Hackaday Podcast 047: Prusa Controversy, Bottle Organ Breakdown, PCBs Bending Backwards, and Listen to Your LED
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-podcast-047-prusa-controversy-bottle-organ-breakdown-pcbs-bending-backwards-and-listen-to-your-led/
Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot WIlliams get together for the 47th and final Hackaday Podcast of 2019. We dive into the removable appendix on Prusa’s new “Buddy” control board, get excited over the world’s largest grid-backup battery, and commiserate about the folly of designing enclosures as an afterthought. There’s …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-podcast-047-prusa-controversy-bottle-organ-breakdown-pcbs-bending-backwards-and-listen-to-your-led/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-podcast-047-prusa-controversy-bottle-organ-breakdown-pcbs-bending-backwards-and-listen-to-your-led/
Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot WIlliams get together for the 47th and final Hackaday Podcast of 2019. We dive into the removable appendix on Prusa’s new “Buddy” control board, get excited over the world’s largest grid-backup battery, and commiserate about the folly of designing enclosures as an afterthought. There’s …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-podcast-047-prusa-controversy-bottle-organ-breakdown-pcbs-bending-backwards-and-listen-to-your-led/)
Macro Foot Stool Helps Me Get a Leg Up on Work
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/macro-foot-stool-helps-me-get-a-leg-up-on-work/
Macros are meant to make our lives easier, but they live up to this promise with mixed results. Generally speaking, a macro is a special combination of keys on the keyboard that execute a custom task — their goal is to speed up your productivity by getting away from mousing …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/macro-foot-stool-helps-me-get-a-leg-up-on-work/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/macro-foot-stool-helps-me-get-a-leg-up-on-work/
Macros are meant to make our lives easier, but they live up to this promise with mixed results. Generally speaking, a macro is a special combination of keys on the keyboard that execute a custom task — their goal is to speed up your productivity by getting away from mousing …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/macro-foot-stool-helps-me-get-a-leg-up-on-work/)
Kerry Scharfglass Secures Your IoT Things
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/kerry-scharfglass-secures-your-iot-things/
We’ve all seen the IoT device security trainwrecks: those gadgets that fail so spectacularly that the comment section lights up with calls of “were they even thinking about the most basic security?” No, they probably weren’t. Are you?
Hackaday Contributor and all around good guy Kerry Scharfglass thinks about basic …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/kerry-scharfglass-secures-your-iot-things/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/kerry-scharfglass-secures-your-iot-things/
We’ve all seen the IoT device security trainwrecks: those gadgets that fail so spectacularly that the comment section lights up with calls of “were they even thinking about the most basic security?” No, they probably weren’t. Are you?
Hackaday Contributor and all around good guy Kerry Scharfglass thinks about basic …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/kerry-scharfglass-secures-your-iot-things/)
Numitron Clock Is A Tidy ’70s Throwback
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/numitron-clock-is-a-tidy-70s-throwback/
As far as hacker clock builds go, the more obscure the parts involved, the better. By this yardstick, [sjm4306] has a great piece on his hands with this Numitron-based build.
The Numitron was a type of display popular in the 1970s, and often used in aircraft avionics and other high-end …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/numitron-clock-is-a-tidy-70s-throwback/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/numitron-clock-is-a-tidy-70s-throwback/
As far as hacker clock builds go, the more obscure the parts involved, the better. By this yardstick, [sjm4306] has a great piece on his hands with this Numitron-based build.
The Numitron was a type of display popular in the 1970s, and often used in aircraft avionics and other high-end …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/numitron-clock-is-a-tidy-70s-throwback/)
Boeing’s Starliner Fails To Reach Space Station
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/boeings-starliner-fails-to-reach-space-station/
After a decade in development, the Boeing CST-100 “Starliner” lifted off from pad SLC-41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station a little before dawn this morning on its first ever flight. Officially referred to as the Boeing Orbital Flight Test (Boe-OFT), this uncrewed mission was intended to verify the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/boeings-starliner-fails-to-reach-space-station/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/boeings-starliner-fails-to-reach-space-station/
After a decade in development, the Boeing CST-100 “Starliner” lifted off from pad SLC-41 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station a little before dawn this morning on its first ever flight. Officially referred to as the Boeing Orbital Flight Test (Boe-OFT), this uncrewed mission was intended to verify the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/boeings-starliner-fails-to-reach-space-station/)
Tiny Bubbles in the Clock
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/tiny-bubbles-in-the-clock/
When [DonHo] sang about tiny bubbles, he probably wasn’t thinking of them embedded in glycerine. But that’s where the bubbles in [ShinodaY]’s clock reside. The viscous fluid holds the bubbles better allowing the time to be read more easily. You can watch the relaxing display in the video below.
