Just like the garage computer explosion of the 70’s through the 80’s, which brought us such things as Apple, pong, Bill Gate’s hair, and the proliferation of personal computers, the maker movement is the new garage hardware explosion. Today, 135 million adults in the United States alone are involved in the maker movement.
Enthusiasts who want to build the products they want, from shortwave radios to personal computers, and to tweak products they’ve bought to make them even better, have long been a part of the electronics industry. By all measures, garage-style innovation remains alive and well today, as “makers” as they are called continue to turn out contemporary gadgets, including 3D printers, drones, and embedded electronics devices.
Making is about individual Do-It-Yourselfers being able to design and create with tools that were, as of a decade or two ago, only available to large, cash-rich corporations: CAD tools, CNC mills, 3D printers, low-quantity PCB manufacturing, open hardware such as Arduinos and similar inexpensive development boards – all items that have made it easier and relatively cheap to make whatever we imagine. For individuals, maker tools can change how someone views their home or their hobbies. The world is ours to make. Humans are genetically wired to be makers. The maker movement is simply the result of making powerful building and communication tools accessible to the masses. There are plenty of projects from makers that show good engineering: Take this Arduino board with tremendous potential, developed by a young maker, as example.
The maker movement is a catalyst to democratize entrepreneurship as these do-it-yourself electronics are proving to be hot sellers: In the past year, unit sales for 3D printing related products; Arduino units, parts and supplies; Raspberry Pi boards; drones and quadcopters; and robotics goods are all on a growth curve in terms of eBay sales. There are many Kickstarter maker projects going on. The Pebble E-Paper Watch raises $10 million. The LIFX smartphone-controlled LED bulb raises $1.3 million. What do these products have in common? They both secured funding through Kickstarter, a crowd-funding website that is changing the game for entrepreneurs. Both products were created by makers who seek to commercialize their inventions. These “startup makers” iterate on prototypes with high-end tools at professional makerspaces.
For companies to remain competitive, they need to embrace the maker movement or leave themselves open for disruption. Researchers found that 96 percent of business leaders believe new technologies have forever changed the rules of business by democratizing information and rewiring customer expectations. - You’ve got to figure out agile innovation. Maybe history is repeating itself as the types of products being sold reminded us of the computer tinkering that used to be happening in the 1970s to 1990s – similar in terms of demographics, tending to be young people, and low budget. Now the do-it-yourself category is deeply intertwined with the electronics industry. Open hardware is in the center in maker movement – we need open hardware designs! How can you publish your designs and still do business with it? Open source ecosystem markets behave differently and therefore require a very different playbook than traditional tech company: the differentiation is not in the technology you build; it is in the process and expertise that you slowly amass over an extended period of time.
By democratizing the product development process, helping these developments get to market, and transforming the way we educate the next generation of innovators, we will usher in the next industrial revolution. The world is ours to make. Earlier the PC created a new generation of software developers who could innovate in the digital world without the limitations of the physical world (virtually no marginal cost, software has become the great equalizer for innovation. Now advances in 3D printing and low-cost microcontrollers as well as the ubiquity of advanced sensors are enabling makers to bridge software with the physical world. Furthermore, the proliferation of wireless connectivity and cloud computing is helping makers contribute to the Internet of Things (IoT). We’re even beginning to see maker designs and devices entering those markets once thought to be off-limits, like medical.
Image source: The world is ours to make: The impact of the maker movement – EDN Magazine
In fact, many parents have engaged in the maker movement with their kids because they know that the education system is not adequately preparing their children for the 21st century. There is a strong movement to spread this DIY idea widely. The Maker Faire, which launched in the Bay Area in California in 2006, underlined the popularity of the movement by drawing a record 215,000 people combined in the Bay Area and New York events in 2014. There’s Maker Media, MakerCon, MakerShed, Make: magazine and 131 Maker Faire events that take place throughout the world. Now the founders of all these Makers want a way to connect what they refer to as the “maker movement” online. So Maker Media created a social network called MakerSpace, a Facebook-like social network that connects participants of Maker Faire in one online community. The new site will allow participants of the event to display their work online. There are many other similar sites that allow yout to present yout work fron Hackaday to your own blog. Today, 135 million adults in the United States alone are involved in the maker movement—although makers can be found everywhere in the world.
