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:
FPGA Boards Add VGA And HDMI Interfaces To The Original Game Boy
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/15/fpga-boards-add-vga-and-hmdi-interfaces-to-the-original-game-boy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Here’s A 100 MHz Pin-Compatible 6502 Replacement
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/15/heres-a-100-mhz-pin-compatible-6502-replacement/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Machining Wood Inlays, No CNC Required
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/17/machining-wood-inlays-no-cnc-required/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Unique Seven-Segment Display Relies On FR-4 Fluorescence
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/16/unique-seven-segment-display-relies-on-fr-4-fluorescence/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/18/making-your-projects-move-jeremy-fielding-to-deliver-remoticon-keynote/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/18/build-a-dog-ball-launcher-that-kinda-looks-like-a-dog/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Laser Pointer And Arduino Make A Minimalistic Shooting Game
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/18/laser-pointer-and-arduino-make-a-minimalistic-shooting-game/
Video games are great and all, but sometimes you just want the thrill of manipulating actual objects in addition to watching action on a screen. This must have been the reason why Nintendo’s Duck Hunt became so popular despite the simplicity of its gameplay. Prolific hacker [mircemk] similarly made a computer-plus-physical game called “Laser Shooter“, which somehow reminds us of the good old NES game.
The game is based on an Arduino Nano, to which five LEDs as well as five photoresistors (LDRs) are connected. When the game is started, the LEDs light up at random and the player has a limited time to “shoot” the corresponding LDR with a laser pointer. This time limit is decreased as the game progresses, and the game is over once the player fails to hit the target on time. The “Game Over” message is accompanied by a sad tune, but luckily no giggling dog.
DIY Arduino Laser pointer Shooting Game
https://hackaday.io/project/182210-diy-arduino-laser-pointer-shooting-game
You need to shoot as many targets as possible. You get one point and one more shot for each destroyed Target
Tomi Engdahl says:
Drone And High Voltage Spin Up This DIY Corona Motor
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/19/drone-and-high-voltage-spin-up-this-diy-corona-motor/
Building A Wirelessly Powered Corona Motor (DIY)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rsAxeYc-jk
Tomi Engdahl says:
Harvat ihmiset tietävät tästä kiinnitystoiminnosta! Kiinnitä temppuja, jotka auttavat sinua
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbBwocFoo4k
Puutyöntekijöiden yleisimmin käytetty työkalu on puristin. Puun työstö on lähes mahdotonta ilman kiinnityslaitetta. Siksi tässä videossa esittelimme sinulle kiinnitys- ja kiinnitysvinkkejä, temppuja ja hakkereita, joista on sinulle paljon hyötyä. Nämä kiinnitys temput ovat käteviä, kun sinun täytyy puristaa puukappaleita puuntyöstön aikana, ja ne helpottavat työtäsi.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Calls Are Coming From Inside The House (or Workshop)
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/19/the-calls-are-coming-from-inside-the-house-or-workshop/
Hot on the heels of their carbon microphone build a few years ago, [Simplifier] strung up a two-phone network between the house and the workshop. Both telephones are completely DIY except for the pair of switches on the front. Each side has a bell, a microphone, and an audio transformer. Listening is done through a pair of headphones, and both users speak through a homebrew carbon microphone.
Telephone
https://simplifier.neocities.org/telephone.html
To expand upon the carbon microphone in the previous article, I built a set of telephones to connect my house and my workshop. All of the components are homemade, except for the switches on the front panel. Specifically, for each phone I built a bell mechanism, a microphone, and an audio transformer, all of which I will describe in detail below.