The …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/tiny-bubbles-in-the-clock/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/tiny-bubbles-in-the-clock/
When [DonHo] sang about tiny bubbles, he probably wasn’t thinking of them embedded in glycerine. But that’s where the bubbles in [ShinodaY]’s clock reside. The viscous fluid holds the bubbles better allowing the time to be read more easily. You can watch the relaxing display in the video below.
The …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/tiny-bubbles-in-the-clock/)
Open Source $50 Water Turbine From Repurposed Parts
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/open-source-50-water-turbine-from-repurposed-parts/
Easy access to reliable electrical power is something a lot of us take for granted, but in developing countries or after natural disaster, it can be a rare commodity. [Daniel Connelly] has been working hard to develop infrastructure people can build themselves, and his latest project is a 200 W …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/open-source-50-water-turbine-from-repurposed-parts/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/open-source-50-water-turbine-from-repurposed-parts/
Easy access to reliable electrical power is something a lot of us take for granted, but in developing countries or after natural disaster, it can be a rare commodity. [Daniel Connelly] has been working hard to develop infrastructure people can build themselves, and his latest project is a 200 W …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/open-source-50-water-turbine-from-repurposed-parts/)
Hackaday is Going to the 36th Chaos Communication Congress
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-is-going-to-the-36th-chaos-communication-congress/
It’s that time of year again here in Germany. The mulled wine flows all night long at the Christmas markets, the Krampus runs wild in the streets, and hackers are perched frantically behind their keyboards and soldering irons, trying to get their last minute projects “finished” for the 36th annual …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-is-going-to-the-36th-chaos-communication-congress/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-is-going-to-the-36th-chaos-communication-congress/
It’s that time of year again here in Germany. The mulled wine flows all night long at the Christmas markets, the Krampus runs wild in the streets, and hackers are perched frantically behind their keyboards and soldering irons, trying to get their last minute projects “finished” for the 36th annual …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/20/hackaday-is-going-to-the-36th-chaos-communication-congress/)
DIY Lawnmower Doesn’t Cut Grass Short
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-lawnmower-doesnt-cut-grass-short/
[nodemcu12ecanada] is serious about saving water, which is why they built this strange lawnmower that can cut grass taller.
Short lawns are one of those clever marketing victories, like convincing people to eat a lot of sugar, that’s been doing more harm than good ever since the victory was won. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-lawnmower-doesnt-cut-grass-short/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-lawnmower-doesnt-cut-grass-short/
[nodemcu12ecanada] is serious about saving water, which is why they built this strange lawnmower that can cut grass taller.
Short lawns are one of those clever marketing victories, like convincing people to eat a lot of sugar, that’s been doing more harm than good ever since the victory was won. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-lawnmower-doesnt-cut-grass-short/)
Autonomous Boat For Awesome Video Hyperlapses
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/autonomous-boat-for-awesome-video-hyperlapses/
With the ever-increasing capabilities of smart phones, action cameras, and hand-held gimbals, the battle for the best shots is intensifying daily on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Hyperlapse sequences are one of the popular weapons in the armoury, and [Daniel Riley] aka [rctestflight] realised that his autonomous boat could be …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/autonomous-boat-for-awesome-video-hyperlapses/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/autonomous-boat-for-awesome-video-hyperlapses/
With the ever-increasing capabilities of smart phones, action cameras, and hand-held gimbals, the battle for the best shots is intensifying daily on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Hyperlapse sequences are one of the popular weapons in the armoury, and [Daniel Riley] aka [rctestflight] realised that his autonomous boat could be …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/autonomous-boat-for-awesome-video-hyperlapses/)
DTMF To Your Computer, With A Gamepad
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/dtmf-to-your-computer-with-a-gamepad/
Though many of us will never have experimented with it, most readers should be familiar with DTMF as the tones used by the telephone system for dialling. If your youth was not misspent mashing 4-4-2-6-4-6-2, 4-4-2-6-4-1 into a keypad, then you haven’t lived!
