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:
The 3D Printed Guitar
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/10/the-3d-printed-guitar/
We just wrapped up the Musical Instrument Challenge in the Hackaday Prize, and that means we’re sorting through a ton of inventive electronic musical instruments. For whatever reason we can’t seem to find many non-electronic instruments. Yes, MPCs are cool, but so are strings and vibrating columns of air. That’s what makes this entry special: it’s a 3D printed physical guitar. But it’s also got a hexaphonic pickup, there are lights in the fretboard, and it talks to a computer for PureData processing.
ElektroCaster
An open, modular guitar-design with some nifty features.
https://hackaday.io/project/161675-elektrocaster
Tomi Engdahl says:
Light Logic
https://hackaday.io/project/161669-light-logic
Using a Led and CdS LDR to form inverting Photonic logic gates.
The entire boolean logic set handled by resistors and diodes! Who’d’a thunk
Tomi Engdahl says:
Material Linear-Actuator for Robotics
https://hackaday.io/project/157004-material-linear-actuator-for-robotics
Basically you can turn regular fishing line and nichrome wire into
a linear actuator that can contract much like a human muscle.
Tomi Engdahl says:
PCB Motor
https://hackaday.io/project/39494-pcb-motor
A smaller and cheaper open source brushless motor
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/18/packing-a-lot-into-a-little-pcb-winners-of-the-square-inch-project/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/18/laser-cut-cardboard-robot-construction-kit-eases-learning-and-play/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/18/ask-hackaday-why-arent-we-hacking-cellphones/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Robotic Arm For Those Who Like Their Kinematics Both Ways
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/19/a-robotic-arm-for-those-who-like-their-kinematics-both-ways/
Tomi Engdahl says:
SandBot Happily And Tirelessly Rolls Patterns In Sand
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/18/sandbot-happily-and-tirelessly-rolls-patterns-in-sand/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/20/i2c-bootloader-for-attiny85-lets-other-micros-push-firmware-updates/
Tomi Engdahl says:
PR-Holonet: Disaster Area Emergency Comms
https://hackaday.io/project/140426-pr-holonet-disaster-area-emergency-comms
An easy to build, setup, and use emergency communicator for disaster-struck zones with no working power or comms infrastructure.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/20/can-you-build-an-open-source-pocket-operator/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Polyphonic Analog/Digital Synth Project
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/21/the-polyphonic-analog-digital-synth-project/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hacking the Flavor of Food With Electric Chopsticks
Who needs salt when you have electric taste augmentation?
https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-human-os/biomedical/devices/hacking-the-flavor-of-food-with-electric-chopsticks-and-soup-bowls
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/26/dmca-review-big-win-for-right-to-repair-zero-for-right-to-tinker/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/27/hardware-controllers-for-software-effects/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Bolt-On Peristaltic Pump
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/27/the-bolt-on-peristaltic-pump/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Custom LED Signage From Household Items
https://hackaday.com/2018/10/27/custom-led-signage-from-household-items/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wild Thumper based ROS robot
https://hackaday.io/project/25406-wild-thumper-based-ros-robot
My ROS (Robot Operating System) indoor & outdoor robot
Tomi Engdahl says:
App Control Bluetooth (BLE) R/C Car with LEDs
https://hackaday.io/project/161069-app-control-bluetooth-ble-rc-car-with-leds
Turn any remote car to an App Control Bluetooth (BLE) R/C Car and add extra control and sound
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/02/these-are-the-100-finalists-in-the-hackaday-prize/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Save a Few Steps on Your Next Build with These Easy Linear Actuators
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/02/save-a-few-steps-on-your-next-build-with-these-easy-linear-actuators/
Tomi Engdahl says:
STM, Budget Style~~
Cheap Scanning Tunneling Microscope
https://hackaday.io/project/158786-stm-budget-style
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/05/pint-sized-jacobs-ladder-packs-10000-volts-in-a-pickle-jar/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Dp51Z-iPF4
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/04/quick-and-dirty-midi-interface-with-usbasp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/10/making-colored-smoke-devices-the-right-way/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/10/a-4-ultrasonic-theremin-looks-cheesy-on-purpose/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/14/the-value-of-cardboard-in-product-design/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/16/supercon-designing-your-own-diffractive-optics/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/16/turning-a-rotary-tool-into-a-cnc/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/21/see-cells-in-a-new-light-with-a-diy-fluorescence-microscope/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/23/energy-sipping-neodymium-sphere-keeps-on-spinning/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/11/28/72-tranducers-for-acoustic-levitation/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/12/01/simple-low-cost-rig-lets-the-budding-biohacker-run-dna-gels/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2018/12/01/germinate-seeds-with-the-help-of-3d-printing/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Arduino Day Community Challenge: Submit your projects, win hardware and coupons!
