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:
A Solid State Replacement for the 6T5 Tuning Eye
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=270bzRc1Bnw
I have made a LED-based solid-state replacement for the rare 6T5 tuning eye, used in Zenith radios. I describe the construction of the replacement, show its operation and show you where to get more information.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Turning Sound Into a Laser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBdVfUnS-pM
Using non-linear acoustics, I’m able to focus audible sound like a laser. I go over some basic principals of operation, how I designed the circuit, and how you can build your own.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensors don’t work correctly + Fix for v2.0 v1.2 Arduino ESP32 Raspberry Pi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGP38bz-K48
In this episode I talk about capacitive soil moisture sensors and why 82% of them dont work correctly. I analyze the 3 most common problems they have by design and show you how to fix them or how to find sensors that work right away.
You can jump to one of these sections:
0:00 Introduction
0:39 Flaura – the smart, self-watering plant pot
1:20 Resistive sensors suck
2:03 Working principle
2:43 Learnings from 38 orders
3:47 Missing voltage regulator
5:11 Wrong timer chip
6:57 Missing resistor connection
9:39 Fixes
10:01 Ordering advices
Automatic Garden Watering System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-xkdfNeIVw
Building two different systems to water my garden. One just to collect data and make cool plots, one to create simple and inexpensive solar powered watering system.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/15/sufficiently-advanced-tech-has-bugs/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/15/better-laser-cuts-know-your-kerf/
https://www.instructables.com/Adjusting-Your-Laser-Cutters-Kerf-Settings-for-Pre/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/16/timeframe-the-little-desk-calendar-that-could/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/16/curiousmarc-repairs-a-floppy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/15/real-radar-scope-crt-shows-flights-using-ads-b/
https://hackaday.io/project/190582-ads-b-on-a-real-radar-crt
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/15/relive-the-glory-days-of-sun-workstations/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/17/a-clock-timebase-no-microcontroller/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/16/a-low-noise-amplifier-to-quantify-resistor-noise/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/10/supercon-2022-aedan-cullen-is-creating-an-ar-system-to-beat-the-big-boys/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/15/3d-printed-tool-lets-you-measure-component-reels-easily/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/16/circumvent-facial-recognition-with-yarn/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/20/m5stickc-turned-wearable-morse-code-trainer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/20/keebin-with-kristina-the-one-with-the-music-typewriter/
this is essentially a new keyboard that fits inside a Model M case, but that alone is quite a feat, especially if you consider the curvature of the backplate. Because of this hurdle, [dj_edit] went with 1 mm FR4 for the switch PCB, which is a nice compromise of sturdiness and flexibility.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/20/soft-robotic-system-for-in-situ-3d-bioprinting-and-endoscopic-surgery/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Furby Borges reborned
Reborn for the cross between a Furby and a master of 20th Century literature
https://hackaday.io/project/190625-furby-borges-reborned
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/20/a-temperature-sensing-magnetic-stir-bar/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Making Neon Trees The Easy Way With No Oven Pumps Required
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/20/making-neon-trees-the-easy-way-with-no-oven-pumps-required/
Neon lamps are fun and beautiful things. Hackers do love anything that glows, after all. But producing them can be difficult, requiring specialized equipment like ovens and bombarders to fill them up with plasma. However, [kcakarevska] has found a way to make neon lamps while bypassing these difficulties.
The trick is using magnesium ribbon, which is readily available form a variety of suppliers. The ribbon is cut into small inch-long fragments and pushed into a borosilicate tube of a neon sculpture near the electrode. Vacuum is then pulled on the tube down to approximately 5 microns of pressure. The tube is then closed off and the electrode is heated using an automotive-type induction heater. In due time, this vaporizes the magnesium which then creates a reactive getter coating on the inside of the tube. This picks up any oxygen, water vapor, or other contaminants that may have been left inside the tube without the need for an oven vacuum pumping stage. The tube is then ready to be filled with neon. After about 24 to 48 hours of running, the getter coating will have picked up the contaminants and the tube will glow well.
