gaming.
We were pretty impressed with how smoothly the controller translated to the game. He mentioned that was a
huge improvement over his previous design
. His original design had buttons instead of joysticks, but switching to joysticks gave him much better in-game control. That could also have a lot to do with the Xbox controller emulator running the background, but still.
Given that gift-giving season is upon us, you could really impress the video game enthusiast in your life with this as a custom gift.
You could even run Retro games like Doom
if you hook it up to a RetroPie. That ought to get a few people’s attention. | 11 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403629",
"author": "Viktor",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T13:29:01",
"content": "Looks unergonomic like a brick :D",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403637",
"author": "vib",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T14:21:32",
... | 1,760,372,864.686664 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/researchers-use-wearable-to-detect-and-reverse-opioid-overdoses-in-real-time/ | Researchers Use Wearable To Detect And Reverse Opioid Overdoses In Real-Time | Orlando Hoilett | [
"Medical Hacks",
"Wearable Hacks"
] | [
"Covid-19",
"opioid",
"substance use disorder",
"supervised injection facility"
] | Opioid overdose-related deaths have unfortunately been increasing over the last few decades, with the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating this public health crisis even further. As a result, many scientists, healthcare professionals, and government officials have been working tirelessly to end this deadly epidemic. Researchers at the University of Washington are one such group and have recently unveiled a
wearable to both detect opioid overdose and deliver an antidote, in real-time, restoring normal bodily function
.
As the researchers describe in their paper, opioid overdose causes respiratory rate depression which will lead to hypoxia (insufficient oxygen in the blood) and ultimately death. Fortunately, opioid overdose can be readily reversed using naloxone, a compound that binds to receptors in the brain, outcompeting the opiates themselves, and restoring normal breathing. Unfortunately, if someone is overdosing, they are unable to self-administer the antidote and with many opioid overdoses occurring when the victim is alone (51.8%), it is necessary to develop an automated system to deliver the antidote when an overdose is detected.
The researchers begin by describing their process for measuring respiration, of which there are several options. You could use
photoplethysmography
in much of the same way we measure heart rate. Or you could measure
the changing impedance of the chest cavity during breathing
or even use an
intraoral sensor that measures airflow in the mouth
. Instead, the researchers opt to measure respiration by attaching accelerometers to the patient’s abdomen and measuring the movement of the abdominal cavity during breathing. They admit their technique becomes problematic when the patient is not stationary, but argue that in the case of a drug overdose, the patient is likely to be immobilized and the device would be able to measure respiration with ease. They tested their device across dozens of healthy, human volunteers, and even some opiate users themselves, and showed their technique had good agreement with a reference respiratory belt placed around the volunteers’ chests.
The cool part about this paper is that they demonstrated a “closed-loop” feedback system in which their device measured respiration, detected cessation in breathing (indicating an overdose), and delivered the antidote. To deliver naloxone, they leveraged an existing, commercially-available drug delivery system that requires a user to manually activate the device by pressing a button. They hacked the device a bit such that the trigger could be actuated using a servo motor properly positioned to depress the button when an opioid overdose is detected. They simulated an overdose by asking the healthy, human volunteers to hold their breath for a period greater than 15 seconds. They were able to successfully deliver the antidote to 100% of their volunteer group, indicating the device could potentially work in real-world settings.
Now, the form factor of the device undoubtedly needs to improve in order to deploy this device into the field, but we imagine those are improvements are underway and
patients have shown willingness to wear such devices already
. Also, there’s still a bit of a question of whether or not accelerometer-based breathing detection is optimal since
some drug overdoses cause seizures
. Nevertheless, this is an important step in combating the alarming rise in opioid overdose-related deaths and we hope to see many more advances in patient monitoring technologies in this field. | 32 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404285",
"author": "Biomed",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T09:00:30",
"content": "Are you Serious?I mean, from OUR point of view this sound great…. BUT…..But I worked as a volunteer for the Acid Rescue and Underground Switchboard Suicide and Drug Aabuse telephone hotline 271-3123 trough... | 1,760,372,864.785936 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/an-overly-complicated-method-of-tracking-your-favorite-sports-team/ | An Overly Complicated Method Of Tracking Your Favorite Sports Team | Orlando Hoilett | [
"internet hacks",
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"alexa",
"echo",
"IFTTT",
"IoT",
"particle"
] | Much of the world appears to revolve around sports, and sports tracking is a pretty big business. So how do people keep up with their favorite team? Well, [Jackson] and [Mourad] decided to
devise a custom IoT solution
.
Their system is a bit convoluted, so bear with us. First, they tell Alexa whether or not the team won or lost that week. Alexa then sends that information to IFTTT where two different Particle Argon boards are constantly polling the results to decide how to respond next. One Particle responds by lighting up an LED, green for a win and red for a loss. Another Particle board displays the results on an LCD screen. But this is where things get tricky. One of the more confusing aspects of their design is one of the Particle boards then signals back to IFTTT, telling it to tally the number of wins and losses. This seems a bit roundabout since the system started with IFTTT in the first place. Regardless, they seemed to be happy with the result and I’m sure they learned something in the process.
This project might not fulfill any functional need given that
Alexa knows everything about all our lives already
and you could just ask her how your favorite team is doing whenever you want to. But hey, we’re all about
learning by doing
here at Hackaday and
we’re all guilty of building useless projects here and there
just because we can. In any case, their project could serve as a good intro to integrating your Particle with IFTTT or Alexa since there appears to be quite a bit of probably unnecessary handshaking going on here. | 3 | 1 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404262",
"author": "Cy Nic",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T03:44:27",
"content": "Much of the world appears to revolve around sports,Bread and circuses. Keep the hoi polloi amused and distracted.It keeps them from noticing and meddling in the real business of running the world.",
"... | 1,760,372,864.72107 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/shady-air-umbrella-given-new-lease-on-life/ | Shady Air Umbrella Given New Lease On Life | Matthew Carlson | [
"3d Printer hacks",
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"3d printed",
"kickstarter",
"umbrella"
] | Many infamous Kickstarter projects have ultimately flopped or failed, leaving backers frustrated and angry. Often pitched with a splashy convincing video that happens to have critical components conveniently offscreen. [Allen Pan] was reminiscing about one such project, the air umbrella, and
decide to redeem the project by making his own
.
The basic idea of the air umbrella was a device that could create a cone of fast-moving air over your head to deflect air. Going off of the specs listed on the original Kickstarter page, [Allen] made a simple prototype that did nothing. Suspicions confirmed, he decided to keep going by buying a powerful electric leaf blower. A nozzle was 3d printed that could direct the air into the needed disc. Early testing with the mist function on a garden hose seemed promising, and they worked their way up to progressively larger raindrops.
Finally, the clouds of California smiled upon them, and it rained. [Allen] was ecstatic that his umbrella worked. He couldn’t hear much out of one ear as he was holding a leaf blower next to it for a few minutes, but it’s a small price to pay to stay dry with the Air Umbrella.
If you’re curious about more false Kickstarter claims, why not read up on this
tiny Arduino compatible board making some dubious claims
.
[Header image courtesy of
Air Umbrella Kickstarter page
] | 12 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404237",
"author": "zog",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T00:12:03",
"content": "Going deaf is a small price to pay?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6404245",
"author": "Hirudinea",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T01:05:36"... | 1,760,372,864.831084 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/make-your-own-ble-enabled-ios-app-from-scratch/ | Make Your Own BLE-Enabled IOS App From Scratch | Orlando Hoilett | [
"how-to",
"iphone hacks"
] | [
"apple",
"bluetooth low energy",
"ios",
"IoT",
"iphone",
"nrf"
] | Even those readers who are most skeptical of Apple products will like this
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-enabled iOS app tutorial
from [Akio].
With everything being “connected” these days smartphone applications are of course a ubiquitous part of our existence. We’ve seen plenty of examples
connecting your Bluetooth-enabled projects to an Android device
, but comparatively fewer tutorials for connecting to iOS devices. This mostly has to do with
Android’s much larger market share
and also Android’s more open-source friendly business model. Nevertheless, if you do much IoT development either as a hobby or professionally, then you probably find yourself interacting with Apple devices more than you like to admit.
[Akio’s] app is essentially updating a chart, in real-time, with data read from an Adafruit nRF52832 Feather board. He then walks you through all the basics of creating a user interface (UI) using Apple’s Storyboard interface, a
simple drag-and-drop scheme
similar to something you’ve probably used in many other contexts. [Akio] shows readers how to add buttons for allowing users to interact with the app, labels for displaying data to the user, as well as walks you through Apple’s odd methodology of connecting UI elements to code using IBAction and IBOutlets. The highlight of his tutorial is showing readers how to add charts to their iOS apps which seems to take a few more steps than you might imagine.
[Akio] does a really good job detailing all the relevant functions so that readers will hopefully understand what each piece of the code is doing. And we really enjoyed him adding individual video tutorials for some of the trickier programming steps. He also readily admits that some folks may opt to develop their UI exclusively in code as opposed to the Storyboard but he argues that the Storyboard is still important for beginners and is really handy when the UI is fairly simple.
Of course, in true open-source fashion, [Akio]
provides all his code on his GitHub repository
so you can clone the repo and run the code yourself as well as credit some of the resources he used while making his app. Two things we really love to see. Hopefully, [Akio’s] tutorial will make connecting to iOS devices seem
much less onerous than it once was
. | 20 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404205",
"author": "CH",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T21:48:41",
"content": "I would disagree with market share having any impact on why ble was not developed for ios. It was not developed because ios is closed source and apple puts lots of limitations on what apps can be loaded. you c... | 1,760,372,864.88173 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/full-color-3d-printing-with-the-help-of-an-inkjet-head/ | Full Color 3D Printing With The Help Of An Inkjet Head | Lewin Day | [
"3d Printer hacks"
] | [
"3d printer",
"color 3d printing"
] | 3D printing is a popular process, though one of the hangups is that parts are typically produced in just one flat color. [Aad] has been working on a simple modification to his Prusa i3 printer, however, that enables the production
of full-color parts.
Note the dual vertical assemblies – one carrying the extruder, the other carrying an inkjet print head.
The hack is simple, consisting of a second vertical frame added on to the printer. Rather than mounting a second extruder, however, there’s a inkjet printer head delivering CMYK water-based inks. After the main extruder lays down each layer of clear PLA plastic, the print is then moved under the inkjet head, which lays down colored inks before the next layer is printed,
as seen in this print video.
[Aad] notes the results are presently imperfect. The ink seems to bleed between layers, mixing with the plastic after it is laid down. Further testing with different inks and filaments is in the pipeline, however, aiming to improve quality and contrast of the results.
We’ve seen other approaches to the color 3D printing issue before, too.
Video after the break. | 16 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404175",
"author": "Rolenthedeep",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T18:44:10",
"content": "Maybe a solvent borne ink would bond to the pla better?Tbh when I read the headline, I thought that they were injecting dye into the hot end. That would probably result in much more consistent prints... | 1,760,372,865.455936 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/finally-a-use-for-old-cellphones/ | Finally, A Use For Old Cellphones | Elliot Williams | [
"3d Printer hacks",
"Cellphone Hacks",
"Hackaday Columns"
] | [
"cellphone",
"landfill",
"Octoprint",
"reuse",
"smartphone"
] | In what is now a three-year long search, I’ve finally found the perfect use for an old cellphone. And with it, the answer to a burning question:
Why aren’t we hacking cellphones
?
First, the application.
The Octo4a project
lets you use an old Android phone as a 3D printer server, web interface, and even time-lapse camera to make those nice movies where the print seems to grow up out of nothing before your eyes. It’s the perfect application for an old phone, making use of the memory, WiFi, graphics capabilities, and even the touch-screen if you want local control of your prints.
Connecting to the phone was the main hurdle that I’ve always seen in developing for cellphone projects, because I have robotics applications in mind. But Octo4a gets around this with low or no effort. Most 3D printers are designed to run on USB anyway, so connecting it to the phone is as simple as buying a USB OTG cable. With the USB port taken over, powering the phone long-run becomes a tiny problem, which can be solved with a Y-cable or a little solder. Keep the OS from going to sleep, somehow, and it’s problem solved!
But here’s why this
isn’t
a solution, and it points out the deeper problem with cellphone hacking that many pointed out in the comments three years ago.
Octoprint
is written in Python, and because of this is very easy to write extensions for and to hack on, if that’s your thing. When I first saw Octo4a, I thought “oh great, a working Android Python port”. Then I went to dig into the code.
Octo4a is written in Kotlin and uses the Gradle framework. It’s a complete port of Octoprint, not just to a different platform, but to a different programming language and to an almost entirely different programming paradigm. My hat is off to [feelfreelinux] for doing it, but my guess is that the community of other people fluent enough in Kotlin and Python to help port across upstream changes in Octoprint is a lot smaller than the community of Python programmers would have been. Octo4a is a great project, but it’s not a walk in the park to develop on it.
So all of you who wrote in the comments to my previous piece that it’s the Android software ecosystem that’s preventing phone reuse, well here’s the exception that proves your rule! A dedicated and talented, multi-lingual developer community could pull it off, but the hurdle is so high that few will rise to it.
Anyway, thanks [Feelfree Filip] for your great work! I’ll be
putting this on my old S4
.
This article is part of the Hackaday.com newsletter, delivered every seven days for each of the last 200+ weeks. It also includes our favorite articles from the last seven days that you can see on
the web version of the newsletter
.
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You should sign up
! | 50 | 28 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404138",
"author": "shinsukke",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T15:15:09",
"content": "Back in 2014 or 2015 I rooted my old android phone, then I copied over a debian image in a file. I could then mount the debian image and chroot into it, giving me a full fledged debian system (with limi... | 1,760,372,865.334358 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/04/abandoned-airplane-takes-off-again-as-luxury-rv/ | Abandoned Airplane Takes Off Again As Luxury RV | Kristina Panos | [
"Transportation Hacks"
] | [
"airplane",
"delivery vehicle"
] | You remember how you wanted to combine everything as a kid? Like lions and tigers into ligers and so on? Well, some kids dream of transportation hybrids. For eighty-year-old [Gino Lucci], now an Air Force retiree,
that dream involved a recreational vehicle that combined an airplane fuselage and a delivery truck
.
There it was, rusting in a field outside Rolla, Missouri — the vintage plane that would start [Gino Lucci] on the path to fulfilling this dream. This project began when [Gino]’s son spotted the body of a 1943 Douglas R4D military transport aircraft.
Over the next year, [Gino] and his sons painstakingly fused the fuselage to the chassis of an International DuraStar 4400 medium-duty truck. We love how they went about it. [Gino] and the boys just kept putting the two together and cutting away the fuselage in stages until they got it right. After making it roadworthy, it took another two years to work out the kinks.
The Fabulous Flamingo is 38 feet (11.6 meters) long and stands 12.5 feet (3.81 meters) tall. But the best metric is the width. It’s unspecified, but is apparently half an inch (1.27 cm) under the definition of what is street legal in Michigan. They used the plane’s engine cowlings as fenders and got the mirrors off of a ’70s Ford pickup. Floor it past the break and check it out.
This build cost about $20,000 USD all told. If you’ve got that kind of money,
you could instead stuff a powerful engine into a tiny plane to get your kicks
. | 30 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404122",
"author": "Rob",
"timestamp": "2021-12-04T12:05:26",
"content": "You heavily underestimate the cost of stuffing a powerful engine in a tiny airplane.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6404133",
"author": "Miles... | 1,760,372,865.400397 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/hackaday-podcast-147-animating-traces-sucking-and-climbing-spinning-sails-and-squashing-images/ | Hackaday Podcast 147: Animating Traces, Sucking And Climbing, Spinning Sails, And Squashing Images | Mike Szczys | [
"Hackaday Columns",
"Podcasts"
] | [
"Hackaday Podcast"
] | Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams get caught up on the week that was. You probably know a ton of people who have a solar array at their home, but how many do you know that have built their own hydroelectric generation on property? Retrocomputing software gurus take note, there’s an impressive cross-compiler in town that can spit out working binaries for everything from C64 to Game Boy to ZX Spectrum. Tom took a hard look at the Prusa XL, and Matthew takes us back to school on what UEFI is all about.
Take a look at the links below if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!
Direct download
(55 MB)
Where to Follow Hackaday Podcast
Places to follow Hackaday podcasts:
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
RSS
YouTube
Check
out our Libsyn landing page
Episode 147 Show Notes:
What’s that Sound?
Tell us your answer for this week’s “What’s that sound?”
. Next week on the show we’ll randomly draw one name from the correct answers to win a rare Hackaday Podcast T-shirt.
News This Week:
Elliot Williams will become Hackaday’s next Editor in Chief as Mike Szczys moves into Developer Relations at
Golioth IOT
The 555 Timer Contest Returns!
Samsung Bricks Smart TVs
The Real Story: How Samsung Blu Ray Players Were Bricked
Interesting Hacks of the Week:
Impressive Off-Grid Hydroelectric Plant Showcases The Hacker Spirit
Turning On The Hydro For The Winter And Installing A New Battery Bank – YouTube
Watch Blender Plugin Make Animated PCB Traces (and More)
Autonomous Drone Dodges Obstacles Without GPS
Inverted Pendulum Balanced On A Drone
Forty-Year-Old Arcade Game Reveals Secrets Of Robot Path Planning
Scale Buildings With The Power Of Suction
A Super Speedy Lightweight Lossless Compression Algorithm
GitHub – nothings/stb: stb single-file public domain libraries for C/C++
Magnus Effect Propels This Flettner Rotor Boat
Magnus-Effect RC Aircraft Is A Lot Harder Than It Looks
Turbo Rascal Is The Retro Pascal Compiler We Always Wanted
OK64 : The OK 8-bit computer. – LemonSpawn
Quick Hacks:
Mike’s Picks:
Analyzing Starlink Satellite Downlink Communications With Software Defined Radio
Detect Starlink Satellites Passing By
Vision Impaired Electronics Engineer Shows The Way To Get Things Done
Elliot’s Picks:
Recycled Parts Round Out Soap Shaped Electric Car
Do You Really Need To Dry Filament?
Giving Flip Dots The Oil Treatment To Shut Them Up
Want Octoprint But Lack A Raspberry Pi? Use An Old Android Phone
Can’t-Miss Articles:
What’s The Deal With UEFI?
Prusa XL Goes Big, But That’s Only Half The Story
Prusa XL First Look at Formnext! World Premiere! – YouTube | 2 | 2 | [
{
"comment_id": "6404242",
"author": "Jeff",
"timestamp": "2021-12-05T00:47:37",
"content": "I’ve always figured that if I wanted to get on the Hackaday podcast, I’d just have to figure out some weird way to make a clock and Mike would be drawn to it like a moth to a flame. But I guess I waited too ... | 1,760,372,865.252446 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/moon-bouncing-and-radar-imaging-with-lora/ | Moon Bouncing And Radar Imaging With LoRa | Ryan Flowers | [
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"EME",
"IoT",
"ISM",
"LoRa",
"moonbounce",
"Radio Telescope",
"space"
] | The LoRa radio protocol is well known to hardware hackers because of its Long Range (hence the name) but also its extremely low power use, making it a go-to for battery powered devices with tiny antennae. But what if the power wasn’t low, and the antenna not tiny? You might just
bounce a LoRa message off the moon
. But that’s not all.
The team that pulled off the LoRa Moonbounce consisted of folks from the European Space Agency,
Lacuna Space
, and the
CA Muller Radio Astronomy Station Foundation
which operates the Dwingeloo Radio Telescope. The Dwingeloo Radio Telescope is no stranger to Amateur Radio experiments, but this one was unique.
A radar image of the moon generated from LoRa Moonbounce
Operating in the 70 cm Amateur Radio band (430 MHz) meant that the LoRa signal was not limited to the low power signals allowed in the ISM bands. The team amplified the signal to 350 Watts, and then used the radio telescope’s 25 Meter dish to direct the transmission toward the moon.
The result? Not only were they able to receive the reflected transmission using the same transceiver they modulated it with — an off the shelf IOT LoRa radio — but they also recorded the transmission with an SDR. By plotting frequency and doppler delay, the LoRa transmission was able to be used to get a radar image of the moon- a great dual purpose use that is noteworthy in and of itself.
LoRa is a versatile technology, and can even be used for
tracking your High Altitude Balloon that’s returned to Terra Firma
. | 17 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403968",
"author": "Doug Leppard",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T16:09:46",
"content": "Interesting, have been watching Lora for awhile. I wonder what it would take for an back yard experimenter to do this without having to use a 25 meter dish.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
... | 1,760,372,865.509473 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/this-week-in-security-godaddy-tardigrade-monox-and-bigsig/ | This Week In Security: GoDaddy, Tardigrade, Monox, And BigSig | Jonathan Bennett | [
"Hackaday Columns",
"News",
"Security Hacks",
"Slider"
] | [
"BigSig",
"EwDoor",
"Tardigrade",
"This Week in Security"
] | After the Thanksgiving break, we have two weeks of news to cover, so hang on for an extra-long entry. First up is GoDaddy,
who suffered a breach starting on September 6th
.
According to an SEC filing
, they noticed the problem on November 17th, and determined that there was unauthorized access to their provisioning system for their WordPress hosting service. For those keeping track at home, that’s two months and eleven days that a malicious actor had access. And what all was compromised? The email address and customer number of the approximate 1.2 million GoDaddy WordPress users; the initial WordPress password,
in the clear
; the SFTP and database passwords, also in the clear; and for some customers, their private SSL key.
The saving grace is that it seems that GoDaddy’s systems are segregated well enough that this breach doesn’t seem to have led to further widespread compromise. It’s unclear why passwords were stored in the clear beyond the initial setup procedure. To be safe, if you have a WordPress instance hosted by GoDaddy, you should examine it very carefully for signs of compromise, and rotate associated passwords. The SSL keys may be the most troubling, as this would allow an attacker to impersonate the domain. Given the length of time the attack had access, it would not surprise me to learn that more of GoDaddy’s infrastructure was actually compromised.
Tardigrade — Maybe
Just over a week ago,
news was broken of a new APT malware campaign
targeting the bio-manufacturing sector. This new threat comes with a “halfhearted ransom note”, was adaptive, stealthy, and exhibited autonomous action. Researchers from BioBright describe Tardigrade as dynamically recompiling itself based on the environment, thereby constantly changing signatures.
If that sounds a little too breathless and overhyped, you aren’t alone. A researcher publishing under the pseudonym of [Infosec Coproscribe] has put together
a damning review of the Tardigrade disclosure
.
“Coproscribe” here probably refers to the practice of proscribing an antidote drug when proscribing a potentially dangerous opiate, and seems to imply that the post is intended to be the antidote to some sketchy infosec reporting.
Commenters have pointed out that doctors prescribe, not proscribe. “Copro” is a prefix referring to feces. I’ll let you work the meaning out from there on your own.