The circuit for each telephone is quite simple. One switch enables either the bell or the microphone, by connecting one of the two to ground. The other switch puts 6 volts on the line output, which runs the other telephone’s bell. There are some downsides to this design, however. First, if the microphone is not enabled before attempting to ring the bell, you will ring both bells. Second, the receivers are connected to the line at all times, including when the bell is being rung. If you are wearing the headphones and the person on the other end accidentally rings the bell, you will hear a loud popping sound. Third, and relatedly, when either bell is rung, both sets of headphones are briefly exposed to 6 volts DC. This is far beyond their operating limits, but they seem to tolerate it well.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/19/drone-and-high-voltage-spin-up-this-diy-corona-motor/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Refining The Greatest Joystick Of The 1980s
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/20/refining-the-greatest-joystick-of-the-1980s/
The Competition Pro joystick is often considered to be the pinnacle of input devices, at least as far as the 1980s gaming goes. But the design isn’t perfect, and time hasn’t been kind to certain aspects of its mechanism. For example, the large rubber disc used to keep the stick centered on early generations of the hardware will invariably be hardened up on any surviving specimens. Looking to return these classic controllers to their former glory, and then some, [mageb] has released a number of 3D printed modifications for the Competition Pro that should be of great interest to the vintage gamer.
First and foremost is the deletion of the original rubber disc for a new spring mechanism.
https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/60400-the-ultimate-competition-pro-joystick-mod
Tomi Engdahl says:
Quit Hunching Over Your Screen With A Little Robotic Help
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/20/quit-hunching-over-your-screen-with-a-little-robotic-help/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bright Lightbulb Saves Old Radios
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/20/bright-lightbulb-saves-old-radios/
If you work on old equipment, you know that there’s always that tense moment when you first plug it in and turn it on. No matter how careful you have been, there’s some chance your garage sale find is going to go up in smoke. [BasinStreetDesign] built a little box that can help. On one side is a variac and the device you want to test goes into the other side.
In the middle? A lightbulb, a few switches, and a meter to monitor the current. The magic happens because the lightbulb will stay relatively cool and only light dimly if the device under test is drawing an appropriate amount of current. You match the bulb wattage with the approximate watts you expect the load to draw. If the device’s power is shorted to ground, though, the bulb will light brightly and this causes the lightbulb’s resistance to increase, thus helping to protect the device.
Dim Bulb Tester for restoring old radios, etc.
https://imgur.com/gallery/JSZVOaB
Tomi Engdahl says:
Use Your 3D Printer to Create Custom T-Shirt Designs
https://www.hackster.io/news/use-your-3d-printer-to-create-custom-t-shirt-designs-4a9a98dbe8dc
Two methods can accomplish the same feat: one using iron-on 3D-printed designs and the other is printed directly on the shirt.
While 3D printers have been used to create functioning tools, gadgets and art pieces, the platform is now being used to create custom graphic t-shirt designs. Prusa Research has detailed two methods of adding 3D-printed designs on tees, with one using a thin iron-on and the other printed directly onto the fabric. The iron-on employs a thin layer of PLA that can survive several washes before peeling, so it’s not ideal for those looking for a more permanent solution. The direct alternative, although more complicated, provides a more permanent result.
How to Create your Own T-shirt Motif with a 3D printer?
https://blog.prusaprinters.org/how-to-print-on-t-shirts_55588/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/jc-pro-macro-2-hackable-keypad-b0c6ada19a97
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sam Ettinger Builds a Fluorescing Seven-Segment Display PCB, Driven by UV LEDs
Exploiting a little-known property of FR-4 PCBs, this project makes the PCB itself glow through exposure to UV light.
https://www.hackster.io/news/sam-ettinger-builds-a-fluorescing-seven-segment-display-pcb-driven-by-uv-leds-0637f1685abd
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ensure Your Plants Never Go Without Water by Turning Them Into Noisy Babies
https://www.hackster.io/news/ensure-your-plants-never-go-without-water-by-turning-them-into-noisy-babies-6f9268bebe97
This new project from Sam March uses microcontrollers to play crying sounds and show on an app when a plant is in need of water.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Surfsonar Project Prevents Underwater Collisions by Using Sonar to Detect Obstacles
The surfsonar is a surfboard that has a sonar module for detecting any hidden obstacles that might be lurking beneath shallow water.
