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.
6,822 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Visual Magnetic Fields
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/25/visual-magnetic-fields/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Know Your Fits And Tolerances
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/25/know-your-fits-and-tolerances/
When designing parts on a screen, it’s very easy to type in a bunch of nice round numbers and watch everything slot together in perfect harmony. Unfortunately, the real world is not so kind. A 10mm shaft will not readily fit in a 10mm hole, and producing parts to perfect dimensions simply isn’t possible. This is where fits and tolerances come in, and [tarkka] have created a practical demonstration of this on Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2429BVMrZ4A
Tomi Engdahl says:
Glowtie is Perfect For Those Fancy Dress Raves
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/25/glowtie-is-perfect-for-those-fancy-dress-raves/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Chameleon System
https://hackaday.io/project/160884-the-chameleon-system
A Eurorack hardware module with digital flexibility.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Design and Build a Companion Robot for MS Care
https://hackaday.io/project/164052-design-and-build-a-companion-robot-for-ms-care
The project aims to design and build a companion robot for aid in primary and secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis care.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stethoscopes, Electronics, and Artificial Intelligence
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/25/stethoscopes-electronics-and-artificial-intelligence/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Zach Archer: Live Coding 500 Watts For ToorCamp
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/28/zach-archer-live-coding-500-watts-for-toorcamp/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Anodize Aluminum Easily
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/28/anodize-aluminum-easily/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnUUJjplIgg
Tomi Engdahl says:
Inside the Secret World of Crimping
https://hackaday.com/2019/02/28/inside-the-secret-world-of-crimping/
Fortunately, [Matt Millman] has a great guide on wire-to-board connectors. This guide will explain why you should never solder crimp terminals and then get into working with some of the most common wire-to-board connector families.
http://tech.mattmillman.com/info/crimpconnectors/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Meet Tympan, The Open Hardware Hearing Aid
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/01/meet-tympan-the-open-hardware-hearing-aid/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/01/the-easiest-thermal-camera-build-youll-ever-see/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Garbage Bag Skirt Is Fit For A Hovercraft
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/07/a-garbage-bag-skirt-is-fit-for-a-hovercraft/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Blacksmithing For The Uninitiated: What is a Forge?
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/07/blacksmithing-for-the-uninitiated-what-is-a-forge/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Soap Film Photography How-To
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/16/a-soap-film-photography-how-to/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Print Your Own Electric Screwdriver
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/05/3d-print-your-own-electric-screwdriver/
For the odd job every now and then, a regular screwdriver does the job. However, in situations like a small production operation, it can quickly become uncomfortable to use. In these situations, an electric screwdriver is incredibly useful. There’s no need to rush out to the store, however – you can build one yourself, and [Electronoobs] did just that.
https://www.electronoobs.com/eng_circuitos_tut29.php
Tomi Engdahl says:
Paper Cup Mic Is Fun And Functional
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/02/paper-cup-mic-is-fun-and-functional/
SM57s to cover guitar cabs, fancy gilded ribbon mics for vocal takes, and a variety of condensers to round out the selection. That’s all well and good for high-fidelity recording, but what if you want to go the other way? [LeoMakes] has just the thing, with his sub-$10 paper cup mic.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Barb Makes Things
https://hackaday.io/project/8882-barb-makes-things
Custom DIY projects in high speed, every Tuesday.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Make Your Own Quantum Dots
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/21/make-your-own-quantum-dots/
Quantum dots certainly sound as if they should be something cool, but carry the hazardous baggage of being sometimes made from cadmium which can be dangerous. What are they? In essence, they are nanometer-scale particles, so small that when high energy light hits them, the photons will be absorbed and re-emitted at a lower energy state. You can easily make non-toxic quantum dots in your kitchen. Apart from the cool factor, they can be used as fluorescent dyes, inks, and possibly paints.