[Infosec] makes the case that the Tardigrade disclosure doesn’t show signs of really thorough work, and points to the reported Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) as an example. Those network IoCs are: “Random Batch of Amazon Web Services (AWS)”, GoDaddy, and Akamai. It’s challenging to find a network that *isn’t* constantly talking to AWS, GoDaddy domains, and the Akamai CDN. The malware binary that seems to be the basis for this research is a sample of CobaltStrike, a known tool. Without further clarification and details, the entire story of Tardigrade as an APT seems shaky. It’s too early to call it for sure. This could really be another Stuxnet-level operation, or it could simply be an inexperienced response team jumping at shadows.
MonoX and a Dumb Smart Contract Bug
Smart contracts are slowly changing the world, at least according to certain cryptocoin enthusiasts. What’s more readily demonstrable is that vulnerabilities in smart contracts can very rapidly wreck decentralized finance (DeFi) applications.
The latest example is MonoX
, a DeFi that aims to make token trading easier. The problem is that it was possible to trade a MONO token for itself. To borrow a programming term, this resulted in undefined behavior. The token was repeatedly traded, and with each trade its value rose. The price of MONO had eventually been pumped high enough, the attacker was able to dump his tokens for Polygon and Ethereum tokens. The total value lost was $31 million. When money is code, money will have bugs.
BigSig
Short for Big Signature,
[Tavis Ormandy] has dubbed his NSS vulnerability BigSig
. There’s no flashy logo, so make of that what you will. It’s a straightforward bug — a buffer is allocated for the biggest valid signature, and when processing a malformed signature that is even bigger, it writes right past the end of the buffer. CVE-2021-43527 is simple, and fairly simple to exploit. It was fixed in NSS 3.73, released on the first. While the bug doesn’t affect Firefox, other applications like Thunderbird, LibreOffice, and others make use of the NSS library, and may be vulnerable.
The most interesting aspect of this story is that this code has been vulnerable since 2012. This isn’t
one of those notorious single-maintainer projects
, but is part of Mozilla, who go out of their way to get security right. The NSS library has good test coverage, has been subjected to fuzzing, and is part of Mozilla’s bug bounty program. I’m not sure who coined the phrase, but this definitely demonstrates that “code wants to be wrong”. [Tavis] found the bug while working on a new approach to fuzzing for code coverage. He points out that one of the major fails in the existing code testing strategy is that the individual modules of NSS were tested in isolation, but not in an end-to-end approach. The input module may be able to parse an incoming request into a context struct, but it’s important to test the resulting context against the rest of the project’s code.
AT&T Hosts EwDoor
There seems to be
an active malware campaign targeting AT&T hardware
, the EdgeMarc Enterprise Session Border Controller. A flaw was disclosed way back in 2017, a where a default password (set to “default”)
could be used with a hidden web endpoint
, allowing arbitrary commands to be run. This ancient history became suddenly relevant again, when
Netlab 360 discovered a new botnet taking over these devices
. EwDoor can be used for DDoS attacks, data theft, and includes a reverse shell. It’s a nasty little package, and shame on AT&T for, it seems, failing to patch such a sever vulnerability in hardware they own and manage for their customers.
How Elliptic Curves Go Wrong
NCC Group has
a great primer on the challenges
of properly validating elliptic curve crypto. The tricks they warn about are as simple as sending invalid points, and hoping the other side doesn’t notice. Another interesting approach is sending a point that sits at infinity. This seems to be the equivalent of picking zero as the base in a Diffie-Hellman exchange — it short-circuits the entire process. The full article is worth a read.
Wireguard Canary
Thinkst has an interesting premise for their Canarytokens service — put fake credentials on real devices, and detect when the fakes are used.
They’ve added Wireguard
to their portfolio. Rather than try to use a full Wireguard implementation, they’ve reimplemented the handshake initiation code, calling their mini-project WireGate. It’s a clever idea, and they’ve
released the source.
Turning the idea on its head, it seems like the Wireguard initiation packet could also be used as a port knocking token, if someone was so inclined.
Linux — Detecting Persistence
Your Linux machine got compromised? You know what to do. Pull the plug, swap the drive, and reinstall from scratch. But… what are you looking for, both to detect compromise, and also when investigating the compromised disk? [Pepe Berba] has published the first two parts of a series about persistence techniques for Linux machines.
The first entry
serves as an introduction, and then discusses using
sysmon
and
auditd
to detect possible problems, like webshells.
Part two covers account creation and manipulation
, and again gives tips for catching changes right away. It looks to be a well-written series, full of good tips, so keep an eye on it. | 10 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403956",
"author": "MG.",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T15:29:09",
"content": "Jonathan, I’m pretty sure you’re way off in your analysis of the name “Coproscribe”. For one thing, doctors *prescribe* medication, they don’t *prescribe* medication.A more likely take is that it’s a self-dep... | 1,760,372,865.833875 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/ipod-therefore-i-am-looking-back-at-an-original-ipod-prototype/ | IPod, Therefore I Am: Looking Back At An Original IPod Prototype | Ryan Flowers | [
"ipod hacks"
] | [
"1st gen ipod",
"apple",
"apple computer",
"ipod 1st gen",
"ipod prototype",
"prototype"
] | Have you ever wondered what consumer electronics look like when they’re in the ugly prototype stages? So have we. And thanks to [Cabel] of at Panic.com, we have
a rare glimpse at a prototype first generation Apple iPod
.
In the days before you could just stream your favorite music directly from your phone and into your Bluetooth speaker, pods, or car, there was the Sony Walkman and various portable tape players. Then there were portable CD players. As MP3’s became a popular format, CD players that could play MP3’s on home made CD’s were popular. Some portable digital media players came to market in the mid 1990’s. But in October of 2001, the scene changed forever when Apple unveiled the first generation iPod.
Of course, the iPod didn’t start out being so svelte, shiny, and downright
cool
. This engineering prototype has been hiding in [Cabel]’s closet for almost 20 years and they’ve just now decided to share with us its hilariously oversized case, JTAG port, and square pushbuttons that look like they came from a local electronics supply house. As [Cabel] brings out in the excellent writeup, the hardware itself is very close to production level, and the date on the prototype is very near the actual product launch.
Of course prototyping is an essential part of building any product, production or otherwise. Having a gander at such pre-production devices like this, or these
off-ear speaker prototype for Valve’s VR headset
reminds us just
how
important even the ugliest prototypes can be.
Have you got any pre-production nuggets to share with the world? Be sure to let us know by dropping a note in the
Tip Line
, and thanks to [jp] who sent this one in! | 17 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403924",
"author": "RÖB",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T12:56:02",
"content": "The case looks like it was originally for an earlier and larger prototype.It also looks like it’s injection molded so it was probably the longer tool setup time for the injection molding that caused them to r... | 1,760,372,865.562094 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/03/homebrew-16-bit-computer-reinvents-all-the-wheels/ | Homebrew 16 Bit Computer Reinvents All The Wheels | Ryan Flowers | [
"computer hacks"
] | [
"1 MHz",
"16 bit cpu",
"74xx",
"homebrew computer",
"homebrew cpu",
"verilog"
] | Building your own computer has many possible paths. One can fabricate their own Z80 or MOS 6502 computers and then run a period correct OS. Or a person could start from scratch as [James Stanley] did. [James] has invented
a completely unique computer and CPU he calls SCAMP
. SCAMP runs a custom OS called SCAMP/os which you can check out in the video below the break.
[James] describes the CPU and computer as purposefully primitive. Built out of discrete 74xx series logic chips, it runs at a fast-enough-for-homebrew 1 MHz. Plus, it has a lot of blinking lights that can’t help but remind us of the original Imsai 8080. But instead of a panel of switches for programming, the SCAMP/os boots to a shell, which is presented through a serial terminal. Programs are written in a bespoke language with its own compiler. The OS is described as a having a Unix-like feel with CP/M-like functionality. That’s quite a combination!
What we love most about the build, other than its clean looks and blinkenlights, is the amount of work that [James] has put into documenting the build both
on his blog
and on
Github, where the source code and design is available
. There’s also an open invitation for contributors to help advance the project. We’re sure he’ll get there, one bit at a time.
While [James] is using a Compact Flash card for storage currently we can’t help but wonder if a
Cassette Tape storage system
might be a worthwhile future upgrade. | 23 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403896",
"author": "Andrew",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T09:21:06",
"content": "Cheeky scamp!https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Semiconductor_SC/MP",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6404070",
"author": "RÖB",
... | 1,760,372,865.7019 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/smart-ruler-has-many-features/ | Smart Ruler Has Many Features | Bryan Cockfield | [
"Peripherals Hacks"
] | [
"3d printed",
"android",
"app",
"bluetooth",
"digital",
"measure",
"measuring",
"mice",
"mouse",
"optical",
"raspberry pi",
"ruler",
"usb",
"Zero W"
] | For those of us who remember old ball mice, they were a lot like modern optical mice except that they needed to be cleaned constantly. Having optical mice as a standard way of interacting with a computer is a major improvement over previous eras in computing. With extinction of the ball mouse, there are an uncountable number of cheap optical mice around now which are easy pickings for modern hacking, and this latest project from [Vipul]
shows off some of the ways that optical mice can be repurposed by building a digital ruler
.
The build seems straightforward on the surface. As the ruler is passed over a surface the device keeps track of exactly how far it has moved, making it an effective and very accurate ruler. To built it, the optical component of a mouse was scavenged and mated directly to a Raspberry Pi Zero W over USB. Originally he intended to use an ESP32 but could not get the USB interface to work. [Vipul] was then able to write some software which can read the information from the mouse’s PCB directly and translate it into human-readable form where it is displayed on a small screen. The entire device is housed in a custom 3D-printed enclosure to wrap everything up, but the build doesn’t stop there though. [Vipul] also leveraged the Bluetooth functionality of the Pi and wrote a smartphone app which can be used to control the ruler as well.
While the device does have some limitations in that it has to make contact with the object being measured across its entire length, there are some situations where we can imagine something like this being extremely useful especially when measuring things that aren’t a straight line. [Vipul] has also made all of the code for this project publicly available for those of us who might have other uses in mind for something like this. We’ve seen optical mice repurposed for all kinds of things in the past, too, including
measuring travel distances in autonomous vehicles
. | 12 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403871",
"author": "Drone",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T06:52:35",
"content": "@Bryan Cockfield said: “Originally he intended to use an ESP32 but could not get the USB interface to work.”Hmmm, a quick search unearthed this code hosted right here on HaD that creates up to four simultan... | 1,760,372,865.748191 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/play-runescape-irl/ | Play Runescape IRL | Bryan Cockfield | [
"Games"
] | [
"api",
"axe",
"chop",
"irlscape",
"motion controlled",
"nintendo",
"python",
"react.js",
"RuneScape",
"switch",
"tree",
"wood"
] | Runescape is pushing nearly 21 years old, and while that’s quite a long time for a game to stay active with an engaged userbase, it’s also a long time for people to modify the game in all kinds of colorful ways. For some older games like Team Fortress 2 this means spinning up a bot to ruin servers, but for Runescape the hacks are a little more lighthearted and fun.
Like this axe which allows [BigFancyBen] to play Runescape in real life
.
This is more of an augmented reality hack which upgrades his normal human interface device from a simple keyboard and mouse to also include this axe. When the axe is manipulated in real life, the in-game axe can be used at the same time. There are a lot of layers to this one but essentially a Switch joycon is connected to the axe to sense motion, which relays the information on axe swings to an API via a Python script. A bot in the game then chops the virtual tree, which is reported back to the API which then reports it back to [BigFancyBen]’s viewscreen which is additionally streamed on Twitch.
While this started off as frustration with the game’s insistence on grinding in order to reach certain objectives, it seems that there are some fun ways of manipulating that game mechanic for the greater good. [BigFancyBen] originally said he would rather go to the gym than “click anymore rooftops” this is quite the start on the full IRLScape world. Don’t forget that it’s equally possible to take this type of build in the opposite direction and
control real-world things from inside a video game
. | 5 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403854",
"author": "sampleusername",
"timestamp": "2021-12-03T04:26:08",
"content": "originally said he would rather go to the gym than “click anymore rooftops”Lol, and of course rather than actually go to the gym he just creates an excuse to stay home and play more Runescape.You k... | 1,760,372,865.788786 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/02/two-mars-orbiters-chatted-for-atmospheric-science/ | Two Mars Orbiters Chatted For Atmospheric Science | Roger Cheng | [
"Space"
] | [
"atmosphere",
"ESA",
"mars",
"Mars Express",
"radio",
"space"
] | Mission extensions for interplanetary robot explorers are usually continuations of their primary mission. But sometimes the hardware already on board are put to novel uses. European Space Agency has started
using radio equipment on board two Mars orbiters
to probe the Martian atmosphere.
The scientific basis is straightforward: radio signals are affected by whatever they had traveled through. When transmitting data, such effects are noises to be minimized. But we can also leverage it for atmospheric science here on Earth. ESA applied the same concept at Mars: by transmitting a known signal from one Mars orbiter to another, changes in the received signal tells scientists something about the Martian atmosphere between them.
So the theory sounds good, but the engineering implementation took some work. Most radio equipment on board ESA’s orbiters were not designed to talk to each other. In fact they were
deliberately different
to minimize interference. However, both
Mars Express
and
Trace Gas Orbiter
were designed to act as data relays for surface probes, and not just the one they each carried to Mars. Thus their related radio gear were flexible enough to be adapted to this experiment.
These two machines launched over a decade apart. Yet they could now communicate with each other in Mars orbit using radios originally designed for talking to the surface. In the near future such chatter will probably be limited, as
Trace Gas Orbiter
is still in the middle of its primary mission. But this success lets ESA think about how much further to push the idea in the future. In the meantime Mars Express will continue its observation of Mars, doing things like
giving us context on
Perseverance
rover landing
. | 9 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403609",
"author": "RobHeffo",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T12:08:48",
"content": "It won’t be that long really and the Martian version of Starlink will be on it’s way to provide all of Mars with a High-Bandwidth global communication network. The exploration of Mars will really start t... | 1,760,372,865.875058 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/listening-to-the-sounds-of-an-1960s-military-computer/ | Listening To The Sounds Of An 1960s Military Computer | Moritz v. Sivers | [
"Retrocomputing"
] | [
"avionics",
"Elliott 900",
"military computers",
"vintage computers"
] | Restoring vintage computers is the favorite task of many hardware hackers. Retrocomputing probably makes you think of home computer brands like Commodore, Amiga, or Apple but [Erik Baigar] is deeply into collecting early military computers from the UK-based Elliott company. Earlier this year he made a detailed
video that shows how he successfully brought an Elliott 920M from the 1960s back to life
.
It is quite amazing that the Elliott company already managed to fit their 1960s computer into a shoebox-sized footprint. As computers had not yet settled on the common 8bit word size back then the Elliott 900 series are rather exotic 18bit or 12bit machines. The 920M was used as a guidance computer for European space rockets in the 1960s and ’70s but also for navigational purposes in fighter jets until as late as 2010.
Opening up the innards of this machine reveals some exotic quirks of early electronics manufacturing. The logic modules contain multilayer PCBs where components were welded instead of soldered onto thin sheets of mylar foil that were then potted in Araldite.
To get the computer running [Erik Baigar] first had to recreate the custom connectors using a milling machine. He then used an Arduino to simulate a paper tape reader and load programs into the machine. An interesting hack is when he makes the memory reading and writing audible by simply placing a radio next to the machine. [Erik Baigar] finishes off his demonstration of the computer by running some classic BASIC games like tic-tac-toe and a maze creator.
If you would like to code your own BASIC programs on more modern hardware you should check out this
BASIC interpreter for the Raspberry Pi Pico
.
Video after the break. | 44 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403574",
"author": "iooui",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T08:42:55",
"content": "I find it strange that they used welding for connections. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to use crimped connectors like Molex KK series?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"co... | 1,760,372,866.040666 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/dont-walk-past-this-3d-printed-pedestrian-crossing-light/ | Don’t Walk Past This 3D Printed Pedestrian Crossing Light | Chris Wilkinson | [
"3d Printer hacks",
"ATtiny Hacks"
] | [
"3d printing",
"arduino",
"Portable Traffic Lights",
"Traffic Lights"
] | There’s just something so pleasing about scaled-down electronic replicas, and this
adorable 3D printed pedestrian crossing light
by [sjm4306] is no exception.
Although a little smaller than its real-world counterpart, the bright yellow housing and illuminated indicators on this pedestrian lamp are instantly recognizable due to their ubiquitous use throughout the United States. The handful of printed parts are held together using friction alone, which makes assembly a literal snap. The ‘safety grill’ with its many angles ended up being one of the most tedious parts of the build process, but the effort was definitely justified, as it just wouldn’t look right without it.
A suitably minuscule ATtiny85 drives a pair of LED strips that effectively mimic the familiar symbols for ‘Walk’ and ‘Don’t Walk’. [sjm4306] has designed the board and case in such a way to accommodate a variety of options. For example, there’s just enough room to squeeze in a thin battery, should you want to power this contraption on-the-go. If you don’t have an ATtiny85 on hand, the board also supports an ATmega328p or even an ESP8266.
All the build details are available over on
Hackaday.io
. While it’s billed as a ‘night light’, we think this could be an awesome platform for an office toy, similar to this
office status light project
. Or if you’ve somehow already got your hands on a full-size pedestrian lamp, why not
hook it up to the Internet? | 9 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403529",
"author": "John",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T03:54:04",
"content": "I really like the look of it, but I don’t think that’s how crossing lights work. This does red blink for 10 sec, red solid for 10 sec, red blink for 10 sec, then white solid for 10 sec, and loop. At least al... | 1,760,372,866.228011 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/supercapacitors-vs-batteries-again/ | SuperCapacitors Vs Batteries Again | Dave Rowntree | [
"hardware"
] | [
"boost converter",
"lipo battery",
"super capacitor"
] | Supercapacitors are definitely not the same as batteries, we all know that. They tend to have a very low operating voltage, and due to their operating principle of storing charge on parallel plates, their discharge curve is quite unfriendly for modern microcontroller devices. Energy storage efficiency per unit volume is also low compared with modern lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries so all in all they don’t look all that useful for many of our projects. However, as [Andreas Spiess’]
latest video demonstrates
, they do have some redeeming features that might make them useful for certain embedded applications.
The low operating voltage initially looks like an issue for devices operating at a typical 3.3V, and it’s tempting to simply wire a few in series and roll with it. But as [Andreas] explains in his typically clear manner, it would be necessary to have a complex power stage, operating in buck mode with capacitor voltage above the required level, and in boost mode when it heads below. Too complex – it’s much easier to simply stick with a low voltage bank of paralleled supercaps, and just operate always in boost mode. Even doing this, you’re not realistically going to get more than a handful of hours operating voltage with an always active device.
So why bother at all with supercaps, surely using a LiPo is so much easier and better? In many cases the answer is definitely a yes. But LiPo cells must not be charged in freezing temperatures (apart from certain special low temp products), else the cell can rapidly be destroyed due to lithium metal deposition at the anode. Also you need to be careful charging them, especially when they’re heavily discharged, as they are easily damaged without the proper treatment. LiPo cells operate based on chemical principles – lithium ions literally have to move around inside the structure, and eventually the battery will wear out.
Supercapacitors have the advantage of very long life (but sometimes, they do leak)
much
more aggressive charging and discharging behaviours and will operate down to very low temperatures. This makes them very useful when a large amount of power is available sporadically (for super fast charge cycles) or in places where temperatures stay persistently very low, such as up a mountain were solar will work, albeit slowly, but LiPo batteries will definitely not be suitable.
Other battery chemistries are available, such as
Lithium Iron Phosphate
which can tolerate the cold. Also you can always just insulate the battery with an integrated heater and preheat the battery to a safe charging temperature as well. So, just like everything with electronics, it’s important to choose the correct parts for your application, and it all starts with the power source. Supercapacitors might just hit an appropriate price/performance point for that special application you had in mind.
Supercapacitors aren’t really suitable for many applications, like
powering an eBike
or
running your laptop
, but hey, they did it anyway. | 41 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403501",
"author": "Mike Massen, Perth, Western Australia",
"timestamp": "2021-12-02T00:27:27",
"content": "An interesting topic and great potential to explore variations in a suitable lab, thanks for posting :-)It occurs to consider a hybrid conglomeration in a self charging tight... | 1,760,372,866.120157 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/remembering-sanjay-mortimer-pioneer-and-visionary-in-3d-printing/ | Remembering Sanjay Mortimer, Pioneer And Visionary In 3D Printing | Sonya Vasquez | [
"News"
] | [
"E3D",
"extruder",
"obituary",
"reprap",
"Sanjay Mortimer"
] | Over the weekend,
Sanjay Mortimer passed away
. This is a tremendous blow to the many people who he touched directly and indirectly throughout his life. We will remember Sanjay as pioneer, hacker, and beloved spokesperson for the 3D printing community.
If you’ve dabbled in 3D printing, you might recall Sanjay as the charismatic director and co-founder of the extrusion company E3D. He was always brimming with enthusiasm to showcase something that he and his company had been developing to push 3D printing further and further. But he was also thoughtful and a friend to many in the community.
Let’s talk about some of his footprints.
Built-to-Last Hotend and Nozzle Ecosystems
Sanjay and Dave’s V4, the Hotend that launched E3D
Think about the 3D printer nearest you. Perhaps it’s tucked into a corner of a garage or making parts at work. Is it a Prusa MK3? A Big Box? A Toolchanger? Maybe something custom with a Hemera extruder? Then even if you didn’t know it, Sanjay’s hands were in your workshop, ensuring that your experience pushing plastic through a tiny nozzle was nothing short of best-in-class for its time.
Back in 2012, Sanjay was a full time teacher by day. But off hours, he and Dave Lamb were cooking up modifications to early versions of RepRap printers, specifically, the hotends. Following a moderate success concocting their latest hotend design in the school machine shop, they sold out their supply in two days, looped in their friend Joshua Rowley, founded E3D, and the rest is hotend history.
E3D has since grown into the well-recognized company that it is today. And even though Sanjay graduated to E3D’s director and spokesperson, he carried a eureka-enthusiasm with him like he never left the workbench! Instead, his come-hither attitude made us feel like he was pulling us into E3D’s early “Chicken Shed” workshop to give us the grand tour of their latest and greatest.
Sanjay in the old E3D “Chicken Shed” ca. 2013.
Of course, Sanjay didn’t design all the bits and bobs that come out of E3D himself, but, as spokesperson, he championed all of it. And the concepts that emerged under his watch were plenty. In the last decade, he helped standardize a hotend ecosystem of interchangeable parts, something that lets us hackers mix and modify 3D printer hardware to our own delight. It lets us experiment with their own screw-compatible hardware, something that lets the community as a whole push the bounds forward by enabling small tweaks that build off a working end-to-end setup.
With Greg Holloway, he helped lay the groundwork for modern, economical toolchanging, a means of picking up and parking hotends reliably enough to be able to do so thousands of time without a hitch. And he helped take this setup one step further by teaching 3D printers
how to subtract
, that is, both add and remove material precisely that would be impossible to do with a conventional setup. Throughout this time, Sanjay emboldened us with a furious enthusiasm to keep tweaking our machines in pursuit of something faster, better, more performant .
