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:
Creative Ideas From Used USB Cables
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKK8W5adrks
Make a continuity tester and led tester by using a USB cable
Parts:
1. USB Cable
2. OTG Socket
3. Blue Led 3mm
4. Smartphones
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Make Recycled BEAMS from Plastic Waste at Home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avdOxtKywbk
In this video, we wanted to test a method of making recycled plastic beams using our DIY recycling method melting milk bottle tops on our panini press. We came up with a simple mould made mostly from construction materials and some aluminium angle. Then we heated up the plastic and compressed it in there.
We were super surprised with how this came out. If you guys can think of a way to make this process quicker, then this could be a feasible way to make beams from recycled materials at home. Drop a comment below with any ideas you have! Thanks for watching
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building Forged Carbon Fiber Wings For Radio Control Cars
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/02/building-forged-carbon-fiber-wings-for-radio-control-cars/
When it comes to building decent aerodynamic devices, you want to focus on getting your geometry accurate, and making sure your parts are strong enough to deal with the force they’re generating. This build from [Engineering After Hours] delivers on those fronts, consisting of a high-downforce wing for a small RC car.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kPTGFGMoZI
Tomi Engdahl says:
Forget Sudoku, Build Yourself A Minimalist Rubik’s Solver Robot
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/02/forget-sudoku-build-yourself-a-minimalist-rubiks-solver-robot/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printed Circular Prototype Performance Prop Captivates Circus Spectators
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/02/3d-printed-circular-prototype-performance-prop-captivates-circus-spectators/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8K26R_4HJc
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/02/keep-track-of-your-google-calendar-with-this-custom-build/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Wanhao Duplicator CNC Heat Sealer
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/02/the-wanhao-duplicator-cnc-heat-sealer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Defective 3D Printing For Great Strength
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/02/defective-3d-printing-for-great-strength/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/01/renaissance-style-drone-would-make-da-vinci-proud-four-times-over/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/01/linux-arcade-cab-gives-up-its-secrets-too-easily/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/01/will-a-kettle-filled-with-alcohol-boil-dry/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/01/rainbow-dip-switch-is-the-coolest-way-to-configure-your-project/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/31/open-hardware-5v-ups-improves-on-cheap-powerbank-design/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/31/diy-acoustic-panels-or-modern-artwork-cant-tell/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/31/this-parametric-project-box-generator-is-super-easy/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/31/factory-defect-ic-revived-with-sandpaper-and-microsoldering/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/31/reusing-proprietary-wireless-sockets-without-wireless-hacking/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.io/project/182093-controlled-remote
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/01/simple-setup-answers-complex-question-on-the-physics-of-solids/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/31/save-money-and-have-fun-using-ieee-488/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mystery of the Demagnetizer | What’s inside? How does it work?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RazORgAqEUc
I have always wondered how the inexpensive magnetizer-demagnetizer tool works. What’s inside it? And why are there stairs inside the demagnetizer opening?
According to most sources the stairs are important, but the explanations are vague at best.
In this video, I will do some investigation and open the tool to finally figure out how it really works! And show how you don’t need the tool if you have a bar magnet…
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Most simple Magnetizer / Demagnetizer. Magnetic. Magnet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTmRf4CldKQ
A magnet is a material or object that produces a magnetic field. This magnetic field is invisible but is responsible for the most notable property of a magnet: a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/02/forget-sudoku-build-yourself-a-minimalist-rubiks-solver-robot/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/retrotechtacular-understanding-the-strength-of-structural-shapes/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/keep-track-of-toilet-paper-usage-with-this-iot-roll-holder/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/pcb-stepper-motor-micro-robots/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Research log: PCB stepper motor
https://kevinlynagh.com/pcb-stepper/
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/pcb-stepper-motor-micro-robots/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/arduino-activated-automotive-aerodynamic-apparatus-is-spoiler-alert/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/shining-a-different-light-on-reality-with-short-wave-infrared-radiation/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/supersized-power-bank-built-from-an-ev-battery/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/03/getting-root-on-linux-amplifier-adds-new-inputs/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Make USB Rechargeable 9V Li-Ion Battery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVKh-PCSj3E
Tomi Engdahl says:
TOP 5 Awesome Life Hacks with Pencil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Q4CSn4zUA
Tomi Engdahl says:
How Electric Wires Are Made! Awesome Idea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hl0E12eKu0
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kevin Lynagh’s Custom PCB Turns Magnets Into Tiny Robots via a PCB Stepper Motor System
Building on concepts from the 1980s, Lynagh’s system flips a tiny magnet around a PCB in tiny programmatically-controlled steps.