NEON TREES in my Living Room!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31LhkGqvrrk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31LhkGqvrrk
Tomi Engdahl says:
Getting That Neon Sign Look Without All The Hassle
https://hackaday.com/2019/05/06/getting-that-neon-sign-look-without-all-the-hassle/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/17/a-wall-mounted-newspaper-thats-extra/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/18/microbit-brings-3d-printed-magic-lanterns-to-life/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/18/radio-waves-bring-the-heat-with-this-microwave-powered-forge/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/18/send-this-fpv-bot-into-the-crawlspace-to-do-your-dirty-work/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/18/old-czech-telephone-teardown-is-beautiful-purposeful-art/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/18/raspberry-pi-camera-conversion-leads-to-philospohical-question/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building A Motorized Pan Tilt Rig For Filming
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/21/building-a-motorized-pan-tilt-rig-for-filming/
https://www.instructables.com/DIY-Arduino-Camera-Robot-Motorized-Pan-Tilt-Head/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/21/a-high-precision-adc-that-you-can-understand/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/22/nfc-antennas-have-other-uses/
Heating pad, charger, speaker from credit card.
I use it as a heating element, will I try to make a receiver for wireless charging? I will try to make an audio speaker.
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/22/nfc-antennas-have-other-uses/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/22/the-freedom-to-fail/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Op Amp Contest: Clever Continuity Tester Tells You Where The Problem Is
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/22/op-amp-contest-clever-continuity-tester-tells-you-where-the-problem-is/
Tomi Engdahl says:
AI-Powered Speaker Is A Chatbot You Can Actually Chat With
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/22/ai-powered-speaker-is-a-chatbot-you-can-actually-chat-with/
AI-powered chatbots are pretty cool, but most still require you to type your question on a keyboard and read an answer from a screen. It doesn’t have to be like that, of course: with a few standard tools, you can turn a chatbot into a machine that literally chats, as [Hoani Bryson] did. He decided to make a standalone voice-operated ChatGPT client that you can actually sit next to and have a conversation with.
The base of the project is a USB speaker, to which [Hoani] added a Raspberry Pi, a Teensy, a two-line LCD and a big red button. When you press the button, the Pi listens to your speech and converts it to text using the OpenAI voice transcription feature. It then sends the resulting text to ChatGPT through its API and waits for its response, which it turns into sound again through the eSpeak speech synthesizer. The LCD, driven by the Teensy, shows the current status of the machine and also provides live subtitles while the machine is talking.
https://hoani.net/posts/blog/2023-04-16-chatbox/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Build Your Own Voice Control Module
Add voice control to any projects with an easy-to-build combination of off-the-shelf hardware and open source software.
https://hackaday.io/project/190359-build-your-own-voice-control-module
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hoani.net/posts/blog/2023-04-16-chatbox/
Tomi Engdahl says:
VIMANA – STEM for ALL
https://hackaday.io/project/190462-vimana-stem-for-all
Low Cost Open source Smartphone controlled Micro RC plane Controller for STEM Education
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mouth Joystick Mouse.
IRAZU.
Open-Source, Environmentally Friendly Mouth Mouse
https://hackaday.io/project/186535-mouth-joystick-mouse
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/23/vhs-robot-swaps-tapes-as-seen-in-hackers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/23/rickrolling-ssid-with-esp32/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/23/shake-your-pcb-etching-with-an-old-optical-drive/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/22/a-delicious-advancement-in-battery-tech/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/21/gen-tojos-teeth-morse-code-shows-up-in-the-strangest-places/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/17/robot-races-a-little-smarter-to-go-faster/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/08/design-for-people/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/08/mechanical-gif-animates-with-the-power-of-magnets/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/08/web-server-like-its-1998-with-this-restored-internet-appliance/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/08/homemade-scope-does-supercapacitor-experiments/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/09/debouncing-for-fun-and-mostly-just-for-fun/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/09/hackaday-links-april-9-2023/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2023/04/09/holograms-the-future-of-speedy-nanoscale-3d-printing/