These days, hackers have many choices of processors and development boards for their hardware projects. If you need something small and cheap and don’t require a ton of processing power, the ATtiny85 is a good choice, but for better or worse it comes as a chip with not much else on it. Although not exactly a fair comparison, something like an Arduino Uno can be easier to start with, since it has a programming port built in, and female headers for IO.
Well, now you can have the best of both worlds with this ATtiny development board kit, which includes an ATtiny chip. This board breaks out all the ATtiny85’s pins, and includes headers for power, like this coin cell breakout, also available from Bitkit.
One thing this board doesn’t include is a way to program these chips. For this, you’ll need to either make your own programmer, use a programmer like the Bitkit Little Wire Kit, or do something clever like using a full Arduino Uno board for the purpose.
Though you could cobble something together on your own to get started with the ATtiny, if you’d like a head start with the hardware, Bitkit has you covered!
If you want to light up your latest project, using LEDs is the normal choice. Easy, cheap, and colorful, they usually work extremely well. What if, however, you want to do something more unique, and use halogen or many other types of AC lighting? If so, the Bugrovs2012 store has a great solution with its dimmer modules.
Though several types are offered, this eight-channel model appears to be Bugrovs2012’s top of the line dimmer. Like others offered, it can control other AC electronics, like fans or heating elements, and since it can be operated by platforms such as the Arduino and Raspberry Pi, it allows for interesting modes of operation, like the pattern seen below.
Other prominent products include Bugrovs2012’s temperature loggers. They come in several varieties, but the four-channel logger with Bluetooth capabilities looks like the most capable. Although there are many applications for something like this, the idea that pops into my mind is using a dimmer module with the temperature logger to keep individual chicken coops at an ideal temperature. Some sort of experimental or even cooking setup could also be interesting!
Oscilloscopes, for the most part, are large and expensive pieces of equipment. Given the usefulness of these devices, engineers and hackers are willing to give up a good chunk of desk space and cash to have one. For simple oscillicope functions, however, the OLEDiSCOPE fits in your hand and can measure voltages of up to 5DVC. It also costs under $23.95 plus shipping.
If this sounds incredible, apparently you’re not the only one, because as of this writing it is sold out. It should be noted that, though something like this can be useful, perhaps for audio measurement or working with PWM (pulse-width modulation) signals, it’s not going to replace something that costs hundreds of times as much.
The Phoenix Cnc, Olediuno store also has quite a few other gadgets for sale, several using the same type of tiny screen setup. This includes the very interesting and tiny spectrum analyzer seen in the video below. I could see this being used with any sort of audio streaming build for a hassle-free way to add a fun display element to your project.
Back to work for you, holiday’s over! But wait, this is traditionally the least productive day at the office since everyone is cruising the web for deals. Look no further.
Anyone who wants bleeding-edge, artisanal electronics knows there’s no place like Tindie.
This Cyber Monday, dozens of
Tindie Sellers are offering deals.
While stocks last:
SemachTheMonkey: 15.55% off the RC2014 range. Discount code: CYBERZ80 (Monday Only!)
Geppetto Electronics: 20% off store – GPS Disciplined xCXO, Crazy Clocks, and more. Discount code: 338678B4 (Monday Only!)
Kaktus: 15% discount on MightyWatt Electronic Load and USBuddy USB development tool (10 available). Discount code: KAKTUS15 (Ends Wed).
Also, two pounds of typical Czech chocolate and candy will go to the customer who makes the largest order from 24th to 29th November! Sent separately on 1st December (no code required).
Makerstorage: 10% off Seven-Segment Thermistor or Thermocouple Extruder Controller. Discount code: MSBFCM10 (Ends Tues).
Also free gift of Thermocouple Sensor to our customers with our Seven-Segment Thermocouple Extruder Controller (Use with 10% off code above).
I-Syst: 10%-20% off Bluetooth modules, LED matrix, and more. Check specific product pages for Friday-only, Monday-only, and weekend-long deals.
Dan M: Free gift when buying the DM dispenser – extra syringes OR faster shipping OR free accessories (Monday Only!).
Tall Dog: 50% off Switching Breadboard Power Supply. Discount code: 2AB89C1A(Monday Only!).
Also, free Teensy Breakout kit (choose any) with the purchase of any 2 Teensy Breakout kits – specify choice of kit in notes when placing order. (Monday Only! no code needed)
ICStation: 20% off loads of components IC Accessories, ESP8266, ESP32s, OLED, Robotics and Raspberry Pi, Arduino compatible Dev. Board and Modules. Discount code: 70956DCF(Monday Only!).
