Just like the garage computer explosion of the 70’s through the 80’s, which brought us such things as Apple, pong, Bill Gate’s hair, and the proliferation of personal computers, the maker movement is the new garage hardware explosion. Today, 135 million adults in the United States alone are involved in the maker movement.
Enthusiasts who want to build the products they want, from shortwave radios to personal computers, and to tweak products they’ve bought to make them even better, have long been a part of the electronics industry. By all measures, garage-style innovation remains alive and well today, as “makers” as they are called continue to turn out contemporary gadgets, including 3D printers, drones, and embedded electronics devices.
Making is about individual Do-It-Yourselfers being able to design and create with tools that were, as of a decade or two ago, only available to large, cash-rich corporations: CAD tools, CNC mills, 3D printers, low-quantity PCB manufacturing, open hardware such as Arduinos and similar inexpensive development boards – all items that have made it easier and relatively cheap to make whatever we imagine. For individuals, maker tools can change how someone views their home or their hobbies. The world is ours to make. Humans are genetically wired to be makers. The maker movement is simply the result of making powerful building and communication tools accessible to the masses. There are plenty of projects from makers that show good engineering: Take this Arduino board with tremendous potential, developed by a young maker, as example.
The maker movement is a catalyst to democratize entrepreneurship as these do-it-yourself electronics are proving to be hot sellers: In the past year, unit sales for 3D printing related products; Arduino units, parts and supplies; Raspberry Pi boards; drones and quadcopters; and robotics goods are all on a growth curve in terms of eBay sales. There are many Kickstarter maker projects going on. The Pebble E-Paper Watch raises $10 million. The LIFX smartphone-controlled LED bulb raises $1.3 million. What do these products have in common? They both secured funding through Kickstarter, a crowd-funding website that is changing the game for entrepreneurs. Both products were created by makers who seek to commercialize their inventions. These “startup makers” iterate on prototypes with high-end tools at professional makerspaces.
For companies to remain competitive, they need to embrace the maker movement or leave themselves open for disruption. Researchers found that 96 percent of business leaders believe new technologies have forever changed the rules of business by democratizing information and rewiring customer expectations. - You’ve got to figure out agile innovation. Maybe history is repeating itself as the types of products being sold reminded us of the computer tinkering that used to be happening in the 1970s to 1990s – similar in terms of demographics, tending to be young people, and low budget. Now the do-it-yourself category is deeply intertwined with the electronics industry. Open hardware is in the center in maker movement – we need open hardware designs! How can you publish your designs and still do business with it? Open source ecosystem markets behave differently and therefore require a very different playbook than traditional tech company: the differentiation is not in the technology you build; it is in the process and expertise that you slowly amass over an extended period of time.
By democratizing the product development process, helping these developments get to market, and transforming the way we educate the next generation of innovators, we will usher in the next industrial revolution. The world is ours to make. Earlier the PC created a new generation of software developers who could innovate in the digital world without the limitations of the physical world (virtually no marginal cost, software has become the great equalizer for innovation. Now advances in 3D printing and low-cost microcontrollers as well as the ubiquity of advanced sensors are enabling makers to bridge software with the physical world. Furthermore, the proliferation of wireless connectivity and cloud computing is helping makers contribute to the Internet of Things (IoT). We’re even beginning to see maker designs and devices entering those markets once thought to be off-limits, like medical.
Image source: The world is ours to make: The impact of the maker movement – EDN Magazine
In fact, many parents have engaged in the maker movement with their kids because they know that the education system is not adequately preparing their children for the 21st century. There is a strong movement to spread this DIY idea widely. The Maker Faire, which launched in the Bay Area in California in 2006, underlined the popularity of the movement by drawing a record 215,000 people combined in the Bay Area and New York events in 2014. There’s Maker Media, MakerCon, MakerShed, Make: magazine and 131 Maker Faire events that take place throughout the world. Now the founders of all these Makers want a way to connect what they refer to as the “maker movement” online. So Maker Media created a social network called MakerSpace, a Facebook-like social network that connects participants of Maker Faire in one online community. The new site will allow participants of the event to display their work online. There are many other similar sites that allow yout to present yout work fron Hackaday to your own blog. Today, 135 million adults in the United States alone are involved in the maker movement—although makers can be found everywhere in the world.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
7 Simple Woodworking Tools Hacks | woodworking ideas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZOFcIuFpAU
It is multifunctional and enables processing that could not be done with conventional jigs.
