Tindie

The Doepfer Magdeburg is a synth crammed with features to make your soundscapes surge — with VCOs, VCFs and a VCA to bend the fabric of time, and an astronomical selection of patchable options at the base!

This DIY version is do-it-yourself in the best possible terms! It comes with all the controls, sockets and potentiometers built into the board, simply attach the pin headers, ribbon cable and the temperature compensation, then you’re ready with no soldering required!

It’s fully loaded with 3 VCO outputs, 2 LFO shapes, 2 CV inputs, 2 Filter Inputs, 3 VCA Inputs, 4 Filter types (HP, LP, BP, Notch), ADSR input/output and VCO options for FM, Pulsewidth Modulation and more. Designed by Doepfer and available from the Tindie store of uk-electronic, the Magdeburg measures 42HP wide and 40mm deep.

It’s a versatile module for routing audio and cv to and from, and comes with a normalised output to work seamlessly with any existing gear you have. Included in the kit are the PCB, Front Panel, Knobs and connection cable for Eurorack.

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Lighting up a single LED is as easy as forking the leads over a coin cell battery. Things become more complicated when you attempt to control multiple LEDs, and if you make a rectangle pattern, the number of connections increase by a factor of length x height. Add in a third dimension and, even a 3x3x3 LED cube needs 27 LEDs connected, plus if you want to use RGB LEDs you have to figure out that “small” detail that triples the number of connections.

What if you wanted to build an 8x8x8 cube with programmable LEDs? This sounds extremely challenging, but WingHo Wong of NIXT CLOCK has actually built one of these monstrosities, and sells the AuraCube 8x8x8 3D RGB LED Cube DIY Kit to help you make  your own.

As seen in these build instructions, it still looks extremely challenging, but at least the kit will help you get pointed in the right direction! It even comes complete with animation software, a remote control, and a microphone to allow it to react to music. Be sure to check out the beautiful results in the video below:

Of course, this isn’t the only Tindie option if you’d like to build an LED display. The jolliCube looks like a lot of fun as a mono 8x8x8 device, and the Teknoid cube will get you started with a smaller 4x4x4 RGB display.

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Machine learning is a huge buzzword right now in everything from robotics to manufacturing, medicine, and even computer science. The ability for a program to adapt and improve on its own is nothing short of amazing.

Bolt is an Internet of Things platform that is made with machine learning in mind. It gives you the ability to connect and control your devices from wherever you are. The platform also allows you to employ machine learning algorithms without any hassle. This will provide actionable data and predictions of sensor values.

Bolt features machine learning over GUI, 80% code reduction, ten times faster deployment, and functionality right out of the box. Bolt uses Intedgromat to offer automated processes. You can use it for SMS, E-mail, iOS, Android, social media, and tons of other services. A full list of compatible services can be found here.

This little device also has a lot of potential uses for makers to incorporate it into their projects. The only limit is your imagination. Check out the video below to see Bolt in action.

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When you need input for a project, there are lots of options from which to choose. True rotary input, however, can be difficult. Especially if you want a rotary input in a slim format like you might see on some sort of portable remote control or gaming interface.

A great option that you likely haven’t considered is this scroll wheel breakout from 3DStuff. The board breaks out signals from a slim control wheel, including the A and B signals from the encoder plus 5 switches that form the center-selectable directional pad. They’re available fully assembled or as just a PCB, and more info on the wheel itself is found here.

Of course, if you’d rather work with an encoder that does protrude noticeably from your cabinet, why not check out this device, featuring an I2C interface and RGB Lighting. Finally, if you’re wondering what type of rotary input to use, you can find more info in this Encoders Vs. Potentiometers post.

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The Power Harvesting Challenge is finished! Twenty finalists received a $1000 cash prize and are moving on to the finals of The Hackaday Prize 2018. It was a hard-fought battle to squeeze out every bit of power they could from their projects.

From the Vampire Charger to the Clock for a century, the winners are certainly some truly unique and inspiring projects. You can check out a full list of the finalists right here, but if you want to know which Tindarians are moving on to the finals, you’ve come to the right place.

3 Tindarians Score a Win in The Power Harvesting Challenge

The goal of the Power Harvesting challenge was to pull energy from a source other than traditional batteries or wall-power. Solar panels, wind turbines, or even whacky chemistry experiments were all acceptable options.

Among the twenty finalists, we had not one, not two, but three Tindarians claim a slot! Here are the winning projects, in no particular order:

Tiny Solar Energy Module (TSEM)

The goal of this project was to design a very small module that could easily interface with other projects. Jasper Sikken created a 1×1 inch PCB module with 2 solar cells, an extremely efficient Li-Ion charger, and out of 3.3V and 1.8V.

This project is unique because it’s easy to manufacture and simple to integrate into PCB or breadboard designs. It can even harvest enough energy from indoor light to power a BLE or LoRa sensor.

Ultra-Low Power LiPo Charger Via Energy Harvesting

This project from Pesky Products is a very small (0.5×0.5 inch) breakout board for the Texas Instruments BQ25504 Ultra Low Power Boost Converter With Battery Management for Energy Harvesting Applications.

After using the ESP8285 and other MCUs for environmental sensing projects, Kris Winer found that battery life is a big issue. By harvesting energy from direct sunlight using solar cells, remote applications like environmental data loggers can be consistently charged and powered by the sun.

The BQ25504 makes it easy to power an MCU. The low (>330 mV) cold start threshold also allows energy harvesting from indoor lighting as well.

PCB Coil Joule Thief

A joule thief is a minimalist self-oscillating voltage booster. It pulls the remaining energy from what most would consider a “dead” battery to illuminate an LED. It can also be used as an LED driver to power a white LED from a low voltage source, like an AAA battery. Joule thieves are small, inexpensive, and easy to build. This type of circuit goes by other names too, like blocking oscillator, joule ringer, and vampire torch.

