Retrotechtacular: The OSCAR 7 Satellite Died and was Reborn 20 Years Later
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/retrotechtacular-the-oscar-7-satellite-died-and-was-reborn-20-years-later/
If I were to ask you what is the oldest man-made orbiting satellite still in use, I’d expect to hear a variety of answers. Space geeks might mention the passive radar calibration spheres, or possibly one of the early weather satellites. But what about the oldest communication satellite still in …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/retrotechtacular-the-oscar-7-satellite-died-and-was-reborn-20-years-later/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/retrotechtacular-the-oscar-7-satellite-died-and-was-reborn-20-years-later/
If I were to ask you what is the oldest man-made orbiting satellite still in use, I’d expect to hear a variety of answers. Space geeks might mention the passive radar calibration spheres, or possibly one of the early weather satellites. But what about the oldest communication satellite still in …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/retrotechtacular-the-oscar-7-satellite-died-and-was-reborn-20-years-later/)
An Exoskeleton Arm For A Hacker On A Budget
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/an-exoskeleton-arm-for-a-hacker-on-a-budget/
Whether it is motivated by a dream of superhuman strength courtesy of a mech suit or of mobility for those with impaired muscle function, the powered exoskeleton exerts a curious fascination among engineers. The idea of a machine-augmented human body achieving great things is thwarted though by the difficulty of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/an-exoskeleton-arm-for-a-hacker-on-a-budget/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/an-exoskeleton-arm-for-a-hacker-on-a-budget/
Whether it is motivated by a dream of superhuman strength courtesy of a mech suit or of mobility for those with impaired muscle function, the powered exoskeleton exerts a curious fascination among engineers. The idea of a machine-augmented human body achieving great things is thwarted though by the difficulty of …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/an-exoskeleton-arm-for-a-hacker-on-a-budget/)
Fail Of The Week: Toilets And High Voltage Do Not Mix
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/fail-of-the-week-toilets-and-high-voltage-do-not-mix/
Imagine if you will that you are enthroned upon the porcelain, minding your own business while doing your business. You’re catching up on Hackaday on your phone – c’mon, admit it – when a whir and a buzz comes from behind you. You sit up in alarm, whereupon your lower …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/fail-of-the-week-toilets-and-high-voltage-do-not-mix/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/fail-of-the-week-toilets-and-high-voltage-do-not-mix/
Imagine if you will that you are enthroned upon the porcelain, minding your own business while doing your business. You’re catching up on Hackaday on your phone – c’mon, admit it – when a whir and a buzz comes from behind you. You sit up in alarm, whereupon your lower …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/fail-of-the-week-toilets-and-high-voltage-do-not-mix/)
How to Build a CubeSat
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/how-to-build-a-cubesat/
There was a time when building your own satellite and having it placed into orbit would have been a wild dream. Now it is extremely possible, but still not trivial. A CubeSat is a very small satellite that can hitch a ride with a bigger satellite or get tossed out …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/how-to-build-a-cubesat/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/how-to-build-a-cubesat/
There was a time when building your own satellite and having it placed into orbit would have been a wild dream. Now it is extremely possible, but still not trivial. A CubeSat is a very small satellite that can hitch a ride with a bigger satellite or get tossed out …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/how-to-build-a-cubesat/)
Memristor Computing On A Chip
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/memristor-computing-on-a-chip/
Memristors have been — so far — mostly a solution looking for a problem. However, researchers at the University of Michigan are claiming the first memristor-based programmable computer that has the potential to make AI applications more efficient and faster.
Because memristors have a memory, they can accumulate data in …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/memristor-computing-on-a-chip/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/memristor-computing-on-a-chip/
Memristors have been — so far — mostly a solution looking for a problem. However, researchers at the University of Michigan are claiming the first memristor-based programmable computer that has the potential to make AI applications more efficient and faster.