DIY Quantum Dots(Nanotech in Your Kitchen)
https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Quantum-DotsNanotech-in-Your-Kitchen/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Multichannel Field Recorder You Can Build Right Now
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/22/the-multichannel-field-recorder-you-can-build-right-now/
Field recorders, or backpackable audio recorders with a few XLR jacks and an SD card slot, are a niche device, and no matter what commercial field recorder you choose you’ll always compromise on what features you want versus what features you’ll get. [Ben Biles] didn’t feel like compromising so he built his own multichannel audio DSP field recorder. It has a four channel balanced master outputs, with two stereo headphone outputs, eight or more inputs, digital I/O, and enough routing for multitrack recording.
Multichannel Audio DSP Field Mixer Recorder
https://hackaday.io/project/7041-multichannel-audio-dsp-field-mixer-recorder
USBmidi, bluetooth app controll 8 chan portable DSP mixer.balanced audio IO,phantom power,flexible routing,ISO recording. networked
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2019/03/23/reverse-engineering-a-telephonic-relay-device/
Tomi Engdahl says:
WOPR: Building Hardware Worth Sharing
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/04/wopr-building-hardware-worth-sharing/
It wouldn’t be much of a stretch to assume that anyone reading Hackaday regularly has at least progressed to the point where they can connect an LED to a microcontroller and get it to blink without setting anything on fire. We won’t even chastise you for not doing it with a 555 timer. It’s also not a stretch to say if you can successfully put together the “Hello World” of modern electronics on a breadboard, you’re well on the way to adding a few more LEDs, some sensors, and a couple buttons to that microcontroller and producing something that might come dangerously close to a useful gadget. Hardware hacking sneaks up on you like that.
Here’s where it gets tricky: how many of us are still stuck at that point? Don’t be shy, there’s no shame in it. A large chunk of the “completed” projects that grace these pages are still on breadboards, and if we had to pass on every project that still had a full-on development board like the Arduino or Wemos D1 at its heart…well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be pretty.
Of course, if you’re just building something as a personal project, there’s often little advantage to having a PCB spun up or building a custom enclosure. But what happens when you want to build more than one? If you’ve got an idea worth putting into production, you’ve got to approach the problem with a bit more finesse. Especially if you’re looking to turn a profit on the venture.
At the recent WOPR Summit in Atlantic City, there were a pair of presentations which dealt specifically with taking your hardware designs to the next level.
Tomi Engdahl says:
2D Linear Actuator Works Like an Unrolled Stepper Motor
https://blog.hackster.io/2d-linear-actuator-works-like-an-unrolled-stepper-motor-1e9884d0fe09
FLEXIBLE 2D actuator, stepper motor compatible
https://hackaday.io/project/164507-flexible-2d-actuator-stepper-motor-compatible
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Build a Collision Avoiding Robot for Less Than Ten Pounds
https://blog.hackster.io/how-to-build-a-collision-avoiding-robot-for-less-than-ten-pounds-a590431956a8
Tomi Engdahl says:
Top 10 Arduino library authors @arduino @arduinolibs #arduino
https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/03/11/10-arduino-library-authors-arduino-arduinolibs-arduino/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Spectra: A Portable, Open Source Biomedical Imager That’s Only Two Inches Square
https://blog.hackster.io/spectra-a-portable-open-source-biomedical-imager-thats-only-two-inches-square-47671943fd60
Tomi Engdahl says:
OMIS: An Open Millifluidic Inquiry System
http://www.labonthecheap.com/index.php/2019/04/19/omis-an-open-millifluidic-inquiry-system/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Junkbox MIDI
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/27/junkbox-midi/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Magnets Versus Laundry Detergent
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/27/magnets-versus-laundry-detergent/
Soap cleans clothes better than magnets. There, we are spoiling the ending so don’t accuse us of clickbaiting. The funny thing is that folks believe this is plausible enough to ask magnets experts so often that they dedicate a blog entry to comparing magnets and soap.
Can Magnets Clean Dirty Laundry?
https://www.kjmagnetics.com/blog.asp?p=laundry-magnets
Conclusion
Soap works. Science understands how it works. Companies are good at making soap that works.
No such information exists for using magnets to wash clothes.
