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.
7,114 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
LIDAR System Isn’t Just A Rangefinder Anymore
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/24/lidar-system-isnt-just-a-rangefinder-anymore/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Boring Tale With Six Sides
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/23/a-boring-tale-with-six-sides/
Making a hole in a piece of material is a straightforward process, after all most of us will have some form of drill. If we need a hole that isn’t round though, after the inevitable joke about bad drill control leading to oval holes, what do we do? Get busy with a file perhaps? Or shell out for a shaped punch? [Skunkworks] has taken a different tack, using LinuxCNC and a vertical mill to machine near-perfect hexagonal and other polygonal holes.
https://forum.linuxcnc.org/10-advanced-configuration/38549-non-circular-boring-linuxcnc-fun
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/23/lego-my-colorful-custom-clock/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/24/inverse-kinematics-robot-arm-magna-doodles-the-time-for-you/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Microbatteries On The Grid
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/27/microbatteries-on-the-grid/
Not everybody has $6500 to toss into a Tesla Powerwall (and that’s a low estimate), but if you want the benefits of battery storage for your house, [Matt]’s modular “microbattery” storage system might be right up your alley. With a build-as-you-go model, virtually any battery can be placed on the grid in order to start storing power from a small solar installation or other power source.
Networked home battery
Choose your battery tech, microinverter tech and network some home batteries to power your house.
https://hackaday.io/project/170506-networked-home-battery
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.redsharknews.com/production/item/7068-you-want-a-tough-camera-this-is-how-companies-weatherproof-their-gear
Tomi Engdahl says:
Compliant Quadruped Legs Using Servos
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/22/compliant-quadruped-legs-using-servos/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/quantum-radar-hides-in-plain-sight/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/30/focus-stacking-for-tiny-subjects/
Tomi Engdahl says:
EEZ Bench Box 3
DIY modular T&M chassis for programmable power DC sources and more
https://hackaday.io/project/166273-eez-bench-box-3
Tomi Engdahl says:
Jen Costillo Explains Why Hackers Thrive In A Recession
https://hackaday.com/2020/01/17/jen-costillo-explains-why-hackers-thrive-in-a-recession/
If you haven’t noticed, this is an absolutely fantastic time to be a hacker. The components are cheap, the software is usually free, and there’s so much information floating around online about how to pull it all together that even beginners can produce incredible projects their first time out of the gate. It’s no exaggeration to say that we’re seeing projects today which would have been all but impossible for an individual to pull off ten years ago.
But how did we get here, and perhaps more importantly, where are we going next? While we might arguably be in the Golden Age of DIY, creative folks putting together their own hardware and software is certainly nothing new. As for looking ahead, the hacker and maker movement is showing no signs of slowing down. If anything, we’re just getting started. With a wider array of ever more powerful tools at our disposal, the future is very literally whatever we decide it is.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Testing Your Grit: Tales Of Hacking In Difficult Situations
https://hackaday.com/2020/01/20/testing-your-grit-tales-of-hacking-in-difficult-situations/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Teardown: BilBot Bluetooth Robot
https://hackaday.com/2020/01/20/teardown-bilbot-bluetooth-robot/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reverse Engineering Yokis Home Automation Devices
https://hackaday.com/2020/01/21/reverse-engineering-yokis-home-automation-devices/
Tomi Engdahl says:
CircuitPython Slithers Into 100th Board — The OHS 2020 Badge
https://hackaday.com/2020/01/21/circuitpython-slithers-into-100th-board-the-ohs-2020-badge/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Automatic Component Tape Cutter For When Your Electronics Kit Hits The Big Time
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/07/automatic-component-tape-cutter-for-when-your-electronics-kit-hits-the-big-time/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mitch Altman Asks How You’re Using Your Life
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/07/mitch-altman-asks-how-youre-using-your-life/
we all should think deeply about what we choose to do with our time and our talents. Consider yourself challenged.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSjYx2O_-bI
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/21/bluetooth-intervalometer-makes-time-lapses-easy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/20/a-turing-complete-cpu-from-ram/
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Power Station Puts Ryobi Batteries To Work
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/20/diy-power-station-puts-ryobi-batteries-to-work/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/19/3d-print-your-3d-scanner/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gear Up Your Gear Knowledge With Gears
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/19/gear-up-your-gear-knowledge-with-gears/
Tomi Engdahl says:
MNIST Clock Uses Famous Training Database
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/18/mnist-clock-uses-famous-training-database/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Open-Source Neuroscience Hardware Hack Chat
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/18/open-source-neuroscience-hardware-hack-chat/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/18/film-negative-viewer-has-many-positives/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Many LEDs Can You Drive?