Open Technology, Open Community
Sometimes it’s hard to see the people behind the ethos of companies, but with Sanjay it wasn’t.
It’s clear that Sanjay cared about educating the community he was a part of. Conversations in product interviews with Sanjay were different; they were technical. While other companies would eagerly cite their patents to tell you why their products were valuable, Sanjay would engage you with the technological achievements themselves. It was clear that he understood the competence of the community he engaged with, and he would treat conversations as such. That difference let him swoon over upcoming geometry changes and special wear-resistant coatings to a crew of people who could appreciate those changes like he did.
That education ethos extended much further than simply in product discussions. E3D’s documentation has been an omnipresent staple since they started launching products, and it has made
leaps and bounds
in the last year. And E3D’s toolchanger design is
entirely open source
. These aren’t just kind gestures; they’re directly tied to the ethos of people who started the company and a hat tip to the hacker community where they came from, Sanjay included. He led by example, showing us how to stake out a profitable company while being generous with community knowledge.
Open Heart
I first interacted with Sanjay over a YouTube video I posted, where he shared his excitement for a project I was making slow progress on. As a grad student spending long nights tinkering in a school building, it was a thrill to have literally anyone, let alone Sanjay, reach out of the blue to tell me that they liked my work. With some encouragement from a friend, I took that project to the 2019 Midwest RepRap Festival. On the night before the event, I met Sanjay at the counter of a pub waiting patiently for the bartender. Pulling out that same mechanism from the YouTube video, he immediately recognized me with a huge grin on his face, bought me a beer, and sat me down at the table with his mates to share it with the rest of his crew.
In that moment, I realized that there was something wonderful about Sanjay. Sure, like many, I knew him as an enthusiastic persona championing the work of his company. But in that moment, he became an authentic, thoughtful human being who would champion you too. That friendliness rocked my world. To him, I could’ve been anyone. But, with his warm attitude, I think he knew that anyone could bring something new to the table of 3D printing.
Knowing a bit more about Sanjay now, I’m sure others have had experiences like this.
Take That Cheer With You
It’s rare that we get to tag alongside someone at the forefront of a field while they take you with them every step of the way, but that’s our time spent as hackers with Sanjay. He’s led us on a tremendous journey building hardware. He’s shown us how to grow up and take our childhood enthusiasm with us. And he leaves us with a phenomenal legacy and example of how to share and learn from each other.
Rest in peace, mate. | 24 | 22 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403456",
"author": "Bleugh",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T21:09:03",
"content": "Loved his work, watched the videos, an inspiration and gone way too early, what a shock.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403813",
"author":... | 1,760,372,866.184912 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/supersonic-projectile-exceeds-engineers-dreams-the-supersonic-trebuchet/ | Supersonic Projectile Exceeds Engineers Dreams: The Supersonic Trebuchet | Ryan Flowers | [
"classic hacks"
] | [
"classic hacks",
"old tech",
"speed of sound",
"supersonic",
"trebuchet"
] | Have you ever sat down and thought “I wonder if a trebuchet could launch a projectile at supersonic speeds?” Neither have we. That’s what separates [David Eade] from the rest of us. He didn’t just ask the question, he
answered
it! And he documented the entire build in a
YouTube video
which you can see below the break.
The trebuchet is a type of catapult that was popular for use as a siege engine before gunpowder became a thing. Trebuchets use a long arm to throw projectiles farther than traditional catapults. The focus has typically been on increasing throwing distance for the size of the projectile, or vice versa. But of course you’re here to read about the other thing that trebuchets can be used for:
speed
.
How fast is fast? How about a whip-cracking, sonic-booming speed in excess of 450 meters per second! How’d he do it? Mostly wood and rubber with some metal bits thrown in for safety’s sake. [David]’s video explains in full all of the engineering that went into his trebuchet, and it’s a lot less than you’d think. There’s a very satisfying montage of full power trebuchet launches that make it audibly clear that the projectile being thrown is going well past the speed of sound, with a report quite similar to that of a small rifle.
[David]’s impressive project and presentation makes it clear that all one has to do to build a supersonic trebuchet is to try. Just be careful, and watch where you shoot that thing before you put somebody’s eye out, ok?
Speaking of things that can go unexpectedly fast,
check out these unpowered RC gliders that approach the speed of sound
just feet off the ground. And thanks to [Keith] for the
awesome Tip! | 62 | 26 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403420",
"author": "Doug Leppard",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T19:46:24",
"content": "awsome. love it.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6403425",
"author": "Greg A",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T19:55:03",
"content": "what... | 1,760,372,866.572341 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/the-medieval-history-of-your-favourite-dev-board/ | The Medieval History Of Your Favourite Dev Board | Jenny List | [
"Featured",
"History"
] | [
"Arduin of Ivrea",
"arduino",
"etymology",
"italy",
"ivrea"
] | It’s become something of a trope in our community, that the simplest way to bestow a level of automation or smarts to a project is to reach for an Arduino. The genesis of the popular ecosystem of boards and associated bootloader and IDE combination is well known, coming from the work of a team at the
Interaction Design Institute Ivrea
, in Northern Italy. The name “Arduino” comes from their favourite watering hole, the Bar di Re Arduino, in turn named for Arduin of Ivrea, an early-mediaeval king.
As far as we can see the bar no longer exists and has been replaced by a café, which appears on the left in
this Google Street View link
. The bar named for Arduin of Ivrea is always mentioned as a side note in the Arduino microcontroller story, but for the curious electronics enthusiast it spawns the question: who was Arduin, and why was there a bar named after him in the first place?
The short answer is that Arduin was the Margrave of Ivrea, an Italian nobleman who became king of Italy in 1002 and abdicated in 1014. The longer answer requires a bit of background knowledge of European politics around the end of the first millennium, so if you’re ready we’ll take Hackaday into a rare tour of medieval history.
Defying An Empire
The Holy Roman Empire at the turn of the second millennium. Sémhur derivative work: OwenBlacker,
CC BY-SA 3.0
Western Europe’s dominant power at the turn of the first millennium was the Holy Roman Empire, a German-ruled agglomeration of states which though not a direct successor to the Roman Empire had received the recognition of the Papacy as such following the accession of a female ruler as empress of the former Eastern Roman empire in Byzantium. Its young Emperor Otto III died unexpectedly in 1002 without an heir, and in the power vacuum that followed the Italian nobility sought to re-establish their control and break away from German influence. Thus they elected one of their own to become King of Italy, selecting Arduin for the throne.
The tumultuous politics of 10th and 11th century Italy seem to revolve around the struggles between the forces controlled by the bishops, largely aligned with or appointed by the Holy Roman Emperor, and those of the nobility who seem to have been alternately on the side of — or fighting against — the Emperor. Arduin had been excommunicated twice, once in Rome before Otto himself and his Papal appointment Sylvester II, after burning the cathedral of Vercelli and killing its bishop.
The Empire Strikes Back
There seem to be no contemporary depictions of Arduin, this stylised one is from a later century. Marilynmerlo,
CC BY-SA 3.0
.
When the newly crowned Emperor Henry II immediately sent a force to depose Arduin, it was repulsed, leading to Henry himself leading a larger army and defeating him in 1004. This and Henry’s subsequent coronation as King of Italy in the city of Pavia might have been the end of the story, but as the newly crowned king and his retinue were driven from the city by rioting it is evident that he did so without the support of his populace. Thus while Arduin had lost control of part of his claimed kingdom he continued to hold power from his base in Ivrea and spent the next decade still asserting himself as King of Italy despite Henry also holding the crown. He was eventually defeated and forced to abdicate in 1013, and died the following year.
If there’s something to take away from this tale of European politics a millennium past, it’s the surprise at how little he leaves us. For other medieval figures there might be a statue or perhaps a fresco in a church, but for Arduin beyond the stylised portrait evidently drawn centuries later we have no depiction of him. If the town of which he was once ruler had not memorialised him in a street name that in turn prompted the owner of a bar to use his name, it’s possible nobody but a few historians would ever have known about him. Perhaps here is a lesson in measuring the legacies of our politicians here in the 21st century.
So we have the love of some Italian post-grads for their favourite watering hole to thank for our familiarity with the name of an obscure medieval king, and now we know a little more about him and his life. Perhaps we should all turn to our local pub for inspiration when naming our projects, though in my case I’m not sure that
The Sow And Pigs
would be as edifying an appellation.
Header image: SimonWaldherr,
CC BY-SA 4.0
. | 20 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403388",
"author": "Michael Black",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T18:08:15",
"content": "I thought this was going to be about the KIM-1.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403393",
"author": "Greg A",
"timestamp": "... | 1,760,372,866.482732 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/the-555-timer-contest-returns/ | The 555 Timer Contest Returns! | Mike Szczys | [
"contests",
"Hackaday Columns"
] | [
"555",
"555 timer contest"
] | It’s back!
The 555 timer contest
wants to see you do something cool with the 555 timer chip. At stake is the adulation of electronics geeks everywhere. Three top winners will be awarded a $150 shopping spree in the Digi-Key warehouse thanks to Digi-Key’s generous sponsorship of this contest.
Memory Lane
First a bit of history… “the 555 timer contest” that sticks out in our minds is
the one conceived of by [Jeri Ellsworth] and assisted by [Chris Gammell]
that took place a decade ago. It was a runaway freight train from the start, with numerous sponsors putting up prizes and a list of celebrity judges. Surely it is not the only contest based around the 555 timer in it’s long and glorious history, but there’s a fond place in our hearts for that one in particular. A lot of those entries have been lost to the annals of time — even the contest page itself is gone, save
the Internet Archive version
.
LED strip dimmer
(circa 2019) uses a 555 timer, because what else would you use?
This year is the
50th anniversary of the original design
. Back in 1971 [Hans Camenzind] combined 23 transistors, 16 resistors, and 2 diodes, and changed the world forever. Core to the concept of automation is timing, and this chip is a near-universal timing mechanism that was cheap and reliable. Designers can use a 555 along with just a few passive components to configure how its output works. We’ve heard it said that this is the most sold integrated circuit in the history of the world but have been unable locate a reliable source for the claim. Anecdotally, this thing is everywhere!
Right, We Promised a Contest
The short of it is you just need to use a 555 timer and you qualify for this contest.
The longer story is that we want to see just about anything 555-related. In fact, projects that don’t use a 555 are fine as long as they are based on the idea. So, if the global chip shortage has you struggling to even find one of these, just build the parts of the internal circuit yourself and you’re golden. The real trick here is to explain what you’re doing and why.
Discrete 555 timer
by [Robo] still fits the DIP footprint
For instance,
this project recreates the 555 in a DIP8 package using surface mount components
. It doesn’t
use
a 555, it
is
a 555!
If you’re not up to that kind of crazy soldering, consider joining in on the long-history of abusing the internal circuitry for your own purposes. A recent example that is
this circuit-sculpture vibration sensor that repurposes the 555’s flip-flop
.
But hey, it doesn’t have to be world changing. Everyone should get a chance to play around with this chip, so if you’ve never built a circuit around one, now’s the time (har har). Use it like a timer;
blink an LED
, fading one, or
making some sweet sweet music with twenty of them
.
Prizes and Recognition
For the top prizes, we want you to wow us, and by us we mean everyone who reads Hackaday. We’ll consider all entries and choose three that are creative, clever, and well documented to receive a $150 shopping spree from the Digi-Key warehouse.
But while considering every entry, we’ll also have a set of special recognitions in mind. There’s something magical about blinking that first LED, so if this is your first rodeo with the 555, say so in your writeup and we may recognize you with the “Hello, world!” award. A couple years ago
[Ted Yapo] wrote about building the fastest 555 timer
— these kinds of shenanigans would be recognized with the “Bandwidth Buster” award. Play some funky music and you might grab the “Chiptunes” award. Build something that definitely should
not
be done on a 555 and you could score the “Shouldn’t have used a 555” award. And make it a thing of beauty to be in the running for the “Art for art’s sake” award.
These recognitions have no tangible prize value. But just consider the geek cred!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Timers
You have until January 10th at noon Pacific time to get your entry in. Just start a project page over on Hackaday.io and use the drop-down menu in the left sidebar of your project page to enter it in the 555 Timer Contest. For complete rules,
head over to the contest page
. | 16 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403372",
"author": "Michael Black",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T17:10:26",
"content": "No lifetime supply of 555s as a prize?I was given a tube of 555s in 1976, I still have the tube, and at least a third of the 555s are still in it.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"repli... | 1,760,372,866.418612 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/3d-printed-generator-build-highlights-the-scientific-method/ | 3D Printed Generator Build Highlights The Scientific Method | Ryan Flowers | [
"3d Printer hacks"
] | [
"3 phase power",
"AC power generation",
"generator",
"scientific method"
] | Sometimes we build to innovate, and sometimes we build just to have the satisfaction of saying we made it ourselves. Yet there is another reason to construct something ourselves: To learn, just as [Fraens] has done with this
3D-printed generator
. (Video, embedded below.)
[Fraens] starts off with a jig for winding the individual coils, but then the jig itself snaps into a the stator ring. The stator ring is sandwiched by two rotors which rotate on a brass shaft suspended by needle bearings. With the exception of the hardware, all the structural parts are 3d printed.
What really separates the generator build isn’t how it’s built, but rather how [Fraens] has put it to use as tool for learning and experimentation. By plotting input torque vs electrical output, [Fraens] is able to calculate efficiencies in multiple configurations, and has some interesting conclusions to share toward the end of the video. We appreciate how the documentation and analysis help iterate the design towards higher efficiency and will inform the next build.
With some more work, we can see this going straight into a
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
or attached to a Pelton Wheel for an
off-grid hydro-power setup
. Thanks to [Shabab] for the great
Tip
! | 6 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403418",
"author": "srgerger",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T19:41:01",
"content": "i need this but not hand crank but clock system.similar old decivat (not in shop)electricity for hours not for minutes",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id"... | 1,760,372,866.35545 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/ask-hackaday-why-dont-automakers-make-their-own-ev-batteries/ | Ask Hackaday: Why Don’t Automakers Make Their Own EV Batteries? | Lewin Day | [
"Ask Hackaday",
"car hacks",
"Current Events",
"Featured",
"Original Art",
"Slider"
] | [
"Ask Hackaday",
"automaker",
"battery",
"electric car",
"electric vehicle",
"ev",
"evs",
"lithium battery",
"lithium ion"
] | Sales of electric vehicles continue to climb, topping three million cars worldwide last year. All these electric cars need batteries, of course, which means demand for rechargeable cells is through the roof.
All those cells have to come from somewhere, of course, and many are surprised to learn that automakers don’t manufacture EV batteries themselves. Instead, they’re typically sourced from outside suppliers. Today, you get to Ask Hackaday: why aren’t EV batteries manufactured by the automakers themselves?
Experience and Infrastructure
Battery manufacturers like CATL have invested heavily in production capacity to churn out cells in their billions. It’s not something that can be easily replicated overnight. Credit: CATL,
YouTube
Automotive manufacturers actually outsource the development and production of many components of their vehicles. Your car rides on tires from companies like Bridgestone, Goodyear, and Falken, not Ford, Dodge, or Volkswagen. Similarly, FOX shocks are prized in off-road trucks like the Ford F-150 Raptor, and if you dig into your fuel management system, many of the pumps and sensors are probably made by Bosch.
The fact is, automakers don’t have the capacity to design and manufacture every single little component of their cars. Doing so would rarely make sense, either. Take oxygen sensors, for example. These delicate electronic components are complicated to manufacture, and require specific expertise. Any automaker designing their own would have to cover the full cost of R&D, and economies of scale would be limited by their own vehicle output. However, pretty much every car needs an oxygen sensor, so an outside company that supplies many automakers has an advantage. Their economies of scale are much larger, as they can offset R&D costs across millions of units sold to equip vehicles made by several different manufacturers.
Furthermore, automakers were not in the business of producing batteries by the time electric cars started to hit the market en masse. Starting a battery manufacturing effort from scratch is no mean feat, and would only have added to the difficulty of bringing an electric vehicle to market. Simply purchasing working batteries from an experienced supplier eliminates a whole lot of work, and most automakers have taken this path thus far. Even Tesla has gone this way, sourcing batteries from Panasonic and CATL among other companies over the years. Indeed, Panasonic invested heavily in Tesla’s Gigafactory, and runs much of the production equipment there.
Specialist battery manufacturers have the benefit of decades of experience in both battery chemistry, as well as the fundamentals of manufacturing cells. Batteries are delicate things, and getting their construction even slightly wrong can lead to dangerous fires. Scaling up production is difficult too, and with EVs often requiring hundreds or thousands of cells, monumental effort is required in this regard.
Thus, when it came time to produce electric vehicles, automakers had a choice. They could purchase cells from existing suppliers, with a known-good product and production lines ready to go. Or, they could start building their own factories, hiring battery experts, and begin the process of manufacturing their own cells. The latter route is fraught with hurdles, and requires years of effort to get a usable product available in real numbers. The former choice gets batteries in cars practically from Day 1. For automakers, the decision was easy.
What Could Go Wrong?
Chevrolet Bolt fires have been a major headache for General Motors, but the company’s costs will be reimbursed by supplier LG Chem, which was responsible for producing the defective cells. Credit: Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Service,
press photo
Even the experts get it wrong sometimes, of course. The current Chevrolet Bolt uses cells sourced from supplier LG Chem. Torn anode tabs and folded separator materials in some cells lead to battery fires that destroyed several cars and
prompted a huge recall effort
. Over 140,000 cars have been recalled, causing brand damage and a huge headache for General Motors. However, as the fault was with the battery supplier, GM were able to point the finger outside, and LG agreed to pay $1.9 billion to cover the costs of rectifying the problem.
Thus, for a whole host of reasons, automakers typically source their batteries from external manufacturers. Car companies didn’t have the knowledge in house to make their own cells, nor did they have the factories to produce them en masse. Sourcing them outside also often provides a cheaper product with R&D costs essentially amortized across several customers. It also means that automakers were able to get to market sooner, and also provided companies with an opportunity for restitution if they were inadvertently supplied with poor product.
There are drawbacks, of course. Doing battery research and production in-house can net competitive advantages. If, for example, a company unlocks the secret to a new battery chemistry, they could produce cars with longer range and more performance than their rivals. However, it’s a risky game with no guarantee of success, and it can take many years to go from a successful lab-built cell to batteries that are ready for automotive use. Then, there’s the sticky problem of kitting out a factory to churn out millions of your special cells a year.
Winds of Change
Tesla hopes to bring the advanced tabless 4680 batteries to market, but is having to invest heavily to get production lines up and running. Credit: Tesla
Competition in the automotive world has been fairly level for some time, with emissions regulations and mature engine technology meaning that no one automaker had any wild advantage over another. However, being the only company with access to a new class of battery could be an absolute gamechanger. It’s easy to visualize now—imagine if only one company had access to lithium cells, while everyone else was stuck with nickel metal hydride technology. Cars with lithium batteries now have ranges that can exceed 400 miles. A car built with NiMH cells would be lucky to have a third of that, while being heavier and unable to deliver anywhere near as much current for hard acceleration.
Tesla are starting to look into vertical integration by
producing their new tabless cells in-house
, a step that it took after over a decade in the EV industry. BMW are doing much the same, investing deeply into
solid-state batteries.
These technologies could provide range gains in the double-digit percentages, and if built by the automakers themselves, could be unavailable to rivals, providing a major advantage in the marketplace.
As automakers grow more familiar with electric vehicle technology, expect more players to make steps towards producing their own batteries. However, others will continue to see the value in partnerships with established players, investing in new technologies and production capacity at arms length. There’s no one right way in business, of course, but there are always plenty of wrong ones. Traditionally-conservative auto companies will tread carefully as always, while hot upstarts like Tesla will be the ones making the drastic moves. | 88 | 23 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403335",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T15:09:14",
"content": "“Automotive manufacturers actually outsource the development and production of many components of their vehicles.”For instance, BCS (Body Control Systems -Formerly TRW) develop... | 1,760,372,866.695539 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/korean-facial-recognition-project-faces-opposition/ | Korean Facial Recognition Project Faces Opposition | Chris Lott | [
"News"
] | [
"airport security",
"algorithm training",
"facial recognition",
"personal privacy"
] | It was
discovered last month
that a South Korean government project has been providing millions of facial images taken at Incheon International Airport to private industry without the consent of those photographed. Several civic groups called this a “shocking human rights disaster”
in a 9 Nov press conference
, and formally requested that the project be cancelled. In response, the government has only promised that “the project would be conducted at a minimum level to ensure personal information is not abused”. These groups are now planning a lawsuit to challenge the project.
Facial information and other biometric data aren’t easily altered and are unique to the individuals concerned. If this data were to be leaked, it would constitute a devastating infringement upon their privacy. It’s unheard of for state organizations — whose duty it is to manage and control facial recognition technology — to hand over biometric information collected for public purposes to a private-sector company for the development of technology.
The program itself wasn’t secret, and had been
publicly announced back in 2019
. But the project’s scope and implementation weren’t made clear until a lawmaker recently requested documents on the project from the responsible government agencies. The system, called the Artificial Intelligence and Tracking System Construction Project, was a pilot program set to run until 2022. Its goals were to simplify the security and immigration screening of passengers, improve airport security, and to promote the local AI industry in South Korea. If the project proves successful, the plan is to expand it to other airports and ports in the country.
Current systems at the airport do one-to-one facial recognition. For example, they try to determine whether the face of the person presenting a passport matches the photo in the passport. The goal of this new project was to develop one-to-many matching algorithms, which can match one face against the plethora of faces in an airport, track the movement of a face within the airport, and flag “suspicious” activities which could be a security concern.
The groups protesting the project note that the collection and sharing of these images without the travelers’ consent is prohibited by the
Personal Information Protection Act
, the South Korean law which governs such things. Under this act, a project like this would ordinarily require consent of the participants. But the government’s interpretation relies on an exception in the act, specifically, Article 15 Section 3, which states:
A personal information controller may use personal information without the consent of a data subject within the scope reasonably related to the initial purpose of the collection
Basically they are saying that since the images were collected at the security and immigration checkpoints, and that the project will be using them to improve the security and immigration checkpoints, no consent is required.
Foreigners: 120 million individuals, face image, nationality, gender, age
Korean citizens: 57.6 million individuals, face image, nationality, gender, age
Other: unknown number of individuals, images and videos of atypical behavior and travelers in motion
The breakdown of the numbers above reveals that 57 million Korean citizens are in the data set, a bit surprising to many since the collection of biometric data on Korean citizens at immigration is prohibited by law. The project circumvented this by only collecting data from citizens who participate in the automated Smart Entry service, a voluntary program which uses fingerprints and facial recognition. It’s interesting to note that the
number of passengers using Incheon airport
since May 2019 (the program was announced 30 Apr 2019) is only 62 million, so the average passenger appears approximately three times in the data set.
