The Satellite Phone You Already Own: From Orbit, UbiquitiLink Will Look Like a Cell Tower
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-satellite-phone-you-already-own-from-orbit-ubiquitilink-will-look-like-a-cell-tower/
For anyone that’s ever been broken down along a remote stretch of highway and desperately searched for a cell signal, knowing that a constellation of communications satellites is zipping by overhead is cold comfort indeed. One needs specialized gear to tap into the satphone network, few of us can justify …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-satellite-phone-you-already-own-from-orbit-ubiquitilink-will-look-like-a-cell-tower/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-satellite-phone-you-already-own-from-orbit-ubiquitilink-will-look-like-a-cell-tower/
For anyone that’s ever been broken down along a remote stretch of highway and desperately searched for a cell signal, knowing that a constellation of communications satellites is zipping by overhead is cold comfort indeed. One needs specialized gear to tap into the satphone network, few of us can justify …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-satellite-phone-you-already-own-from-orbit-ubiquitilink-will-look-like-a-cell-tower/)
The Trials and Tribulations of E-Bike Drivetrain Design
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-e-bike-drivetrain-design/
[Tom Stanton] is well-regarded in the maker community, and has put much effort in over the years on a variety of electric vehicle builds. In the process of upgrading his e-bike last year, he ran into some issues with the main drive pulley. Rather than rely on guesswork, he threw …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-e-bike-drivetrain-design/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-e-bike-drivetrain-design/
[Tom Stanton] is well-regarded in the maker community, and has put much effort in over the years on a variety of electric vehicle builds. In the process of upgrading his e-bike last year, he ran into some issues with the main drive pulley. Rather than rely on guesswork, he threw …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/the-trials-and-tribulations-of-e-bike-drivetrain-design/)
Parallax Update Hack Chat
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/parallax-update-hack-chat/
Join us on Wednesday, August 28th at noon Pacific for the Parallax Update Hack Chat with Chip and Ken Gracey!
For a lot of us, our first exposure to the world of microcontrollers was through the offerings of Parallax, Inc. Perhaps you were interested in doing something small and light, …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/parallax-update-hack-chat/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/parallax-update-hack-chat/
Join us on Wednesday, August 28th at noon Pacific for the Parallax Update Hack Chat with Chip and Ken Gracey!
For a lot of us, our first exposure to the world of microcontrollers was through the offerings of Parallax, Inc. Perhaps you were interested in doing something small and light, …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/parallax-update-hack-chat/)
Linux Fu: It’s a Trap!
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/linux-fu-its-a-trap/
It is easy to think that a Linux shell like Bash is just a way to enter commands at a terminal. But, in fact, it is also a powerful programming language as we’ve seen from projects ranging from web servers to simple utilities to make dangerous commands safer. Like most …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/linux-fu-its-a-trap/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/linux-fu-its-a-trap/
It is easy to think that a Linux shell like Bash is just a way to enter commands at a terminal. But, in fact, it is also a powerful programming language as we’ve seen from projects ranging from web servers to simple utilities to make dangerous commands safer. Like most …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/linux-fu-its-a-trap/)
Candy-Colored Synth Sounds Sweet
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/candy-colored-synth-sounds-sweet/
Let’s face it, synthesizers are awesome. But commercial synths are pretty expensive. Even the little toy ones like the KORG Volca and the MicroKORG will run you a few hundred bucks. For the most part, they’re worth the price because they’re packed with features. This is great for experienced synth …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/candy-colored-synth-sounds-sweet/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/candy-colored-synth-sounds-sweet/
Let’s face it, synthesizers are awesome. But commercial synths are pretty expensive. Even the little toy ones like the KORG Volca and the MicroKORG will run you a few hundred bucks. For the most part, they’re worth the price because they’re packed with features. This is great for experienced synth …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/candy-colored-synth-sounds-sweet/)
3D Printed Pen Plotter Is As Big As You Need It To Be
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/3d-printed-pen-plotter-is-as-big-as-you-need-it-to-be/