Because memristors have a memory, they can accumulate data in …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/memristor-computing-on-a-chip/)
Simulate Climate With An Arduino
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/simulate-climate-with-an-arduino/
There are usually two ways to go about any task: the easy way and the hard way. Sometimes we might not know there are two options, but once we see someone else’s solution we might feel differently. When running a greenhouse or small farm, for example, we might decide to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/simulate-climate-with-an-arduino/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/simulate-climate-with-an-arduino/
There are usually two ways to go about any task: the easy way and the hard way. Sometimes we might not know there are two options, but once we see someone else’s solution we might feel differently. When running a greenhouse or small farm, for example, we might decide to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/02/simulate-climate-with-an-arduino/)
Antenna Tuning For GHz Frequencies
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/antenna-tuning-for-ghz-frequencies/
Antenna tuning at HF frequencies is something that radio amateurs learn as part of their licence exam, and then hone over their time operating. A few basic instruments and an LC network antenna tuner in a box are all that is required, and everything from a bit of wet string …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/antenna-tuning-for-ghz-frequencies/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/antenna-tuning-for-ghz-frequencies/
Antenna tuning at HF frequencies is something that radio amateurs learn as part of their licence exam, and then hone over their time operating. A few basic instruments and an LC network antenna tuner in a box are all that is required, and everything from a bit of wet string …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/antenna-tuning-for-ghz-frequencies/)
An All-Iron Battery Isn’t Light, But It’s Cheap
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/an-all-iron-battery-isnt-light-but-its-cheap/
Rechargeable batteries are a technology that has been with us for well over a century, and which is undergoing a huge quantity of research into improved energy density for both mobile and alternative energy projects. But the commonly used chemistries all come with their own hazards, be they chemical contamination, …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/an-all-iron-battery-isnt-light-but-its-cheap/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/an-all-iron-battery-isnt-light-but-its-cheap/
Rechargeable batteries are a technology that has been with us for well over a century, and which is undergoing a huge quantity of research into improved energy density for both mobile and alternative energy projects. But the commonly used chemistries all come with their own hazards, be they chemical contamination, …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/an-all-iron-battery-isnt-light-but-its-cheap/)
Maybe the Oldest Computer, Probably the Oddest
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/maybe-the-oldest-computer-probably-the-oddest/
[Tadao Hamada] works for Fujitsu Tokki, a subsidiary of the more famous Fujitsu. In 1956, Fujitsu decided to compete with IBM and built a relay-based computer, the FACOM128. The computer takes up 70 square meters and weighs about 3 tons. By 1959, they’d learned enough to make a FACOM128B model …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/maybe-the-oldest-computer-probably-the-oddest/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/maybe-the-oldest-computer-probably-the-oddest/
[Tadao Hamada] works for Fujitsu Tokki, a subsidiary of the more famous Fujitsu. In 1956, Fujitsu decided to compete with IBM and built a relay-based computer, the FACOM128. The computer takes up 70 square meters and weighs about 3 tons. By 1959, they’d learned enough to make a FACOM128B model …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/maybe-the-oldest-computer-probably-the-oddest/)
Make Your Own Flexible Panel Lights
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/make-your-own-flexible-panel-lights/
In this day and age, production values are everything. Even bottom-rung content creators are packing 4K smartphones and DSLRs these days, so if you want to compete, you’re gonna need the hardware. Lighting is the key to creating good video, so you might find a set of flexible panel lights …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/make-your-own-flexible-panel-lights/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/make-your-own-flexible-panel-lights/
In this day and age, production values are everything. Even bottom-rung content creators are packing 4K smartphones and DSLRs these days, so if you want to compete, you’re gonna need the hardware. Lighting is the key to creating good video, so you might find a set of flexible panel lights …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/make-your-own-flexible-panel-lights/)
High Performance Stereo Computer Vision for the Raspberry Pi