Are there any similar programs in your region? How do they handle the issue of consent, if at all? Let us know in the comments below.
[Banner image: “
Customer uses facial recognition as identification at TSA security checkpoint
” by DeltaNewsHub, CC BY 2.0 — Yes, it’s from another country with similar problems, but much less public outcry. Discuss in the comments!] | 20 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403311",
"author": "CRJEEA",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T12:30:14",
"content": "The irony is, that sort of system has been in place in several countries for quite a while. Just walking through a high street in a busy town or city and you’re tracked on CCTV. Some places are also using ... | 1,760,372,866.845875 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/12/01/nuclear-missile-silo-keyboard-re-launched-in-usb/ | Nuclear Missile Silo Keyboard Re-Launched In USB | Ryan Flowers | [
"Retrocomputing",
"Tech Hacks"
] | [
"arduino pro micro",
"keyboard",
"minuteman III",
"missile",
"missile silo",
"React",
"rs422"
] | When [jns] and their colleague came across an industrial or possibly
military grade keyboard/trackball
combo on eBay, their minds did the same backflips that yours or mine might. Enthralled by the specialty key caps, the custom layout, and companion trackball adorned with its own keys rather than buttons [jns] and his workmate they did the only thing that infatuated hackers can do: They each bought one! [jns]’s goal? Make it work via USB. Everything’s been documented in both
software
and in a
very well done video
that you can see below the break.
The OID its its natural habitat, a
Minuteman III installation
(U.S. Air Force photo)
After doing some digging, they found that the keyboard and trackball combination was used in Minuteman III nuclear missile silos beginning in the early 1990’s, when the
REACT program
replaced aging cold war era computers and communications systems with simpler, more flexible systems.
Since the eBay auction came with only the keyboard and trackball, and not the entire Minuteman III outfit, using the new keyboard in its native habitat and wielding nuclear launch capabilities was right out the door. Instead, [jns] focused on reverse engineering the keyboard and trackball, collectively known as the OID (Operator Input Device) for use via USB.
In the video, [jns] goes into more detail about the discovery of reed switched keys, the RS422 protocol being used, blowing up an Arduino Pro Micro, and even repairing the aging trackball. Success was had, and he’s graciously
shared the software and hardware design
with the world.
If industrial and military grade control hardware gets your hacker juices flowing, you’ll not want to miss
that time we covered a control console from a nuclear power plant for sale
. Have you been working on any tantalizing, weird, obscure keyboards or equipment with far too many buttons and blinkenlights for your own good? Be sure to let us know about it via the
Tip Line
! | 14 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403289",
"author": "Andrew",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T10:19:56",
"content": "Does it have a “Smite” button?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403387",
"author": "jns",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T18:06:43",
... | 1,760,372,866.89661 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/running-octoprint-on-a-pinephone-turns-out-to-be-pretty-easy/ | Running Octoprint On A PinePhone Turns Out To Be Pretty Easy | Donald Papp | [
"3d Printer hacks",
"Linux Hacks",
"Phone Hacks"
] | [
"3d printer",
"Octoprint",
"pinephone"
] | 3D printer owners have for years benefitted from using Octoprint to help manage their machines, and most people run Octoprint on a Raspberry Pi.
[Martijn] made it run on his PinePhone instead
, which turned out to be a surprisingly good fit for his needs.
While [Martijn] was working out exactly what he wanted and taking an inventory of what Raspberry Pi components and accessories it would require, it occurred to him that his
PinePhone
— an open-source, linux-based mobile phone — would be a good candidate for his needs. It not only runs Linux with a touchscreen and camera, but even provides USB, ethernet, and separate DC power input via a small docking bar. It looked like the PinePhone had it all, and he was right. [Martijn]’s project page gives a walkthrough of the exact steps to get
Octoprint
up and running, and it even turns out to not be particularly difficult.
[Martijn] is no stranger to hacking his PinePhone to do various things; we’ve already seen him add
thermal imaging to his PinePhone
. For those of you who are intrigued by the idea but don’t own a PinePhone? Check out
the octo4a project, which allows running Octoprint on Android phone hardware
. | 11 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403258",
"author": "BrightBlueJim",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T07:51:47",
"content": "Before everybody runs out and buys the Beta PinePhone, be advised that while this is a working Linux machine with a touchscreen and camera and all that jazz, what it is NOT, is a working PHONE. The... | 1,760,372,866.938309 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/turbo-rascal-is-the-retro-pascal-compiler-we-always-wanted/ | Turbo Rascal Is The Retro Pascal Compiler We Always Wanted | Lewin Day | [
"Retrocomputing"
] | [
"ide",
"Pascal",
"programming language",
"turbo pascal",
"turbo rascal"
] | Pascal is not one of the biggest programming languages these days; it’s fallen into the background as the world moved on to newfangled things like C#, Python and Java. However, the language has its fans, one of whom put together a new compiler which targets retro platforms –
and it goes by the name Turbo Rascal.
The list of supported platforms is extensive, with Turbo Rascal able to compile highly-optimized binaries for the C64, Amiga 500, BBC Micro, IBM PC, Atari ST, Game Boy, Amstrad, NES, ZX Spectrum, and more. There’s a usable IDE and even an included graphics editor for getting projects put together quickly. Also known by its full name of Turbo Rascal Syntax Error, or TRSE, it’s the work of one [Nicolaas Groeneboom].
The compiler runs on 64-bit Windows, Linux, and OS X, and there are extensive tutorial videos
available on YouTube
, too. Thus, there’s no excuse not to start developing a new retro game immediately. Check out the demo video below, and remember – as long as we keep using it,
Pascal isn’t dead! | 16 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403207",
"author": "Bob",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T03:27:28",
"content": "It’s a fairly capable little compiler, from what I’ve seen so far. Easy to get started, and fun to tinker with.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6403233",... | 1,760,372,868.7127 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/recycled-parts-round-out-soap-shaped-electric-car/ | Recycled Parts Round Out Soap Shaped Electric Car | Ryan Flowers | [
"car hacks"
] | [
"car hack",
"e-waste recycling",
"electric car",
"whimsical"
] | [Handy Geng] has a knack for fitting his creations with a large percentage of recycled material. And as is exemplified by the
video below the break
, he also loves to mix the practical with the whimsical.
Using parts salvaged from motor scooters, trash heaps, and likely many other sources, [Handy] has put together a small vehicle that he himself describes as looking like a bar of soap as it slips across the floor. You’ll agree when you see the independent front and rear steering at work, allowing the car’s front and rear to be driven and steered on their own. Crabbing sideways, driving diagonally, and we’re guessing spinning in place are possible.
What’s also clear in the video below is that [Handy] is a talented fabricator. While not taking himself too seriously (keep an eye out for the 360° selfie cam!) he clearly takes pride in the work. [Handy]’s workshop and skill set show that at the core, he’s quite serious about his craft. We appreciate the creative use of scrap materials used in such an inspiring build. The turn signals and “communicator” hand is absolutely marvelous.
If building with recycled materials is your thing, then you’ll love
the Trash Printer
, too. Thanks to [Fosselius] for the tip! | 13 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403184",
"author": "John",
"timestamp": "2021-12-01T00:28:55",
"content": "Wow, that turn signal is awesome! That’s an idea worth borrowing!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6403187",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known ... | 1,760,372,868.666941 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/two-stage-dust-collector-recycles-blasting-media/ | Two-Stage Dust Collector Recycles Blasting Media | Tom Nardi | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"blasting cabinet",
"cyclone separator",
"dust separator",
"sand blaster"
] | A critical element of a good blasting cabinet setup is a vacuum system that can suck out the dust, blasting media, and bits of removed material faster than it collects inside the chamber. A cyclone separator can get the job done, but since it dumps all the waste from the cabinet into one bucket, it can make reusing the blasting material a dirty job. But as
[Daniel Bauen] explains in the latest
Engineerable
video
, his two-stage dust collector is able to keep the cabinet clear while separating the used blasting material into its own container.
The cheap dust separator only works on large particles.
Basically, the idea here is to to use two different cyclone separators: one that’s very effective, and a cheap model that’s only able to remove large particulates. By running the air from the cabinet through the cheap separator first, the used blasting media is captured in a dedicated bucket. From there, the air runs through the high-efficiency separator to extract the finer dust. Finally, the shop vacuum [Daniel] is using has its own washable HEPA filter to catch anything that makes it through the two extractors; though he notes that it only rarely needs to be cleaned out.
Normally this system is attached directly to the blasting cabinet, and it does a good job of capturing the bulk of the used blasting media in real-time. But to make sure the media is really cleaned up being using it again, [Daniel] will actually run the contents of the first bucket through the system a few more times to separate out any of the more stubborn dust that might be mixed in.
Of course not everyone has the space, or even the need, for such an elaborate blasting setup. If you’re just trying to quickly clean up some parts on the cheap,
you can make a basic blaster for around $6
. Good luck capturing the media though. | 4 | 2 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403155",
"author": "utdu",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T21:58:41",
"content": "6 US dollar is 86000 Rupiah so this is not little money.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403241",
"author": "Krzysztof",
"timestamp":... | 1,760,372,869.192443 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/giving-flip-dots-the-oil-treatment-to-shut-them-up/ | Giving Flip Dots The Oil Treatment To Shut Them Up | Mike Szczys | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"flip dot display",
"oil",
"oil cooling"
] | Flip dot displays are awesome — too bad it’s so hard to find large panels to play around with, but that’s for another article. [Pierre Muth] has been working to find different and interesting things to do with these flip dots, and
he recently explored how you can flip them very very gently
.
Now you likely remember [Pierre’s] work from earlier this year where he was pushing the speed of the displays as high as possible. Using
a capacitor discharge trick he made it to 30 fps
, which absolutely stunning work. This time around he attempted to do something equally impressive by micro-stepping the dots. It’s a bonkers idea and unfortunately didn’t work. It seems the dots are engineered for two steady states and you just can’t get very good performance with the in-between states.
However, along the way he had an a-ha moment. Part of what he wanted to do with the microstepping was to slow down the change of the state and for that, he just grabbed a viscous fluid that’s thicker than air: Vaseline oil. (We’d imagine it’s not the cocoa-scented variety, but who knows?) He’s taken a page out of the mineral-oil-cooled PC sub-genre and applied it to flipdots. But watch the video after the break and you’ll see that the slower animations are super pleasing to watch, and the clickity-clackity that was driving you nuts while trying to works is now whisper quiet. It’s a new dawn for displays. | 20 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403106",
"author": "X",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T19:41:00",
"content": "Meanwhile, new displays in bus terminals and train stations are emulating the flap flap noise so that folks can tell when they change.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"... | 1,760,372,869.245276 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/whats-the-deal-with-uefi/ | What’s The Deal With UEFI? | Matthew Carlson | [
"computer hacks",
"Engineering",
"Featured",
"Original Art",
"Slider",
"Software Development"
] | [
"bios",
"UEFI"
] | It seems like there are two camps, the small group of people who care about UEFI and everyone else who doesn’t really notice or care as long as their computer works. So let’s talk about what UEFI is, how it came to be, what it’s suitable for, and why you should (or shouldn’t) care.
What is UEFI?
UEFI stands for Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, a standard held by an organization known as the United EFI Forum. Intel came out with EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface) and later made the spec public as UEFI. As a spec, implementation details change between vendors and manufacturers, but the goal is to present an OS bootloader’s standard and understandable structure. This makes it much easier to write an OS as you no longer need to worry about all the messy business of actually starting the chipset.
Several IBVs (Independent Bios Vendors) offer their implementations of UEFI that OEMs who produce motherboards can license and use in their products. Some examples would be AMI, Phoenix, and InSyde. You’ve likely seen their logo or just the text of their name briefly flash on the screen before your OS of choice properly boots.
Let’s talk about how UEFI boots. Generally, there are a few different phases. We generally say since there are many implementations and many of them do things out of spec. There are
three general phases
:
Security
(SEC), Pre-EFI Initialization (PEI), and Drive Execution Environment (DXE). Each is a mini operating system. Because Intel is the one who started EFI and later turned it into UEFI, much of the design is built around how Intel processors boot up. Other platforms like ARM might not do much in the SEC or PEI phase.
The boot process for X86 processors is a bit strange. They start in
real mode
(though most processors these days are technically unreal), with a 20-bit address space (1MB of addressable memory) for backward compatibility reasons. As the processor continues to boot, it switches to
protected mode
and then finally to
long mode
. In a multi-core system, all the processors race to get a semaphore or read EAX, and one is designated the BSP (bootstrap processor). The losers all halt until the BSP starts them via an IPI (inter-processor interrupt). Ordinarily, there is an onboard SPI flash chip with firmware mapped into the end of the physical 32-bit region of memory. The Intel Management Engine (ME) or AMD Platform Security Processor (PSP) does most of the SEC phase, such as flushing the cache and starting the processors.
Once the processors are started, PEI has officially begun. On Intel systems, there is no system RAM in most of PEI. This is because memory needs to be trained and links initialized before the processor can use them. The ever relentless push for more and more speed from RAM means that the RAM needs to be tested, calibrated, and configured on every boot as different RAM sticks have other parameters. Many systems cache these parameters for faster boot times, but they often need to be invalidated and retrained as the RAM sticks age. The PSP handles memory training and loading UEFI on some AMD systems before the main x86 processor is pulled out of reset. For Intel systems, they use a trick called XIP (execute in place) which turns the various caches into temporary RAM. There is only a small stack, a tiny amount of heap space, and no static variables for PEI. Many Intel server platforms rely on the Board Management Controller (BMC) to train memory, as training large amounts of memory takes a very long time.
After initializing RAM and transferring the contents of the temporary cache, we move to DXE. The DXE phase provides two types of services: boot and runtime. Runtime services are meant to be consumed by an OS, services such as non-volatile variables. Boot services are destroyed once ExitBootServices is called (typically by the OS loader), but they are services like keyboard input and graphical drivers. BDS (boot device selection) runs in DXE and is how the system determines what drive to boot (hard drive, USB, etc.).
This has been a very dense and x86 specific overview. Many architectures such as ARM eschew UEFI for something more like
coreboot
, linuxboot, or LK, where it boots a small Linux kernel that then kexec’s into a much larger kernel. However, many ARM platforms can also leverage UEFI. Only time will tell which way the industry moves.
How It Came To Be
In 2005, UEFI entirely replaced EFI (Extensible Firmware Interface), the standard Intel had put forth a few years prior. EFI borrowed many things from Windows of that period, PECOFF image formats, and UEFI, in turn, borrowed practices from EFI. Before EFI, there was good old BIOS (Basic Input Output System). The name originated from CP/M systems of 1975. In that period, the BIOS was a way for the system to boot and provide a somewhat uniform interface for applications by providing
BIOS interrupt calls
. The calls allowed a program to access the input and outputs such as the serial ports, the RTC, and the PCI bus. Phoenix and others reverse-engineered the proprietary interface that IBM created to manufacture IBM compatible machines, which eventually led to something close to a standard.
Is It Better Than BIOS?
Yes and no, depending on your perspective. Many OS vendors like UEFI because they generally make their lives easier as the services provided make it easy to give a homogenous experience booting. The Linux community, generally speaking, is agnostic at best and antagonistic at worst towards UEFI. The BIOS interface is pushing 45 years as of the time of writing and is considered legacy in every sense. Another point in UEFI’s corner is that it facilitates selecting different boot devices and updating the firmware on your machine. UEFI uses GUID Partition Table (GPT) over Master Boot Record (MBR) — considerd a plus as MBR is somewhat inflexible. Many platforms shipped today are based on
the open-source EDK2 project from TianoCore
, an implementation of UEFI that supports X86, ARM, and RISCV.
The biggest complaint with UEFI is that it is a closed black box with unimaginable access to your computer and stays resident after the computer boots. BIOS is appealing since the interface is well-known and generally is non-resident. UEFI can be updated easier but also has a much more vital need for updates. A UEFI update can brick your system entirely. It will not boot, and due to the fuses being blown on the unit, it is almost physically impossible to fix it, even for the manufacturer. Significant amounts of testing go into these updates, but most are hesitant to push many updates because of the amount of work required.
Why You Should or Shouldn’t Care
At the end of the day, you care if you can use your computer for the things that are important to you. Whether that’s playing a game, writing an email, or making a new computer, it doesn’t matter as long as the computer does what you want. And booting is just one oft-forgotten step in making that happen. If you care about knowing every single piece of code your machine runs, you need to buckle in for a long ride. There are companies such as
Librem going to long lengths
to make sure that tricky problems like memory init are running in non-proprietary blobs. You can still tweak UEFI, [Hales]
being a great example of tweaking the BIOS of an old school laptop
. Open-source tools for inspecting and understanding what’s going on under the hood are getting better.
Ultimately it is up to you whether you care about the boot process of your device. | 98 | 25 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403069",
"author": "zoobab",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T18:19:12",
"content": "Spyware.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6403089",
"author": "CRJEEA",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T19:13:10",
"content": "Worse... | 1,760,372,868.987874 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/watch-blender-plugin-make-animated-pcb-traces-and-more/ | Watch Blender Plugin Make Animated PCB Traces (and More) | Donald Papp | [
"how-to",
"Software Hacks"
] | [
"animated PCB",
"animation",
"blender",
"growth animation"
] | [Staacks]’s
Blender plugin to animate growth
is behind the sweet animation seen above. It’s an add-on that cleverly makes creating slick growth animations easier when using
Blender
. It isn’t limited to PCB images either, although they do happen to make an excellent example of the process.
The add-on isn’t limited to animating PCB traces.
The idea is that one begins with an image texture with a structure showing a bunch of paths (like a maze, or traces on a PCB), and that gets used as an input. The plugin then uses a path finding algorithm to determine how these paths could grow from an origin point, and stores the relevant data in the color channels of an output image. That output is further used within Blender as the parameters with which to generate the actual animation, resulting in the neat self-creating PCB seen above. That PCB isn’t just for show, by the way. It’s the PCB for [Staacks]’s
smart doorbell project
.
Blender is an amazingly comprehensive tool for modeling and animation, and while we’ve covered
using it to create high-quality KiCad renders
, this kind of animation is really something else.
Here is
the GitHub repository for the Blender growth tool
if you’re interested in giving it a spin. If you’d like to see more first, watch the video embedded below for a showcase of what it’s capable of, and how it works. | 3 | 2 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403150",
"author": "mathman",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T21:42:48",
"content": "Thanks for this article!Really neat plugin and a good example of A* in image processing.The video is absolutely worth watching.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"... | 1,760,372,868.618253 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/linux-fu-the-ultimate-dual-boot-laptop/ | Linux Fu: The Ultimate Dual Boot Laptop? | Al Williams | [
"Hackaday Columns",
"laptops hacks",
"Linux Hacks",
"Slider"
] | [
"dell",
"dual boot",
"laptop",
"linux",
"NMVe",
"windows"
] | I must confess, that I try not to run Windows any more than absolutely necessary. But for many reasons, it is occasionally necessary. In particular, I have had several laptops that are finicky with Linux. I still usually dual boot them, but I often leave Windows on them for one reason or another. I recently bought a new Dell Inspiron and the process of dual booting it turned out to be unusually effective but did bring up a few challenges.
If you ever wanted a proper dual-booting laptop, you’ll be interested in how this setup works. Sure, you can always repartition the drive, but the laptop has a relatively small drive and is set up very specifically to work with the BIOS diagnostics and recovery so it is always a pain to redo the drive without upsetting the factory tools.
Since the laptop came with a 512 GB NVMe drive, I wanted to upgrade the drive anyway. So one option would have been to put a bigger drive in and then go the normal route. That was actually my intention, but I wound up going a different way.
Bad News, Good News
Oddly enough, this all worked out because I damaged the backlight on the first Dell that I bought. I had the extended warranty, and after each “fix” it was returned in even worse shape. I escalated the support case and they offered to just give me a new computer. The catch was that they didn’t have the exact model I had, so they offered me an upgrade to an Inspiron 5510 — a bigger screen than the old one and, along with that, a fancier keyboard and bigger battery. But there was one other key feature.
That feature? Dual NVMe slots. I didn’t realize this machine had dual slots until I cracked the case open. There is a secondary short slot (2230) and a primary slot that can accommodate a 2280 (long) device or a 2230. The stock drive was a short unit in the primary slot. You’d think you could just put in another short device or flip them around. You can, but it isn’t just that easy.
One M.2 slot is under the fan and there is another short slot to the right of the battery.
I wanted to put in a 2 TB drive of the longer form factor, so I elected to relocate the short drive to the short slot. That was easy, and the machine did boot up with no issues. I opened the BIOS to see what settings might apply to having two drives and found something interesting. The default BIOS setup was for RAID. I suppose Dell figured if you have one drive you don’t care and if you have two drives, you would probably like them to show up as a single larger drive.
Of course, a different brand laptop might not be setup this way, but it is worth checking. I was nervous that changing the mode would render the hard drive unusable. A quick search showed that some people had changed it and were not able to boot Windows again. However, there was also a fix.
RAID No More (and Bitlocker Woes)
The trick is to first boot into Windows in RAID mode and use MSCONFIG to select that the next boot should be in safe mode. Then reboot, enter the BIOS and select the normal disk configuration. Reboot into Windows safe mode. Windows will notice the disk system changed and put in the right drivers with little or no comment. Then run MSCONFIG again to turn off safe mode. The system then booted nicely.
The other thing that made me nervous was that the drive had Bitlocker encryption turned on. I’m not sure if Dell shipped it that way or if Windows 11 decided to encrypt the drive. Again, you don’t really get told about it unless you know where to look, and it is hard to opt out of it.
If your drive is encrypted, make sure you know how to get your keys now. The easiest way is to log into your
Microsoft account
and, in theory, all machines connected to your account should be there along with recovery keys. As I would find out, though, this isn’t always the case, so good idea to save a copy on paper or a USB drive, too.
Installation
Bracket instructions from the service manual.
The next job was to install the new 2 TB drive. Again, you may have a different set of problems, but in my case, there is a little threaded bracket that installs the motherboard to accept the drive screw and it was in the position for a short NVMe drive. Removing it took a bit of effort, and then I had to push it back into another bracket to fit a long drive. The
service manual
explains it all. The bracket uses spring tension so it took a little force, but not too much.
I found a nice guide for upgrading exactly this computer on YouTube. If you are working on a different laptop, it might pay to search for something similar.
With the drive installed and the back loosely attached, I was happy to see the BIOS recognized the drive with no problems.
Send in the Clones
There are many ways to clone a Windows drive. I used
Macrium Reflect
which has a free tier that is all you need for this task. Honestly, you should really back things up before doing surgery like this, but I will confess that I didn’t. As a practical matter, I didn’t have anything on there that I couldn’t stand to lose.