6,820 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Homebuilt CNC Software, Brewed To Taste
https://hackaday.com/2018/07/31/homebuilt-cnc-software-brewed-to-taste/
Mainstream productivity software from the big companies is usually pretty tight, these days. Large open source projects are also to a similar standard when it comes to look and feel, as well as functionality. It’s when you dive into more niche applications that you start finding ugly, buggy software, and CNC machining can be one of those niches. MillDroid is a CNC software platform designed by someone who had simply had enough, and decided to strike out on their own.
http://blog.heliumware.com/category/projects/milldroid/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/08/07/the-square-inch-project-rides-again/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/07/30/hands-on-andxor-def-con-26-badge/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Vampire Charger is a Rugged Anything-to-5VDC Converter
https://hackaday.com/2018/07/29/vampire-charger-is-a-rugged-anything-to-5vdc-converter/
USB sockets providing 5 VDC are so ubiquitous as a power source that just about any piece of modern portable technology can use them to run or charge. USB power is so common, in fact, that it’s easy to take for granted. But in an emergency or in the wake of a disaster, a working cell phone or GPS can be a life saver and it would be wise not to count on the availability of a clean, reliable USB power supply.
Vampire Charger
https://hackaday.io/project/159752-vampire-charger
The Vampire Charger takes in any AC or DC voltage that may be findable in an emergency situation and delivers it safely to your USB device.
This is an inefficient but flexible device which will take any voltage that you might find in the world – from 1.5 volts to 12 volts – to 220V from the mains.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Flexible PCB Becomes The Actuator
https://hackaday.com/2018/07/29/flexible-pcb-becomes-the-actuator/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Motor Driver for Robotics
https://hackaday.io/project/158429-smart-motor-driver-for-robotics
This motor driver is able to control a motor using PID by I2C.
Taking precise control of a motor have never been so easy.
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Crystal Oscillator For A Stable Bench Reference
https://hackaday.com/2018/07/30/a-crystal-oscillator-for-a-stable-bench-reference/
Tomi Engdahl says:
LIDAR meets VCR technology for fast 360° scans
https://hackaday.io/project/26246-lidar-meets-vcr-technology-for-fast-360-scans
Not obsolete, just forgot. VCR head drum motor used as a base of a compact LIDAR for more advanced DIY scanners.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spot Welding …Plastic?
https://hackaday.com/2018/08/05/spot-welding-plastic/
Enter [zimitt], and a spot welding solution for joining HDPE with ease. Ok, so ‘spot welding’ might be a little optimistic given the speed of this process, but it’s useful nonetheless. To heat the plastic, a cheap soldering iron is recommended. A low wattage, straight-to-the-wall one does well, especially as they commonly have the washer-style end shown in the picture. To protect the plastic from burning, a BBQ mat is used – they’re temperature resistant and usually made with a PTFE surface.
Spot Weld Plastic
https://www.instructables.com/id/Spot-Weld-Plastic/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To Run a Clock for a Century
https://hackaday.com/2018/08/05/how-to-run-a-clock-for-a-century/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cheap PSoC Enables Electrochemistry Research
https://hackaday.com/2018/08/04/cheap-psoc-enables-electrochemistry-research/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hacked Vacuum Chamber Won’t Suck a Hole in Your Budget
https://hackaday.com/2018/08/04/hacked-vacuum-chamber-wont-suck-a-hole-in-your-budget/
Builds like these are much more than the sum of their parts, especially when they result in a useful tool, like this DIY vacuum chamber that’s good for all sorts of jobs.
DIY Vacuum Pump And Chamber
http://blackbeardproject.com/2018/07/27/diy-vacuum-pump-and-chamber/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Guide: Why Etch a PCB When You Can Mill?