Tools of different shapes can be fixed with epoxy putty and hose bands to prevent them from moving.
Tomi Engdahl says:
16 Uses for WD-40 Everyone Should Know
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0KapkXQsdk
10 Amazing WD-40 Uses for Your Car, Truck and Automobile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNdXNU_Grm4
Tomi Engdahl says:
Audio Playback Toy For DSP Adventures
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/02/audio-playback-toy-for-dsp-adventures/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Build A Circuit Sculpture-Style VU Meter For Music
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/02/build-a-circuit-sculpture-style-vu-meter-for-music/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building An All-in-One Desktop Out Of Framework Parts
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/02/building-an-all-in-one-desktop-out-of-framework-parts/
The Framework laptop prides itself on having reusable parts, and hackers all around routinely challenge the claims by building projects reusing them. Yet again, [whatthefilament] puts the Framework hardware to the test, by taking all the laptop internals and building an AiO (All-in-One) desktop computer with it. Hot on the heels of his Framework tablet project we covered a few months ago, this desktop reuses as much as possible – the mainboard, the display and the expansion cards in particular, and even one of the hinges is reused for adjusting the monitor’s angle.
Of course, this build required a custom case – and [whatthefilament]’s design is fully 3D-printed, with STLs and assembly instructions available for anyone interested. Parts of the desktop are held by magnets for ease of assembly and maintenance, with a few parts requiring screws held in by heat-set inserts. Complete with a webcam, speakers and even a WiFi card, all it needs for completeness is an external keyboard&mouse combo, making for a sleek desktop that anyone in possession of a few Framework parts can build.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Brass Hardware Makes For Pretty Potentiometer Knobs
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/02/brass-hardware-makes-for-pretty-potentiometer-knobs/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Struggle Of Keeping A 1950s Candlepin Bowling System Working
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/03/the-struggle-of-keeping-a-1950s-candlepin-bowling-system-working/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Copy And Paste Lithium Battery Protection
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/02/copy-and-paste-lithium-battery-protection/
Lithium batteries have, nearly single-handedly, ushered in the era of the electric car, as well as battery energy storage of grid power and plenty of other technological advances not possible with older battery chemistries. There’s just one major downside: these lithium cells can be extremely finicky. If you’re adding one to your own project you’ll have to be extremely careful to treat them exactly how they are designed to be treated using something like this boilerplate battery protection circuit created by [DIY GUY Chris].
The circuit is based around the TP4056 integrated circuit, which handles the charging of a single lithium cell — in this design using supplied power from a USB port. The circuit is able to charge a cell based on the cell’s current charge state, temperature, and a model of the cell. It’s also paired with a DW01A chip which protects the cell from various undesirable conditions such as over-current, overcharge, and over-voltage.
DIY Protected Lithium Battery Charger (TP4056)
Step-by-Step guide on how Lithium Battery charger circuit works and full assitance for DIY protect charger through USB port.
https://hackaday.io/project/189390-diy-protected-lithium-battery-charger-tp4056
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cheap Kitchen Scale Learns To Speak JSON With ESP32
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/02/cheap-kitchen-scale-learns-to-speak-json-with-esp32/
Smart kitchen appliances are expensive, and more often than not, your usage data goes to whichever company operates the inevitable cloud service. Meanwhile the cheap ones contain substantially the same components without the smarts, so surely a hardware hacker can add a microcontroller to a cheap appliance for a bit of smart home technology without the privacy issues? It’s something [Liore] has done with an Amazon Basics kitchen scale, removing the electronics and wiring up an ESP32 to the load cell instead.
The Wheatstone bridge load cell circuit generates a tiny voltage difference that’s far too small for an ESP32 to measure, so in between the pair is an Avia Semiconductor HX711 strain gauge amplifier module. In addition, there’s a small OLED screen and the two buttons used in the Amazon scale are wired in too, providing the the kitchen scale functionality you’d expect.