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/18/how-many-leds-can-you-drive/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Transparent LCD Makes Everything Look Futuristic
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/17/transparent-lcd-makes-everything-look-futuristic/
According to [Kelsey], transparent displays are guaranteed to make “everything feel like the future.” Unfortunately they’re hard to find, and the ones typically available are OLED and can’t make solid black colors. But as luck would have it, it’s possible to repurpose a common LCD to be sort of transparent.
Make Your Own (kind Of) Transparent Display
https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-Your-Own-kind-Of-Transparent-Display/
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Dispenser Places Solder Paste Without The Mess
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/16/diy-dispenser-places-solder-paste-without-the-mess/
When doing surface-mount assembly you can certainly use a soldering iron in the traditional way, but it’s far more convenient to cover the pads with solder paste, place the components, and bake the board in a reflow oven. If you’re lucky enough to have a precut stencil this can be done in one go, otherwise a tiny blob of paste must be laboriously placed on each pad by hand. [Kevarek] has made this a bit easier by designing a low-cost handheld solder paste dispenser.
Low cost solder paste dispenser
https://hackaday.io/project/169748-low-cost-solder-paste-dispenser
Easy to build but very capable and handy DIY solder paste dispenser built mostly from cheap Ebay components and modules.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Make A Set Of Headphones From Scratch
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/16/make-a-set-of-headphones-from-scratch/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Making Your Own Maple Syrup Just Got A Little Easier
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/16/making-your-own-maple-syrup-just-got-a-little-easier/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Emergency Torch Runs Without Batteries
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/14/emergency-torch-runs-without-batteries/
Tomi Engdahl says:
This Servo Actuated Multimeter Does The Twist
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/14/this-servo-actuated-multimeter-does-the-twist/
This tip comes our way courtesy of [Elad Orbach], who’s been experimenting with a device that uses a servo to turn the function dial on a multimeter. It’s something you can put together in a few minutes with leftovers from the parts bin, and as you can see in the video after the break, the basic concept seems to be sound enough.
As to finding a practical reason for spinning the switch on your meter with a servo, that’s left largely as an exercise for the reader.
http://eladorbach.blogspot.com/2020/02/automated-multimeter.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/14/a-crash-course-in-thermodynamics-for-electrical-engineers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
It Ain’t Over ‘Til The Paperwork Is Done: Test Driving TiddlyWiki
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/14/it-aint-over-til-the-paperwork-is-done-test-driving-tiddlywiki/
Working on projects is fun. Documenting them is often not so much. However, if you want anyone to duplicate your work — or even just want to remember what you were doing a few years ago when something needs upgrading or repairing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/13/training-a-dog-to-speak-with-a-sound-board/
Tomi Engdahl says:
BBQ Burners Built From Scratch
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/13/bbq-burners-built-from-scratch/
https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-a-BBQ-Burner/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/13/tell-time-contest-winners-clocks-to-knock-your-socks-off/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/12/laser-tachometer-knows-how-fast-you-were-spinning-back-there/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/12/pneumatic-glove-for-therapy-and-experimentation/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/12/how-to-get-into-cars-basic-maintenance/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/21/attiny-name-badges-are-hugely-creative/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/21/steel-pegboard-makes-for-a-tidy-charging-station/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/22/a-high-performance-ski-sled-for-the-big-kids/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printed Breadboard Helper Makes Wiring Neater And Easier
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/23/3d-printed-breadboard-helper-makes-wiring-neater-and-easier/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/24/a-rope-maker-you-can-3d-print-at-home/
Tomi Engdahl says:
OpenAstroTracker Turns Your DSLR Into An Astronomy Instrument
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/25/openastrotracker-turns-your-dslr-into-an-astronomy-instrument/
If you want to take beautiful night sky pictures with your DSLR and you live between 15 degrees and 55 degrees north latitude you might want to check out OpenAstroTracker. If you have a 3D printer it will probably take about 60 hours of printing, but you’ll wind up with a pretty impressive setup for your camera. There’s an Arduino managing the tracking and also providing a “go to” capability.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://openastrotech.com/projects/openastrotracker/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/01/single-bolt-transformed-into-a-work-of-art/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/29/desktop-pcb-mill-review/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The High Seas Are Open Source
https://hackaday.com/2020/03/01/the-high-seas-are-open-source/
One of the biggest problems of owning an older boat (besides being a money pit – that is common to all boats regardless of age) is the lack of parts and equipment, and the lack of support for those parts if you can find them at all. Like most things, this is an area that can benefit greatly from some open source solutions, which the Open Boat Projects in Germany has been able to show.