As you might expect there are a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/dtmf-to-your-computer-with-a-gamepad/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/dtmf-to-your-computer-with-a-gamepad/
Though many of us will never have experimented with it, most readers should be familiar with DTMF as the tones used by the telephone system for dialling. If your youth was not misspent mashing 4-4-2-6-4-6-2, 4-4-2-6-4-1 into a keypad, then you haven’t lived!
As you might expect there are a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/dtmf-to-your-computer-with-a-gamepad/)
Amazon Ring: Neighbors Leaking Data On Neighbors
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/amazon-ring-neighbors-leaking-data-on-neighbors/
For a while now a series of stories have been circulating about Amazon’s Ring doorbell, an Internet-connected camera and entry system that lets users monitor and even interact with visitors and delivery people at their doors. The adverts feature improbable encounters with would-be crooks foiled by the IoT-equipped homeowner, but …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/amazon-ring-neighbors-leaking-data-on-neighbors/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/amazon-ring-neighbors-leaking-data-on-neighbors/
For a while now a series of stories have been circulating about Amazon’s Ring doorbell, an Internet-connected camera and entry system that lets users monitor and even interact with visitors and delivery people at their doors. The adverts feature improbable encounters with would-be crooks foiled by the IoT-equipped homeowner, but …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/amazon-ring-neighbors-leaking-data-on-neighbors/)
Building a Limitless VR Desktop
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/building-a-limitless-vr-desktop/
[Gabor Horvath] thinks even two monitors is too little space to really lay out his windows properly. That’s why he’s building a VR Desktop straight out of our deepest cyberpunk fantasies.
The software runs on Windows and Android at the moment. The user can put up multiple windows in a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/building-a-limitless-vr-desktop/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/building-a-limitless-vr-desktop/
[Gabor Horvath] thinks even two monitors is too little space to really lay out his windows properly. That’s why he’s building a VR Desktop straight out of our deepest cyberpunk fantasies.
The software runs on Windows and Android at the moment. The user can put up multiple windows in a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/building-a-limitless-vr-desktop/)
DIY CircuitPython Brain Snakes Into Small Spaces
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-circuitpython-brain-snakes-into-small-spaces/
Whether you’re new to electronics and programming, or you were bit-banging bare metal long before hair metal, CircuitPython is a great tool for getting a project up and working without all the fuss. The boards show up as mass storage devices, and programming consists of editing the Python file and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-circuitpython-brain-snakes-into-small-spaces/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-circuitpython-brain-snakes-into-small-spaces/
Whether you’re new to electronics and programming, or you were bit-banging bare metal long before hair metal, CircuitPython is a great tool for getting a project up and working without all the fuss. The boards show up as mass storage devices, and programming consists of editing the Python file and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diy-circuitpython-brain-snakes-into-small-spaces/)
Eight Motors Speed This Boat Along
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/eight-motors-speed-this-boat-along/
Messing about in boats has always held a curious appeal for the hardware hacker. Perhaps that’s because it remains an approachable way to make something that moves under its own power with a bit of speed, and barring calamities, the worst that can happen to the unwary boater is a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/eight-motors-speed-this-boat-along/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/eight-motors-speed-this-boat-along/
Messing about in boats has always held a curious appeal for the hardware hacker. Perhaps that’s because it remains an approachable way to make something that moves under its own power with a bit of speed, and barring calamities, the worst that can happen to the unwary boater is a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/eight-motors-speed-this-boat-along/)
Diving with an Unlimited Air Supply
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diving-with-an-unlimited-air-supply/
If you want to explore underwater, you have a few options. You can hold your breath. You can try to recycle your air. You can carry your breathing air with you as in SCUBA. You can stick a tube up like a snorkel, or you can have air sent down …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diving-with-an-unlimited-air-supply/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diving-with-an-unlimited-air-supply/
If you want to explore underwater, you have a few options. You can hold your breath. You can try to recycle your air. You can carry your breathing air with you as in SCUBA. You can stick a tube up like a snorkel, or you can have air sent down …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/21/diving-with-an-unlimited-air-supply/)
Optical Communication Using LEDs Alone
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/optical-communication-using-leds-alone/
We’re all used to the humble LED as a ubiquitous source of light, but how many of us are aware that these components can also be used as photodiodes? It’s something [Giovanni Blu Mitolo] takes us through as he demonstrates a simple data link using just a pair of LEDs …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/optical-communication-using-leds-alone/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/optical-communication-using-leds-alone/
We’re all used to the humble LED as a ubiquitous source of light, but how many of us are aware that these components can also be used as photodiodes? It’s something [Giovanni Blu Mitolo] takes us through as he demonstrates a simple data link using just a pair of LEDs …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/optical-communication-using-leds-alone/)
Arcade Buttons Make a Great Multimedia Keyboard
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/arcade-buttons-make-a-great-multimedia-keyboard/
[Giovanni Bernardo] has a very important job – managing the audio for several Christmas events. Desiring a simple and effective control interface, he designed a dedicated media keyboard to run the show.