Turning a $10 kitchen scale into a WiFi smart scale for Home Assistant
https://liore.com/arduino-esp32-load-cell-kitchen-scale-home-assistant/
Over the years I’ve seen a few posts on Reddit demonstrating the use of a load cell with an internet-connected microcontroller as a weight-based filament sensor for 3D printing. I decided to embark upon a similar project, retrofitting a $10 kitchen scale.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/a-gorgeous-wooden-macropad-dedicated-to-video-editing-40ca69552c1a
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy with a Raspberry Pi Pico But beware a hardware glitch in the Pi’s RP2040 chip
https://spectrum.ieee.org/pi-pico-gamma-ray-detector
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY VACUUM Tweezers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl9iRbZgCnw
Tomi Engdahl says:
99% of Beginners Don’t Know These 5 Mistakes Ruin Wood!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA8tcPICLiE
These 5 woodworking tips will help you store your lumber so it doesn’t warp, twist and crack as much. I wish I had known about these woodworking tricks when I started. This video is not sponsored. Some product links are Amazon and other affiliate links which means if you buy something we’ll receive a small commission. This helps support my channel so I can continue to make content like this.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/03/candy-blaster-lets-you-shoot-pez-at-your-friends/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/03/building-a-fake-printer-to-grab-screenshots-off-the-parallel-port/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3 Ways To DIY Custom CNC Dust Covers
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/04/3-ways-to-diy-custom-cnc-dust-covers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/05/sundial-collection-is-2d-printed/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Equipping Rats With Backpacks To Find Victims Under Rubble
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/05/equipping-rats-with-backpacks-to-find-victims-under-rubble/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/06/ikea-clock-gets-wanderlust/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Behold A Microscope That Sees By Squashing Things Into It
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/05/behold-a-microscope-that-sees-by-squashing-things-into-it/
“Look with your eyes, not your hands” is something many of us have heard while growing up, but that doesn’t apply to the touch-sensitive microscope [Steve Mould] got to play with.
The wand-like device is made by Gelsight, and instead of an optical lens like a normal microscope, it sports a gel pad on the sensing end. By squashing an object into the gel, the device is able to carefully illuminate and image the impression created. By taking multiple images lit from different angles, a lot of information can be extracted.
The result is a high-resolution magnification — albeit a monochromatic one — that conveys depth extremely well.
This microscope uses touch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtQ4rK66vlE
Tomi Engdahl says:
Levitating Banana Is An Excellent Conversation Starter
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/03/levitating-banana-is-an-excellent-conversation-starter/
“I really like your floating banana.” If that’s something you’ve always wanted your guests to say when visiting your living room, this levitating banana project from [ElectroBing] is for you.
The design is simple. It relies on a electromagnet to lift the banana into the air. As bananas aren’t usually ferromagnetic, a simple bar magnet is fitted to the banana to allow it to be attracted to the electromagnet. One could insert the magnets more stealthily inside the banana, though this would come with the risk that someone may accidentally consume them, which can be deadly.
Of course, typically, the magnet would either be too weak to lift the banana, or so strong that it simply attracted the banana until it made contact. To get the non-contact levitating effect, some circuitry is required. A hall effect sensor is installed directly under the electromagnet. As the banana’s magnet gets closer to the electromagnet, the hall effect sensor’s output voltage goes down. Once it drops below a certain threshold, a control circuit cuts power to the electromagnet. As the banana falls away, power is restored, pulling the banana back up. By carefully controlling the power to the electromagnet on a continuous basis, the banana can be made to float a short distance away in mid-air.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/03/dad-builds-frickin-tank-for-his-son/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/03/building-a-fake-printer-to-grab-screenshots-off-the-parallel-port/
https://tomverbeure.github.io/2023/01/24/Fake-Parallel-Printer-Capture-Tool-HW.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/03/mcp23017-went-through-shortage-hell-lost-two-inputs/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/06/ask-hackaday-the-ten-dollar-digital-mixing-desk/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/06/spy-drone-propeller-makes-for-a-quite-pc/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/06/create-your-rtl-simulations-with-kicad/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/07/solar-powered-e-bike-replaces-car-trips/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Model Train Delivers Fresh Coffee
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/08/model-train-delivers-fresh-coffee/
Model trains are good fun, though few of them serve any purpose beyond amusement or authentic railway simulation. [ProjectAir] decided to put his model train to practical use by having it deliver fresh espresso, and faced plenty of difficult challenges along the way.
It sounds simple, but the practicalities of the task proved difficult. After all, even a slight wobble is enough to tip a coffee cup off a small train. Automating everything from the railway itself to the kitchen coffee machine was no mean feat either.