Reflect is able to automatically expand the Windows partition as it clones and it also takes off encryption on the copy. Sort of. The copy went fine, but it turns out Windows 11 automatically encrypts a drive when it notes that is possible — at least, by default. Luckily, I figured this out and printed out the new encryption key. However, this will turn out to not be as smart as it sounds.
Boot to the Head
Of course, modern UEFI booting isn’t as simple as the old-fashioned kind, so a reboot after the clone still put me on the old drive and forcing a boot with the BIOS did get me prompted for the decryption key one time. Feeling pleased with myself, I threw away the printout of the decryption key but before I did, I tore it up. After all, now that Windows booted, it would be in my account, right?
You can guess this was a bad assumption on my part. Here’s what I should have done: I should have disabled the old drive in the BIOS and tested rebooting without it. That’s what you should do. That’s not what I did. Turns out, the BIOS was still booting from the UEFI partition on the old drive and redirecting to the new drive. So formatting the old drive made the computer fail to boot with the usual mystery non-specific error code and meaningless log file entries. I could boot Linux from a USB drive but with everything encrypted, it wasn’t easy to figure out what to do.
Booting a Windows repair disk was fine, but it needed the decryption key that was in pieces at the bottom of the trash. My Microsoft account still showed the old key for the original hard drive. Luckily, even though it was trash day, the garbage truck hadn’t made it to me yet, so I went dumpster diving for the pieces of my key. With the key, the startup repair still couldn’t fix everything. But at least I could boot to a command prompt and run
the usual commands
. Finally, I had a bootable system.
No Account
Unfortunately, the Microsoft account issue persisted. There seemed to be no way to force the key to save. The Internet claims there is an option to save the key to the account, but in Windows 11 home edition with the automatic encryption, that doesn’t seem to be the case. The answer was to remove the Microsoft accounts from the machine and then re-enroll the accounts. I suspect this might not have been a problem if I had not had multiple accounts associated, but who knows?
In all fairness, this wasn’t a critical problem as long as you keep your keys backed up anyway (which I don’t). But it was odd that it just silently encrypted the drive and then failed to store the keys for you.
After that, installing Linux to the original drive went fine. GRUB, of course, can easily boot the machine in whatever configuration you like, and is easy to change. You have to do all the usual dual boot stuff like set your Linux clock to local time so you don’t get the time confused on each reboot.
TLDR
If you prefer a short summary:
Some laptops have two drive slots so you can use one for Linux. Look for that option if you’re interested.
Your laptop may have RAID configured by default
Booting a cloned copy of Windows has some challenges
Windows 11 may encrypt your drive without telling you and not save the recovery key to your Microsoft account
In the end, though, it all worked out and now I have my choice of operating environments. Linux found the audio, network, and camera with no problems. It helps, too, that the 5510 is pretty vanilla and doesn’t have things like detachable screens and rotation sensors that often confuse Linux on other laptops.
Of course, you could just wipe everything and install Linux or do a traditional dual boot setup. Or
build your own laptop
and do what you want. You can even do that with
a Raspberry Pi
. | 37 | 24 | [
{
"comment_id": "6403001",
"author": "dan farmer",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T15:17:09",
"content": "Had to laugh at this one… glad to see I’m not the only one who ignores those little voices in my head (“… you really don’t want to throw that password away, do you?”) because of the 99% that it doesn’t... | 1,760,372,869.150618 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/buy-a-piece-of-the-pi/ | Buy A Piece Of The Pi? | Jenny List | [
"Raspberry Pi"
] | [
"finance",
"raspberry pi",
"stock market"
] | The various companies and organisations that supply our community have achieved differing levels of success, with some staying as kitchen-table operations and others reaching the giddy heights of multinational commerce. Perhaps none has risen so far as Raspberry Pi though, as there are reports that the developer of single board computers
might be seeking a £400m listing on the London Stock Exchange
some time next year. The news is that they have sought the advice of investment bankers over the possibility of a float, seeking to secure further investment to further develop their product portfolio.
We’re not investment advisers here at Hackaday so we’re not going to suggest whether or not to bet your shirt on Pi shares, instead our interest lies in what this might mean for their family of products. It’s an inevitable process for any start-up that achieves major success that it will over time progress from being directed by vision to being directed by commerce, and perhaps a listing could be the culmination of this process. It’s fair to say that we tinkerers probably represent less of a market than education or industry to the Pi folks, so how might we win or lose when the suits take the helm?
Perhaps the most interesting movements from the company over recent years have been the development of their own silicon in the
RP2040
and the new
Pi Zero 2
, the success of
the Compute Module 4
, and the
Pi 400
all-in-one. We’d expect the last product line to expand into a line of all-in-one computers or appliances for the education and home markets, the Compute Module series to be developed further with industrial customers in mind, and fresh new semiconductor devices to be at their heart. From this we could still expect new boards with extra capabilities to keep us happy, but we should watch out for any commercially-driven moves towards closed-source or locked-down hardware.
Whatever happens in Cambridge over the next few years we’ll as always be very interested to see what fresh products the Pi folks have in store for us. It’s an impressive achievement to stably go from ten thousand boards unpacked in a garage to a potential stock market listing in under a decade, they’ve come a long way since
that leap day morning in 2012
. | 62 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402937",
"author": "JWhitten",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T12:12:56",
"content": "They’ll raise the prices even higher (starting from the RPi Foundation itself) in order to eliminate the secondary scalper market.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
... | 1,760,372,868.806702 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/wireless-leds-arent-really-magic/ | Wireless LEDs Aren’t Really Magic | Al Williams | [
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"led",
"wireless led"
] | [Atomic14] bought some wireless LEDs that receive power from a base station. They were very neatly packaged, but — we like it — he took one apart and
made his own versions
. They may not look as polished, but they work and they are undeniably cool.
The LEDs work by receiving power from an induction coil. Once you have power, lighting up an LED is no big deal. Reverse engineering found the transmitter sends 217 kHz into a 2.2 mH inductor. A capacitor resonates the coil and drives the attached LED.
Some experiments found that the circuit could supply about 2 mA -3 mA of current. [Atomic14] used two LEDs to get work out of each half of the AC waveform. He also dissects the transmitter, so you could roll your own there, too.
What would you do with a wireless LED? Maybe lighting in a model display or a checkerboard? We wondered if you could use two or more power frequencies to signal (for example, 200 kHz lights a red LED but 250 kHz lights a green one)? The original transmitter was fixed frequency, but if you used a microcontroller, it would be easy to make it frequency agile. In the end, there is an economic analysis of building these versus buying them ready-made, but we all know that isn’t always a decision that is strictly based on dollars. The commercial versions did look a little nicer, but with surface mount components, even the DIY version could probably look a bit cleaner.
We’ve actually
seen these
before. We wondered if you could
draw power from something that was transmitting anyway
. | 18 | 9 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402656",
"author": "Piotrsko",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T16:55:52",
"content": "Back in the day, there were AM band transmitters that were a couple thousand watts. KNX in Torrance CA comes to mind along with numerous tales of receiving the news on your showerhead. Should be enough ... | 1,760,372,868.854218 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/prusa-xl-goes-big-but-thats-only-half-the-story/ | Prusa XL Goes Big, But That’s Only Half The Story | Tom Nardi | [
"3d Printer hacks",
"Engineering",
"Featured",
"hardware",
"Slider"
] | [
"32-bit",
"CoreXY",
"heated bed",
"load cell",
"multi-material",
"prusa",
"Prusa XL",
"reprap"
] | For a few years now it’s been an open secret that Prusa Research was working on a larger printer named, imaginatively enough, the Prusa XL. Positioned at the opposite end of their product spectrum from the wildly popular Prusa Mini, this upper-tier machine would be for serious hobbyists or small companies that need to print single-part objects that were too large for their flagship i3 MK3S+ printer. Unfortunately, the global COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for the Czech company to focus on bringing a new product to market, to the point that some had begun to wonder if we’d ever see this mythical machine.
But now, finally, the wait is over. Or perhaps, it’s just beginning. That’s because while
Prusa Research has officially announced their new XL model
and opened preorders for the $1,999+ USD printer, it’s not expected to ship until at least the second quarter of 2022. That’s already a pretty substantial lead time, but given Prusa’s track record when it comes to product launches, we wouldn’t be surprised if early adopters don’t start seeing their machines until this time next year.
So what do you get for your money? Well, not an over-sized Prusa i3, that’s for sure. While many had speculated the XL would simply be a larger version of the company’s popular open source printer with a few modern niceties like a 32-bit control board sprinkled in, the reality is something else entirely. While the high purchase price and ponderous dimensions of the new machine might make it a tough sell for many in the hacker and maker communities, there’s little question that the technical improvements and innovations built into the Prusa XL provide a glimpse of the future for the desktop 3D printer market as a whole.
Going Back to the Future
RepRap Mendel, 2009
The Prusa i3 MK3S+ is the latest and most evolved version of a design that can be traced back to the
RepRap Mendel developed in 2009
. There have been many clones and variations of this open source printer, but fundamentally they can be described as using a Cartesian movement system wherein an overhead extruder moves along the X and Z axes, while the print surface moves forward and backwards on the Y axis. The vast majority of modern desktop 3D printers today use some variation of this design, often integrating the improvements made by Prusa Research over the years.
So to the casual observer, surely the biggest change to the Prusa XL is that the machine is based on a completely different movement system that looks nothing like anything the company has produced to this point. With this style of movement, the extruder moves in the X and Y dimensions and the bed travels vertically to make up the Z axis. One of the major advantages of this layout is that far less stress is put on the printed part, especially when the machine is moving at high speed.
Rather than shaking the bed back and forth rapidly, which can introduce visual print artifacts, it’s slowly and smoothly lowered down as the printer proceeds to the next layer. This, combined with the inherent rigidity of the more cubic frame, allows for faster print speeds than are traditionally obtainable on Mendel/i3 machines. In the case of the Prusa XL this is particularly important, as the machine will need all the speed it can get to work through prints that take up any significant portion of its cavernous 36×36×36 cm (14.17×14.17×14.17 inch) build volume.
RepRap Darwin, 2007
The specific arrangement of belts and stepper motors being used by the Prusa XL is officially known as CoreXY, a relatively modern implementation focused on speed and simplicity. But many of the design elements, such as constraining the overhead extruder to two-dimensional movement, and lowering the bed as the print progresses, are reminiscent of Darwin, the very first RepRap machine. While there are commercial 3D printers that adapted the Darwin approach, most notably those from Makerbot and Ultimaker,
they’ve made little inroads with the hobbyist crowd
.
Prusa coming full circle and abandoning the design that they helped popularize would be a quite shock, but thankfully, that’s not what’s happening here. The i3 design just doesn’t scale up well, and given the dimensions of the XL, presumably wasn’t able to hit the company’s performance goals. So for this particular product, they decided to go back to the drawing board.
At the same time, the cost and size of the XL is clearly aimed at a higher market than Prusa’s traditionally gone after. So while this larger printer might have embraced a new design, the i3 that hackers and makers love isn’t going anywhere. But that certainly doesn’t mean other features of the XL won’t be making their way to the rest of the Prusa family.
Bells and Whistles Abound
The size of the Prusa XL is obviously what makes the machine stand out, but upon closer inspection, there are a number of very interesting improvements that aren’t specifically related to the scale of the machine. In other words, these are the features that Prusa (and their competitors) will likely be mulling over for inclusion in other products once the kinks have been worked out and the designs have been cost-optimized a bit.
One of those is the new segmented bed heater. Traditionally, 3D printers have used one large heating pad to bring the whole bed up to temperature; a simple, but inefficient approach. With its unusually large bed, this inefficiency was simply too great to ignore, so Prusa has instead used an array of smaller heaters. The most obvious advantage of this approach is that it will allow for more localized, targeted heating. Why waste the energy and time required to heat the entire bed before each print when you don’t need to? But even on smaller beds, an array of heaters would have its advantages. Compared to one large heater, operating them in an alternating pattern would put less strain on the PSU, and they would have less tendency to induce a warp on the print surface.
Prusa has also completely redesigned the extruder assembly for the XL, and has done away with the inductive sensor used for bed leveling. In this new “Nextruder”, a custom built load cell integrated into the hotend’s heatsink allows using the printer’s nozzle as a physical probe to detect the bed position. This approach promises to be more accurate than the previous non-contact sensor, and isn’t dependent on the conductivity or magnetic properties of the bed material.
We’ve seen this done in the DIY space before
, and credit where it’s due, both Creality and Anycubic have
implemented a similar feature on their newer printers
. Prusa seems to have taken the capability a step farther though, as their press release claims the load sensor in the hotend is also able to detect when the printer has jammed; a capability that was quietly deleted from the i3 MK3S when it was determined
the optical sensor used to detect filament movement was too temperamental
.
Finally, the Prusa XL fully embraces the 32-bit control electronics that they
first experimented with on the Mini in 2019
. This is hardly a surprise, as eventually, even the cheapest of desktop 3D printers will ditch their 8-bit microcontrollers. But Prusa is in a particularly good place here as they’ve had a few years to refine their 32-bit firmware, and it looks like the XL will get enhanced versions of features which they’ve been testing on their entry-level printer, such as network control and 3D print previews.
No More MMU?
There was a lot of excitement about Prusa’s Multi-Material Upgrade (MMU), and as they moved from the
initial version that required a stepper motor for each material
to the far more refined approach that could
cut the filament and load it into the extruder on-demand
, it was clear the company was giving the concept a lot of thought. But as many MMU owners would attest, the reality of using the device has always left something to be desired. There’s simply too many moving pieces involved, literally and figuratively, to make the system reliable with a single extruder.
Prusa XL with additional extruders.
Which is why on the Prusa XL, they aren’t even trying. Rather than feeding different filaments into one extruder to achieve multi-color or multi-material printing, the XL simply switches between up to five extruders that have already been loaded with the appropriate filaments.
Naturally this involves a lot of extra engineering and hardware, as the printer needs to be able to rapidly and accurately swap between the extruders hundreds if not thousands of times during the course of a long print. But if done properly, it’s certainly the more reliable approach. It also offers some tantalizing possibilities, as the technique doesn’t have to be limited to extruders. Whether it happens through an official upgrade or DIY means, it seems inevitable we’ll see a Prusa XL wielding a laser before too long.
The Prusa XL implementing full tool-changing capabilities would seem to bode ill for the MMU. Even after years of refinement, the company wasn’t confident enough in the technology to even offer it as an option on their new high-end machine. The chance that we’ll see further development on the MMU seems slim at this point, but there could be a silver lining: it may be that Prusa is planning to implement similar, if somewhat more constrained, tool-changing capabilities as an option on the next generation of their i3 printer.
The Shape of Things to Come
The Prusa XL has a lot of fascinating technology onboard, of which we’ve just covered the highlights here. While some of it is undoubtedly better suited to large-format machines, it stands to reason that at least a few of these features will filter down to the i3 and Mini models as those machines hit their next evolutionary releases. Looking a bit farther out, it’s also a near certainty that other manufacturers will attempt to implement their own versions of these features. So whether or not you’re getting it from Prusa, it seems a safe bet you’ll be benefiting from at least some of these advancements if you plan on purchasing a new 3D printer in the next couple of years. | 44 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402608",
"author": "lukeslabonline",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T15:34:09",
"content": "I still don’t understand the advantages of the modular bed – “heating in an alternate pattern” is essentially the same thing as just PWM controlling the bed – just with more steps, and doesn’t save... | 1,760,372,869.073472 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/samsung-bricks-smart-tvs/ | Samsung Bricks Smart TVs | Chris Lott | [
"News"
] | [
"anti-theft",
"samsung",
"smart tv",
"TV Block"
] | Earlier this Fall, a
Samsung warehouse in South Africa was robbed
and the thieves got away with a quantity of smart televisions. Samsung proceeded to implement a little-known feature called “TV Block” which is installed on all of their TV products. The serial numbers of the stolen TV sets are flagged in their servers, and if one of these sets tries to connect the internet in the future, it will recognize that it is stolen and proceed to brick itself, disabling all television functionality.
So while this real-life scenario makes sense, it is a bit alarming to realize the implication of such a feature — the manufacturer can reach into your TV and disable it from afar. One can assume that Samsung won’t abuse this capability, because acting otherwise would harm their reputation. In a press release,
Samsung announced
that any consumers whose sets were incorrectly bricked can have their sets un-bricked after demonstrating proper ownership.
Despite such good intentions, the mere existence of such a feature is worrisome. What someone hacks the system and begins bricking TVs all over the world willy-nilly? If you are concerned about this possibility, one option of course is to never connect your TV set to the internet. But in that case, it might be better to just buy a “dumb” television set instead.
Anti-theft immobilizers are not new —
one system was patented over 100 years
ago to thwart car thieves. Car stereo systems have also long featured technology that renders them unusable when stolen. Although this robbery brought Samsung’s “TV Block” to consumers’ attention, we wonder if other manufacturers have similar anti-theft systems which aren’t well publicized. If you know of any, please share in the comments below. | 247 | 50 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402522",
"author": "CryptoDoneRight",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T12:04:29",
"content": "So if criminal hackers would get a hold of the kill-switches they could brick all globally (connected) TV of this company? RaaS (Ransomware as a Service) is becoming a new dystopian reality. Not t... | 1,760,372,869.897916 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/how-to-easily-set-up-secure-ota-firmware-updates-on-esp32/ | How To Easily Set Up Secure OTA Firmware Updates On ESP32 | Donald Papp | [
"how-to",
"Security Hacks"
] | [
"ESP32",
"firmware update",
"https",
"IoT",
"OTA",
"secure OTA",
"security",
"ssl"
] | After an electronic IoT device has been deployed into the world, it may be necessary to reprogram or update it. But if physical access to the device (or devices) is troublesome or no longer possible, that’s a problem.
OTA updates allow a device to download new firmware, install it, and reboot itself into the new version. Convenient? Yes. Secure? It definitely needs to be.
Fortunately, over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates are a thing, allowing embedded devices to be reprogrammed over their wireless data connection instead of with a physical hardware device. Security is of course a concern, and thankfully
[Refik] explains how to set up a basic framework so that ESP32 OTA updates can happen securely
, allowing one to deploy devices and still push OTA updates in confidence.
[Refik] begins by setting up a web server using Ubuntu Linux, and sets up HTTPS using a free SSL certificate from
Let’s Encrypt
, but a self-signed SSL certificate is also an option. Once that is done, the necessary fundamentals are in place to support deploying OTA updates in a secure manner. A bit more configuration, and the rest is up to the IoT devices themselves. [Refik] explains how to set things up using the
esp32FOTA library
, but we’ve also seen
other ways to make OTA simple to use
.
You can watch a simple secure OTA firmware update happen in the video, embedded below. There are a lot of different pieces working together, so [Refik] also provides a second video for those viewers who prefer a walkthrough to help make everything clear. Watch them both, after the break. | 12 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402496",
"author": "g",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T09:38:23",
"content": "> let us get the certificate from our web server.This is going to end well.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6402703",
"author": "Gravis",
... | 1,760,372,869.947445 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/z80-video-output-via-the-raspberry-pi-pico/ | Z80 Video Output Via The Raspberry Pi Pico | Lewin Day | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [] | Building basic computers from the ground up is a popular pastime in the hacker community. [Kevin] is one such enthusiast, and decided to whip up a video interface
for his retro Z80 machine.
The output from [Kevin]’s build.
The computer in question is a RC2014 Classic ][,
a popular single-board 8-bit computer kit
. As standard, it doesn’t have a video output, so [Kevin] built one using the PIO interface of the Raspberry Pi Pico.
74-series logic is pressed into service to handle address selection, enabling the Pico and Z80 to effectively communicate. Wait states in the Z80 are used to avoid the vintage chip tripping over when the two are communicating. The Pico outputs video in 160 x 120 resolution with eight bits of color per pixel, using a simple resistor-ladder DAC to do basic VGA.
The build serves as a great way to get familiar with programming both the Pi Pico and the Z80 itself. With that said, it’s probably possible to simply just emulate the Z80 on the Pi Pico given the latter runs at a default clock rate of 125 MHz, eclipsing the RC2014’s snail-like 7.3728 MHz main clock.
If you’ve been building your own retro graphics hardware,
do let us know.
We love
that sort of thing
around here! | 27 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402489",
"author": "RÖB",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T08:37:47",
"content": "First up! I love this RC2104 project. Something that grows out of strip (vero) board and becomes a kit is simplicity and easy understanding (education).I think I have seen a number of Video outputs for this R... | 1,760,372,870.01031 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/the-calculator-charm-calculatorium-leviosa/ | The Calculator Charm: Calculatorium Leviosa! | Orlando Hoilett | [
"Machine Learning"
] | [
"harry potter",
"linux",
"machine learning",
"magic",
"tensorflow",
"Tensorflow Lite",
"wand",
"Wingardium Leviosa"
] | Have you ever tried waving your hand around like a magic wand and summoning a calculator? We would guess not since you’d probably look a little silly doing so. That is unless you had
[Andrei’s] cool gesture-controlled calculator
. [Andrei] thought it would be helpful to use a calculator in his research lab without having to take his gloves off and the results are pretty cool.
His hardware consists of a PocketBeagle, an OLED, and an MPU6050 inertial measurement unit for capturing his hand motions using an accelerometer and gyroscope. The hardware is pretty straightforward, so the beauty of this project lies in its machine learning implementation.
[Andrei] first captured a few example datasets to train his algorithm by recreating the hand gestures for each number, 0-9, and recording the resulting accelerometer and gyroscope outputs. He processed the data first with a wavelet transform. The intent of the transform was two-fold. First, the transform allowed him to reduce the number of samples in his datasets while preserving the shape of the accelerometer and gyroscope signals, the key features in the machine learning classification. Secondly, he was able to increase the number of features for the classification since the wavelet transform resulted in both approximation and detailed coefficients which can both be fed into the algorithm.
Because he had a small dataset, he used the Stratified Shuffle Split technique instead of the test train split method which is generally more suited for larger datasets. The Stratified Shuffle Split ensured approximately the same number of train and test samples for each gesture. He was also very conscious of optimizing his model for running on a portable processing unit like the PocketBeagle. He spent some time optimizing the parameters of his algorithm and ultimately converted his model to a TensorFlowLite model using the built-in “TFLiteConverter” function within TensorFlow.
Finally, in true open-source fashion,
all his code is available on GitHub
, so feel free to give it a go yourself.
Calculatorium Leviosa! | 5 | 2 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402492",
"author": "Retepv",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T08:52:34",
"content": "I wonder if you could use this to guess the emotions an Italian tries to express with their hand gestures while telling a story. :D",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
... | 1,760,372,869.602489 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/automating-mobile-games-with-a-robot-arm/ | Automating Mobile Games With A Robot Arm | Lewin Day | [
"Games"
] | [
"my singing monsters",
"prize",
"robot",
"robot arm",
"robotic arm"
] | My Singing Monsters is one of those mobile titles that has users play simple games to earn coins and gems in the usual way. [Anykey] found that his son was a fan of the game, but that sometimes it felt a little rigged. Thus, rather than waste time playing themselves,
he set up a robot to do the job for them.