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/04/guide-why-etch-when-you-can-mill/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Grooviest Random Number Generator Ever
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/04/the-grooviest-random-number-generator-ever/
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to bring-up a PCB
https://hackaday.io/project/29189-how-to-bring-up-a-pcb
A guide on proper PCB bring-up. Avoid pitfalls and issues and speed up the process with some hacks!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Entropy and The Arduino: When Clock Jitter is Useful
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/08/entropy-and-the-arduino/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Software Design Patterns for Real Hardware
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/12/software-design-patterns-for-real-hardware/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lamp Analysis Tells Sad Truth Behind The Marketing Hype
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/13/lamp-analysis-tells-sad-truth-behind-the-marketing-hype/
http://justinmklam.com/posts/2018/01/sad-lamp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Improvising An EPROM Eraser
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/17/improvising-an-eprom-eraser/
https://charlesouweland.wordpress.com/2017/12/28/improvising-an-eprom-programmer/
Tomi Engdahl says:
cyborg ring
https://hackaday.io/project/34160-cyborg-ring
cordwood + smt + jewelry + blinkies + zinc-air batteries
Tomi Engdahl says:
Make A Better, Spring-Loaded SMT Tape Strip Holder
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/19/make-a-better-spring-loaded-smt-tape-strip-holder/
Every so often, a project is worth some extra work to see if the idea can go any further. [JohnSL] has been busy doing exactly that with his spring-loaded SMT tape holder project.
http://trains.socha.com/2017/02/making-smt-tape-holders-part-i.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Modern Take on the Crystal Radio
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/19/a-modern-take-on-the-crystal-radio/
Tomi Engdahl says:
$6.00 Sandblaster That Actually Works
https://www.instructables.com/id/600-Sandblaster-That-Actually-Works/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Color Organ Dress, A Wearable With Audio Feedback
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/20/color-organ-dress-a-wearable-with-audio-feedback/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The (Unnecessary?) Art of Connector Crimping
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/20/the-unnecessary-art-of-connector-crimping/
Tomi Engdahl says:
OpenDrop Makes Precision Fluid Control Accessible to Home Science Labs
https://blog.hackster.io/opendrop-makes-precision-fluid-control-accessible-to-home-science-labs-221d8e3878e
The maker movement is huge in scope, and is inclusive of hobbies ranging from needlework to space exploration. One of the most intriguing subsets of the maker community is in the arena of scientific research. The potential for everyday people to conduct real scientific experiments is huge, but good lab equipment is expensive. That’s why OpenDrop is designed specifically to make precision fluid control accessible to everyone.
https://gaudishop.ch/index.php/product/opendrop/
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Low-cost AT Switches
https://hackaday.io/project/46483-diy-low-cost-at-switches
Low-cost, homemade AT switches that, unlike Jelly Bean buttons, work by many forms rather than by contact or pressure
This project presents two open-source, low-cost, homemade AT switches that don’t work by physical contact or pressure like Jelly Bean buttons or other conventional AT switches. Instead, they work by proximity- and puff-based methods. An Infrared-based proximity switch detects the approximation of an object, while a piezoelectric sensor is responsible for sensing the air flow caused by a mouth puffing. These kind of devices could be useful for those who have upper limb weakness or paralysis, and therefore can’t press buttons.
