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.
7,046 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/21933-prism-laser-scanner
Tomi Engdahl says:
Designing the Ultimate Programmer’s Split Keyboard
Christian Selig is a programmer that desperately needed a better keyboard, so he built his own dream keyboard from scratch.
https://www.hackster.io/news/designing-the-ultimate-programmer-s-split-keyboard-bafb537ea704?fbclid=IwY2xjawEhJx1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHaAa73w_QT6apvyorD7NEegipy_gZX1udqPqywIP-4ehtCxvptBfVXO-Pg_aem_B0FS4hZzZ_HZieEMbedqQw
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Your Own Portable RGB Video Light
Gokux designed this inexpensive RGB video light similar to an Aputure Mc and you can build one yourself.
https://www.hackster.io/news/diy-your-own-portable-rgb-video-light-8d4c39a7a555?fbclid=IwY2xjawEhKB5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHe3sBTcH1CACL-OJUTmet_zvl7B7q6lJIKROqgJWafr-fOTq7tNlmayspA_aem_6gMYYW1MXw7Zp99cK27l7A
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/02/rube-goldberg-floppy-disk-cleaner/
Tomi Engdahl says:
This 3D printed laser chip-hacking device uses a $20 laser pointer, costs $500 to build, and was developed so that ‘people can do this in their homes’
News
By Andy Edser published 5 August 2024
Me? I spend my weekends going for long country walks. Ah who am I kidding, I want one
https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/this-3d-printed-laser-chip-hacking-device-uses-a-dollar20-laser-pointer-costs-dollar500-to-build-and-was-developed-so-that-people-can-do-this-in-their-homes/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/a-teeny-terminal-f93d5b9c5119
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/vincent-nguyen-s-pocketpd-is-an-ultra-tiny-usb-programmable-power-supply-for-the-smallest-of-desks-92fb80194ddf
Tomi Engdahl says:
DiY PC power supply
https://youtu.be/l0srD6aQelQ?si=QIHYMe7XBC5BboA0
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.xda-developers.com/things-i-learned-from-building-my-own-nas/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/14/laser-cutters-wheres-the-point/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/08/adapter-salad-making-your-own-server-cables-because-hp-wont-sell-them-to-you/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/19/an-open-source-6kw-gan-motor-controller/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/22/you-can-3d-print-yourself-some-simple-magnetic-switches/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Simple 6DOF Hall Effect ‘Space’ Mouse
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/25/a-simple-6dof-hall-effect-space-mouse/
The 3DConnexion Space mouse is an interesting device but heavily patent-protected, of course. This seems to just egg people on to reproduce it using other technologies than the optical pickup system the original device uses. [John Crombie] had a crack at building one using linear Hall effect sensors and magnets as the detection mechanism to good — well — effect.
Using the SS49E linear Hall effect sensor in pairs on four sides of a square, the setup proves quite straightforward. Above the fixed sensor plate is a moveable magnet plate centred by a set of springs. The magnets are aligned equidistant between each sensor pair such that each sensor will report an equal mid-range signal with zero mechanical displacement. With some simple maths, inputs due to displacements in-plane (i.e., left-right or up-down) can be resolved by looking at how pairs compare to each other. Rotations around the vertical axis are also determined in this manner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybhJu3VXs2Q
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building A Microcontroller From Scratch: The B4 Thinker Project
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/25/building-a-microcontroller-from-scratch-the-b4-thinker-project/
[Marius Taciuc’s] latest endeavor, the B4 Thinker, offers a captivating glimpse into microcontroller architecture through a modular approach. This proof-of-concept project is meticulously documented, with a detailed, step-by-step guide to each component and its function.