https://www.hackster.io/news/the-surfsonar-project-prevents-underwater-collisions-by-using-sonar-to-detect-obstacles-d068a29b1f35
Tomi Engdahl says:
Never Lose a Payload Again with the R2Home GPS-Guided Recovery System
By utilizing GPS and active maneuvering, this device ensures a high-altitude payload will land exactly where specified.
https://www.hackster.io/news/never-lose-a-payload-again-with-the-r2home-gps-guided-recovery-system-bd14286b3072
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://blog.prusaprinters.org/how-to-print-on-t-shirts_55588/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ep.2 Carabiners – Shapes / Styles & How they Fail!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3ojYSq_NFY
Tomi Engdahl says:
Handy Device Emulates a CR2032 Battery
https://www.hackster.io/news/handy-device-emulates-a-cr2032-battery-5bb04ef9530a
This convenient device emulates both CR2032 and CR2016 coin cell batteries, so you don’t waste batteries.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Zoom Phone
This hacked rotary telephone can act as a microphone, speaker and mute button for videoconference calls.
https://www.hackster.io/news/zoom-phone-af701391008a
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/kot_behemot53/bluetooth-volume-control-for-an-old-stereo-with-buttons-ba33f0
Tomi Engdahl says:
CHIP TESTER KNOWS IF YOUR OLD CHIPS ARE WORKING
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/23/chip-tester-knows-if-your-old-chips-are-working/
[Noel’s Retro Lab] has looked at retro chip testers before, but in a recent video you can see below he’s looking at the Chip Tester Pro, a preassembled chip tester for vintage chips, especially those used in Commodore computers. The device looks good on the surface with a form factor like a calculator or cell phone, an LCD display, and a 48 pin ZIF socket.
If you want something cheaper that you can modify to suit your needs, this homebrew tester might fill the bill. If you prefer to test discrete components, those testers are now dirt cheap.
https://hackaday.com/2018/02/15/building-an-arduino-smart-ic-tester-for-25/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vacuum Forming With 3D Printed Buck Tutorial
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/22/vacuum-forming-with-3d-printed-buck-tutorial/
[Matterhackers] has a nice video tutorial on using vacuum forming to create plastic items. Sure, you have a 3D printer, but vacuum forming has some advantages if you are making thin and flexible items quickly. But don’t feel bad. The master item in the process is from a 3D printer. Like a mold, the forming won’t produce a duplicate of the master, called a buck. Rather, the buck provides something like a die that the plastic wraps around.
https://www.matterhackers.com/articles/how-to-use-a-vacuumformer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR_zP60qIxs
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/23/automating-pool-monitoring-and-chemical-dosing/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gravity-Defying Water Drop Display Shows Potential
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/23/gravity-defying-water-drop-display-shows-potential/
Building a 2D Stroboscope Display (Hologram)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h312IVR6Ww&t=1s
Tomi Engdahl says:
Bring That Old Hi-Fi Into The 2020s
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/24/bring-that-old-hi-fi-into-the-2020s/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/24/tricky-screw-heads-have-disappearing-slots/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/24/omni-wheeled-cane-steers-the-visually-impaired-away-from-obstacles/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/25/mesmerizing-mechanical-seven-segment-display/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printable Scope Probe Adapts To Your Needs
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/21/3d-printable-scope-probe-adapts-to-your-needs/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/21/going-forward-to-the-land-technology-for-permaculture/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Basics of Drill Selection – Haas University
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sykjB7fS1Po
In the inaugural episode of Haas University (Haas U), Manufacturing Engineer Andrew Harnett guides you through the basics of selecting the proper twist drill. You’ll learn about the pros and cons of choosing high-speed steel, cobalt, and carbide, as well as advice on coatings, drill point and flute geometry, and more. How many times have you just grabbed the closest drill without really knowing if it’s the right tool for the job? After watching this video that should hopefully be less of a problem!