https://blog.arduino.cc/2019/02/20/arduino-day-community-challenge-submit-your-projects-win-hardware-and-coupons/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Freeformable Circuit | Real Freeform Circuit! © CC BY-NC-SA
https://create.arduino.cc/projecthub/Devanagaraj/freeformable-circuit-real-freeform-circuit-590f69
A freeformable IR remote-controlled LED circuit. An all-in-one applicable DIY light chaser with Arduino-controlled patterns.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2186780/chinese-schoolgirl-shamed-using-robot-write-homework-now
Tomi Engdahl says:
One Man’s Quest to Build the Ultimate Custom USB Keyboard
https://blog.hackster.io/one-mans-quest-to-build-the-ultimate-custom-usb-keyboard-2828f9381820
Tomi Engdahl says:
Build Your Own Dial-Up ISP Server for Retrocomputing
https://blog.hackster.io/build-your-own-dial-up-isp-server-for-retrocomputing-8316c91bfd62
Tomi Engdahl says:
anaGoL – Conway’s Game of Life the analog way
https://hackaday.io/project/163894-anagol-conways-game-of-life-the-analog-way
A design for a non-microcontroller / non-digital logic Conway’s Game of Life cellular automata simulator
Tomi Engdahl says:
12 Year Old Builds Successful Fusor At Home
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/22/12-year-old-builds-successful-fusor-at-home/
http://www.fusor.net/board/viewtopic.php?t=12115
Tomi Engdahl says:
Radiation Detector Eschews Tubes, Uses Photodiode
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/22/radiation-detector-eschews-tubes-uses-photodiode/
https://robertgawron.blogspot.com/2019/02/semiconductor-radioactivity-detector.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eurorack Gets a Wireless MIDI Connection
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/21/eurorack-gets-a-wireless-midi-connection/
Tomi Engdahl says:
OptoGlitch Is An Optocoupler Built For Distortion
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/20/optoglitch-is-an-optocoupler-built-for-distortion/
When we are concerned with the accurate reproduction of a signal, distortion and noise are the enemy that engineers spend a great deal of time eliminating wherever possible. However, humans being the imperfect creatures that we are, we sometimes desire a little waviness and grain in our media – typically of the analog variety, as the step changes of digital distortion can be quite painful. Tired of Instagram filters and wanting to take a different approach, [Patrick Pedersen] built the OptoGlitch – a hardware solution for analog distortion.
The concept of operation is simple – pixel values of a digital image are sent out by varying the intensity of an LED, and are then picked up by a photoresistor and redigitized. The redigitized image then bears a variety of distortion and noise effects due to the imperfect transmission process.
Turning an Arduino, a LED and a photo resistor into a physical glitch art filter
https://github.com/UniQHW/OptoGlitch
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY X-Ray Machine Becomes CT Scanner
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/20/diy-x-ray-machine-becomes-ct-scanner/
Once you’ve built your own X-ray machine to take 2D images of the insides of stuff, there’s really only one logical next step: building your own computed tomography (CT) scanner to get 3D reconstructions instead. That’s exactly what [Fran Piernas] has done, and documented over on hackaday.io.
X-Ray CT Scanner
https://hackaday.io/project/163791-x-ray-ct-scanner
Tomographic scanner using my X-Ray machine, a simple motor to rotate the object and a reconstruction software
Tomi Engdahl says:
Custom Firmware For Cheap Fitness Trackers
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/20/custom-firmware-for-cheap-fitness-trackers/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/19/visualizing-eddy-currents/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building A 1.4W Laser Pointer In A Tiny Housing
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/19/building-a-1-4w-laser-pointer-in-a-tiny-housing/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Curve Tracing On Spray Painted CRTs
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/24/curve-tracing-on-spray-painted-crts/
A Lissajous curve is formed when two sine waves plotted on their respective X and Y axes. You can see one using an oscilloscope and a couple of signal generators, if you play with one of those ‘pendulums tracing in the sand’ toys, or if you really need something sciencey for your home decor you can trace them out with a disassembled CRT. That’s what [Emily] did with the LissaJukebox. It traces curves. No, it’s not a curve tracer, that’s another tool altogether
https://hackaday.io/project/163565-lissajukebox-aka-dedicated-lissajous-machine