The project began with an Arduino Leonardo, commonly used in projects that aim to create a USB Human …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/arcade-buttons-make-a-great-multimedia-keyboard/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/arcade-buttons-make-a-great-multimedia-keyboard/
[Giovanni Bernardo] has a very important job – managing the audio for several Christmas events. Desiring a simple and effective control interface, he designed a dedicated media keyboard to run the show.
The project began with an Arduino Leonardo, commonly used in projects that aim to create a USB Human …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/arcade-buttons-make-a-great-multimedia-keyboard/)
Is That Cheap Multimeter as Good as a Fluke? Let’s Find Out
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/is-that-cheap-multimeter-as-good-as-a-fluke-lets-find-out/
When [learnelectronics] talks about cheap meters, he always says, “If you are doing this for a living, get yourself a Fluke.” But he realized he’s never shown the inside of a Fluke meter, so he rectified that in his most recent post. For comparison, he opens up a Fluke 26-III …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/is-that-cheap-multimeter-as-good-as-a-fluke-lets-find-out/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/is-that-cheap-multimeter-as-good-as-a-fluke-lets-find-out/
When [learnelectronics] talks about cheap meters, he always says, “If you are doing this for a living, get yourself a Fluke.” But he realized he’s never shown the inside of a Fluke meter, so he rectified that in his most recent post. For comparison, he opens up a Fluke 26-III …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/is-that-cheap-multimeter-as-good-as-a-fluke-lets-find-out/)
DIY Electric Roller Bender Can Handle The Thick(er) Stuff
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/diy-electric-roller-bender-can-handle-the-thicker-stuff/
Every serious metal worker will end up getting themself a roller bender at some point, but if you’re as dedicated as [Meanwhile in the Garage], you might just start building the things yourself. His heavy-duty electric roller bender, demonstrated in the video after the break, is perfect for the thicker …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/diy-electric-roller-bender-can-handle-the-thicker-stuff/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/diy-electric-roller-bender-can-handle-the-thicker-stuff/
Every serious metal worker will end up getting themself a roller bender at some point, but if you’re as dedicated as [Meanwhile in the Garage], you might just start building the things yourself. His heavy-duty electric roller bender, demonstrated in the video after the break, is perfect for the thicker …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/diy-electric-roller-bender-can-handle-the-thicker-stuff/)
Listen to your Feet, They Have a Lot to Tell You
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/listen-to-your-feet-they-have-a-lot-to-tell-you/
[Umar Qattan] is in tune with his sole and is trying hard to listen to what it has to say.
At a low level, [Umar] is building an insole with an array of force sensors in it. These sensors are affixed to a flexible PCB which is placed in a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/listen-to-your-feet-they-have-a-lot-to-tell-you/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/listen-to-your-feet-they-have-a-lot-to-tell-you/
[Umar Qattan] is in tune with his sole and is trying hard to listen to what it has to say.
At a low level, [Umar] is building an insole with an array of force sensors in it. These sensors are affixed to a flexible PCB which is placed in a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/12/22/listen-to-your-feet-they-have-a-lot-to-tell-you/)