(Super-boring video, embedded below.)
The player must complete a basic but time-consuming memory game. Upon winning, the player gets to choose a prize from 17 mystery cards. The top prize of 1,000 diamonds always seemed to be hidden under another card, leading to the aforementioned frustration.
In order to test if the game was rigged, [Anykey] set up a uArm Swift Pro to play the game, with the robot arm moving a small stylus over the iPad playing the game. The iPad’s video was piped to a PC via HDMI out, going into a Camlink capture card. A Python script using OpenCV was then created to play the game automatically, and log the results of prizes gained along the way.
All the code is up on GitHub
.
After over 100 attempts
, the robot never managed to pick the right card to score 1,000 diamonds. Given that there are only 17 cards to choose from, one would expect the 1,000 diamond prize to come up several times in that many selections.
It seems then that the prize selection for completing the memory game may not actually be down to picking the right card. Instead, the prize given is selected by some other calculation entirely.
We love a robot playing games at Hackaday,
even if it’s as simple as Tic-Tac-Toe
. Video after the break. | 16 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402439",
"author": "Doug Leppard",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T00:16:07",
"content": "Sounds like the game is rigged.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6402460",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren",
"ti... | 1,760,372,869.652998 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/30/a-super-speedy-lightweight-lossless-compression-algorithm/ | A Super Speedy Lightweight Lossless Compression Algorithm | Dave Rowntree | [
"Software Hacks"
] | [
"image compression",
"lossless"
] | [Dominic Szablewski] was tinkering around with compressing RGB images, when he stumbled upon idea of how to make a simple lossless compression algorithm, resulting in
the Quite OK Image Format
, which seems to offer comparable file sizes to the PNG format but is so simple it runs up to 50 times faster for compression and up to four times faster for decompression. Implementation can be achieved with a
miniscule 300 lines of C
. Need a bit more detail on the real-world performance? Well [Dominic] has that covered too, with a
complete set of benchmarks
for your perusal.
Image formats are one of those things these days that are designed by consortium, with so much complexity wedged in making it hard to implement with limited resources, so we find it very refreshing to see someone going back to basics and producing something super lightweight, and plenty good enough in practical terms.
Other uses for the algorithm could be for super simple video compression, for applications where resource is tight and some low-effort bandwidth reduction would be beneficial. Implementation in a small FPGA would also be quite straightforward, since the memory requirement is quite low also.
The project is very new and already there are some tweaks happening to the format, so the GitHub project code may change without warning to reflect any corrections [Dominic] feels necessary.
Thanks [David] for the tip! | 38 | 16 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402898",
"author": "MrSVCD",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T09:15:07",
"content": "Neat!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6402911",
"author": "Erik Johnson",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T10:11:30",
"content": "Skimming over th... | 1,760,372,870.231278 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/hpi95lx-puts-linux-in-your-palm/ | HPi95LX Puts Linux In Your Palm | Chris Lott | [
"handhelds hacks"
] | [
"HP95LX",
"linux",
"palmtop",
"Raspberry Pi Zero W"
] | A few decades ago, palmtop computers were mostly based on MS-DOS, and while many users tried to mimic the UNIX experience, the results were mixed. Fast forward to the present and business-card-sized Linux computers modules abound. Canadian tinkerer [Rune Kyndal] decided to
make his own Linux palmtop
by sacrificing an old HP-95LX and replacing the guts with a Raspberry Pi Zero and a color LCD screen. We’re impressed with the rich set of features he has crammed into the limited volume of the case:
Inside View: Everything fits, barely
Raspberry Pi Zero W
Color LCD, 4.3 inch, 800×480 w/Backlight
Capacitive touch screen (not connected yet)
Stereo speakers + microphone
Ethernet 10/100
USB 2.0, 2 each
RS-232, DE-9 connector
microSD card
HDMI
IR dataport
Webcam (TBD)
LiPo Battery w/Charger
One problem that any palmtop faces is how to make a usable keyboard, and HP had one of the better designs. The keys are the same famous style as used in HP calculators. And while no human with normal hands could touch-type on it, the keyboard’s layout and tactile feel was well-suited to “thumb typing”. [Rune] made a good decision by keeping the original keyboard.
While fully functional, this is more of a proof of concept than a polished project. [Rune] primarily used bits and pieces that he had laying around. [Rune] says if he did it again, he would replace all the hot-glued accessory parts with a custom PCB, which is probably good advice. If you want to make your own, check out the project comments for some suggestions. | 30 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402897",
"author": "Andy Pugh",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T09:10:08",
"content": "Cute, but it might be worth pointing out that a Linux / Android palmtop is available off-the-shelf and in a case designed by the Psion organiser designer too, so it has a much nicer keyboard than the HP... | 1,760,372,870.296746 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/do-you-really-need-to-dry-filament/ | Do You Really Need To Dry Filament? | Dave Rowntree | [
"3d Printer hacks"
] | [
"3d printing",
"drying",
"stringing",
"test",
"water"
] | There’s a lot of opinions and theories around the storing and drying of 3D printing materials. Some people are absolutely convinced you
must
bake filament if it been stored outside an airtight bag, even for a few days. Some others have ‘never had a problem.’ So it’s about time someone in the know has done some testing to try to pin down the answer to the question we’re all asking;
How bad is wet filament really
?
[Thomas Sanladerer] setup a simple experiment, using samples of three common types of filament, specifically PLA, PET-G and ASA. He stored the samples in three environments, on his desk, outside in the garden, and finally submerged in water for a full week. What followed was a whole lot of printing, but they all
did
print.
Different filaments will absorb water at different rates, depending upon their chemical composition and the environment, nylon being apparently particularly fond of a good soaking. It would seem that the most obvious print defect that occurs with increased water absorption is that of stringing, and other than being annoying and reducing surface quality somewhat, it’s not all that serious in the grand scheme of things. It was interesting to note that water absorption doesn’t seem to affect the strength of the final part.
Visually speaking, the good old benchy is a great test model, it has lot of features for evaluating print quality, in one cute little model. Specially, [Thomas] noticed that the areas of the model where the extruder needs to slow down, the print quality worsens. He summises this is due to the filament spending more time in the hotend, allowing the water to boil off for longer, and impact the print a little more.
Filament to filament performance seems to indicate that PLA was the least affected, whilst PET-G was the most affected. In conclusion, it would seem that PLA is pretty much fine just kicking around on your desk, whilst you do need to take a little drying care with ASA and PET-G.
Need a filament dryer ready-made? Why not use an
off the shelf food dehydrator
? | 49 | 17 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402823",
"author": "irox",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T00:17:23",
"content": "On the other hand Nylon is nearly unprintable once wet. The hot end sounds like a little steam engine, and you can see pockets of vaporized water exploding, blasting a void in the molten plastic and deformi... | 1,760,372,870.091291 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/scrolling-name-badge-is-sure-to-break-the-ice/ | Scrolling Name Badge Is Sure To Break The Ice | Kristina Panos | [
"ATtiny Hacks",
"LED Hacks"
] | [
"attiny45",
"boost converter",
"led matrix",
"name badge"
] | Most makerspaces and hackerspaces have one night per week or month where the ‘space is open to the public in order to entice new people into joining up. Whereas most members just write their name in Sharpie on a piece of masking tape,
[Madison] wanted to do something extra
. And what better way to get people interested in your ‘space than by wearing something useful that came out of it?
The badge runs on an ATtiny45 and uses three 8×8 ultra-bright LED matrices for scrolling [Madison]’s name. It’s powered by a tiny LiPo battery that is boosted to 5 V. This build really shows off a number of skills, especially design. We love the look of this badge, from the pink silkscreen to the the typography. One of the hardest things about design is finding fonts that work well together, and we think [Madison] chose wisely. Be sure to check it out in action after the break.
Custom name badges are a great way to start conversations no matter where you go.
Here’s one that uses EL wire and LEDs that light up in sequence for an animated effect
.
Thanks for the tip, [Michael Gardi]! | 2 | 2 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402776",
"author": "rtyur5t",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T21:32:04",
"content": "nice for mycroft but You must add 2-3 mic",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6402850",
"author": "Garth Bock",
"timestamp": "2021-11-30T02:37:58... | 1,760,372,870.124488 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/opencv-hack-chat/ | Spatial AI And CV Hack Chat | Dan Maloney | [
"Hackaday Columns"
] | [
"ai",
"camera",
"depth AI",
"Hack Chat",
"inference",
"machine vision",
"opencv",
"spatial"
] | Join us on Wednesday, December 1 at noon Pacific for the
Spatial AI and CV Hack Chat
with Erik Kokalj!
A lot of what we take for granted these days existed only in the realm of science fiction not all that long ago. And perhaps nowhere is this more true than in the field of machine vision. The little bounding box that pops up around everyone’s face when you go to take a picture with your cell phone is a perfect example; it seems so trivial now, but just think about what’s involved in putting that little yellow box on the screen, and how it would not have been plausible just 20 years ago.
Perhaps even more exciting than the development of computer vision systems is their accessibility to anyone, as well as their move into the third dimension. No longer confined to flat images, spatial AI and CV systems seek to extract information from the position of objects relative to others in the scene. It’s a huge leap forward in making machines see like we see and make decisions based on that information.
To help us along the road to incorporating spatial AI into our projects, Erik Kokalj will stop by the Hack Chat. Erik does technical documentation and support at
Luxonis
, a company working on the edge of spatial AI and computer vision. Join us as we explore the depths of spatial AI.
Our Hack Chats are live community events in the
Hackaday.io Hack Chat group messaging
. This week we’ll be sitting down on Wednesday, December 1st at 12:00 PM Pacific time. If time zones have you tied up, we have a
handy time zone converter
. | 0 | 0 | [] | 1,760,372,870.16269 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/detect-starlink-satellites-passing-by/ | Detect Starlink Satellites Passing By | Bryan Cockfield | [
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"detection",
"power injector",
"radio",
"satellite",
"sdr",
"spectrum",
"Starlink"
] | The Starlink beta has semi-officially ended, but it seems as though the global chip shortage is still limiting how many satellites are flying around the world for broadband internet access for those that might not be served by traditional ISPs. Not every location around the world has coverage even if you can get signed up, so to check that status the hard way you can
always build a special antenna that tracks the Starlink beacons as they pass overhead
.
[Derek] is using this project to show of some of his software-defined radio skills, so this will require an SDR that can receive in the 1600 MHz range. It also requires a power injector to power the satellite receiver, but these are common enough since they are used to power TV antennas. The signals coming from the Starlink satellites have a very high signal-to-noise ratio so [Derek] didn’t even need a dish to focus the signals. This also helped because the antenna he is using was able to see a much wider area as a result. Once everything was set up and the computer was monitoring the correct location in the spectrum, he was able to see very clearly how often a satellite passed him by.
Of course, [Derek] lives in an area with excellent coverage so this might be a little more difficult for those in rural areas, but possibly not for long as the goal of Starlink is to bring broadband to people who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it.
There is some issue with how much these satellites might interfere with other astronomical activities though
, so take that with a grain of salt.
Thanks to [Spritle] for the tip! | 16 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402736",
"author": "BrightBlueJim",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T19:50:35",
"content": "I don’t know what Starlink’s constellation looks like right now, so this is just conjecture.For any communications satellite constellation, for it to be useful before the constellation is complete, ... | 1,760,372,870.345574 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/29/but-think-of-the-world-wide-users/ | But Think Of The (World Wide) Users! | Al Williams | [
"Featured",
"Interest",
"Original Art",
"Rants"
] | [
"cambodia",
"facebook",
"i18n",
"keyboards"
] | History is full of stories about technology that makes sense to the designer but doesn’t really fit the needs of the users. Take cake mixes. In 1929, a man named Duff realized that he could capitalize on surplus flour and molasses and created a cake mix. You simply added water to the dry mix and baked it to create a delicious cake. After World War II General Mills and Pillsbury also wanted to sell more flour so they started making cakes. But sales leveled out. A psychologist who was a pioneer in focus groups named Dichter had the answer: bakers didn’t feel like they were contributing to the creation of the cake. To get more emotional investment, the cake mixes would need to have real eggs added in. Actually, Duff had noticed the same thing in his
1933 patent
.
It is easy to imagine a bunch of food… scientists? Engineers? Designers?… whatever a person inventing flour mixes in the 1930s was called… sitting around thinking that making a mix that only requires water is a great thing. But the bakers didn’t like it. How often do we fail to account for users?
From Cake Mix to Tech
Apple has made a business of this. Most of us don’t mind things like arcane commands and control key combinations, but the wider pool of global computer users don’t like those things. As the world continues to virtually shrink, we often find our users are people from different lands and cultures who speak different languages. It is, after all, the
world
wide web. This requires us to think even harder about our users and their particular likes, dislikes, and customs.
Even different regions can have different customs and language issues. For example, Braniff Airline’s slogan “fly in leather” was translated into Spanish correctly, but in Mexico, slang usage made it “fly naked.” A Swedish vacuum maker abandoned the English slogan “Nothing sucks like an Electrolux” in the United States for similar reasons.
Facebook and Cambodia
Khmer keyboard (
CC-BY-SA 4.0
by 飯江誰出茂)
The recent leaks from Facebook had a technically interesting quirk to them. According to news reports, Facebook memos showed that company executives were surprised that about half of the voice traffic on Facebook’s Messenger product came from Cambodia. There was speculation that maybe the country had a high illiteracy rate. According to UNESCO, the adult literacy rate is over 80% and rising. Among younger people, it is well over 90%. You may think that’s bad, but it is roughly the same rate as the United States. In fact, Cambodia is slightly higher since the US has about 21% adult illiteracy. Although, in all fairness, UNESCO does mention that different countries define literacy in different ways, it seems unlikely that Cambodia has enough illiterate phone and computer users to account for half of Facebook’s voice traffic.
What was the problem? The Khmer language has more characters than any other world language making computer keyboards notoriously annoying. There are 74 characters, so most keys have two different functions and most phones do not have Khmer-enabled keyboards installed by default. Some users don’t even know they could type Khmer on a phone keyboard. Reportedly, young people transliterate Khmer into Latin characters or omit characters, relying on the recipient to fill in the blanks. There’s a good article about this on the website
Rest Of World
.
But Do We Care?
There was a time when the chances of your work winding up halfway around the globe were immeasurably slim. Sure, if you happened to work for a giant multinational company it might happen, but otherwise your designs were unlikely to be international travelers. Today even the smallest companies can export worldwide.
You might think that you don’t do anything commercial so you really don’t care. But if you post your work on Hackaday.io, GitHub, YouTube, or anywhere on the Internet, you are exporting in ways that would have made the biggest global companies in the world jealous just a few decades ago. That 20 line script to control your mood lighting based on the current song playing might get picked up in China, Australia, France, and Ethiopia. Who knows?
This sort of problem isn’t limited to Cambodia, either. Many Asian languages are
troublesome for keyboards
and Kanji — the pictographic language — is especially hard since it can combine several thousand elements. Look at this picture of a Chinese typewriter, if you don’t believe me.
A Double Pigeon typewriter. (
CC-BY-SA 3.0
by [Dadiolli])
So I think the answer is yes, we do care. Of course, you can’t be an expert on every language and every culture, but it is always good advice to put yourself in the place of the user and try to understand what they would like, not what we think is the right answer. As the world shrinks, that gets harder to do, but if you want your projects to spread, it is work worth doing. | 47 | 12 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402691",
"author": "jpa",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T18:11:07",
"content": "“It is always good advice to put yourself in the place of the user and try to understand what they would like, not what we think is the right answer.”Or just make it perfect for yourself. Thanks to internet, ... | 1,760,372,870.857255 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/generate-fully-parametric-3d-printable-speaker-enclosures/ | Generate Fully Parametric, 3D-Printable Speaker Enclosures | Donald Papp | [
"3d Printer hacks",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"3d printed",
"dayton audio",
"enclosure",
"fusion360",
"parametric",
"speaker",
"step"
] | Having the right speaker enclosure can make a big difference to sound quality, so it’s no surprise that customizable ones are a common project for those who treat sound seriously. In that vein,
[zx82net]’s Universal Speaker Box
aims to give one everything they need to craft the perfect enclosure.
The parts can be 3D-printed, but the design ensures that the front and back panels are flat, so one can use wood or some other material for those depending on preference and appearance. The assembly is screwed together using six M3 bolts per side with optional
heat-set inserts
, but it’s entirely possible to simply glue the unit together if preferred.
One thing that makes this design a bit more broadly useful is that [zx82net] not only provides the parametric design file for Fusion360, but also includes STEP format CAD files, and a small number of pre-configured assemblies for a few commonly available speaker drivers: the Dayton Audio DMA70-4, ND91-4, and the TCP115-4. Not enough for you? Check out [zx82net]’s
collection of ready-to-rock enclosures
in a variety of designs and configurations; there’s bound to be something to appeal to just about anyone.
[via
Reddit
] | 9 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402442",
"author": "Andrew",
"timestamp": "2021-11-29T01:02:20",
"content": "Would be better in OpenSCAD, and I don’t see anything too complicated to replicate.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6402443",
"author": "the... | 1,760,372,870.704953 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-sla-printing-a-portable-wii-handheld/ | The Trials And Tribulations Of SLA Printing A Portable Wii Handheld | Lewin Day | [
"3d Printer hacks"
] | [
"form 3",
"form labs",
"form printer",
"resin printing",
"sla",
"sla printing"
] | The G-Boy kit revolutionized the subculture around building portable home consoles, allowing an entire Wii to be crammed into a form factor the size of a original Game Boy. [Chris Downing] is no stranger to the field, and sourced a G-Boy kit of his own to build it
to the best of his abilities
. (Video embedded after the break.)
However, he wanted to step up above the FDM-printed parts of the original kit. Thus, he contacted the kit developer Gman, who provided him with the 3D model files so he could attempt a higher-quality SLA print himself. [Downing] had some experience with SLA printing in the past
with the Form 2
, but found some unique challenges on this build with the Form 3.
The benefits of SLA printing are the finer detail and surface finish it delivers. This is particularly nice on things like enclosures and buttons which are handled regularly by the user. However, the standard resin that ships with the Form 3 had issues with warping, particularly on thin flat walls which make up the majority of the G-Boy case.
Other issues included the fact that the standard cured SLA resin is much harder to thread screws into than softer FDM plastic, something which frustrated assembly of the design. It’s also brittle, too, which leads to easy breakages.
As a fan of a properly finished product, [Downing] decided to sand and paint the enclosure regardless. Tragedy struck when the spray cans started to spit chunks due to being over a year old. However, it serendipitously turned into a win, producing an attractive granite stone-like finish which actually looks pretty good.
The G-Boy kit took
Wii portable builds
mainstream, and drew many new builders into the subculture. [Downing] may be a stalwart of the scene, but still learned new skills along the way of the build.
We can’t wait to see what happens next in the scene, though we’d suspect someone’s already out there chopping up a rare PlayStation 5 as we speak.
[Thanks to Bushy555 for the tip!] | 9 | 2 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402385",
"author": "Nerd",
"timestamp": "2021-11-28T18:43:48",
"content": "Honestly, I think that finish looks great. The way it looks was actually unintended? A real win, serendipitous indeed.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": ... | 1,760,372,870.897717 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/scale-buildings-with-the-power-of-suction/ | Scale Buildings With The Power Of Suction | Chris Wilkinson | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"acrylic",
"solenoid",
"vacuum",
"wall climbing"
] | Walls can’t hold [Elijah Cirioli]. The would-be superhero has been busy scaling the sides of buildings using his
self-contained vacuum climbers
. (Video embedded after the break.)
After being inspired by the
winning project of an Air Force design challenge
, our plain-clothed crusader got to work on a pair of prototype vacuum climbers.
The wooden prototypes
were an unexpected success, so work soon began on the models featured in the video after the break. The main improvements in this second version included using ¼ inch acrylic instead of plywood, as well as an improved gasket for a better seal against the imperfect exterior of many building walls.
While the system would still ultimately struggle with brick walls (and other imperfect surfaces), it performs more than adequately when ascending smoother concrete walls. And while the acrylic was a far better choice than the plywood, one of the acrylic panels still developed a fracture. Even so, the results speak for themselves, and we have to applaud the inventor’s seemingly unconditional trust in his equipment.
We haven’t seen a follow-up from [Elijah Cirioli] recently, so here’s hoping that he’s busy working on version three, and that he’s not stuck up a wall somewhere. In the meantime, check out how someone accomplished similar wall-climbing feats using
salvaged microwave transformers
.
[Many thanks to mike cirioli for the tip] | 30 | 19 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402354",
"author": "spiritplumber",
"timestamp": "2021-11-28T15:35:44",
"content": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prowler_(Marvel_Comics)#Hobie_BrownLiterally superhero tier. Awesome.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6402663",... | 1,760,372,870.766514 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/its-nice-having-someone-to-talk-to/ | It’s Nice Having Someone To Talk To | Orlando Hoilett | [
"Robots Hacks"
] | [
"anime",
"artificial intelligence",
"emotion",
"quarantine",
"social robot"
] | We all get a bit lonely from time to time and talking to other humans can be a challenge. With social robots still finding their way these days, [Markus] decided to find a DIY solution he could make cheaply, resulting in the
“Conversation Face.”
The build is actually pretty simple, really. You have three different OLED displays, two for the eyes and one for the mouth, that have different graphic images programmed onto them depending on the expression being displayed. There’s also a small electret microphone that senses when you are speaking to the face. Finally, a simple face cutout covers the electronics and solidifies the aesthetic.
The eyes are programmed identically since they would move together for most expressions. [Markus] was able to get a blinking animation by quickly moving a white circle vertically through the eye screens and the results are pretty convincing. He also moves the eyes around the OLED to make the expressions seem more dynamic.
There’s not much to the mouth. [Markus] only has a mouth open and a mouth closed animation. The mouth opens when it’s the face’s turn to talk or closes when the face should be listening. This information is easily determined by measuring the output of the microphone. Interestingly enough, you can program the face to be quiet and attentive when it’s being spoken to or quite chatty to show that it’s actively engaging in the conversation.
I don’t know about you, but we can’t decide if the Conversation Face is more or less
creepy than those social robots
. Either way, we thought you would get a kick out of it regardless. It also looks like a funny anime character if you ask us. | 6 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402343",
"author": "Sweeney",
"timestamp": "2021-11-28T14:16:47",
"content": "The “3 screens as a face” thing has been done before. See:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115243/mediaviewer/rm909100032/",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_i... | 1,760,372,870.977571 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/28/this-raspberry-pi-mini-itx-board-has-tons-of-io/ | This Raspberry Pi Mini ITX Board Has Tons Of IO | Lewin Day | [
"News"
] | [
"compute module",
"compute module 4",
"raspberry pi"
] | The Raspberry Pi now comes in a wide variety of versions. There are tiny little Zeros, and of course the mainstream-sized boards. Then, there’s the latest greatest Compute Module 4, ready to slot on to a carrier board to break out all its IO. The Seaberry is one such design, as demonstrated by [Jeff Geerling], giving the CM4 a Mini ITX formfactor
and a ton of IO.
