Collaborate Disseminate
Hardware hacking is one of those subjects that a lot of hackers appear to have great interest, but most don’t act on that interest. There are a variety of reasons why this may be such as a perceived steep learning curve, financial barrier to entry, and… Continue reading Hardware Hacking 101 – Lesson 1: Beauty, Your Home Lab and Basic Electronics
It doesn’t have the best UI, but it is a pretty creative take on a laptop. Continue reading This Guy Made a Computer Mouse That Is Itself a Computer
The helmet uses blacklight LEDs and blacklight-reactive contact lenses. Continue reading This Cosplayer Made a Helmet That Makes Your Eyes Glow Like Thor
Last time we talked about a KiCAD tool it was to describe a way to make the zen-like task of manual assembly more convenient. But what about that most onerous of EE CAD tasks, part creation? Home makers probably don’t have access to expensive part library subscriptions or teams of people to create parts for them, so they are left to the tedium of creating them by hand. What if the dream tool existed that could read the darn PDF by itself and make a part? It turns out [Sébastien] made that tool and it’s called uConfig.
uConfig has a …read more
Continue reading Automagic Tool makes KiCAD Schematic Symbols from PDFs
[Bunnie] has penned his thoughts on the new 25% tariffs coming to many goods shipped from China to the US. Living and working both in the US and China, [Bunnie] has a unique view of manufacturing and trade between the two countries. The creator of Novena and Chumby, he’s also written the definitive guide on Shenzen electronics.
The new US tariffs come into effect on July 6th. We covered the issue last week, but Bunnie has gone in-depth and really illustrates how these taxes will have a terrible impact on the maker community. Components like LEDs, resistors, capacitors, and PCBs …read more
As reported by the BBC, the United States is set to impose a 25% tariff on over 800 categories of Chinese goods. The tariffs are due to come into effect in three weeks, on July 6th. Thousands of different products are covered under this new tariff, and by every account, electronic designers will be hit hard. Your BOM cost just increased by 25%.
The reason for this tariff is laid out in a report (PDF) from the Office of the United States Trade Representative. In short, this tariff is retaliation for the Chinese government subsidizing businesses to steal market share …read more
Continue reading Making Electronics Just Got 25% More Expensive In The US
Independently-owned franchise stores are the second coming of the beleaguered brand. Continue reading The DIY Movement Is Bringing RadioShack Back From the Dead
If you’re really interested in aircraft and flying, there are many ways to explore that interest. There are models of a wide range of sizes and complexities that are powered and remote-controlled, and even some small lightweight aircraft that can get you airborne yourself for a minimum of expense. If you’re lucky enough to have your own proper airplane, though, and you’re really into open source projects, you can also replace your airplane’s avionics kit with your own open source one.
Avionics are the electronics that control and monitor the aircraft, and they’re a significant part of the aircraft’s ability …read more
A new EPA-backed study shows that an old problem has a new twist. Continue reading Europe Is Smuggling its E-Waste to Nigeria Inside Used Cars
The story of solder, the unsung hero of the digital revolution that benefits from a low melting point. It’s what keeps the circuits attached to the silicon. Continue reading The Art of Soldering