This design from Bobricius is unique in that it replaces the toroid transformer with a PCB etched dual coil. You can find some of the initial boards for sale on Tindie.

Enter The Human Computer Interface Challenge Today!

The next challenge of The 2018 Hackaday Prize is already underway. Check out our full post for details on how to enter. Who knows, you could be featured in our next finalist roundup!

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Anyone who’s ever dreamed of the perfect MIDI controller will admit, big name brands can lack the exact elements they need. Wouldn’t it be cool to choose your own? Shantea Controls have the perfect solution, the OpenDeck DIY MIDI Platform, where you can put together your perfect MIDI masterpiece easily.

The beauty of the OpenDeck is that a PhD in programming is not required — just hook up the components you want and use the dedicated software to select what you’ve patched together! The OpenDeck allows you to customise your exact controller by selecting from Buttons, Encoders, Potentiometers, FSRs (Force Sensing Resistors) and Single color or RGB LEDs to suit your setup.

Featuring USB MIDI, MIDI IN, MIDI Out and 64 digital inputs for buttons (or 32 inputs for encoders), 32 inputs for analog potentiometers/FSRs (configurable as digital inputs for buttons) and 48 outputs for LEDs – enough to power a MIDI Mothership!

Because it is configured by a web interface, no drivers are required to operate and it works well with Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. It has a huge range of features which can be seen in the documentation here.

The video below shows a custom controller built using the OpenDeck to control Native Instruments Traktor. But it is compatible with any MIDI software/hardware.

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There’s nothing wrong with keeping the score the old-fashioned way, but I think all of us would jump at the chance to use an actual scoreboard to showcase our victories. This six-inch LED Scoreboard Kit from NightFire Electronics LLC is an excellent way to make your scores known.

The kit consists of a 2-digit microprocessor-controlled up/down counter and reset. With three different screw-terminal inputs for these actions, the power comes in on a 2-pin screw terminal. You can use anything from 9vdc to 15vdc. The kit will run off a 9v battery as well. The display is composed of 50 jumbo 8mm LEDs. The numbers are 3.5 inches high by 1.75 inches wide. The visibility is well over 100 feet as well. You can choose from six different colors, but the default is red.

The scoreboard is powered by a Microchip PIC16F57 as the processor, which sits in an IC socket. This means that you can pull it out and reprogram it to meet your needs. You can also drive the device with an Arduino. You can choose from a “built and tested” kit or the original version to build yourself. Instructions are included, but you’ll need tools like a soldering iron and solder, which are not included.

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As someone who has been a gamer all my life, I often don’t realize how much I take my mobility for granted. Without the use of my fingers or hands, enjoying the hobby I love would be nigh impossible. For many limited mobility gamers, this is a reality. Take Dan Bertholomey, a lifelong gamer who lost the use of his right arm and hand in a tragic hit-and-run accident.

Or what about Solomon Romney? He was born without fingers on his left hand, which made it incredibly difficult for him to enjoy gaming with his friends and family growing up. For people with these kinds of limitations, solutions often came in the form of modifications made by makers who created their solutions at high costs. Now, Microsoft is bringing us a solution that empowers not only limited mobility gamers but makers as well.

Let’s take a look at the Xbox Adaptive Controller, and how makers on Tindie can start planning their designs to complement this upcoming controller’s release. Don’t forget that the fourth Hackaday Prize 2018 module is also the Human-Computer Interface Challenge, so you may some inspiration for that here as well.

Join us as we take a look at how this controller came to be and how makers can start developing designs that make gaming accessible for everyone.

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3D printing is an exciting technology with limitless potential in the long-term, but it comes with a few safety concerns. There’s a shockingly low amount of protection for the electronic components in modern 3D printers, for example.

Fellow Tindarian JasonKits has been working with 3D printing for 8 years, and this missing link caught their eye, so they decided to create a solution by leveraging a previously developed board and some new software. Enter the 3D Printer Guard.

With a 128×64 OLED Monochrome display, the device displays a splash screen, main screen, and alarm screen. It will monitor the temperatures in the hot end and heat bed with the option to set temperatures of each channel.

The software can be updated via the connector serial, and the WiFi connectivity allows you to develop software to send emails or monitor it remotely as needed. A buzzer also alerts the user when a thermal runaway occurs.

When it comes to 3D printing projects, you can’t be too safe. This device could protect both your device and your future projects.

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As someone who used to live in a stormy city, the sound of thunder immediately had me mashing the save button on my projects. Power outages were common during storms and without an uninterruptable power supply (UPS), everything shuts down without warning.

With the Pi-Zero-UpTime UPS for Pi or Pi clones, you can keep the power flowing, even when there’s an outage or interruption. It works like any other UPS and provides power from a backup battery that charges when there is power available.

A seamless transition between standard power and battery power ensures that you won’t need to reboot during the switch from one to the other. The hardware on the board monitors the battery level. When the battery level is low, GPIO pin 26 informs the software to change the state on the GPIO, using a sample code provided with the device.

The Pi-Zero-UpTime includes a micro-USB cable but does not include the battery. You will need to supply a 14500 size Lithium Ion battery. Depending on the one you choose, the time will vary. The sample code provided outputs the time stamp every 10 seconds so you can use this to run your own tests.

This device is compatible with any Raspberry Pi that has a 40-pin header. It’s approximately the size of a Pi Zero and even fits on top of a Pi-Zero with included mounting holes. An included Power Reset switch also allows you to reboot the Pi simply by resetting the power, so there’s no need to unplug anything. With a UPS device like this, you’ll never have to worry about an interruption in power again.

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