There’s nothing quite like building something to your own personal specifications. It’s why desktop 3D printers are such a powerful tool, and why this scalable plotter from the [Lost Projects Office] is so appealing. You just print out the end pieces and then pair it with rods of your desired …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/3d-printed-pen-plotter-is-as-big-as-you-need-it-to-be/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/3d-printed-pen-plotter-is-as-big-as-you-need-it-to-be/
There’s nothing quite like building something to your own personal specifications. It’s why desktop 3D printers are such a powerful tool, and why this scalable plotter from the [Lost Projects Office] is so appealing. You just print out the end pieces and then pair it with rods of your desired …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/3d-printed-pen-plotter-is-as-big-as-you-need-it-to-be/)
Debug Superpowers Bring An STM32 Back From The Dead
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/debug-superpowers-bring-an-stm32-back-from-the-dead/
When a processor has a fault it can leave what looks to be precious little in the way of cause and effect. Debug-by-print-statement works surprisingly well in simple cases, but where in a desktop environment you would drop into a debugger to solve trickier problems this can be an onerous …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/debug-superpowers-bring-an-stm32-back-from-the-dead/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/debug-superpowers-bring-an-stm32-back-from-the-dead/
When a processor has a fault it can leave what looks to be precious little in the way of cause and effect. Debug-by-print-statement works surprisingly well in simple cases, but where in a desktop environment you would drop into a debugger to solve trickier problems this can be an onerous …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/debug-superpowers-bring-an-stm32-back-from-the-dead/)
Quantum Radar Hides In Plain Sight
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/quantum-radar-hides-in-plain-sight/
Radar was a great invention that made air travel much safer and weather prediction more accurate, indeed it is even credited with winning the Battle of Britain. However, it carries a little problem with it during times of war. Painting a target with radar (or even sonar) is equivalent to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/quantum-radar-hides-in-plain-sight/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/quantum-radar-hides-in-plain-sight/
Radar was a great invention that made air travel much safer and weather prediction more accurate, indeed it is even credited with winning the Battle of Britain. However, it carries a little problem with it during times of war. Painting a target with radar (or even sonar) is equivalent to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/quantum-radar-hides-in-plain-sight/)
Another World On The Apple II
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/another-world-on-the-apple-ii/
What’s more fun than porting an old game released for an old system such as the Apple IIgs to its 10-year-older predecessor, the Apple II from 1977? Cue [Deater]’s port of the classic video game ‘Another World‘ to the original Apple II. As was fairly obvious from the onset, the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/another-world-on-the-apple-ii/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/another-world-on-the-apple-ii/
What’s more fun than porting an old game released for an old system such as the Apple IIgs to its 10-year-older predecessor, the Apple II from 1977? Cue [Deater]’s port of the classic video game ‘Another World‘ to the original Apple II. As was fairly obvious from the onset, the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/26/another-world-on-the-apple-ii/)
GigaDevice Releasing RISC-V MCUs And Development Boards
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/gigadevice-releasing-risc-v-mcus-and-development-boards/
Probably not too many people have heard of Chinese manufacturer GigaDevice who so far has mostly been known as a NOR Flash memory manufacturer. Their GD32 range of MCUs is however STM32-compatible, making them interesting (cheaper) alternatives to sourcing directly from ST. Now GigaDevice has announced during a presentation that …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/gigadevice-releasing-risc-v-mcus-and-development-boards/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/gigadevice-releasing-risc-v-mcus-and-development-boards/
Probably not too many people have heard of Chinese manufacturer GigaDevice who so far has mostly been known as a NOR Flash memory manufacturer. Their GD32 range of MCUs is however STM32-compatible, making them interesting (cheaper) alternatives to sourcing directly from ST. Now GigaDevice has announced during a presentation that …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/gigadevice-releasing-risc-v-mcus-and-development-boards/)
3D Printed Rover Enjoys Long Walks on the Beach
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/3d-printed-rover-enjoys-long-walks-on-the-beach/
More than a few hackers have put in the considerable time and effort required to build a rover inspired by NASA’s robotic Martian explorers, but unfortunately even the most well funded home tinkerer can’t afford the ticket to send their creation offworld. So most of these builds don’t journey through …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/3d-printed-rover-enjoys-long-walks-on-the-beach/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/3d-printed-rover-enjoys-long-walks-on-the-beach/