Adaptive switches, one of the most used devices in the context of Assistive Technology, allow the physically challenged users to activate devices that are usually triggered by conventional buttons or keys, which can be a fundamental aspect at not leaving those people apart from the use of electronic devices. However, these kind of switches usually have a high commercial value and can cost more than U$ 300 USD, such as the Pneumatic Switch, which is a price relatively high to be paid.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) on its book [WHO Global Disability Action Plan 2014-2021], approximately 1 billion people around the world have some kind of disability, and 80% of these people live in sub-developed countries, where their purchasing power is highly influenced by the fragile economies of these countries.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gamma PIN – Semiconductor Radiation Detector
https://hackaday.io/project/159909-gamma-pin-semiconductor-radiation-detector
An attempt to design and deliver universal and accessible radiaton analyser to be used in nuclear spectroscopy
The physical basis of capturing the ionizing radiation’s energy:
Ionizing radiation is a broad term for all the particles and quants that are capable of knocking away electrons from shells of atoms an molecules. There are a few of classified ionizing corpuscules and quants like:
α – alpha particle which is doubly ionized atom of helium
β – beta particle that may be an electron β− or positron β+
γ – gamma radiation consisting of quants that are high energy photons.
There are more particles that are capable of ionizing matter by various interactions: muons, neutrons, protons but for the early stage of the research I would like to focus on the most common ones.
In this research project the medium to measure the radiation particles will be PIN diode. It is a flat slice of 3 semiconducting materials. Following the order P – positivly doped, I- intrinsic (undoped) and N – negatively doped semiconductor. When the energetic particle or quant strikes the I – undoped region, it easily conveys the energy to the silicon atoms creating electrons and holes. Those two opposite kinds of charged particles then are attracted by the electric field coming from the biasing voltage applied to the diode.
As those opposing clouds of charge are separated a pulse of current occurs, which can be measured using ultra low noise and precise amplifier circuits.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mug-O-Matic: A Modular Tiny CNC
https://hackaday.io/project/158014-mug-o-matic-a-modular-tiny-cnc
Open Source Reconfigurable Robot Arm for Learning STEM. Build It Your Way!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Peristaltic Pump || DIY or Buy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMiXme4bMUk
Excellent breakdown of what makes such a pump. It seems that building it from standard components is worth it if you don’t have to model (at least not too much) the pump assembly from scratch.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How much longer do we have to wait for cars to become self-driving nap pods?
https://hackaday.com/2018/08/28/a-cnc-woodworking-tool-that-does-the-hard-parts/
The MatchSticks device is a CNC tool for the shop and it might be classified as a milling machine, but it doesn’t quite work the way a more traditional machine tool does. It computer controls the woodworker too.
MatchSticks
Woodworking through Improvisational Digital Fabrication
https://rutian.github.io/projects/MS/
Our tool, MatchSticks, is a digital fabrication system tailored for joinery. Combining a portable CNC machine, touchscreen user interface, and parametric joint library, MatchSticks enables makers of varying skill to rapidly explore and create artifacts from wood. Our system embodies tacit woodworking knowledge and distills the distributed workflow of CNC tools into a hand tool; it operates on materials existing machines find difficult, produces assemblies much larger than its workspace, and supports the parallel creation of geometries. We describe the workflow and technical details of our system, present example artifacts produced by our tool, and report results from our user study.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mug-O-Matic: A Modular Tiny CNC
https://hackaday.io/project/158014-mug-o-matic-a-modular-tiny-cnc
Open Source Reconfigurable Robot Arm for Learning STEM. Make It Your Way!
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY DNA SEQUENCER
HOW TO INSTALL A DNA DECODER AT HOME
https://hackaday.io/project/160183-diy-dna-sequencer
I want to tell you how to make a DNA sequencer, a device for decoding deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), at home. The market price for such a device is about $50,000 dollars.
Let me provide you a brief introduction about genetics. In 2003, a sensational declaration was made – scientists had finally decrypted the human genome. This is known as the Human Genome Project, and completion of this great international project that would allow for reading DNA was for about $3 billion dollars.
The cost of the first human DNA sequencing was about $100 million dollars. Over time, this figure has decreased significantly, and is now about $1000 dollars. The customer pays, the customer’s DNA is sequenced, and the laboratory gives the customer a hard drive with about 3 GB of information containing that individual’s genome in digital format.