B4 Thinker – 4 bit homebrewed computer
Scratch built architecture of a CPU and some of its peripherals.
https://hackaday.io/project/197242-b4-thinker-4-bit-homebrewed-computer
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/28/proper-mag-lev-controller-makes-snail-lamp-much-cooler/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/25/v-slot-wheels-or-linear-rails/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/31/ccfl-scanner-bulb-makes-a-cool-desk-lamp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/08/26/turns-out-a-pcb-makes-a-nice-watch-dial/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.unifiedalloys.com/blog/stainless-grades-families
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/09/15/an-espresso-machine-for-the-diy-crowd/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.tindie.com/products/simonliu/plasma-toroid-finished-driver-tokamak-xenon-ring/?utm_source=hackaday&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=fromstore
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/186797-uhf-cb-air-band-radio-headset-circuit
The circuits shown can be used to construct a very basic headset and switch box to allow the use of an Icom UHF CB (IC-41 series) and Icom Air band portable (ICA15,16, 25) simultaeneously. You can hear both radios and use a multi-pole switch to select which radio to transmit on.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/195961-integrated-hub-ethernet-usb-rs232
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/08/thatll-go-over-like-a-cement-airplane/
Tomi Engdahl says:
I Built my own Power Supply (don’t do it)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0srD6aQelQ
Don’t cheap out on a PSU, and don’t build your own.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/10/symbolic-nixie-tubes-become-useful-for-artistic-purposes/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/10/a-power-supply-with-ultra-high-resolution-current-measurement-built-in/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building A Sound Camera For Under $400
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/10/building-a-sound-camera-for-under-400/
[Benn Jordan] had an idea. He’d heard of motion amplification technology, where cameras are used to capture tiny vibrations in machinery and then visually amplify it for engineering analysis. This is typically the preserve of high-end industrial equipment, but [Benn] wondered if it really had to be this way. Armed with a modern 4K smartphone camera and the right analysis techniques, could he visually capture sound?
The video first explores commercially available “acoustic cameras” which are primarily sold business-to-business at incredibly high prices. However, [Benn] suspected he could build something similar on the cheap. He started out with a 16-channel microphone that streams over USB for just $275, sourced from MiniDSP, and paired it with a Raspberry Pi 5 running the acoular framework for acoustic beamforming. Acoular analyses multichannel audio and visualizes them so you can locate sound sources. He added a 1080p camera, and soon enough, was able to overlay sound location data over the video stream. He was able to locate a hawk in a tree using this technique, which was pretty cool, and the total rig came in somewhere under $400.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ynZ3lMQJc
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/13/levitating-magnet-in-a-spherical-copper-cage/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/13/a-vic-20-with-no-vic/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/13/building-an-automotive-load-dump-tester/
https://seventransistorlabs.com/Articles/LoadDump.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/16/module-makes-noisy-projects-easy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/17/laser-painting-explained/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/11/how-to-make-conductive-tin-oxide-coatings-on-glass/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/09/23/custom-mini-neon-signs-in-10-minutes/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/09/23/digital-audio-workstation-in-a-box/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/11/are-crt-tvs-important-for-retro-gaming/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/01/java-ring-one-wearable-to-rule-all-authentications/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/09/30/static-electricity-and-the-machines-that-make-it/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/06/tinkering-with-klipper-making-the-manipilator-robotic-arm/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Pac-Man Ghost Helps With Air Quality Sensing
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/21/pac-man-ghost-helps-with-air-quality-sensing/
In the past, building construction methods generally didn’t worry much about air quality. There were enough gaps around windows, doors, siding, and flooring that a house could naturally “breathe” and do a decent enough job of making sure the occupants didn’t suffocate. Modern buildings, on the other hand, are extremely concerned with efficiency and go to great lengths to ensure that no air leaks in or out. This can be a problem for occupants though and generally requires some sort of mechanical ventilation, but to be on the safe side and keep an eye on it a CO2 sensor like this unique Pac-Man-inspired monitor can be helpful.
https://www.embedded-ideas.de/posts/241016_airghost/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/21/open-source-3d-printed-trackpad/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/21/i2c-the-hard-way/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/20/feeling-a-pong-of-nostalgia-does-it-hold-up-in-2024/
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Air Bearings, No Machining Required
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/20/diy-air-bearings-no-machining-required/
Seeing a heavy load slide around on nearly frictionless air bearings is pretty cool; it’s a little like how the puck levitates on an air hockey table. Commercial air bearings are available, of course, but when you can build these open-source air bearings, why bother buying?
https://github.com/0×23/open-air-bearings/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/20/a-parts-bin-midi-controller-in-24-hours/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/19/make-your-own-remy-the-rat-this-halloween/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/21/zero-to-custom-macropad-in-37-easy-steps/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/10/21/the-1983-clock-four-decades-in-the-making/