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/breathe-new-life-into-old-electronics-by-repurposing-them-as-smart-speakers-2c7dd3260370
Tomi Engdahl says:
Molding & Casting Small Urethane Resin Parts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBPVQgt3nyg
How to copy a simple 3D object. Create a two part silicone mold then cast a resin part into the silicone mold to make a duplicate copy part of the original.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Best Wrench (ADJUSTABLE)? Craftsman USA vs Craftsman, Crescent, Kobalt, Milwaukee, Channellock
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyOd05PUix4
15 BRANDS: Milwaukee, Craftsman (made in China) Craftsman (USA), Channellock, Hazet, Bahco, Tekton, Gedore, Reed Tool, Kobalt, Crescent, Klein Tools, Irwin, Pittsburgh, Wera Joker, and Navegando. Wrenches tested for resistance to self-adjusting during movement or vibration, wrench max torque before rounding ¾ inch nut, tool build quality both no load and under load, and failure load. I purchased all of the wrenches tested to ensure fair and unbiased reviews. So, thank you for supporting the channel.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Surf Sensor Adds Depth To Finding The Ultimate Wave
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/25/surf-sensor-adds-depth-to-finding-the-ultimate-wave/
https://foobarbecue.github.io/surfsonar/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building A Water Rocket That Lands Via Parachute
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/25/building-a-water-rocket-that-lands-via-parachute/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMI5JaTy0Mg
Tomi Engdahl says:
Drawing Robot Creates Portraits Using Pen, Paper And Algorithms
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/25/drawing-robot-creates-portraits-using-pen-paper-and-algorithms/
https://felixfisgus.de/work/017_pankraz_piktograph
Tomi Engdahl says:
Modified Car Alternator Powers Speedy DIY E-Bike
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/25/modified-car-alternator-powers-speedy-diy-e-bike/
Your garden variety automotive alternator is ripe for repurposing as is, but with a little modification, it can actually be used as a surprisingly powerful brushless motor. Looking to demonstrate the capabilities of one of these rebuilt alternators, [DIY King] bolted one to the back of a old bicycle and got some impressive, and frankly a bit terrifying, results.
https://www.instructables.com/DIY-E-Bike-Out-of-Car-Alternator/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Fast Indoor Robot Watches Ceiling Lights, Instead Of The Road
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/25/fast-indoor-robot-watches-ceiling-lights-instead-of-the-road/
[Andy]’s robot is an autonomous RC car, and he shares the localization algorithm he developed to help the car keep track of itself while it zips crazily around an indoor racetrack. Since a robot like this is perfectly capable of driving faster than it can sense, his localization method is the secret to pouring on additional speed without worrying about the car losing itself.
To pull this off, [Andy] uses a camera with a fisheye lens aimed up towards the ceiling, and the video is processed on a Raspberry Pi 3. His implementation is slick enough that it only takes about 1 millisecond to do a localization update, netting a precision on the order of a few centimeters. It’s sort of like a fast indoor GPS, using math to infer position based on the movement of ceiling lights.
Fast indoor 2D localization using ceiling lights
https://www.a1k0n.net/2021/01/22/indoor-localization.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/26/simple-electronic-hacks-inspire-doing-more-with-less/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Is a Completely Mechanical CPU possible?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udCpBsylfIw
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/27/heavy-metal-lathe-build-doesnt-spare-the-steel/
It’s common wisdom that the lathe is the essential machine tool, and the only one that can make copies of itself. While we won’t argue the primacy of the lathe in the machine shop, this scratch-built, heavy-duty lathe gives the lie to the latter argument — almost.
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printed Printing Plates Made Using Modern Tools
https://www.epanorama.net/blog/2015/07/24/makers-and-open-hardware-for-innovation/comment-page-67/#comment-1732871
Tomi Engdahl says:
Caveats
All analog electronics are dangerous. In this case, you’re dealing with low voltages, so the personal danger is probably relatively low. However, it is always non-zero!
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2021/10/28/rc-minecraft-boat-patrols-the-pool-for-treasure/