However, all we’ve proven here is that using detergent cleans better than not using detergent and magnets don’t get clothes nearly as clean.
As is the case with most things, there are some bad things about soap and detergent.
To address these concerns, there are plenty of more natural laundry detergents out there.
We like to think magnets can be used for just about anything but I might not slap them on the inside of my washing machine!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Driving a 16×2 LCD with Voltage Modulation
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/27/driving-a-16×2-lcd-with-voltage-modulation/
The basic 16×2 LCD is an extremely popular component that we’ve seen used in more projects than we could possibly count. Part of that is because modern microcontrollers make it so easy to work with; if you’ve got an I2C variant of the display, it only takes four wires to drive it.
What’s that? Even four wires is too many? In that case, you might be interested in this hack from [Vinod] which shows how you can drive the classic 16×2 with data and power on the same pair of wires. You’ll still need a microcontroller “backpack” for the LCD to interpret the modulated voltage, but if you’ve got an application for a simple remote display, this is definitely worth checking out.
16 x 2 LCD controlled via power line
http://blog.vinu.co.in/2019/04/16-x-2-lcd-controlled-via-power-line.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Making A Three Cent Microcontroller Useful
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/26/making-a-three-cent-microcontroller-useful/
Tomi Engdahl says:
The No-CPU Computer Gets A C Compiler
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/26/the-no-cpu-computer-gets-a-c-compiler/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Farmer’s Guide to Technology
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/26/a-farmers-guide-to-technology/
One of the hardest aspects of choosing a career isn’t getting started, it’s keeping up. Whether you’re an engineer, doctor, or even landscaper, there are always new developments to keep up with if you want to stay competitive. This is especially true of farming, where farmers have to keep up with an incredible amount of “best practices” in order to continue being profitable.
Internet of Things…So What? A Farmer’s Guide To Technology
https://hackerfarm.jp/2019/03/internet-of-things-so-what-a-farmers-guide-to-technology/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Open Source Light and Motion Controller
https://hackaday.io/project/165303-open-source-light-and-motion-controller
The goal of this project is to develop an open-source firmware and controller for kinetic sculptures, mobiles and moving lamps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Edge Lit Pendant, Is, Well… Lit
https://hackaday.com/2019/05/07/edge-lit-pendant-is-well-lit/
http://www.geekmomprojects.com/edge-lit-pendant/
Tomi Engdahl says:
WOPR: Building Hardware Worth Sharing
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/04/wopr-building-hardware-worth-sharing/
Of course, if you’re just building something as a personal project, there’s often little advantage to having a PCB spun up or building a custom enclosure. But what happens when you want to build more than one? If you’ve got an idea worth putting into production, you’ve got to approach the problem with a bit more finesse. Especially if you’re looking to turn a profit on the venture.
At the recent WOPR Summit in Atlantic City, there were a pair of presentations which dealt specifically with taking your hardware designs to the next level.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Print Your Own Large Format Camera
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/04/print-your-own-large-format-camera/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Hexagons – The Crazy New Breadboard
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/06/hexagons-the-crazy-new-breadboard/
http://davidrowntree.co.uk/fixed-layout-prototyping/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tomography Through An Infinite Grid Of Resistors
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/06/tomography-through-an-infinite-grid-of-resistors/
Tomi Engdahl says:
DIY Piano: Look, Ma, no Moving parts
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/06/diy-piano-look-ma-no-moving-parts/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Anodizing Aluminium In The Land of the Queen
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/06/anodizing-aluminium-in-the-land-of-the-queen/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Making Microfluidics Simpler With Shrinky Dinks
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/23/making-microfluidics-simpler-with-shrinky-dinks/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Get Your Acrylic Bends Just Right
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/23/get-your-acrylic-bends-just-right/
Acrylic is a popular material. It’s easy to find, attractive, and available in all manner of colors, thicknesses, and grades. Being a thermoplastic, it’s also simple to apply heat and form it in various different ways. If you’re wanting to build parts out of sheet acrylic, you might find a purpose-built bender useful. [DIY Perspective] built just such a tool to get the job done.
