India Launched a Moon Orbiter, Lander, and Rover All In One Shot with Chandrayaan-2
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/india-launched-a-moon-orbiter-lander-and-rover-all-in-one-shot-with-chandrayaan-2/
On July 22nd, India launched an ambitious mission to simultaneously deliver an orbiter, lander, and rover to the Moon. Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on a domestically-built GSLV Mk III rocket, Chandrayaan-2 is expected to enter lunar orbit on August 20th. If everything goes well, the mission’s lander …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/india-launched-a-moon-orbiter-lander-and-rover-all-in-one-shot-with-chandrayaan-2/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/india-launched-a-moon-orbiter-lander-and-rover-all-in-one-shot-with-chandrayaan-2/
On July 22nd, India launched an ambitious mission to simultaneously deliver an orbiter, lander, and rover to the Moon. Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on a domestically-built GSLV Mk III rocket, Chandrayaan-2 is expected to enter lunar orbit on August 20th. If everything goes well, the mission’s lander …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/india-launched-a-moon-orbiter-lander-and-rover-all-in-one-shot-with-chandrayaan-2/)
New Life For Old Nintendo Handhelds With ESP32
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/new-life-for-old-nintendo-handhelds-with-esp32/
The Game Boy Pocket was Nintendo’s 1996 redesign of the classic 1989 handheld, giving it a smaller form factor, better screen and less power consumption. While it didn’t become as iconic as its predecessor, it still had enough popularity for modders such as [Eugene] to create new hardware for it. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/new-life-for-old-nintendo-handhelds-with-esp32/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/new-life-for-old-nintendo-handhelds-with-esp32/
The Game Boy Pocket was Nintendo’s 1996 redesign of the classic 1989 handheld, giving it a smaller form factor, better screen and less power consumption. While it didn’t become as iconic as its predecessor, it still had enough popularity for modders such as [Eugene] to create new hardware for it. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/new-life-for-old-nintendo-handhelds-with-esp32/)
Control The Suck With This Manual Vacuum Pick-And-Place Tool
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/control-the-suck-with-this-manual-vacuum-pick-and-place-tool/
The tapes that surface-mount devices come in may be optimized for automated pick and place, but woe betide those who try to dig components out manually. No matter what size package, the well on the tape seems to be just a wee bit too small to allow tweezers to grip …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/control-the-suck-with-this-manual-vacuum-pick-and-place-tool/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/control-the-suck-with-this-manual-vacuum-pick-and-place-tool/
The tapes that surface-mount devices come in may be optimized for automated pick and place, but woe betide those who try to dig components out manually. No matter what size package, the well on the tape seems to be just a wee bit too small to allow tweezers to grip …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/control-the-suck-with-this-manual-vacuum-pick-and-place-tool/)
Keezer Controller Keeps The Kegs Pouring
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/keezer-controller-keeps-the-kegs-pouring/
It’s always a good idea to keep a few brews in the fridge ready to go, but being able to offer your guests a fresh-poured draught beer is another step above. It’s not trivial, but with a few kegs, a freezer and the right CO2 parts, it’s achievable for the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/keezer-controller-keeps-the-kegs-pouring/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/keezer-controller-keeps-the-kegs-pouring/
It’s always a good idea to keep a few brews in the fridge ready to go, but being able to offer your guests a fresh-poured draught beer is another step above. It’s not trivial, but with a few kegs, a freezer and the right CO2 parts, it’s achievable for the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/keezer-controller-keeps-the-kegs-pouring/)
[Jessica] Is Soft On Robot Grippers
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/jessica-is-soft-on-robot-grippers/
It is an old movie trope: a robot grips something and accidentally crushes it with its super robot strength. A little feedback goes a long way, of course, but futuristic robots may also want to employ soft grippers. [Jessica] shows how to build soft grippers made of several cast fingers. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/jessica-is-soft-on-robot-grippers/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/jessica-is-soft-on-robot-grippers/
It is an old movie trope: a robot grips something and accidentally crushes it with its super robot strength. A little feedback goes a long way, of course, but futuristic robots may also want to employ soft grippers. [Jessica] shows how to build soft grippers made of several cast fingers. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/jessica-is-soft-on-robot-grippers/)
Overclocking In An SNES Emulator
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/overclocking-in-an-snes-emulator/
