Electronics: 24th June 2025

Torx Plus: The High-Tech Screw Hiding in Our Gadgets (ifixit​.com). Torx Plus, an advanced screw design with improved torque transmission and reduced cam-out issues, is gaining popularity among tech giants, enhancing repairability while presenting a challenge due to its proprietary nature compared to traditional Phillips screws

LaborBerlin: State-of-the-Art 16mm Projector (filmlabs​.org). A modular 16mm film projector project utilizing open-source technologies aims to replace aging equipment through LED tests, water cooling systems, and adaptable mechanisms for artists and archivists by 2025

Bascule Relief (thingswemake​.com). Josh Sucher details his obsession with the Hamilton Avenue Bridge, building tools like tilt sensors and monitoring systems to determine its opening status

Building my own paper tape punch (unimplementedtrap​.com). A DIY paper tape punch combining solenoid mechanics, Arduino circuits, and specially machined tools showcases a novel approach to creating 1-inch wide, 8-hole punched tape using HSS steel and thermal paper

Building the Kilnettle Tape Dispenser (mikecoats​.com). Stephen Coyle's Kilnettle Shrine Talking Tape Dispenser uses an ESP8266 and combines through-hole and surface-mount components, with design files on GitHub and assembly guidance available via YouTube

Atari 2600 Controller Shield PCB Revisited – Part 3 (diyelectromusic​.com). Exploring the use of RC circuits over ADCs for reading Atari 2600 paddles, this piece presents simplified Arduino code for measuring paddle input via digital read, enhancing DIY electronic music projects

The M17 Nokia 3310 (Part 1) (rz01​.org). The M17 Nokia 3310 transforms an old Nokia phone into a modern communication device using pre-assembled PCBs and firmware for M17 messaging, utilizing tools like KiCad and UART USB interfaces

Arduino MIDI Atari Paddles (diyelectromusic​.com). Create a MIDI CC controller using Atari paddles and an Arduino MIDI Proto Shield for electronic music projects

AdaFruit Feather: MIDI Event Processor (sandsoftwaresound​.net). The project aims to create a flexible MIDI event processor using the AdaFruit Feather M4 Express and FeatherWings, allowing for custom key switching and advanced MIDI functionality not supported by standard devices

Train Simulator Controller: Horn Control (z80​.me). The implementation of a four-way joystick and CAN bus controller for enhanced horn control in a Train Simulator dashboard, enabling the emulation of various UK train horn sounds

Software defined KISS modem (blog​.habets​.se). The author continues developing the RustRadio SDR framework, focusing on a software-defined KISS modem that utilizes I/Q signals for AX.25 communications, enhancing reception strategies and modulation efficiency

MQTTy (linuxphoneapps​.org). MQTTy is a native GUI MQTT client designed for mobile devices, primarily for testing and debugging IoT applications utilizing the MQTT protocol, built with Rust and reliant on the GTK4 framework

Building Agentic Workflows for my HomeLab (abhisaha​.com). Agentic workflows for automating homelab tasks via AI, integrating tools like Docker, Portainer, and Glances, enhancing smart home control, performance analysis and user interaction

Keeping Snap and Crackle under Control with Prunt Printer Firmware (pappp​.net). Prunt firmware introduces a 31-phase motion profile for 3D printers, enhancing smooth motion control while minimizing vibrations, and includes features for electrical fault detection and hardware timer-based step generation

2025 Week 25 (rkrishnan​.org). Ramakrishnan shares insights on the importance of side projects, discusses frustrations with urban life in Bangalore, and mentions upcoming repair projects including the use of git-appraise

Pico Plotter (kevsrobots​.com). Build a plotter using the Raspberry Pi Pico and MicroPython to create simple drawings and patterns, guided by a detailed project that includes videos and coding resources

Time for a change, just for a while (maddox​.pro). Paula pauses synth development to explore old computer tech, including the PJ5 CPU project, PC104plus style PCs, and Transputers, while transitioning from Windows to Ubuntu and enjoying time with her dog, Suzi