More than a few hackers have put in the considerable time and effort required to build a rover inspired by NASA’s robotic Martian explorers, but unfortunately even the most well funded home tinkerer can’t afford the ticket to send their creation offworld. So most of these builds don’t journey through …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/3d-printed-rover-enjoys-long-walks-on-the-beach/)
The Amazon Dash Button: A Retrospective
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/the-amazon-dash-button-a-retrospective/
The Internet of Things will revolutionize everything! Manufacturing? Dog walking? Coffee bean refilling? Car driving? Food eating? Put a sensor in it! The marketing makes it pretty clear that there’s no part of our lives which isn’t enhanced with The Internet of Things. Why? Because with a simple sensor and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/the-amazon-dash-button-a-retrospective/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/the-amazon-dash-button-a-retrospective/
The Internet of Things will revolutionize everything! Manufacturing? Dog walking? Coffee bean refilling? Car driving? Food eating? Put a sensor in it! The marketing makes it pretty clear that there’s no part of our lives which isn’t enhanced with The Internet of Things. Why? Because with a simple sensor and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/the-amazon-dash-button-a-retrospective/)
Vintage Car Radio Now Plays Games and Chiptunes
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/vintage-car-radio-now-plays-games-and-chiptunes/
[MisterM] seems to specialize in squeezing new electronics into old but good-looking technology. His latest creation focuses on a space-age specimen: an interesting car radio from 1963 that could be pulled out from the dashboard and taken along wherever. The beat goes on, thanks to a shiny built-in speaker on …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/vintage-car-radio-now-plays-games-and-chiptunes/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/vintage-car-radio-now-plays-games-and-chiptunes/
[MisterM] seems to specialize in squeezing new electronics into old but good-looking technology. His latest creation focuses on a space-age specimen: an interesting car radio from 1963 that could be pulled out from the dashboard and taken along wherever. The beat goes on, thanks to a shiny built-in speaker on …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/vintage-car-radio-now-plays-games-and-chiptunes/)
Following Pigs: Building an Injectable Livestock Tracking System
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/following-pigs-building-an-injectable-livestock-tracking-system/
I’m often asked to design customer and employee tracking systems. There are quite a few ways to do it, and it’s an interesting intersection of engineering and ethics – what information is reasonable to collect in different contexts, anonymizing and securely storing it, and at a fundamental level whether the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/following-pigs-building-an-injectable-livestock-tracking-system/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/following-pigs-building-an-injectable-livestock-tracking-system/
I’m often asked to design customer and employee tracking systems. There are quite a few ways to do it, and it’s an interesting intersection of engineering and ethics – what information is reasonable to collect in different contexts, anonymizing and securely storing it, and at a fundamental level whether the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/following-pigs-building-an-injectable-livestock-tracking-system/)
A Car Phone — No, Not That Kind
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/a-car-phone-no-not-that-kind/
Autonomous vehicle development is a field of technology that remains relatively elusive to the average hacker, what with the needing a whole car and all. Instead of having to deal with such a large scale challenge, [Piotr Sokólski] has instead turned to implementing the same principles on the scale of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/a-car-phone-no-not-that-kind/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/a-car-phone-no-not-that-kind/
Autonomous vehicle development is a field of technology that remains relatively elusive to the average hacker, what with the needing a whole car and all. Instead of having to deal with such a large scale challenge, [Piotr Sokólski] has instead turned to implementing the same principles on the scale of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/a-car-phone-no-not-that-kind/)
Trimmed Dreamcast Board Makes For Perfect Portable
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/trimmed-dreamcast-board-makes-for-perfect-portable/
In the last year or so we’ve been seeing an array of portable game system builds based around “trimmed” Wii motherboards which have literally been cut down to a fraction of their original size. It turns out that most of the board is dedicated to non-essential functions, with the core …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/trimmed-dreamcast-board-makes-for-perfect-portable/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/trimmed-dreamcast-board-makes-for-perfect-portable/