The bsnes emulator has a new overclocking mode to eliminate slowdowns in SNES games while keeping the gameplay speed accurate. We’re emulating old SNES hardware on modern machines that are vastly more powerful. Eliminating slowdowns should be trivial, right? For an emulator such as bsnes, which is written to achieve …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/overclocking-in-an-snes-emulator/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/overclocking-in-an-snes-emulator/
The bsnes emulator has a new overclocking mode to eliminate slowdowns in SNES games while keeping the gameplay speed accurate. We’re emulating old SNES hardware on modern machines that are vastly more powerful. Eliminating slowdowns should be trivial, right? For an emulator such as bsnes, which is written to achieve …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/14/overclocking-in-an-snes-emulator/)
Millenium Falcon HID: Get Unity to Talk to Teensy
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/millenium-falcon-as-hid-get-unity-to-talk-to-teensy/
Here’s one that proves a hardware project can go beyond blinking LEDs and dumping massive chunks of data onto a serial console. Those practices are fine for some, but [dimtass] has found a more elegant hack for a more civilized age. His 3D Millennium Falcon model gets orientation data from …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/millenium-falcon-as-hid-get-unity-to-talk-to-teensy/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/millenium-falcon-as-hid-get-unity-to-talk-to-teensy/
Here’s one that proves a hardware project can go beyond blinking LEDs and dumping massive chunks of data onto a serial console. Those practices are fine for some, but [dimtass] has found a more elegant hack for a more civilized age. His 3D Millennium Falcon model gets orientation data from …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/millenium-falcon-as-hid-get-unity-to-talk-to-teensy/)
DIY PC Test Bench Puts Hardware Troubleshooting Out in the Open
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/diy-pc-test-bench-puts-hardware-troubleshooting-out-in-the-open/
If you’ve built a few PCs, you know how frustrating troubleshooting can be. Finding a faulty component inside the cramped confines of a case can be painful — whether its literal when sharp edges draw blood, or just figurative when you have to open that cramped case multiple times to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/diy-pc-test-bench-puts-hardware-troubleshooting-out-in-the-open/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/diy-pc-test-bench-puts-hardware-troubleshooting-out-in-the-open/
If you’ve built a few PCs, you know how frustrating troubleshooting can be. Finding a faulty component inside the cramped confines of a case can be painful — whether its literal when sharp edges draw blood, or just figurative when you have to open that cramped case multiple times to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/diy-pc-test-bench-puts-hardware-troubleshooting-out-in-the-open/)
Safety Systems for Stopping An Uncontrolled Drone Crash
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/safety-systems-for-stopping-an-uncontrolled-drone-crash/
We spend a lot of time here at Hackaday talking about drone incidents and today we’re looking into the hazard of operating in areas where people are present. Accidents happen, and a whether it’s a catastrophic failure or just a dead battery pack, the chance of a multi-rotor aircraft crashing …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/safety-systems-for-stopping-an-uncontrolled-drone-crash/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/safety-systems-for-stopping-an-uncontrolled-drone-crash/
We spend a lot of time here at Hackaday talking about drone incidents and today we’re looking into the hazard of operating in areas where people are present. Accidents happen, and a whether it’s a catastrophic failure or just a dead battery pack, the chance of a multi-rotor aircraft crashing …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/safety-systems-for-stopping-an-uncontrolled-drone-crash/)
Uncovering the Echo Dot’s Hidden USB Port
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/uncovering-the-echo-dots-hidden-usb-port/
If you upgraded to Amazon’s latest Echo Dot, you might have been surprised to find that the diminutive voice assistant had shed its USB port. Earlier models of the Dot used a garden variety micro USB port for power, which hackers eventually figured out also provided a helpful way to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/uncovering-the-echo-dots-hidden-usb-port/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/uncovering-the-echo-dots-hidden-usb-port/
If you upgraded to Amazon’s latest Echo Dot, you might have been surprised to find that the diminutive voice assistant had shed its USB port. Earlier models of the Dot used a garden variety micro USB port for power, which hackers eventually figured out also provided a helpful way to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/uncovering-the-echo-dots-hidden-usb-port/)
Fail of the Week: Supercapacitor Spot Welder
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fail-of-the-week-supercapacitor-spot-welder/