(Video embedded after the break.)
The Seaberry sports a full-sized x16 PCI-E port, with only 1x bandwidth but capable of holding full-sized cards. There’s also four mini-PCI-E slots along the top, with four M.2 E-key slots hiding underneath. The board then has a M.2 slot in the middle for NVME drives, and x1 PCI-E slot hanging off the side.
Ports include a USB 2.0, a Cisco-style serial console port, two HDMI ports, and a Gigabit Ethernet jack. Two seperate 12V connectors are provided allowing for a redundant power supply setup, which can be made triple redundant with the addition of the right Power-over-Ethernet hardware. Naturally, the Seaberry also features the usual 40-pin GPIO header, the 14-pin CM4 IO header, as well as the usual DSI, CSI and RTC hookups.
The Mini ITX design is a particular boon. The Seaberry can easily be slapped into a mini PC case, and the power button and activity LEDs work just like you’d expect.
In testing the board, [Jeff Geerling] filled up almost every slot, trying to see how many cards will run on an Compute Module 4 with 8GB of RAM. Throwing in an NVME SSD drive, several Coral TPUs for machine learning, multiple network cards and a SATA interface caused no problems.
Not everything worked due to driver limitations, but everything enumerated on the bus just fine. [Jeff’s] earlier work paid dividends here. His previous attempts
trying to get GPUs working
on the platform meant opening up an extended BAR space for PCI devices wasn’t a problem.
Further attempts involved adding in a 12-card carrier loaded up with 7 more TPUs, 5 more WiFi cards, and 3 more NVME drives. Outside of some kernel panics from excess NVME drives, the Pi CM4 was still able to detect everything, showing it can address more than 20 PCI-E devices without major issues.
Throwing so many devices at the Pi CM4 may not have an obvious application in the mainstream, but it’s sure to prove useful to someone. We’re certainly enjoying watching [Jeff] push the limits of what’s possible with the CM4, and we hope he gets GPUs working soon. | 27 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402304",
"author": "MrSVCD",
"timestamp": "2021-11-28T09:08:43",
"content": "Here is a link to the producthttps://www.tindie.com/products/alftel/seaberry-pi-cm4-carrier-board/",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "8082622",
... | 1,760,372,871.036001 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/replacement-motherboard-brings-new-lease-of-life-to-classic-thinkpads/ | Replacement Motherboard Brings New Lease Of Life To Classic Thinkpads | Robin Kearey | [
"laptops hacks"
] | [
"motherboard",
"t60",
"t61",
"thinkpad"
] | “They don’t make them like they used to.” It might be a cliché, it might not even be entirely true, but there’s something special about owning a piece of hardware that was built to a much higher standard than most of its contemporaries, whether it’s that bulletproof Benz from 1992 or that odd fridge from 1987 that just seems to last forever. For laptop aficionados, the Thinkpad series from IBM and Lenovo is the
ne plus ultra
: beloved for their sturdy construction and rich feature set, they have been used anywhere from the United Nations to the International Space Station. The T60 and T61 (introduced in 2006) are especially famous, being the last generation sporting IBM logos and such classic features as 4:3 displays and infrared ports.
The thing is, even the best hardware eventually becomes obsolete when it can no longer run modern software: with a 2.0 GHz Core Duo and 3 GB of RAM you can still browse the web and do word processing today, but you can forget about 4K video or a 64-bit OS. Luckily, there’s hope for those who are just not ready to part with their trusty Thinkpads: [Xue Yao] has designed
a replacement motherboard that fits the T60/T61 range
, bringing them firmly into the present day. The T700 motherboard is currently in its prototype phase, with series production expected to start in early 2022, funded through a crowdfunding campaign.
Designing a motherboard for a modern CPU is no mean feat, and making it fit an existing laptop, with all the odd shapes and less-than-standard connections, is even more impressive. The T700 has an Intel Core i7 CPU with four cores running at 2.8 GHz, while two RAM slots allow for up to 64 GB of DDR4-3200 memory. There are modern USB-A and USB-C ports as well as well as a 6 Gbps SATA interface and two m.2 slots for your SSDs.
As for the display, the T700 motherboard will happily connect to the original screens built into the T60/T61, or to any of a range of aftermarket LED based replacements. A Thunderbolt connector is available, but only operates in USB-C mode due to firmware issues; according to the project page, full support for Thunderbolt 4 is expected once the open-source coreboot firmware has been ported to the T700 platform.
We love projects like this that extend the useful life of classic computers to keep them running way past their expected service life. But impressive though this is, it’s not the first time someone has made a replacement motherboard for the Thinkpad line; we covered a
project from the nb51 forum
back in 2018, which formed the basis for today’s project. We’ve seen lots of other useful Thinkpad hacks over the years, from
replacing the display
to
revitalizing the batteries
. Thanks to [René] for the tip. | 66 | 21 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402288",
"author": "SwAkE",
"timestamp": "2021-11-28T07:30:05",
"content": "Hi There, a letter escaped, please adapt ‘ne plus ultra’ to ‘nec plus ultra’ if you meant to use French and I believe the one that is used most often or to ‘non plus ultra’ if Latin is your preference.",
... | 1,760,372,871.236813 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/another-way-to-recycle-those-empty-beverage-cans/ | Another Way To Recycle Those Empty Beverage Cans | Orlando Hoilett | [
"Beer Hacks"
] | [
"beer",
"freeform",
"recycle",
"repurpose",
"reuse",
"upcycle"
] | Do you ever sit around thinking of ways to repurpose things in your house? Well [BevCanTech] found a way to
recycle some of his empty beverage cans by turning them into homemade wire
.
The premise is simple. He cut 2 mm thick strips of wire from the beverage can along its circumference, creating a thin, long “wire” spool. He sanded the ends of each strip to crimp pieces of his homemade wire together. He found he could get about four meters from a standard-sized beverage can, probably roughly 12 oz, as he unraveled the can. He then used crimp connectors to connect his homemade wires to the battery terminals and also to the end of a flashlight. He used a red cap from another can as a pseudo light diffuser and lampshade, creating a pretty cool, almost lava lamp-like glow.
Maybe the meat of this project won’t be as filling as your Thanksgiving meal, but hopefully, it can serve as a bit of inspiration for your next
freeform circuit design
. Though you’ll probably want to smooth those sharp edges along your homemade wire. | 14 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402260",
"author": "squirrel",
"timestamp": "2021-11-28T03:23:33",
"content": "https://www.wirechiefelectric.com/aluminum-wiring-in-homes-answers-to-common-questionsI know it’s low voltage, but just gonna leave this here.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
... | 1,760,372,871.139118 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/25/n-gage-controller-uses-all-the-buttons/ | N-Gage Controller Uses All The Buttons | Bryan Cockfield | [
"Games"
] | [
"arcade",
"buttons",
"controller",
"emulator",
"gaming",
"Joystick",
"keyboard",
"N-Gage"
] | If there’s anything you can guarantee about a video game system, it’s that in 20 years after one suffers a commercial failure there will be a tiny yet rabid group of enthusiasts obsessed with that system. It’s true for the Virtual Boy, the Atari Jaguar, and of course, the Nokia N-Gage. For those not familiar, this was a quirky competitor of the Game Boy Advance that was also a cell phone. And for that reason it had more buttons than a four-player arcade cabinet,
which has led to things like this custom controller
.
Most N-Gage gaming these days takes place on
emulators
, this build is specifically built for the emulator experience. The original system had so many buttons that it’s difficult to get even a standard 102-key keyboard mapped comfortably to it, so something custom is almost necessary. [Lvaneede], the creator of this project, took some parts from an existing arcade cabinet he had and 3D printed the case in order to craft this custom controller. The buttons he chose are a little stiff for his liking, but it’s much better than using a keyboard.
In the video below, [Lvaneede] demonstrates it with a few of the N-Gage’s games. It seems to hold up pretty well. With backing from Sony and Sega, it’s a shame that these gaming platforms weren’t a bigger hit than they were, but there are plenty of people around
with original hardware who are still patching and repairing them
so they can still play some of these unique games.
Thanks to [Michael] for the tip!
https://12z1.com/ | 6 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401795",
"author": "Lvaneede (@adeeelnv)",
"timestamp": "2021-11-25T12:43:50",
"content": "Thanks for featuring my controller and video. As a small creator, its great to have some exposure",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6401... | 1,760,372,870.940374 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/25/find-your-way-in-the-starry-skies-with-dobsoniandsc/ | Find Your Way In The Starry Skies With DobsonianDSC | Maya Posch | [
"Lifehacks",
"Space"
] | [
"digital setting circles",
"diy"
] | An obvious problem with the use of a telescope is getting the former to point at the proper part of the sky which you intend to observe, or vice versa when you spot something interesting and wish to record the exact location. While all of this can be done manually with some trouble, there’s a lot to be said for automating this process. Unfortunately these Digital Setting Circles (DSC) features are not cheap even as add-on, which is why [
Vladimir Atehortúa
] created
DobsonianDSC
as a low-cost DIY solution.
As the name suggests, this project is based around a Dobsonian-style telescope: Newtonian tube with simple altazimuth base. Aside from the mechanical construction, this system uses an ESP32 as its controller along with two rotary encoders, with the simple circuit detailed in a
build guide
. The firmware for the ESP32 is written in the Arduino C dialect, and a guide for
flashing the ESP32
with the Arduino IDE and connecting it to the WLAN is provided as well.
After setup, the resulting telescope system can be used either via WiFi or Bluetooth from existing apps such as SkySafari that support the ‘Basic Encoding System’. An initial calibration is required, but after that you should have a telescope that works in concert with SkySafari or similar to automate this tedious part of astronomy away.
Obviously this is not a ready-to-install system, as every telescope is shaped and sized differently, but inspiration for
mounting solutions
is provided as well. | 13 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401835",
"author": "squirrel",
"timestamp": "2021-11-25T17:51:39",
"content": "> While all of this can be done manually with some trouble,uhh, what? If you know what you’re doing a printed setting circle and an angle finder is all you need.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
... | 1,760,372,871.085765 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/24/picomite-gives-your-pico-a-basic-with-all-the-features/ | PicoMite Gives Your Pico A Deluxe BASIC | Elliot Williams | [
"Retrocomputing"
] | [
"basic",
"Raspberry Pi Pico"
] | What makes developing a microcontroller project quick and easy? Tops on our list are an interactive shell and comprehensive libraries that handle all the low-level peripheral stuff. You think we’re talking MicroPython? Not today!
MMBasic has just been ported to the Raspberry Pi Pico
dev board, and it has
all
the batteries included.
Just to give you a taste, it has built-in support for SD cards, all sorts of displays, touch screens, real-time clocks, IR remotes, numerous sensors, and of course WS2812 LED strips. And because all of this is baked into the BASIC, writing code to use any of these peripherals is straightforward.
Now, there’s BASIC and there’s BASIC. This is a modern BASIC: it has loops, functions, arrays, floating point, and a built-in full-screen editor. You connect to the Pico via UART, and you’re off to the races. If you’ve got a Pico sitting around, flash it and give it a try. Or check out
the GitHub repository
if you want to poke around in the internals.
This is a port of the BASIC that’s used on the
Maximite
virtual retrocomputer platform, which means that there are many working examples out there for you to crib from, and
even a forum
. Add in the incredibly nice
user manual and tutorial
(PDF), and you’ve got the perfect weekend afternoon.
Think MicroPython killed BASIC? Think again. BASIC is small enough that it can
run where Python can’t
, but that’s of course a more minimal experience. In contrast, MMBasic looks like it’s got all the toppings. The whole enchilada. It’s like BASIC Deluxe. | 57 | 16 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401764",
"author": "bastetfurry",
"timestamp": "2021-11-25T08:42:09",
"content": "Hmm, no video out yet?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6401834",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren",
"timestamp": ... | 1,760,372,871.470501 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/24/build-your-own-hp41c/ | Build Your Own HP41C | Al Williams | [
"Retrocomputing"
] | [
"calculator",
"hp41c",
"retrocomputing"
] | There was a time when engineers carried slide rules. Then there was a time when we all carried calculators. Sure, calculators are still around, but you are more likely to use your phone. If you really need serious number crunching, you’ll turn to a full computer. But there was that awkward time when calculators were very important and computers were very expensive that calculators tried to be what we needed from full-blown computers. The HP41C was probably the pinnacle of that trend. If you’ve ever had one, you know that is a marvel of the day’s technology with alphanumeric capabilities and four plug in ports for more memory or ROMs. It really was a little hand-held computer. Didn’t have one? Don’t worry, you can
now build your own
. In fact, the HP emulator will also act like an HP15C or 16C, if you prefer.
You can see the device in action in the video below. As you might expect, this version uses a through-hole ATMEGA328 and even at 8 MHz, the emulation is faster than the original calculator. The machine also has over double the memory the original calculator had along with a real-time clock built-in. The display is also backlit, something we all wanted in the original.
What we really liked, though, was the 3D printed cases you can download for the calculators. You can see that in the video, too. We were a little sad that the kit is in an HP15-C like landscape orientation unlike the HP41’s portrait format. Then again, the schematics are there so maybe someone will lay out a nice HP41-specific board.
Of course, HP calculators used RPN, but if you grew up with a slide rule that’s fine. For everyone else, it is usually a bit of a learning curve. Also, as great as the HP41C was, it didn’t have binary or hex or even octal math unless you used “synthetic programming” and though we imagine the emulators used can handle synthetic programming (sort of assembly language for the HP41C) it was never fun to work on non-decimal problems with this machine. Still, what a great calculator and it is fun to see it reborn in modern form.
We’ve seen another
fake HP41C
that we think is using the same emulation software but required SMD soldering. We wonder if the
KIM Uno or 1802UNO
could be made to run on the same hardware? Seems like it would. | 42 | 13 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401705",
"author": "Mike Massen, Perth, Western Australia",
"timestamp": "2021-11-25T03:14:06",
"content": "Ah the good old days, that was a great calculator back in early 1980’s was so impressed with it when studying electrons part time at Western Australian Institute of Technolog... | 1,760,372,871.734734 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/24/bluetooth-record-player-puts-a-new-spin-on-vinyl/ | Bluetooth Record Player Puts A New Spin On Vinyl | Kristina Panos | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"arduino nano",
"bluetooth",
"h-bridge motor controller",
"portable",
"record player",
"vinyl"
] | You know, we were just discussing weird and/or obsolete audio formats in the writers’ dungeon the other day. (By the way, have you ever bought anything on DAT or MiniDisc?) While vinyl is hardly weird or (nowadays) obsolete, the fact that
this Bluetooth record player by [JGJMatt] is so modern makes it all the more fantastic
.
Not since the Audio-Technica Sound Burger, or Crosley’s semi-recent imitation, have we seen such a portable unit. But that’s not even the most notable part — this thing runs inversely to normal record players. Translation: the record stands still while the the player spins, and it sends the audio over Bluetooth to headphones or a speaker.
Inside this portable player is an Arduino Nano driving a 5 VDC motor with a worm gear box. There really isn’t too much more to this build — mostly power, a needle cartridge, and a Bluetooth audio transmitter. There’s a TTP223 touch module on the lid that allows [JGJMatt] to turn it off with the wave of a hand.
[JGJMatt] says this is a prototype/work-in-progress, and welcomes input from the community. Right now the drive system is good and the Bluetooth is stable and able, but the tone arm has some room for improvement — in tests, it only played a small section of the record and skidded and skittered across the innermost and outermost parts. Now, [JGJMatt] is trying two-part arm approach where the first bit extends and locks into position, and then a second arm extending from there and moves around freely.
Commercial record players can do more than just play records. If you’ve got an old one that isn’t even good enough for a thrift store copy of a Starship record, you could turn it into a pottery wheel or
a guitar tremolo
. | 73 | 26 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401672",
"author": "Adjustinthings",
"timestamp": "2021-11-25T00:04:27",
"content": "WOW! K, now do a CD player the same way :)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6401777",
"author": "Lukino",
"timestamp": "2021-... | 1,760,372,871.997109 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/24/science-vs-internet-trolls-testing-another-kind-of-file-system/ | Science Vs Internet Trolls: Testing Another Kind Of File System | Dan Maloney | [
"Tool Hacks"
] | [
"cutting",
"file",
"Machine tool",
"metalwork",
"Pneumatics",
"Shaper",
"tool"
] | No matter what you do or say on the Internet, you’re always doing it wrong. Keyboard commandos are ready to pounce and tell you how it’s “ackchyually” supposed to be done. And so it was of little surprise when [Jason] of Fireball Tools was taken to task by the armchair millwright for his supposedly deficient method of filing metal.
But [Jason] chose to fight back not with words but deeds,
building a system to test alternative methods of filing
. His filing style is to leave the file in contact with the stock on both the front- and back-strokes, which enraged those who claim that a file must never be dragged back over the workpiece, lest the teeth become dull. The first video below shows the build of the test rig, which leveraged his enormous Cinncinatti shaper as the prime mover, as well as a pneumatic jig to hold the workpiece and imitate both styles of filing.
Part two
below shows the test rig in action, and [Jason] really outdoes himself with his experimental approach. He tested three different grades of Pferd files — nothing but the best, no expense spared — and did duplicates of each run using both the Internet-approved style and his lazier style.
The result? We won’t spoil that for you, but suffice it to say that the hive mind isn’t always right. And what’s more, [Jason]’s careful myth-busting yielded a few interesting and unexpected results. His channel is full of
great shop tips
and
interesting builds
, so check him out if you want to see how metalworking is done.
Thanks to [mgsouth] for the tip. | 39 | 14 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401631",
"author": "YGDES",
"timestamp": "2021-11-24T21:30:47",
"content": "So how did he call his file system ?…Oh wait.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6401635",
"author": "Heath",
"timestamp": "2021-11-24T21:50:53",
... | 1,760,372,871.558687 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/24/oscilloscope-probes-itself-to-add-video/ | Oscilloscope Probes Itself To Add Video | Robin Kearey | [
"Tool Hacks",
"Video Hacks"
] | [
"oscilloscope",
"Rigol 1054Z",
"USB Video Capture"
] | Modern oscilloscopes are often loaded with features, but every now and then you run into a feature that seems easy to implement yet isn’t available. [kgsws] wanted to use his Rigol DS1074 to show live measurements in his YouTube videos, but found out that this scope doesn’t support video output. Not to be deterred, [kgsws] decided to
add this feature himself
. In the video embedded below, he describes in detail the process of adding a USB Video Capture (UVC) interface to his oscilloscope.
The basic idea was to find the signals going into the scope’s display and read them out using a Cypress EZ-USB board. This is a development board that can be used to design USB devices, and supports the UVC mode. However, with no documentation of any of the Rigol’s internal circuitry [kgsws] had to probe the display connector to find out which pin carried which signal. And since he had no other scope available than this Rigol, he hooked up the various bits of the disassembled instrument so that it could (awkwardly) probe its own internal signals.
After mapping out its own display signals, it was time to hook them up to the EZ-USB board. [kgsws] achieved this by soldering about two dozen tiny wires to SMD pads on the motherboard. The EZ-USB board itself was placed in the back of the scope’s case, but had to be stripped of unneeded components in order to save space and power. A very clever trick was the addition of a reed switch, which allowed [kgsws] to set the EZ-USB board to programming mode without having to open the scope’s case, by simply holding a magnet near the switch.
After soldering a USB connector into a spare slot in the RF shield the project was complete. The Rigol can now be connected to a PC and will simply appear as a video capture device, ready to be streamed or captured for [kgsws]’s future project videos. We’ve seen other hacks on the Rigol DS1000Z series to
capture a series of screenshots
or to
enable additional bandwidth and features
, but adding a live video output was not one of the options so far. | 13 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401594",
"author": "SteveS",
"timestamp": "2021-11-24T19:38:21",
"content": "I always laugh whenever I look at the back of an oscilloscope and see the label “No user serviceable parts inside”",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6... | 1,760,372,872.162099 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/magnus-effect-propels-this-flettner-rotor-boat/ | Magnus Effect Propels This Flettner Rotor Boat | Lewin Day | [
"Misc Hacks"
] | [
"flettner rotor",
"magnus",
"Magnus effect"
] | The Magnus effect is a interesting and useful phenomena. [James Whomsley] from [Project Air] decided to put it to work on a small radio-controlled boat,
successfully harnessing the effect.
(Video, embedded after the break.)
The Magnus effect is an interesting thing, where fluid flowing over a rotating object generates an aerodynamic force at a right angle to the direction of the flow and the axis of rotation. (It’s why curveballs curve.) This can be used for propulsion on a boat, by spinning a tall cylinder called a Flettner rotor. This takes advantage of Magnus effect to generate thrust.
The boat uses a 3D-printed hull, sealed up with a leak sealer spray and lots of spray paint to avoid leaks. In the center of the catamaran design, there’s a spinning rotor belt-driven by a brushless motor. Outside of the rotor for thrust, a simple rudder is used for steering.
With the rotor turning, the boat was able to successfully sail along with the benefit of the thrust generated from the wind. However, there were teething issues, with heavy winds quickly capsizing the boat. [James] realized that adding some proper keels would help avoid the boat tipping over.
We’ve seen [James] around these parts before, namely with
the Magnus-effect aircraft that preceded this build.
[Thanks to Baldpower for the tip!] | 13 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402246",
"author": "bona",
"timestamp": "2021-11-28T01:22:51",
"content": "hey, if it was upside down would it still work?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6402430",
"author": "Hirudinea",
"timestamp": "2021-11... | 1,760,372,872.420713 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/want-octoprint-but-lack-a-raspberry-pi-use-an-old-android-phone/ | Want Octoprint But Lack A Raspberry Pi? Use An Old Android Phone | Donald Papp | [
"3d Printer hacks"
] | [
"3d printer",
"android",
"octo4a",
"Octoprint"
] | 3D printers and Octoprint have a long history together, and pre-built images for the Raspberry Pi make getting up and running pretty easy. But there’s also another easy way to get in on the Octoprint action, and that’s to
run it on an Android phone with the octo4a project
.
A modern smartphone has a lot of useful features that make it attractive as an Octoprint host. There is a built-in touchscreen, easy power management, a built-in camera, and the fact that people regularly upgrade to new phones means that older Android phones — still powerful pieces of hardware in their own right — are readily available at low cost. The project is still relatively new, so don’t forget to check
the Octoprint community thread for this project
if you give it a try.