https://www.instructables.com/id/Acrylic-Bending-Tool/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Component Shelf Life: How To Use All That Old Junk
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/23/component-shelf-life-how-to-use-all-that-old-junk/
There are two types of Hackaday readers: those that have a huge stock of parts they’ve collected over the years (in other words, an enormous pile of junk) and those that will have one a couple of decades from now. It’s easy to end up with a lot of stuff, especially items that you’re likely to use in more than one design; the price breakpoints at quantities of 10 or 100 of something can be pretty tempting, and having a personal stock definitely speeds the hacking process now that local parts shops have gone the way of the dinosaur. This isn’t a perfect solution, though, because some components do have shelf-lives, and will degrade in some way or another over time.
Tomi Engdahl says:
5 open source hardware products for the great outdoors
https://opensource.com/article/19/5/hardware-outdoors?sc_cid=7016000000127ECAAY
Here’s some equipment you can buy or make yourself for hitting the great outdoors, no generators or batteries required.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Build Your Own Vacuum Chamber For Degassing And More
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/12/build-your-own-vacuum-chamber-for-degassing-and-more/
Tomi Engdahl says:
A Laser Cutting 101
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/08/a-laser-cutting-101/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reproducing Vintage Plastic Parts In Top-Notch Quality
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/08/reproducing-vintage-plastic-parts-in-top-notch-quality/
Plastic is a highly useful material, but one that can also be a pain as it ages. Owners of vintage equipment the world over are suffering, as knobs break off, bezels get cracked and parts warp, discolor and fail. Oftentimes, the strategy has been to rob good parts from other broken hardware and cross your fingers that the supply doesn’t dry up. [Eric Strebel] shows us that’s not the only solution – you can replicate vintage plastic parts yourself, with the right tools.
In the recording industry there’s simply no substitute for vintage gear, so a cottage industry has formed around keeping old hardware going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3ZaPlV10z8&feature=youtu.be
Tomi Engdahl says:
Building Your Own Guitar Pickup From Scrap
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/14/building-your-own-guitar-pickup-from-scrap/
Pickups are a key part of an electric guitar’s sound. You can spend a king’s ransom on tracking down just the right Vintage American Original 1950s Whatevers (TM) to put in your Spudocaster, but it’s not the only way. [Keith Decent] decided to make a pickup from scratch, using only materials found lying around the workshop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=KPvIYBYeZ7k
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dollar Store Garden Lights As ATtiny Power Supplies
https://hackaday.com/2019/04/20/dollar-store-garden-lights-as-attiny-power-supplies/
Solar garden lights are just another part of the great trash pile of our age, electronics so cheap as to be disposable. Most of you probably have a set lurking somewhere at home, their batteries maybe exhausted. Internally though they are surprisingly interesting devices. A solar cell, a little boost converter chip, and a little NiCd battery alongside the LED. These are components with potential, as [Randy Elwin] noted with a mind to his ATtiny85 projects.
A Cheap And Dangerous Garden Light Boost Converter
How an Attiny85 self-regulates its cheap power supply.
https://hackaday.io/project/164682-a-cheap-and-dangerous-garden-light-boost-converter
Tomi Engdahl says:
How To “Weld” Industrial Furniture with NO WELDER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqHZ1JbmWSw
Here I am experimenting with a new technique I have never used before, and bringing you all along for the ride.
Comments:
So you are just soldering them together :p
One thing that is questionable here is the use of a carbon steel wire brush to clean the metal. You should use a stainless brush. Carbon brushes can contaminate your parent material and make it harder to braze or weld. Stainless won’t.
Experience with metal furniture,industrial or otherwise tells you that it’s not the quality of the joint that leads to failure it’s the quality of the materiels being joined.the break is almost always next to the weld bead
I’ve worked with this product. This stuff is good for only a very limited set of applications. As you you saw, when bonding multiple sided joints you end up re-melting one seem while trying to bond the other adjacent seems. His standing weight test was bogus
Unless I am making this for someone, I would just buy a table. Lol save the trouble of buying more tools.