[Julian] needed to weld a bit of nickel to some steel and decided to use a spot welding technique. Of course he didn’t have a spot welder sitting around. Since these are fairly simple machines so [Julian] set out to build a spot welder using a charged supercapacitor. The fundamentals …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fail-of-the-week-supercapacitor-spot-welder/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fail-of-the-week-supercapacitor-spot-welder/
[Julian] needed to weld a bit of nickel to some steel and decided to use a spot welding technique. Of course he didn’t have a spot welder sitting around. Since these are fairly simple machines so [Julian] set out to build a spot welder using a charged supercapacitor. The fundamentals …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fail-of-the-week-supercapacitor-spot-welder/)
Spain’s First Open Source Satellite
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/spains-first-open-source-satellite/
[Fossa Systems], a non-profit youth association based out of Madrid, is developing an open-source satellite set to launch in October 2019. The FossaSat-1 is sized at 5x5x5 cm, weighs 250g, and will provide free IoT connectivity by communicating LoRa RTTY signals through low-power RF-based LoRa modules. The satellite is powered …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/spains-first-open-source-satellite/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/spains-first-open-source-satellite/
[Fossa Systems], a non-profit youth association based out of Madrid, is developing an open-source satellite set to launch in October 2019. The FossaSat-1 is sized at 5x5x5 cm, weighs 250g, and will provide free IoT connectivity by communicating LoRa RTTY signals through low-power RF-based LoRa modules. The satellite is powered …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/spains-first-open-source-satellite/)
Home Automation At A Glance Using AI Glasses
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/home-automation-at-a-glance-using-ai-glasses/
There was a time when you had to get up from the couch to change the channel on your TV. But then came the remote control, which saved us from having to move our legs. Later still we got electronic assistants from the likes of Amazon and Google which allowed …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/home-automation-at-a-glance-using-ai-glasses/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/home-automation-at-a-glance-using-ai-glasses/
There was a time when you had to get up from the couch to change the channel on your TV. But then came the remote control, which saved us from having to move our legs. Later still we got electronic assistants from the likes of Amazon and Google which allowed …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/home-automation-at-a-glance-using-ai-glasses/)
Bike-Mounted Synthetic-Aperture Radar Makes Detailed Images
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/bike-mounted-synthetic-aperture-radar-makes-detailed-images/
Synthetic-aperture radar, in which a moving radar is used to simulate a very large antenna and obtain high-resolution images, is typically not the stuff of hobbyists. Nobody told that to [Henrik Forstén], though, and so we’ve got this bicycle-mounted synthetic-aperture radar project to marvel over as a result.
Neither the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/bike-mounted-synthetic-aperture-radar-makes-detailed-images/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/bike-mounted-synthetic-aperture-radar-makes-detailed-images/
Synthetic-aperture radar, in which a moving radar is used to simulate a very large antenna and obtain high-resolution images, is typically not the stuff of hobbyists. Nobody told that to [Henrik Forstén], though, and so we’ve got this bicycle-mounted synthetic-aperture radar project to marvel over as a result.
Neither the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/bike-mounted-synthetic-aperture-radar-makes-detailed-images/)
LED Driver Board Could Be Your Ticket To FPGA Development
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/led-driver-board-could-be-your-ticket-to-fpga-development/
Microcontrollers are a great way to learn about developing for embedded systems. However, once you outgrow their capabilities, FPGAs bring muscle that’s hard for even the fastest-clocked micros to match. If you’re doing anything with high-speed signals, loads of RAM, or something that requires lots of parallel calculation, you can’t …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/led-driver-board-could-be-your-ticket-to-fpga-development/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/led-driver-board-could-be-your-ticket-to-fpga-development/
Microcontrollers are a great way to learn about developing for embedded systems. However, once you outgrow their capabilities, FPGAs bring muscle that’s hard for even the fastest-clocked micros to match. If you’re doing anything with high-speed signals, loads of RAM, or something that requires lots of parallel calculation, you can’t …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/led-driver-board-could-be-your-ticket-to-fpga-development/)
Fire Breathing N64 Puts Blast Processing In The Shade
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fire-breathing-n64-puts-blast-processing-in-the-shade/
Consoles over the years have innovated, bringing new features and experiences with each subsequent generation. Rumble, motion controls and more recently VR have all come to the fore as companies vie for supremacy in the marketplace. Nobody’s really had the guts to tackle fire, though. Until now.