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/high-performance-stereo-computer-vision-for-the-raspberry-pi/
Up until now, running any kind of computer vision system on the Raspberry Pi has been rather underwhelming, even with the addition of products such as the Movidius Neural Compute Stick. Looking to improve on the performance situation while still enjoying the benefits of the Raspberry Pi community, [Brandon] and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/high-performance-stereo-computer-vision-for-the-raspberry-pi/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/high-performance-stereo-computer-vision-for-the-raspberry-pi/
Up until now, running any kind of computer vision system on the Raspberry Pi has been rather underwhelming, even with the addition of products such as the Movidius Neural Compute Stick. Looking to improve on the performance situation while still enjoying the benefits of the Raspberry Pi community, [Brandon] and …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/high-performance-stereo-computer-vision-for-the-raspberry-pi/)
Raspberry Pi Helps Vintage Psion Find its Voice
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/raspberry-pi-helps-vintage-psion-find-its-voice/
Ask a hacker to imagine computing in the 1980s, and they might think of the classic 8-bit all-in-one machines from the likes of Commodore and Atari, or perhaps the early PCs and Macs. No matter the flavor, they’ll likely have one thing in common: a lack of mobility thanks to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/raspberry-pi-helps-vintage-psion-find-its-voice/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/raspberry-pi-helps-vintage-psion-find-its-voice/
Ask a hacker to imagine computing in the 1980s, and they might think of the classic 8-bit all-in-one machines from the likes of Commodore and Atari, or perhaps the early PCs and Macs. No matter the flavor, they’ll likely have one thing in common: a lack of mobility thanks to …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/raspberry-pi-helps-vintage-psion-find-its-voice/)
Add A Microscope To Your 3D Printer
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/add-a-microscope-to-your-3d-printer/
There are many ways to keep an eye on your 3D printer as it churns out the layers of your print. Most of us take a peek every now and then to ensure we’re not making plastic vermicelli, and some of us will go further with a Raspberry Pi camera …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/add-a-microscope-to-your-3d-printer/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/add-a-microscope-to-your-3d-printer/
There are many ways to keep an eye on your 3D printer as it churns out the layers of your print. Most of us take a peek every now and then to ensure we’re not making plastic vermicelli, and some of us will go further with a Raspberry Pi camera …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/add-a-microscope-to-your-3d-printer/)
3D Printed Fan Filter Takes Cues from Costume Scene
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/3d-printed-fan-filter-takes-cues-from-costume-scene/
This custom fan filter created by [Kolomanschell] is a clever application of a technique used to create wearable 3D printed “fabrics”, which consist of printed objects embedded into a fine mesh like a nylon weave. The procedure itself is unchanged, but in this case it’s done not to embed 3D …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/3d-printed-fan-filter-takes-cues-from-costume-scene/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/3d-printed-fan-filter-takes-cues-from-costume-scene/
This custom fan filter created by [Kolomanschell] is a clever application of a technique used to create wearable 3D printed “fabrics”, which consist of printed objects embedded into a fine mesh like a nylon weave. The procedure itself is unchanged, but in this case it’s done not to embed 3D …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/03/3d-printed-fan-filter-takes-cues-from-costume-scene/)
Reverse Engineering An Ancient SBC With An Apple ][
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/reverse-engineering-an-ancient-sbc-with-an-apple/
We spend a lot of time in our community discussing the many home computers from the 8-bit era, while almost completely ignoring their industrial equivalents. While today a designer of a machine is more likely than not to reach for a microcontroller, four decades ago they would have used a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/reverse-engineering-an-ancient-sbc-with-an-apple/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/reverse-engineering-an-ancient-sbc-with-an-apple/
We spend a lot of time in our community discussing the many home computers from the 8-bit era, while almost completely ignoring their industrial equivalents. While today a designer of a machine is more likely than not to reach for a microcontroller, four decades ago they would have used a …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/reverse-engineering-an-ancient-sbc-with-an-apple/)
Dice Reader Brings Tech to Your Craps Game… Or, Ya Know, D&D