If you are wondering what
Octoprint
is and what it brings to the table, our own
Tom Nardi explained what it does and why it matters
when he shared his own upgrade experience from 2018. A few details are no longer current — for example one is no longer likely to encounter a
Printrbot
— but it’s still a perfectly valid primer on adding great management functionality to a 3D printer. | 21 | 11 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402233",
"author": "ncrmnt",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T22:14:39",
"content": "It’s so good, that github went down due to HackADay effect ;)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6402306",
"author": "zoobab",
"timesta... | 1,760,372,872.048735 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/ham-radio-gets-brain-transplant/ | Ham Radio Gets Brain Transplant | Al Williams | [
"Arduino Hacks",
"Radio Hacks"
] | [
"arduino",
"ham radio",
"icom"
] | Old radios didn’t have much in the way of smarts. But as digital synthesis became more common, radios often had as much digital electronics in them as RF circuits. The problem is that digital electronics get better and better every year, so what looked like high-tech one year is quaint the next. [IMSAI Guy] had an Icom IC-245 and decided to
replace the digital electronics inside with — among other things — an Arduino
.
He spends a good bit of the first part of the video that you can see below explaining what the design needs to do. An Arduino Nano fits and he uses a few additional parts to get shift registers, a 0-1V digital to analog converter, and an interface to an OLED display.
Unless you have this exact radio, you probably won’t be able to directly apply this project. Still, it is great to look over someone’s shoulder while they design something like this, especially when they explain their reasoning as they go.
The PCB, of course, has to be exactly the same size as the board it replaces, including mounting holes and interface connectors. It looks like he got it right the first time which isn’t always easy. Does it work? We don’t know by the end of the first video. You’ll have to watch the next one (also below) where he actually populates the PCB and tests everything out. | 7 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402193",
"author": "Joel",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T18:09:45",
"content": "I have been watching this video process, it’s quite interesting.",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6402212",
"author": "Ross Grindrod",
"timestamp... | 1,760,372,872.373617 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/perovskites-understood/ | Perovskites Understood | Al Williams | [
"Science",
"Solar Hacks"
] | [
"perovskites",
"Solar Cells",
"solar energy"
] | The usual solar cell is made of silicon. The better cells use the crystalline form of the element, but there are other methods to obtain electric energy from the sun using silicon. Forming silicon crystals, though, can be expensive so there is always interest in different solar technologies. Perovskite is one of the leading candidates for supplanting silicon. Since they use lead salts, they are cheap and simple to construct. The efficiency is good, too, even when the material is not particularly well ordered. The problem is every model science has on what should make a good solar cell predicted that orderly compounds would perform better, even though this is not true for perovskite. Now scientists at Cambridge think
they know why these cells perform even in the face of structural defects
.
Perovskites take their name from a natural mineral that has the same atomic structure. In 2009, methylammonium lead halide perovskites were found to act as solar cells. Conversion rates can be as high as 25.5% according to sources and — apparently — the cells could be as much as 31% efficient, in theory. Solar cells top out — again, in theory — at 32.3% although in the real world you are lucky to get into the high twenties.
Using advanced microscopy, the team found that there were two different types of disorders occurring in the material. Electrical disorganization reduces the solar energy conversion performance. However, a corresponding chemical disorder is actually advantageous for efficiency and more than makes up for the electrical disadvantage.
The researchers hope this will offer new insights into how to create even better perovskite materials for use in the solar cells of the future. We’ve seen this material used for things
other than solar cells
. There is a lot of
research activity centering on these cells
, so we hope to see some practical applications, soon.
[Main image: Alex T. at Ella Maru Studios via University of Cambridge research announcement] | 9 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402178",
"author": "The Commenter Formerly Known As Ren",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T16:30:42",
"content": "Interesting!I would like to see comparisons (when they become available) of the lifetime energy (cradle to grave) of perovskites v. silicon solar cells.",
"parent_id": null... | 1,760,372,871.778522 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/indoor-blimp-sails-through-the-air-using-ultrasonic-transducers/ | Indoor Blimp Sails Through The Air Using Ultrasonic Transducers | Dave Rowntree | [
"drone hacks"
] | [
"3d printed",
"blimp",
"helium",
"ultrasonic transducer"
] | Quadcopter type drones
can
be flown indoors, but unless you have a lot of space, it usually just ends in a crash. The prospect of being hit in the face by the propellor blades, spinning at 10k RPM doesn’t bear thinking about, and then there’s the noise. So, as a solution for indoor photography, or operating in public spaces, they are not viable. Japanese mobile operator DOCOMO has a new take on an old idea; the blimp. But, surely even a helium filled vehicle needs blades to steer around the room, we hear you cry? Not so, if you use a
pair of specialised ultrasonic transducer arrays to move the air instead
! (Video, embedded below)
Three banks of thrusters provide a 180 degree steerable net force
Details are
scarce
, but DOCOMO have fitted a helium balloon with modules on either side that can produce a steerable thrust, allowing the vehicle to effect all the expected aerial manoeuvres with ease and grace. The module at the bottom contains the control electronics, an upwards facing RGB LED for some extra bling, and of course a video camera to capture those all-important video shots.
We’d love to find a source for those ultrasonic transducer devices, and can only guess at the physical arrangement that allows for air to pass in one direction only, to effect a net thrust. We can find a few research papers hinting at the ability to use ultrasound to propel through air,
like this one
(bah! IEEExplore Paywall!) but to our knowledge, this technology is not quite in the hands of hackers just yet.
Blimps are by no means scarce on these fine pages, here is a
Blimpduino, an Arduino controlled 3D printed blimp
, an
illuminated blimp art installation
by Japanese artist [Kensho Miyoshi] and if using helium is just too darn safe for you (or if you want to help prevent this allegedly precious
resource from being lost into space
) you could just build a
remote controlled blimp using hydrogen
instead. Just don’t light a match.
Thanks [Itay] for the tip! | 25 | 8 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402154",
"author": "Jan-Maarten",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T12:23:54",
"content": "I scavenged ultrasonic transducers from dollar-store air humidifiers (I needed to mimic human breathing cycles for a medical project)",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
... | 1,760,372,872.109823 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/27/piglass-v2-embraces-the-new-raspberry-pi-zero-2/ | PiGlass V2 Embraces The New Raspberry Pi Zero 2 | Tom Nardi | [
"Raspberry Pi",
"Wearable Hacks"
] | [
"Pi Zero 2",
"Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W",
"wearable"
] | Well, that certainly didn’t take long. It’s been just about a month since the Raspberry Pi Zero 2 hit the market, and we’re already seeing folks revisit old projects to reap the benefits of the drop-in upgrade that provides five times the computational power in the same form factor.
Take for example the
PiGlass v2 that [Matt] has been working on
. He originally put the Pi Zero wearable together back in 2018, and while it featured plenty of bells and whistles like a VuFine+ display, 5 MP camera, and bone conduction audio, the rather anemic hardware of the original Zero kept it from reaching its true potential.
But thanks to the newly released Pi Zero 2, slapping quad-core power onto the existing rig was as easy as unplugging a couple cables and swapping out the board. With the increased performance of the new Pi, he’s able to play multimedia content through Kodi, emulate classic games with RetroPie, and even stream live video to YouTube. Using the custom menu seen in the video below, a small off-the-shelf Bluetooth controller from 8BitDo is all he needs to control the wearable’s various functions without getting bogged down with a full keyboard and mouse.
Although it might not have the punch of its larger siblings,
the new Pi Zero 2 is definitely a very exciting platform
. The
highly efficient board delivers performance on par with the old Pi 3
, while still being well positioned for battery powered projects like this one. We’re eager to see what develops as the new SBC finds its way into the hands of more hackers and makers in the coming months. | 4 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402176",
"author": "FinniusDeLaBoomBoom",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T16:17:21",
"content": "I love the Vufine and it’s HDMI input. Are there other headmounted displays like it that aren’t trying to do too much and can get out of the way of other modules?",
"parent_id": null,
... | 1,760,372,872.210179 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/spiral-music-visualization/ | Spiral Music Visualization | Mike Szczys | [
"Musical Hacks"
] | [
"audio visualizer",
"midi",
"python",
"Teensy"
] | Displaying notes live as they are being played can be a really powerful learning tool, but it’s usually used to learn how to play a specific instrument. This take on the topic is actually a neat way to learn more about music theory — how pitches work together to build the sounds that we hear. The visual tack chosen
arranges each of 12 notes into a spiral
. As you continue to go up the scale through more octaves, pitches that share the same name line up into a line like a ray projecting out from the sun. So there are 12 rays for the notes in the scale: C, C#/D♭, D, D#/E♭,F, etc.
[mechatronicsguy] built it a few years back but just now got around to documenting it, and we’re sure glad he did. The layout of notes at first looks just like a colorful visualization. But as he mentions in his description, this assigns a shape to each different type of cord. A major cord will have the same shape whether it is played with C, G#, B♭, or any other note as the root. The shape simply rotates around the axis based on that root note. Higher octaves will be shown further out on the radius, but the chord shape will still be the same. Minor, augmented, even modal chords and those with added pitches all have their own unique shape on the display.
You get the best understanding of the visualization by looking at the Python-rendered version in the video below. It’s a nice touch that notes turn grey and fade away after being released so you kind of see where the current chord came from. This isn’t strictly a perk of pre-recordings. While you can feed it MIDI files, you can also play a MIDI instrument and display the visuals live on the hardware version that uses a Teensy with an audio shield.
If you’re looking for examples on how music visualizers are used to teach the instrument, look no further than
this Wurlitzer note visualizer replica
. Also for those who don’t know, the song being played in the hardware demo (second video below) is Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.
Well worth a full listen
, it’ll change your life. | 6 | 3 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402139",
"author": "Juris \"ThunderOwl\" Perkons",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T07:28:23",
"content": "Very nice! Anyone maybe knows a project that would do the same, but real-time FFT / FHT per notes? Think “Color Organ” (Spectrum Analyzer), but narrow-banded, per note frequency, and ... | 1,760,372,872.255244 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/finally-tame-the-si5351/ | Finally, Tame The Si5351! | Jenny List | [
"Software Development"
] | [
"clock generator",
"PLL",
"SI5351"
] | The Si5351 is an extremely useful device, containing multiple clock generators with many versatile programming options that go well beyond its original purpose of providing a clock for digital circuitry. It has in particular found a spot in RF projects, where it provides a cheap and effective stand-in for a variable frequency oscillator in everything from receivers to VNAs. It’s fair to say that programming the Si5351 isn’t the easiest of tasks though, and joining the various attempts to make this simpler is [MR-DOS],
who has created an Si5351 library for the STM32 range of ARM Cortex M processors
. Fortunately for those afflicted by the semiconductor shortage there’s the advice that porting it to other architectures should only require the relatively manageable task of modifying the i2c function for the new hardware.
Instead of being a full abstraction layer for frequency generation, this library provides functions to give access to the nuts-and-bolts of the chip such as PLL dividers. Thus there’s a need to understand the workings of a PLL and calculate its parameters, while in return much more flexibility over the chip’s operation can be had. We like this approach even though it requires a little more work from the developer.
Over the years this device has attracted a variety of libraries,
this isn’t the first we’ve featured
.
Header image: Adafruit Industries (
CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
) | 12 | 5 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402122",
"author": "true",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T03:14:11",
"content": "Library looks very simple. Similar usage to built in peripherals on ST libraries.The i2c portion is not as abstracted as the README or this writeup would have you believe but it shouldn’t be hard to break th... | 1,760,372,872.315688 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/analyzing-starlink-satellite-downlink-communications-with-software-defined-radio/ | Analyzing Starlink Satellite Downlink Communications With Software Defined Radio | Maya Posch | [
"Radio Hacks",
"Space"
] | [
"sdr",
"Starlink"
] | Often, mere curiosity is sufficient to do something. This is also the case with people trying to analyze the communication setup and protocol which SpaceX is using with their Ku-band based Starlink satellites. One of these fine folk is [Christian Hahn], who has recently
posted some early findings
to
r/StarlinkEngineering
over at Reddit. Some of the captured data seems to include the satellite ID system that ground-based user stations would presumably use to keep track of overhead Starlink satellites.
For the capturing itself, [Christian] is using a second-hand dish for capture and a DIY SDR using KC705 FPGA-based hardware – which may have begun its life as crypto mining hardware – along with the usual assortment of filters and other common components with this kind of capture. Even at this early time, some features of the Starlink protocol seem quite obvious, such as the division into channels and the use of guard periods. Nothing too earth-shattering, but as a fun SDR hobby it definitely checks all the boxes.
[Christian] has also announced that at some point he’ll set up a website and publish the findings and code that should make Starlink signal analysis easy for anyone with a readily available SDR receiver. | 23 | 6 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402093",
"author": "Ostracus",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T00:23:22",
"content": "Any security or can anyone listen in on the subscribers?",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": [
{
"comment_id": "6402185",
"author": "Gravis",
"timestamp"... | 1,760,372,872.657165 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/impressive-off-grid-hydroelectric-plant-showcases-the-hacker-spirit/ | Impressive Off-Grid Hydroelectric Plant Showcases The Hacker Spirit | Ryan Flowers | [
"green hacks",
"home hacks"
] | [
"3d printing",
"arduino",
"diy power",
"hydroelectric",
"hydroelectric plant",
"IoT",
"off grid",
"off grid hacks",
"pelton wheel",
"renewable energy"
] | We all know the story arc that so many projects take: Build. Fail. Improve. Fail. Repair. Improve. Fail. Rebuild. Success… Tweak! [Kris Harbour] is no stranger to the process, as his
impressive YouTube channel
testifies.
An IOT charge controller makes power management easier.
Among all of [Kris’] off-grid DIY adventures, his 500 W micro hydroelectric turbine has us really pumped up. The impressive feat of engineering features Arduino/IOT based controls, 3D printed components, and large number of custom-machined components, with large amounts of metal fabrication as well.
[Kris] Started the build with a Pelton wheel sourced from everyone’s favorite online auction site paired with an inexpensive MPPT charge controller designed for use with solar panels. Eventually the turbine was replaced with a custom built unit designed to produce more power. An Arduino based turbine valve controller and an IOT enabled charge controller give [Kris] everything he needs to manage the hydroelectric system without having to traipse down to the power house. Self-cleaning 3D printed screens keep intake maintenance to a minimum. Be sure to check out a demonstration of the control system in the video below the break.
As you watch the
Hydro electric system
playlist, you see the hacker spirit run strong throughout the initial build, the failures, the engineering, the successes, and then finally, the tweaking for more power. Because why stop at
working
when it can be made
better
, right? We highly recommend checking it out- but set aside some time. The whole series is oddly addictive, and This Hackaday Writer may have spent inordinate amounts of time watching it instead of writing dailies!
Of course, you don’t need to go full-tilt to get hydroelectric power up and running. Even at a low wattage, its always-on qualities mean that
even a re-purposed washing machine can be efficient enough to be quite useful
.
Thanks to [Mo] for alerting us to the great series via the
Tip Line
! | 11 | 7 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402144",
"author": "Dave",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T09:15:22",
"content": "Excellent! I’ll be spending some time on this series!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6402147",
"author": "sdfdrfdrf",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27... | 1,760,372,872.603502 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/the-unofficial-guide-to-avoiding-electrocution/ | The Unofficial Guide To (Avoiding) Electrocution | Ryan Flowers | [
"hardware"
] | [
"bigclive",
"confined spaces",
"electric shock",
"electrocution",
"safety"
] | If you’re reading this sentence, there’s a pretty good chance that you interact with electricity more than just as an end-user. You’re a hacker. You aren’t afraid of a few volts, and your projects may involve both DC and AC voltage. Depending on what you’re working on, you might even be dealing with several
thousand
volts. And it’s
you
who Big Clive made
the video below the break
for.
“Familiarity breeds contempt” as the old saying goes, and the more familiar we are with electronics, the more cavalier we may tend to get. If we allow ourselves to get too lax, we may be found working on live circuits, skimping on safety for the sake of convenience, or jokingly saying “safety third!” far too often as we tear into a hazardous situation without scoping it out first.
Who better to bring us down to earth than Big Clive. In this video, he explains how electricity has the potential to impede the beating of our hearts, the action of our lungs, and even break bones. You’ll find a candid discussion about what electric shock does to a person, how to avoid it, and how to help if someone near you suffers electric shock.
Of course, if safety isn’t your thing, then maybe you’re ready to
Shake Hands With Danger
. | 38 | 18 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402037",
"author": "diane",
"timestamp": "2021-11-26T18:18:46",
"content": "I once discharged a fully charged 8uF 15,000V capacitor into my hands. It was a loud explosion and my vision returned a few minutes later, dripping with sweat, quite sore, and still standing. It was from a ... | 1,760,372,872.728264 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/hackaday-podcast-ep-146-dueling-trackballs-next-level-beam-robot-take-control-of-your-bench-and-green-programming/ | Hackaday Podcast 146: Dueling Trackballs, Next Level BEAM Robot, Take Control Of Your Bench, And Green Programming | Elliot Williams | [
"Hackaday Columns",
"Podcasts",
"Slider"
] | [
"android",
"battery",
"beam",
"beambots",
"does it run doom",
"doom",
"Hackaday Podcast",
"mouse",
"pdp-11",
"privacy",
"programming",
"scpi",
"trackball"
] | Postpone your holiday shopping and spend some quality time with editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams as they sift through the week in Hackaday. Which programming language is the greenest? How many trackballs can a mouse possibly have? And can a Bluetooth dongle run DOOM? Join us to find out!
Take a look at the links below if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what you think about this episode in the comments!
Direct download
(52 MB)
Where to Follow Hackaday Podcast
Places to follow Hackaday podcasts:
iTunes
Spotify
Stitcher
RSS
YouTube
Check
out our Libsyn landing page
Episode 146 Show Notes:
What’s that Sound?
“First Name Foley, Last Name Matthews” won the prize! And the
sounds were from the Juno flyby of Jupiter
. Have a listen, there’s some freaky stuff out there.
News This Week:
Remoticon was full of inspiring talks!
2021 Hackaday Prize Recap
Interesting Hacks of the Week:
A Trackball So Good You Can’t Buy It
Giant DIY Mouse Sets The Ball Free
jfedor2/mouse-multiplexer: Two mice, two cursors
C Is The Greenest Programming Language
Which programming language is fastest?
Light-Tracking BEAM Robot Can See The Light
The Silent Dripper Dispenses Water Without Making Any Sound
It’s Doom, This Time On A Bluetooth LE Dongle
Extending An E-Bike Range From Good To Wheelie Good
Quick Hacks:
Elliot’s Picks:
Cheap Big Servo For Robot Arm
Run UNIX On Microcontrollers With PDP-11 Emulator
Taking The Bark Out Of Reverb With Wood Scraps
Mike’ Picks:
GBA Remote Play Upgrade Lets You Play PlayStation On The Bus
Electric Mini Rat Rod Starts ‘Em Young
The (Sodium Chloride) Crystal Method
Can’t-Miss Articles:
Privacy Report: What Android Does In The Background
SCPI: On Teaching Your Devices The Lingua Franca Of Laboratories | 3 | 2 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402192",
"author": "calculus",
"timestamp": "2021-11-27T18:08:17",
"content": "This article is not under the Podcast category like the other weekly podcasts have been.I have the Podcast category as a bookmark and was disappointed when I didn’t see a new one but realized maybe you s... | 1,760,372,872.885838 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/vision-impaired-electronics-engineer-shows-the-way-to-get-things-done/ | Vision Impaired Electronics Engineer Shows The Way To Get Things Done | Ryan Flowers | [
"classic hacks",
"Lifehacks"
] | [
"blind",
"blindness",
"true hacker",
"vision impaired"
] | A funny thing happens as the average electronics hobbyist gets older: Their eyes- well they just don’t work the same as they used to. But what if your life started out with compromised vision? In this
epic forum post
(Google translated from Polish to English), we meet nearly blind hacker [Urgon]. He goes into great detail about his condition and how it affects not just his daily life, but also his abilities as an electronics engineer. Or conversely, how it
doesn’t
.
[Urgon]’s origin story is familiar. At eight years old, he disassembled his first television. His self-education continued by using his remaining vision to soak up every bit of literature about electronics that he could get his hands on. A well-intentioned but protective mother kept him away from soldering irons, fearing that the close proximity to his good eye might not bode well for his remaining vision.
If Urgon can solder SOIC’s 0805’s, so can you!
Despite a failed eye, and his other having quite severe glaucoma, [Urgon] has persevered. He uses assistive technologies as you’d expect, but notes that in more recent times some excellent
free
software has surpassed some of the commercial products he used in the past.
While even the sighted among us often shy away from SMD components, [Urgon] dives right in. SOIC packages and 0805 parts don’t hold him back. Bright LED flashlights, zooming in with his smart phone, and surely a healthy dose of patience make his hackery possible.
That’s not to say that [Urgon] hasn’t had some noteworthy incidents. He’s suffered electric shock from the 400 V capacitors in an ATX PSU, burned his face with his soldering iron, and even managed to step on a DIP package. Barefoot. Yes, the pins were facing up.
But wait- there’s more!
In this follow-up post
, [Urgon] discusses more assistive/adaptive technologies and how hackers like you and I can focus our efforts on things the vision impaired will find most helpful.
Our hats are off to [Urgon] and those like him who persevere despite the odds. We can all learn from [Urgon]’s hacker spirit and his dedication to the craft. We recently covered some
blind software hackers who have taken it upon themselves to fly passenger jets
– virtually, of course!
Thanks to [Moryc] for the excellent tip! | 18 | 10 | [
{
"comment_id": "6402004",
"author": "Viktor",
"timestamp": "2021-11-26T15:09:37",
"content": "Respect!",
"parent_id": null,
"depth": 1,
"replies": []
},
{
"comment_id": "6402006",
"author": "Canuckfire",
"timestamp": "2021-11-26T15:19:30",
"content": "Man, this guy i... | 1,760,372,872.848605 | ||
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/26/a-rotary-phone-as-a-computer-peripheral/ | A Rotary Phone As A Computer Peripheral | Jenny List | [
"classic hacks"
] | [
"analog phone",
"dial phone",
"phone"
] | It’s an age-old conundrum for anyone working with retro hardware: preserve its original condition or not? The answer depends so often on a complex mix of how rare, obsolete or unusable the device is in its original form , and what the intended use for the device will be. For [Typhon Mind] who needed a novelty method of recording best wishes at a wedding through an old dial phone there was no need for it to be entirely original, so the solution was
to turn it into a USB device for a host computer
.
Out went the original circuitry, and in came a USB hub, a USB audio interface, and an Arduino. The original earpiece would suffice, but the microphone was replaced with a more modern one. The Arduino will register the cradle switch, and also power a set of LED addressable lights under the unit.
The result is a phone that retains all its looks, but has a new life as a PC peripheral. We’d venture to suggest that also using the Arduino to read the dial and produce DTMF tones might make it a valid peripheral for a VOIP application and complete the transformation, but that’s something that could be done at a later date. Maybe
it could even be given a GSM makeover
. | 5 | 4 | [
{
"comment_id": "6401977",
"author": "Joshua",
"timestamp": "2021-11-26T12:23:09",
"content": "Excellent! The ancient Brirish EDSAC computer used a rotary dial, too, I remember. But not in this way. Rather like a controller or miniature keyboard.I like this approach shown, because it uses the whole ... | 1,760,372,872.792846 |
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