Electronics

I built my first mechanical keyboard (marcin.juszkiewicz.com.pl, 2025-03-09). Marcin Juszkiewicz outlines his journey building a custom mechanical keyboard using the Adelheid layout, QMK firmware, and various soldering techniques, alongside lessons learned and improvements for future projects

VanSpoof – A-Muntzing We Will Go (mikecoats.com, 2025-03-05). Designing the VanSpoof involved optimizing power consumption by removing unnecessary components and adjusting resistor values, while addressing issues with voltage regulation and signal rise times on the USART interface

MEGAphone Battery Management and Energy Harvesting Module (c65gs.blogspot.com, 2025-03-05). The MEGAphone module integrates energy harvesting with a battery management system, featuring solar MPPT tracking, USB-C input, and LiFePO4 batteries while utilizing design tools like KiCad for efficient system architecture

MEGAphone Fabrication of the first module PCBs (c65gs.blogspot.com, 2025-03-09). Paul Gardner-Stephen details the fabrication of MEGAphone's first module PCBs for a C64/C65 compatible computer, including audio jack and power management, with progress marked by completed schematics and PCB designs

STANDCON Conference 2025 Hardware Badge (blog.elmo.sg, 2025-03-09). The STANDCON Conference 2025 hardware badge features an RP2040 microprocessor, enabling Micropython challenges, I2C communication, and EEPROM access to reveal hidden flags, enhancing participants' hardware experience

Github repo adlerweb/J7-C_UC96_BLE_Logger (github.com, 2025-03-06). Bluetooth Low Energy Data logging for J7-C/UC96 USB Power Testers using gattlib, compatible with atorch protocol. Detailed options for device management and output formatting. Requires HCI version <5 due to compatibility issues

Rescuing data off of a broken Onset Tidbit temperature data logger (lukemiller.org, 2025-03-05). A researcher successfully salvaged data from a broken Onset Tidbit temperature logger by replacing its damaged LEDs using tools like a soldering iron, desoldering braid, and custom wiring to access and download the stored data

Brushing Up on Hardware Hacking Part 1 - PiFex Configuration (voidstarsec.com, 2025-03-05). Configuring a Raspberry Pi for hardware hacking using tools like PiGen and PiFex, focusing on modifying the SD card image for embedded device reverse engineering and enabling essential connections

Pi-Powered Berlin BVG Alerts (michaelweinberg.org, 2025-03-08). Michael Weinberg updates his Pi-Powered MTA Subway Alerts project for Berlin's BVG, utilizing a Raspberry Pi Zero and neopixels to provide real-time tram and subway arrival alerts based on walking time to the station

Keeping your Raspberry Pi online with watchdogs (dri.es, 2025-03-05). Implement hardware and software watchdogs on your Raspberry Pi to enhance reliability by detecting failures and automatically triggering reboots, ensuring your system remains online even in challenging conditions

Autoplay video on an analog TV using a Raspberry Pi 3 (aykevl.nl, 2025-03-09). A project using a Raspberry Pi 3 aims to autoplay videos on an analog TV, utilizing HDMI conversion and composite output, with challenges regarding display settings and video playback from USB

Swift on Raspberry Pi: Building Natively and Cross Compiling (swifttoolkit.dev, 2025-03-07). Learn how to set up a Raspberry Pi for Swift development, building apps natively or using cross-compilation with the Swift SDK Generator, and manage Swift toolchains with 'Swiftly'

Online Embedded Rust Simulator (wokwi.com, 2025-03-09). Wokwi offers an online simulator for ESP32, STM32, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi Pico, enabling users to test embedded Rust projects with real-time hardware interaction and various components like displays and sensors

A simulator to boost embedded software productivity (bitbanksoftware.blogspot.com, 2025-03-10). A simulator enhances embedded software productivity by allowing Arduino projects to run as native MacOS/iOS apps, leveraging Xcode and Instruments for faster debugging and optimization