The build is …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fire-breathing-n64-puts-blast-processing-in-the-shade/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fire-breathing-n64-puts-blast-processing-in-the-shade/
Consoles over the years have innovated, bringing new features and experiences with each subsequent generation. Rumble, motion controls and more recently VR have all come to the fore as companies vie for supremacy in the marketplace. Nobody’s really had the guts to tackle fire, though. Until now.
The build is …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/15/fire-breathing-n64-puts-blast-processing-in-the-shade/)
Turning A Sony into a Leica Through Extreme Camera Modding
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/turning-a-sony-into-a-leica-through-extreme-camera-modding/
The quality of a photograph is a subjective measure depending upon a multitude of factors of which the calibre of the camera is only one. Yet a high quality camera remains an object of desire for many photographers as it says something about you and not just about the photos …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/turning-a-sony-into-a-leica-through-extreme-camera-modding/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/turning-a-sony-into-a-leica-through-extreme-camera-modding/
The quality of a photograph is a subjective measure depending upon a multitude of factors of which the calibre of the camera is only one. Yet a high quality camera remains an object of desire for many photographers as it says something about you and not just about the photos …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/turning-a-sony-into-a-leica-through-extreme-camera-modding/)
Electric Vehicles on Ice
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/electric-vehicles-on-ice/
This winter, a group of electric vehicle enthusiasts, including [Dane Kouttron], raced their homemade electric go-karts on the semi-frozen tundra nearby as part of their annual winter tradition. These vehicles are appropriately named Atomic Thing and Doom Sled, and need perfect weather conditions to really put them to the test. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/electric-vehicles-on-ice/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/electric-vehicles-on-ice/
This winter, a group of electric vehicle enthusiasts, including [Dane Kouttron], raced their homemade electric go-karts on the semi-frozen tundra nearby as part of their annual winter tradition. These vehicles are appropriately named Atomic Thing and Doom Sled, and need perfect weather conditions to really put them to the test. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/electric-vehicles-on-ice/)
This Week in Security: Black Hat, DEF CON, and Patch Tuesday
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/this-week-in-security-black-hat-def-con-and-patch-tuesday/
Blackhat and DEF CON both just wrapped, and Patch Tuesday was this week. We have a bunch of stories to cover today.
First some light-hearted shenanigans. Obviously inspired by Little Bobby Tables, Droogie applied for the vanity plate “NULL”. A year went by without any problems, but soon enough it …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/this-week-in-security-black-hat-def-con-and-patch-tuesday/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/this-week-in-security-black-hat-def-con-and-patch-tuesday/
Blackhat and DEF CON both just wrapped, and Patch Tuesday was this week. We have a bunch of stories to cover today.
First some light-hearted shenanigans. Obviously inspired by Little Bobby Tables, Droogie applied for the vanity plate “NULL”. A year went by without any problems, but soon enough it …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/this-week-in-security-black-hat-def-con-and-patch-tuesday/)
Broken HP-48 Calculator Reborn As Bluetooth Keyboard
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/broken-hp-48-calculator-reborn-as-bluetooth-keyboard/
Considering their hardware specification, graphing calculators surely feel like an anachronism in 2019. There are plenty of apps and other software available for that nowadays, and despite all preaching by our teachers, we actually do carry calculators with us every day. On the other hand, never underestimate the power of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/broken-hp-48-calculator-reborn-as-bluetooth-keyboard/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/broken-hp-48-calculator-reborn-as-bluetooth-keyboard/
Considering their hardware specification, graphing calculators surely feel like an anachronism in 2019. There are plenty of apps and other software available for that nowadays, and despite all preaching by our teachers, we actually do carry calculators with us every day. On the other hand, never underestimate the power of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/16/broken-hp-48-calculator-reborn-as-bluetooth-keyboard/)