November 2, 2020
433 mhz, alarm, alarm system, classic hacks, ESP32, home hacks, optocoupler

ESP32 Adds New Features To 1990s Home Alarm System

Given how fast technology is progressing, some consumer gadgets lend themselves to being replaced every few years. Mobile phones are a particularly good example of a device that you probably won’t want to hold onto for more than 4 years or so, with TVs not far behind them. On the other hand, something like a […]

October 31, 2020
3d Printer hacks, MSLA, network control, Octoprint, Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Zero, resin 3d printer, Software Hacks

Adding Remote Control To The Elegoo Mars Pro

Recent price drops put entry level masked stereolithography (MSLA) resin 3D printers at around $200 USD, making them a very compelling tool for makers and hackers. But as you might expect, getting the price this low often involves cutting several corners. One of the ways manufacturers have made their machines so cheap is by simplifying […]

October 20, 2020
portable computer, Raspberry Pi, rugged raspberry pi, ruggedized

Simplifying The Ruggedized Raspberry Pi Portable

Over the last year we’ve seen a wave of portable computer builds that center around the Raspberry Pi taking up residence inside a commercial heavy-duty storage case. It’s not hard to see why; whether you spring for the Pelican case or get a cheaper alternative, these water-tight cases are far stronger than anything you’re going […]

October 19, 2020
computer hacks, electronic load, gaming pc, test equipment, Tool Hacks, water cooling

Custom Electronic Load Makes Use Of Gaming PC Tech

At first glance, you might think the piece of hardware pictured here is a modern gaming computer. It’s got water cooling, RGB LED lighting, and an ATX power supply, all of which happen to be mounted inside a flashy computer case complete with a clear window. In truth, it’s hard to see it as anything […]

October 12, 2020
HUB75, LED Hacks, led matrix, Music Player Daemon, Raspberry Pi

Lo-Fi Art On A 32×32 Matrix

Display technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few years, thanks in no small part to the smartphone revolution. High-resolution LCD panels are dirt cheap and easy to interface with. There’s absolutely no logical reason to try and show images on a 32×32 array of RGB LEDs. But that didn’t stop [Felix […]

October 8, 2020
breadboard, classic hacks, educational, electronics kit, microcontroller, Microcontrollers, trainer

Developing An Open Source Electronics Trainer

It’s a safe bet that most Hackaday reader’s interest in electronics started at a young age, and that their early forays into the world of hardware hacking likely involved some form of “playground” kit. As long as you didn’t lose any of the components, these kits promised the user that hundreds of possible projects were […]

October 1, 2020
custom firmware, LA104, logic analyzer, multi-tool, Software Hacks, Tool Hacks

Teaching A Pocket Logic Analyzer (Many) New Tricks

A few years ago, low-cost pocket digital oscilloscopes aimed at the hacker and maker crowd started hitting the market and gained quite a following. While few would consider them to be a replacement for a proper bench scope, they’re cheap and convenient enough that it’s hard to complain. Manufacturers are apparently looking to expand on […]

September 11, 2020
ble, exercise bike, Hardware, Peripherals Hacks, reverse engineering, Zwift

A Deep Dive Into The Sterzo Steering Plate

Pedaling in place isn’t the most exciting pastime, so it’s no surprise that modern technology is being used to make the in-home biking experience a bit more interactive. With a stand on the rear wheel providing resistance, and a movable steering plate under the front to read the handlebar angle, you can now use your […]

September 9, 2020
dashboard, dyno, lego, model, motorized, Raspberry Pi, sports car, Toy Hacks, transmission

LEGO Delivers Corvette Experience On A Budget

Many dream of tooling around in a high performance sports car, but the cost of owning, maintaining, and insuring one of them make it a difficult proposition. While this LEGO version of the Corvette ZR1 might not be exactly like the real thing, it’s 4-speed manual and electronic gauge cluster can give you a taste of […]

September 7, 2020
atari, atmega32u4, Disk drive, emulator, Microcontrollers, Retrocomputing, sd card

Miniature Faux Floppy For 8-Bit Atari Looks The Part

There’s plenty of fun to be had with retrocomputers of yesteryear, but for modern users, it can be something of a culture shock. Going back to floppy disks after all these years is a reminder of just how far storage technology has come in terms of speed, reliability, and of course, capacity. Luckily, there are […]