https://www.hackster.io/news/kevin-lynagh-s-custom-pcb-turns-magnets-into-tiny-robots-via-a-pcb-stepper-motor-system-1e3e35ed66d3
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nanoflite’s nanoESC Is an Ultralight, Ultra-Compact Electronic Speed Controller for Brushed Motors
Supporting up to a 3A continuous current draw and with 5-bit PWM, this ATtiny4-based ESC runs a custom firmware written in assembly.
https://www.hackster.io/news/nanoflite-s-nanoesc-is-an-ultralight-ultra-compact-electronic-speed-controller-for-brushed-motors-e0e1148ecfaa
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/24/tiny-homemade-injection-molder/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.hackster.io/news/watch-ivan-miranda-3d-print-another-metal-cutting-cnc-mill-56248afd0c65
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/01/28/3d-printed-jig-makes-custom-springs-a-snap/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Replacement Mighty Mule swing gate control board
Replace your Mighty Mule swing gate controller with an open source controller.
https://hackaday.io/project/183888-replacement-mighty-mule-swing-gate-control-board
Tomi Engdahl says:
Easy CNC Heat Sealer
https://hackaday.io/project/183836-easy-cnc-heat-sealer
Create complicated film structures using your 3D printer and a piece of sand paper. A fun, useful, one-day project.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Open-Hardware Dog Treat Dispenser Is A Stepping Stone For Behavioral Research
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/06/open-hardware-dog-treat-dispenser-is-a-stepping-stone-for-behavioral-research/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/04/the-fifteen-dollar-linux-computer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Python Web Proxy Convinces Sonos To Stream YouTube
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/04/python-web-proxy-convinces-sonos-to-stream-youtube/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printed Radiation Shields Get Put To The Test
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/04/3d-printed-radiation-shields-get-put-to-the-test/
Multiple Ways Of Recovering A Failed Print
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/04/multiple-ways-of-recovering-a-failed-print/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/05/1960s-stereo-console-gets-an-upgrade/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Camping For $25: Thrift Store Hacks To Keep Cozy
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/05/camping-for-25-thrift-store-hacks-to-keep-cozy/
A hacker is somebody who’s always thinking creatively to solve problems, usually using what they have on hand. Sometimes that means using a 555 to build a CPU, and other times it means using a dead flashlight to start a fire. In the video below the break, [Kelly] shows us a series of hacks you can use while camping in the woods for a night to keep you warm, dry, and well fed!
Solo Overnight Doing a $25 Thrift Store Survival Gear Challenge In the Woods and Bacon Wrapped Steak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0TqnWCuj1U
Tomi Engdahl says:
OpenBikeSensor Measures Close Calls
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/05/openbikesensor-measures-close-calls/
Cycling is fun, healthy, and good for the environment. But unfortunately it’s not always the safest of activities, as inconsiderate drivers can be a significant hazard to cyclists. Several countries, including Germany, France, and Belgium have introduced legislation mandating a minimum passing distance of at least 1.5 meters between cars and bikes. Enforcing such a rule is tricky however, and without accurate data on average passing distances it’s hard to know how many drivers are following it.
Enter OpenBikeSensor, an open-source hardware and community science project designed to gather exactly this information. Currently in its prototype phase, it aims to make a simple bike-mounted sensor that measures the lateral distance to any passing vehicles. The resulting data is collected online to generate maps highlighting danger zones, which can ultimately be used by city planners to improve cycling infrastructure.
https://www.openbikesensor.org/en/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Q2, A PDP8-Like Discrete Transistor Computer
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/06/the-q2-a-pdp8-like-discrete-transistor-computer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Making Something Gorgeous From Framing Lumber
https://hackaday.com/2022/02/06/making-something-gorgeous-from-framing-lumber/
Here at Hackaday, we typically cover things that blink, bleep, and occasionally they might even bloop. However, the name of the site is Hackaday. We’re about being clever, reusing things in new ways, and most importantly celebrating interesting projects. While not a traditional project that would grace the front page, we would argue that this nightstand made from framing lumber clearly belongs.
Handmade Night Stands from Framing Lumber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5_ArzirQYE