3D Printed Sign Letter Stencil (rasterweb​.net). A quick guide on creating a 3D printed sign letter stencil using Inkscape and OpenSCAD, involving design, extrusion to STL, and stencil application for efficient sign-making

Amiga 4000 Repair: This one was just weird (linuxjedi​.co​.uk). An Amiga 4000 motherboard repair involved patching an OKI RTC chip, troubleshooting reset signals, and discovering a faulty power supply, leading to successful restoration after fixing a corroded trace

Unboxing the Legend Continues: Amiga 1000 Mouse Restoration. (linuxjedi​.co​.uk). A restoration project for the Amiga 1000 mouse, involving disassembly, cleaning, and repairs using components like the HA17339 comparator and LM339, ensuring functionality for retro gaming

Notes when disassembling Fujitsu Siemens Futro S200/S300 thin clients (sporks​.space). Disassembling Fujitsu Siemens Futro S200/S300 thin clients requires careful steps to access the board, particularly for inspection or replacement. Note the unpopulated VRAM pads on the S300 model

iBolit2 - a new cartridge for MSX diagnostics (msx​.org). RBSC has released iBolit2, an open-source MSX diagnostic cartridge featuring an Altera MAXII CPLD, four diagnostic modes, enhanced voltage measurement with LCD indicators, and overvoltage protection for reliable performance

Battery life (revk​.uk). RevK explores battery life optimization using the ESP32 and LiPo batteries, leveraging deep sleep modes and innovative power management techniques with components like TI's TPS22916 for enhanced efficiency in low-power devices

Faikin board ATE (revk​.uk). Development and testing of the Faikin board for Daikin air conditioning, featuring ESP32-S3-MINI-1-N4R2 and TC2030 programming lead for component testing

Making Xiao into a Trmnl (medo64​.com). A user recounts their experience converting a Seeed Xiao ESP32-C3 into a Trmnl device using PlatformIO, addressing firmware compatibility issues and the necessary GPIO configurations

Touchpad Digit Recognition Based on ESP-DL (developer​.espressif​.com). Implement touchpad-based digit recognition using ESP-DL on ESP32 chips, covering data collection, model training, and deployment with a lightweight CNN and PyTorch for edge AI applications

Extracting Embedded MultiMediaCard (eMMC) contents in-system (thezdi​.com). Explore methods to extract eMMC data in-system using tools like STM32 adapters, logic analyzers, and power supplies, while addressing challenges in signal identification and power management

Fault Injection – Follow the White Rabbit (security​.humanativaspa​.it). Research discusses voltage injection attacks on ESP32 V3 for bypassing Secure Boot and Flash Encryption using tools like Chipwhisperer and espsecure.py, revealing fault injection as a complex yet viable attack technique

Writing a basic Linux device driver when you know nothing about Linux drivers or USB (crescentro​.se). Exploring Linux device driver development, the author reverse-engineers the Nanoleaf Pegboard Desk Dock, utilizing tools like lsusb, and sets up udev rules for user access to the device

Teaching an emulator how to talk (mrcat​.au). Developing a RISC-V emulator with memory-mapped I/O to run Linux using Debian and QEMU environments, implementing OpenSBI and U-Boot

A Real-time Endoscopic Image Denoising System (arxiv:cs). A hybrid denoising system combining traditional image processing and learning-based techniques effectively reduces noise in endoscopic images, improving PSNR from 21.16 to 33.05, while maintaining real-time performance on FPGA platforms

SparseDPD: A Sparse Neural Network-based Digital Predistortion FPGA Accelerator for RF Power Amplifier Linearization (arxiv:cs). SparseDPD utilizes a spatially sparse PNTDNN implemented on Xilinx Zynq-7Z010 FPGA, achieving 170 MHz operation with 241 mW power, 74% sparsity, and superior linearization performance for RF power amplifiers

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