Making an Automatic Coffee Delivery System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akHUMQm3144
Tomi Engdahl says:
Utility Mat Turns Waste Epoxy Into Useful Tools
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/09/utility-mat-turns-waste-epoxy-into-useful-tools/
Epoxy is a great and useful material typically prepared by mixing two components together. But often we find ourselves mixing too much epoxy for the job at hand, and we end up with some waste left behind. [Keith Decent’s] utility mat aims to make good use of what is otherwise waste material.
The concept is simple yet ingenious. It’s a flexible mat that serves as a mold for all kinds of simple little plastic workshop tools. The idea is that when you have some epoxy left over from pouring a finish on a table or laying up some composites, you can then pour the excess into various sections of the utility mat. The epoxy can then be left to harden, producing all manner of useful little tools.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LfGtt_oDaI8
Tomi Engdahl says:
Simple Wood-Fired Water Heater Is Surprisingly Effective
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/08/simple-wood-fired-water-heater-is-surprisingly-effective/
The design is straightforward, featuring 100ft of quarter-inch copper tubing wrapped directly around a steel barrel. Room-temperature water is fed into the tubing via a garden hose, and comes out much hotter, thanks to a fire burning away in the barrel stove of [Lou’s] own construction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUA3-1A5FG4
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/08/building-a-plasma-piano-aint-easy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ghost Sensor
https://hackaday.io/project/189487-ghost-sensor
Is it a Ghost Sensor? That depends on if there are ghosts. It is definitely an environmental sensor and thermal camera in a 3d-printed case.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analogue UART reciever
https://hackaday.io/project/189419-analogue-uart-reciever
I built a analogue UART reciever using transistors, resistors and LEDs for my school project. It contains ZERO ICs. And it works.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/08/keebin-with-kristina-the-one-with-the-breadboard-macropad/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/09/ask-hackaday-incidental-earthquake-detection/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/09/decorative-clock-uses-led-strips-to-beautiful-effect/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/09/goniometer-gives-you-an-edge-at-knife-sharpening/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/09/domino-ring-machine-tips-tiles-in-a-never-ending-wave/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.synthtopia.com/content/2023/02/06/soma-illuminator-lets-you-control-led-lights-with-your-modular-synthesizer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bicopter Phone Case Might Be Hard To Pocket, But Delivers Autonomous Selfies
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/10/bicopter-phone-case-might-be-hard-to-pocket-but-delivers-autonomous-selfies/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/10/an-instant-camera-using-e-paper-as-film/
Tomi Engdahl says:
JFET Stands In For Triode In This Infinite Impedance Detector
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/10/jfet-stands-in-for-triode-in-this-infinite-impedance-detector/
JFET-based infinite impedance detector for AM-demodulation
https://baltic-lab.com/2023/02/jfet-based-infinite-impedance-detector-for-am-demodulation/
The so-called “infinite impedance detector” is a circuit that was commonly used in the old days of vacuum tubes. Since vacuum tubes can be somewhat considered to be heated JFETs, it is evident that such a circuit can also be built using a more modern, silicon-based approach. This article covers my first experiments with a BF256B based infinite impedance detector.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/11/reverse-engineering-e-ink-price-tags/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/11/grocery-store-robot-gets-brief-taste-of-freedom/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/12/challenging-a-broken-dualshock-4-controller-to-a-duel/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/11/directing-ambient-light-for-some-extra-glow/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/11/playing-music-on-a-custom-flyback-transformer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Balthazar on ensimmäinen läppäri, joka antaa käyttäjälle täyden vapauden
https://etn.fi/index.php/13-news/14590-balthazar-on-ensimmaeinen-laeppaeri-joka-antaa-kaeyttaejaelle-taeyden-vapauden
Balthazar on ensimmäinen läppäri, joka antaa käyttäjälle täyden vapauden
Julkaistu: 14.02.2023
Devices Software
Jos ostaa tietokoneen, joutuu hyväksymään sen tosiasian, että luopuu samalla merkittävästä osasta yksityisyyttään. Jos tämä ei tunnu hyvältä, ratkaisu voi olla Balthazar. Se on tiettävästi ensimmäinen täysin avoimeen lähdekoodiin ja avoimiin laiteratkaisuihin perustuva.
Balthazar on oikeastaan BPCD eli Baltahaar Personal Computing Device. Kyse on 13,3-tuumaisella näytöllä varustetusta konseptista, joka perustuu RISC-V-prosessoriin ja Linuxiin, joka on Debian-pohjainen GNU-lisensoitava versio
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/02/15/how-to-build-jennys-budget-mixing-desk/