September 3, 2020
crowd source, Current Events, Flipper One, multitool, pwnagotchi, Tool Hacks

Flipper Zero Blasts Past Funding Goal And Into Our Hearts

There’s never been a better time to be a hardware hacker: the tools are cheap, the information is free, and the possibilities are nearly endless. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. The Flipper One was developed to make the world of hardware hacking even more accessible, and as of this writing, has […]

August 6, 2020
ballast, Games, rov, submarine, submersible, Toy Hacks, underwater, watertight

Scratch Built Subnautica Sub Explores The Pool

In Subnautica, players explore an alien underwater landscape with the help of a number of futuristic tools and vehicles. [Robert Cook] found himself particularly enamored with the large submarine you unlock towards the later parts of the game, so much so that he decided to build his own real-life version. Even though the RC version of […]

July 29, 2020
bluetooth, bluetooth low energy, contact tracing, COVID, covid-19, ESP32, Microcontrollers, web bluetooth, Wireless Hacks

ESP32 Turned Open Source COVID-19 Contact Tracer

Over the past few months we’ve heard a lot about contact tracers which are designed to inform users if they’ve potentially come into close proximity with someone who has the virus. Generally these systems have been based on smartphone applications, but there are also hardware solutions that can operate independently for those who are unable […]

July 25, 2020
home hacks, laser, Laser Hacks, LED Hacks, qi charger, RGB LED, wood veneer, woodworking

Laser Cutting Your Way To An RGB LED Table

You’ve got the RGB keyboard, maybe even the RGB mouse. But can you really call yourself master of the technicolor LED if you don’t have an RGB table to game on? We think you already know the answer. Luckily, as [ItKindaWorks] shows in his latest project, it’s easy to build your own. Assuming you’ve got […]

July 13, 2020
bme280, lightning detector, Raspberry Pi, Science, solar power, weather station, weatherproof

Solar Weather Station Listens For Lightning

Custom weather stations are a common enough project these days, especially based around the ESP8266. Wire a sensor up to the MCU, power it up with an old phone charger, and you’re half way there. But if you want something that’s going to operate remotely on the long term, you’ve got to put a little […]

July 7, 2020
3D printed enclosure, freecad, KiCAD, PCB design, Tool Hacks

Designing 3D Printed Enclosures For KiCad PCBs

If you’ve used KiCad before, you’re certainly familiar with the handy 3D view that shows you a rendered view of what your assembled board would look like. But as [Vadim Panov] explains, you can take this capability a step further. With a few extra tools and a little bit of know-how, you can leverage KiCad’s […]

July 5, 2020
classic game, classic hacks, easter egg, Games, nintendo, VIC-20, vintage

Finding A Secret Message From A Gaming Legend

Satoru Iwata is perhaps best remembered for leading Nintendo through the development of the DS and Wii, two wildly successful systems which undeniably helped bring gaming to a wider and more mainstream audience. But decades before becoming the company’s President in 2002, he got his start in the industry as a developer working on many […]

July 3, 2020
Curiosity, ESP32, LoRa, remote control, Robots Hacks, rocker-bogie, rover

The Open Source Mars Rover, One Year Later

As the name implies, here at Hackaday we strive to bring you interesting projects every single day. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a project only gets one day to grace these storied pages. Quite the opposite, in fact. We’re always happy to revisit a project and find out how far it’s evolved since we last crossed […]

June 21, 2020
custom hardware, FFC, flexible circuits, flexible flat cable, Games, handhelds hacks, Nintendo Hacks, portable console, portable N64

Custom Portable N64 Embraces Modern Making

In the beginning, there was hot glue. Plus some tape, and a not inconsiderable amount of Bondo. In general, building custom portable game consoles a decade or so in the past was just a bit…messier than it is today. But with all the incredible tools and techniques the individual hardware hacker now has at their […]

June 7, 2020
computer hacks, cyberdeck, Raspberry Pi, SmartPi Touch

Build This Cyberdeck In A Cave With A Box Of Scraps

Desktop 3D printing has been a big enabler for the cyberdeck community, as it’s allowed individuals to create unique frames and enclosures which would have been far more difficult and time consuming to produce using traditional methods. But what if you don’t have access to a well-stocked workspace, and need to do your building with […]

Author: Tom Nardi