Today, there are three main sequencers on the market. The most utilized product, HiSeq, is developed by Illumina, and provides the cheapest form of genome sequencing – fluorescent method. This method involves a laser being shined at DNA, and the newly added fluorescent-labeled nucleotides glow in response. The sequencing process requires several days, and during this time, the genomes of several people are processed. The device itself costs about $1 million
The second device on the market by popularity literally appeared a couple of years ago. The product is called Nanopore, which is developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and is based on technology that involves DNA being sequenced through a nanopore. The DNA is drawn up through the protein and electrical signals are read from it. The Nanopore is the cheapest device on the market, and is positioned as a one-time home sequencer that costs about $1000 dollars.
The third device is known as a Personal Genome Mahine (PGM), a semiconductor sequencer, that costs about $50,000 dollars. The process of sequencing the genome takes about several hours.
PGM was my choice and I needed it for my home laboratory, but I did not have $50,000 dollars. I therefore had to make a sequencer myself.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Enclose them all in super clear epoxy!
https://hackaday.io/project/160795-enclose-them-all-in-super-clear-epoxy
Very recently I was so impressed by a Japanese modern artist who draws golden fish in epoxy. I cannot draw but make circuit. Why not!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slow sound radar
https://hackaday.io/project/5944-slow-sound-radar
How to slow up the sound in the air and get 2D sound image, to help visually impaired persons in navigation
Tomi Engdahl says:
ZPB30A1 Electronic Load gets an Open Firmware
https://hackaday.com/2018/09/06/zpb30a1-electronic-load-gets-an-open-firmware/
Importing cheap equipment and test gear is something of a mixed blessing. It allows you to outfit your lab without emptying your bank account, but on the other hand there’s usually a reason it’s cheap. Of course, the retail price of a piece of hardware shouldn’t be the metric by which we measure its quality, but there’s got to be a few corners cut someplace when they are selling this stuff for a fraction of what the name brands are charging.
A perfect example is the ZHIYU ZPB30A1 electronic load, available from various online importers for about $30 USD. While the price is right for an adjustable load that can handle up to 110 W, it’s got some pretty glaring shortcomings. In an effort to address at least some of those issues, [Luca Zimmermann] has been working on an open source replacement firmware for the load’s STM8S microcontroller.
With the new GPLv3 licensed firmware installed, the device gains constant power and resistances modes (stock firmware can only do constant current), serial logging, and support for adjusting the value of the shunt resistor.
https://github.com/ArduinoHannover/ZPB30A1_Firmware
Tomi Engdahl says:
This Is Your Solution For Open Source Motion Tracking
https://hackaday.com/2018/09/04/this-is-your-solution-for-open-source-motion-tracking/
The HTC Vive Tracker adds real-world objects to your virtual world. While these real-world objects in virtual environments are now mostly limited to a Nintendo Zapper for a Duck Hunt clone and a tennis racket, the future is clear: we’re going to be playing Duck Hunt and Wii Sports while wearing headsets. The future is so bright, it burns.
Of course, with any piece of neat computing hardware, there’s an opportunity for building an Open Source clone. That’s what [Drix] is doing with his Hackaday Prize entry. He’s created an Open Source Vive Tracker. It’s called the HiveTracker, and it is right now the best solution for tracking objects in a 3D space.
https://hackaday.io/project/160182-hivetracker
Tomi Engdahl says:
GPS Overlays Give Real Life Racing A Video Game Feel
https://hackaday.com/2018/09/04/gps-overlays-give-real-life-racing-a-video-game-feel/
In an effort to give his father’s racing videos a bit more punch, [DusteD] came up with a clever way of adding video game style overlays to the recordings. The system provides real-time speed, lap times, and even a miniature representation of the track complete with a marker to show where the action is taking place. The end result is that recordings of Dad’s exploits on the track could pass as gameplay footage from Gran Turismo (we know GT doesn’t have motorcycles, but you get the idea).
