Well before the modern days of encryption and secure messaging, the Enigma machine was used in the early and mid-20th century to encrypt messages for a variety of purposes, most notably by Germany during WWII. It’s a fascinating concept that highlights a significant engineering feat from the past.
Those interested in checking out this piece of history should look no further than the PicoEnigma, a Universal Enigma Machine Simulator. This design is a small, Arduino-based take on the concept. It’s also fully open-source and hackable!
It can simulate almost any 26-key enigma machines and only excludes obscure ones like the Swedish Enigma B A-133 and the Enigma Z30. Machines with a plugboard are emulated in software as well. The accuracy of the machine has also been verified against Daniel Palloks Universal Enigma v2.5.
You can power the device using your choice of an internal battery, external battery, or through the exposed USB connector. The case is made from laser-cut 3mm Birch plywood as well for a nice visual touch. Check out the store page for a full breakdown of how the machine works!