In the last year or so we’ve been seeing an array of portable game system builds based around “trimmed” Wii motherboards which have literally been cut down to a fraction of their original size. It turns out that most of the board is dedicated to non-essential functions, with the core …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/trimmed-dreamcast-board-makes-for-perfect-portable/)
Another Way To Make PCBs At Home
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/another-way-to-make-pcbs-at-home/
One of the more popular ways of rolling out your own custom PCB is to simply create the model in your CAD program of choice and send it off to a board manufacturer who will take care of the dirty work for you. This way there is no need to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/another-way-to-make-pcbs-at-home/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/another-way-to-make-pcbs-at-home/
One of the more popular ways of rolling out your own custom PCB is to simply create the model in your CAD program of choice and send it off to a board manufacturer who will take care of the dirty work for you. This way there is no need to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/another-way-to-make-pcbs-at-home/)
New Cray Will Reach 1.5 exaFLOPS
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/new-cray-will-reach-1-5-exaflops/
It wasn’t that long ago when hard drives that boasted a terabyte of capacity were novel. But impressive though the tera- prefix is, beyond that is peta and even further is exa — as in petabyte and exabyte. A common i7 CPU currently clocks in at about 60 gigaflops (floating …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/new-cray-will-reach-1-5-exaflops/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/new-cray-will-reach-1-5-exaflops/
It wasn’t that long ago when hard drives that boasted a terabyte of capacity were novel. But impressive though the tera- prefix is, beyond that is peta and even further is exa — as in petabyte and exabyte. A common i7 CPU currently clocks in at about 60 gigaflops (floating …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/new-cray-will-reach-1-5-exaflops/)
Fixing A Cheap UPS HAT For Your Raspberry Pi With A Tiny Daemon
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/fixing-a-cheap-ups-hat-for-your-raspberry-pi-with-a-tiny-daemon/
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) isn’t something solely to have hooked up to your desktop PC. Your Raspberry Pi SBC might also benefit from it. Yet the available options aren’t too great, or are too expensive. This leads folk including [Joachim Baumann] to modify cheerfully cheap Chinese UPS HAT boards …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/fixing-a-cheap-ups-hat-for-your-raspberry-pi-with-a-tiny-daemon/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/fixing-a-cheap-ups-hat-for-your-raspberry-pi-with-a-tiny-daemon/
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) isn’t something solely to have hooked up to your desktop PC. Your Raspberry Pi SBC might also benefit from it. Yet the available options aren’t too great, or are too expensive. This leads folk including [Joachim Baumann] to modify cheerfully cheap Chinese UPS HAT boards …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/27/fixing-a-cheap-ups-hat-for-your-raspberry-pi-with-a-tiny-daemon/)
Finely Machined Valve Controls Miniature RC Hydraulics
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/finely-machined-valve-controls-miniature-rc-hydraulics/
Hydraulic components are the industrial power transmission version of LEGO. Pumps, cylinders, valves – pretty much everything is standardized, and fitting out a working system is a matter of picking the right parts and just plumbing everything together. That’s fine if you want to build an excavator or a dump …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/finely-machined-valve-controls-miniature-rc-hydraulics/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/finely-machined-valve-controls-miniature-rc-hydraulics/
Hydraulic components are the industrial power transmission version of LEGO. Pumps, cylinders, valves – pretty much everything is standardized, and fitting out a working system is a matter of picking the right parts and just plumbing everything together. That’s fine if you want to build an excavator or a dump …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/finely-machined-valve-controls-miniature-rc-hydraulics/)
Secret Messages Could be Hiding in Your Server Logs
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/secret-messages-could-be-hiding-in-your-server-logs/
[Ryan Flowers] writes in with a clever little hack that can allow you to hide data where nobody is going to go looking for it. By exploiting the fact that a web server will generally log all HTTP requests whether or not it’s valid, he shows how you can covertly …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/secret-messages-could-be-hiding-in-your-server-logs/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/secret-messages-could-be-hiding-in-your-server-logs/
[Ryan Flowers] writes in with a clever little hack that can allow you to hide data where nobody is going to go looking for it. By exploiting the fact that a web server will generally log all HTTP requests whether or not it’s valid, he shows how you can covertly …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/28/secret-messages-could-be-hiding-in-your-server-logs/)