The first part of the system is the tracker itself, which consists of a GPS receiver, an Arduino Pro Micro, and an SD card module. [DusteD] powers the device with two 18650 cells in parallel, and a DC-DC boost converter to step it up to 5V. E
http://dusted.dk/pages/racingGpsTracker/
Tomi Engdahl says:
LED “Candle” Gets the 555 Treatment
https://hackaday.com/2018/09/05/led-candle-gets-the-555-treatment/
Regular readers may recall we recently covered a neat Arduino trick that allowed you to “blow out” an LED as if it was a candle. The idea was that the LED itself could be used as a rudimentary temperature sensor, and the Arduino code would turn the LED on and off when a change was detected in its forward voltage drop. You need to oversample the Arduino’s ADC to detect the few millivolt change reliably, but overall it’s pretty simple once you understand the principle.
https://bytechlab.com/2018/09/an-led-you-can-blow-out-like-a-candle/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Twenty Projects That Just Won the Human Computer Interface Challenge
https://hackaday.com/2018/09/05/twenty-projects-that-just-won-the-human-computer-interface-challenge/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printed RC Jet Boat Gets Up To Speed
https://hackaday.com/2018/09/05/3d-printed-rc-jet-boat-gets-up-to-speed/
Tomi Engdahl says:
ATtiny Chip Abused in RFID Application
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/05/attiny-chip-abused-in-rfid-application/
https://trmm.net/AVR_RFID
Tomi Engdahl says:
Inexpensive Display Jumps to Life
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/13/inexpensive-display-jumps-to-life/
If you’ve ever been to a local fair or amusement park, chances are you’ve seen an illusion known as Pepper’s Ghost. To perform the illusion, essentially all that’s needed is a thin sheet of plastic or one-way mirror and a light source. Get it right, and you’ll have apparitions popping up in all kinds of interesting places. With just the right software, though, one of those places could be in your own 3D display.
Using just a tablet and a sheet of plastic rolled into a cone, a three-person team was able to create a 3D display using the Pepper’s Ghost illusion. Using
Pepper’s Cone: An Inexpensive Do-It-Yourself 3D Display
https://roxanneluo.github.io/PeppersCone.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Getting to Know an 18th Century Hacker
https://hackaday.com/2018/01/19/getting-to-know-an-18th-century-hacker/
he video below, historic interpreter and woodworker [Bill Maddox] talks about what draws him to 18th century technology. His tools may look foreign to us, but the passion he shows while talking about his creations will be familiar to anyone who’s ever set foot in a hackerspace.
Early American Woodworking – A Craftsman Talks About his Passion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfZHU8ZT-Uo
Tomi Engdahl says:
Water Level Sensors, Alexa in a Fish, and Modular Synths During World Create Day
https://hackaday.com/2018/03/19/water-level-sensors-alexa-in-a-fish-and-modular-synths-during-world-create-day/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Servos Do the Plucking in this MIDI Music Box
https://hackaday.com/2018/03/23/servos-do-the-plucking-in-this-midi-music-box/
It started with a cheap, punch-card programmable manual music box. Thirty-one hobby servos later, it ended as an automated MIDI music box, with a short pit stop as a keyboard-driven MIDI device.
https://mitxela.com/projects/musicbox
Tomi Engdahl says:
Ever Wonder How The Bots On Robot Wars Were Built?
https://hackaday.com/2018/03/23/ever-wonder-how-the-bots-on-robot-wars-were-built/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lasers, Mirrors, and Sensors Combine in an Optical Bench Game
https://hackaday.com/2018/03/24/lasers-mirrors-and-sensors-combine-in-an-optical-bench-game/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Brushless Motor on a PCB, Made from PCB
https://hackaday.com/2018/03/28/a-brushless-motor-on-a-pcb-made-from-pcb/
This PCB brushless motor is a great example of the soft collaboration that makes the Hackaday community so powerful.
PCB stepper motor
… is designed for direct drive wheels for swarm robots
https://hackaday.io/project/85502-pcb-stepper-motor
Tomi Engdahl says:
Open Simple LIDAR
Open Hardware scanning laser rangefinder
https://hackaday.io/project/20628-open-simple-lidar