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/dice-reader-brings-tech-to-your-craps-game-or-ya-know-dd/
There are truisms about dice that you’ve probably already heard: if you have just one of them it’s called a “die”, opposite faces of each die always add up to seven, and those dots that you’re adding together are known as “pips”. But what about the infrared properties of those …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/dice-reader-brings-tech-to-your-craps-game-or-ya-know-dd/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/dice-reader-brings-tech-to-your-craps-game-or-ya-know-dd/
There are truisms about dice that you’ve probably already heard: if you have just one of them it’s called a “die”, opposite faces of each die always add up to seven, and those dots that you’re adding together are known as “pips”. But what about the infrared properties of those …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/dice-reader-brings-tech-to-your-craps-game-or-ya-know-dd/)
Apollo Guidance Computer Saved From The Scrap Yard
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/apollo-guidance-computer-saved-from-the-scrap-yard/
NASA needed a small and lightweight computer to send humans on their journey to the Moon and back, but computers of the day were made out of discrete components that were heavy, large, complicated, and unreliable. None of which are good qualities for spaceflight. The agency’s decision to ultimately trust …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/apollo-guidance-computer-saved-from-the-scrap-yard/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/apollo-guidance-computer-saved-from-the-scrap-yard/
NASA needed a small and lightweight computer to send humans on their journey to the Moon and back, but computers of the day were made out of discrete components that were heavy, large, complicated, and unreliable. None of which are good qualities for spaceflight. The agency’s decision to ultimately trust …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/apollo-guidance-computer-saved-from-the-scrap-yard/)
Doing What id Couldn’t: Returning Music To Jaguar Doom
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/doing-what-id-couldnt-returning-music-to-jaguar-doom/
While the rest of the world has by and large forgotten the Atari Jaguar, the generously marketed console still has a fan base, and even some dedicated hackers prodding away at it. [Cyrano Jones] is one of them, and he managed something many considered unthinkable: restoring in-game music to the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/doing-what-id-couldnt-returning-music-to-jaguar-doom/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/doing-what-id-couldnt-returning-music-to-jaguar-doom/
While the rest of the world has by and large forgotten the Atari Jaguar, the generously marketed console still has a fan base, and even some dedicated hackers prodding away at it. [Cyrano Jones] is one of them, and he managed something many considered unthinkable: restoring in-game music to the …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/doing-what-id-couldnt-returning-music-to-jaguar-doom/)
Bringing Pro-Level Data Recording to RC Racing
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/bringing-pro-level-data-recording-to-rc-racing/
We’re all familiar with the “Black Box” used on commercial aircraft, the flight data recorder which captures the minutia of each and every flight on the off-chance that it’s needed in the event of an accident. But even in less dire circumstances, the complete record of the aircraft’s performance versus …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/bringing-pro-level-data-recording-to-rc-racing/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/bringing-pro-level-data-recording-to-rc-racing/
We’re all familiar with the “Black Box” used on commercial aircraft, the flight data recorder which captures the minutia of each and every flight on the off-chance that it’s needed in the event of an accident. But even in less dire circumstances, the complete record of the aircraft’s performance versus …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/bringing-pro-level-data-recording-to-rc-racing/)
Hackaday Links: August 4, 2019
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/hackaday-links-august-4-2019/
Is the hacking community facing a HOPEless future? It may well be, if this report from 2600 Magazine is any indication. The biennial “Hackers On Planet Earth” conference is in serious financial jeopardy after the venue that’s hosted it for years, the Hotel Pennsylvania in Manhattan, announced a three-fold increase …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/hackaday-links-august-4-2019/)
https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/hackaday-links-august-4-2019/
Is the hacking community facing a HOPEless future? It may well be, if this report from 2600 Magazine is any indication. The biennial “Hackers On Planet Earth” conference is in serious financial jeopardy after the venue that’s hosted it for years, the Hotel Pennsylvania in Manhattan, announced a three-fold increase …read more (https://hackaday.com/2019/08/04/hackaday-links-august-4-2019/)