Running Python on ESP32-S3 with NuttX (developer.espressif.com, 2025-03-07). ESP32-S3 now supports Python on NuttX, utilizing a POSIX-compliant interface to streamline hardware interactions. This integration opens up embedded application development to a broader audience with Python's extensive library ecosystem

Designing a TMS5220 Speech Synthesizer Multimodule (smbaker.com, 2025-03-11). Dr. Scott M. Baker designs a TMS5220 speech synthesizer multimodule, detailing its LPC speech synthesis, interfacing, integrated circuit complexities, and troubleshooting with practical coding examples

Chicken Nugget Piano (kevsrobots.com, 2025-03-08). Learn to build an innovative chicken nugget piano using a Raspberry Pi Pico and capacitive touch sensors, utilizing CircuitPython and MIDI libraries for an interactive musical experience

Duppa I2C MIDI Controller – Part 1 (diyelectromusic.com, 2025-03-09). Explore Duppa's I2C MIDI Controller project using LED rings and rotary encoders, focusing on I2C address configuration, pull-up resistors, and integration with Arduino for MIDI capabilities

Polyphonic pickup, measurements (wreckage.link, 2025-03-06). Exploring polyphonic pickup measurements using ESP32-S3 and MCP3008 ADC, focusing on signal-to-noise ratios, crosstalk, frequency response, and SPI driver optimizations to enhance data acquisition performance

#shorts – CMOS battery failed – Dallas RTC module hax (retrohax.net, 2025-03-07). Revive old Dallas RTC modules with a simple hack: desoldering, using a Dremmel, and adding a replaceable CR2025 battery tray solves the 'CMOS battery failed' error for retro computers

Initial testing of Virtual 2315 Cartridge Facility working on the IBM 1130 (rescue1130.blogspot.com, 2025-03-09). Initial tests on the Virtual 2315 Cartridge Facility for the IBM 1130 revealed issues with components, including the Raspberry Pi PICO and signaling errors in the system's behavior, prompting further troubleshooting

Set up instrumented version of Virtual 2315 Cartridge Facility for further virtual mode testing (rescue1130.blogspot.com, 2025-03-10). Instrumented Virtual 2315 Cartridge Facility set up with Raspberry Pi PICO for testing. Key tools used include Icecube2 for FPGA bitstream development and USB serial for diagnostics during virtual mode operations

Designing a Toy Conveyor Belt For Fun and Profit (hackaday.com, 2025-03-06). A hobbyist designs a hand-cranked toy conveyor belt inspired by Factorio, utilizing CAD skills to create sprockets and a functional prototype, aiming for a compact factory line experience

Hacking Digital Calipers for Automated Measurements and Sorta-Micron Accuracy (hackaday.com, 2025-03-06). Digital calipers are hacked by connecting to a Raspberry Pi, enhancing measurement precision while tackling issues like signal noise and power management. This exploration reveals their potential for automated metrology on a budget

Custom Touchpad PCBs Without The Pain (hackaday.com, 2025-03-06). A script utilizing OpenSCAD and Python simplifies the creation of custom touchpad PCBs by generating an Eagle-compatible board file from a diamond grid matrix, addressing the complexities of manual design

Writing an OLED Display Driver in MicroZig (hackaday.com, 2025-03-09). MicroZig is leveraged for programming the Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU, creating an SSD1306 OLED display driver while showcasing features of Zig such as memory safety and option types for embedded projects

Piggyback Board Brings Touch Sensing to USB Soldering Iron (hackaday.com, 2025-03-05). A capacitive-touch control module enhances a USB soldering iron, preventing it from auto-shutting off during periods of inactivity, using a piggyback board fitted with a TTP223 sensor for continuous operation

Interposer Helps GPS Receiver Overcome Its Age (hackaday.com, 2025-03-04). Tom Verbeure revives an outdated Symmetricom GPS receiver by building an interposer using an RP2040 board and custom PCB to tackle rollover issues, thus avoiding firmware hacking solutions

Open Source Hardware, How Open Do You Want It To Be? (hackaday.com, 2025-03-07). Exploring the concept of open-source hardware, focusing on project completeness and openness, exemplified through the Single 8 home movie cartridge and Tildagon badge using tools like OpenSCAD and the CERN OHL

Some thoughts on Pimoroni's "Pico GFX Pack" LCD module (kevinboone.me, 2025-03-04). Kevin Boone explores Pimoroni's Pico GFX Pack, featuring a 128x64 LCD with an ST7567 controller, SPI communication, GPIOs for buttons and LEDs, and low-power operation using a Raspberry Pi Pico

HPR4331: Re-inventing the light switch (hackerpublicradio.org, 2025-03-10). Lee demonstrates home automation techniques using Bash, Python, and Apache Cordova to control Wiz Connected smart light bulbs, including scripts for turning lights on/off and adjusting brightness remotely

An alarm clock for werewolves (linestarve.com, 2025-03-07). A custom lunar clock was created using a Braun BC02BL travel alarm clock and Gepetto Electronics motor controller, featuring a unique 29.530-day hour hand for design practice and conversation piece appeal

RTSP Camera Stream Dashboard (timleland.com, 2025-03-10). Tim Leland upgraded his RTSP Camera Dashboard using a Dell Mini OptiPlex and Ubuntu, continuing to utilize Wyze Cameras with rewritten C++ software, enabling live streaming from four cameras for home security

Yet another boring project (with an interesting back-story) (rodyne.com, 2025-03-05). A clock project using a 2M x 1M seven-segment display made from wine bottles; powered by ESP32-C3, with RTC and Wi-Fi for time setting via a web interface, and shift registers for LED control

Testing a LoRa Module's Real-World Range with a Camera Speedlight (null-byte.wonderhowto.com, 2025-03-07). Experimental testing of LoRa (long-range) modules to measure urban range using a camera speedlight, revealing effective connectivity over distances approaching a mile with tools like USB Nuggets and Flipper Zero

PewtyBot 1.0 (ben.akrin.com, 2025-03-11). PewtyBot 1.0 showcases a modified project that enhances development with features such as laser usage and rotating mirrors, addressing speed inaccuracies, and emphasizing the importance of thorough documentation

PR Test Bot for PinePhone (Apache NuttX RTOS) (lupyuen.org, 2025-03-09). The PR Test Bot for PinePhone utilizes a Yuzuki Avaota-A1 SBC and an SDWire MicroSD multiplexer to automate NuttX RTOS testing on real arm64 hardware, enhancing efficiency in pull request processing

Building an open-source Wi-Fi Mac layer for the ESP32 (esp32-open-mac.be, 2025-03-09). ESP32 open MAC aims to create an open-source Wi-Fi MAC layer using C and Rust, improving security, interoperability, and research capabilities, featuring implementations like esp32-open-mac and Ferris-on-Air

Reverse engineering WPA crypto acceleration on ESP32 (esp32-open-mac.be, 2025-03-07). Explore how the ESP32's hardware acceleration supports WPA2 networks through key derivation, encryption, and decryption, utilizing algorithms like CCMP, TKIP, AES, and handling unique 4-address frame scenarios

ESP32 “Backdoor” Claims? How CVE-2025-27840 Analysis Shows No Backdoor (flyingpenguin.com, 2025-03-09). Espressif's CVE-2025-27840 has been misinterpreted as a backdoor; analysis reveals undocumented vendor commands, not malicious intent, using tools like Ghidra for reverse engineering

The ESP32 "backdoor" that wasn't (darkmentor.com, 2025-03-08). Claims of a backdoor in ESP32 Bluetooth chips are refuted, highlighting that vendor-specific HCI commands for memory access are common across various manufacturers like Broadcom and Texas Instruments, and do not indicate malicious intent