Embedded Lab: 10% off loads of Digit Displays, Pulse Sensors, and more. Discount code: BFDEAL10(Monday Only!).
Black Friday is approaching meaning millions of people will rush to their nearest retail outlet, wallet in hand. Instead of buying stuff you don’t really want or need (like a WiFi enabled toaster or something). Consider using Tindie to get the unique hardware you just won’t get on any of those big retail sites. If you are an electronics nerd or are buying a gift for one, Tindie is a goldmine of cool stuff that make for great gifts.
This Black Friday, dozens of Tindie Sellers
are offering deals. Scroll down to see them all.
To give you little taste of what is available:
Working on something over the holidays or making a gift? Whatever chip you want to work with, there’s an excellent chance there’s a Tindie seller that has a dev board built around it. There are many and varied Arduino boards and shields like the GAMBY for retro-gaming, the Audio Hacker kit for real-time audio processing, and even a solderless Arduino clone. With pulse sensors, speed sensors, and hundreds of IC parts to tinker with you’ll never get bored. Teensy users should check out 3 for 2 on breakout boards!
Thinking about making something for your home? A great beginners project is a unique clock using a Crazy Clock mechanism, or more experienced hobbyists can completely automate with this modular wireless system.
Looking for something ready to go right out of the box? Try the p@ss™ Mark II password key fob, Chirp for plants, UV-badge, or the Arduino Enigma I. Alternatively, the RC2014 is a great well documentedhomebrew computer kit to put together.
That is just the tip of the iceberg. For cool electronics you won’t find anywhere else, Tindie is the only place to go!
The Deals:
SemachTheMonkey: 15.55% off the RC2014 range. Discount code: CYBERZ80 (Fri-Mon).
Geppetto Electronics: 20% off store – GPS Disciplined xCXO, Crazy Clocks, and more. Discount code: 338678B4 (Fri-Mon).
Kaktus: 15% discount on MightyWatt Electronic Load and USBuddy USB development tool (10 available). Discount code: KAKTUS15 (Fri-Wed).
Also, two pounds of typical Czech chocolate and candy will go to the customer who makes the largest order from 24th to 29th November! Sent separately on 1st December (no code required).
Makerstorage: 10% off Seven-Segment Thermistor or Thermocouple Extruder Controller. Discount code: MSBFCM10 (Fri-Tues).
Also free gift of Thermocouple Sensor to our customers with our Seven-Segment Thermocouple Extruder Controller (Use with 10% off code above).
I-Syst: 10%-20% off Bluetooth modules, LED matrix, and more. Check specific product pages for Friday-only, Monday-only, and weekend-long deals.
Dan M: Free gift when buying the DM dispenser – extra syringes OR faster shipping OR free accessories (Fri-Mon no code required).
Tall Dog: 50% off Switching Breadboard Power Supply. Discount code: 2AB89C1A (Fri-Mon).
Also, free Teensy Breakout kit (choose any) with the purchase of any 2 Teensy Breakout kits – specify choice of kit in notes when placing order. (Fri-Mon no code needed)
Xlabz : $15 off UV-Badge a keychain sized UV and environmental sensor. Discount code: 795A5A71 (Thur-Sun).
ICStation: 20% off loads of components IC Accessories, ESP8266, ESP32s, OLED, Robotics and Raspberry Pi, Arduino compatible Dev. Board and Modules. Discount code: 70956DCF (Thurs-Mon).
Embedded Lab: 10% off loads of Digit Displays, Pulse Sensors, and more. Discount code: BFDEAL10 (Fri-Mon).
Winternight: 20% off DC Boarduino Kit. Discount code: D3175E6E (Thur-Sat).
“Why not control your RC car with smart phone?” asks the “Smart Racer’s” product description. Though certainly rhetorical, if you, like many engineers (including myself) take things way too literally, the implied answer is, “no reason.” Or so I would have to believe.
If you’d like to give it a try, this board from “Some1” uses either WiFi or Bluetooth for control, depending on the version you order. It takes the place of a normal receiver in your RC car, and is powered by the electronic speed control (ESC). In addition to speed and direction, it allows you to control up to 5 lights, potentially giving your car a fun new look.
You can see the setup demonstrated below, accelerating and turning left and right. Perhaps if there is a reason not to do this, it’s that the interface might be a bit clunky compared to a dedicated transmitter. On the other hand, all the code for it is available here, so if you’d like to modify how it works, you certainly can. Though meant for RC vehicle control, especially with the “light” outputs, the potential for this little board would seem to go way beyond its original purpose!
Bicycle theft is a real problem in certain parts of the world. Around 20,000 bikes are stolen in London each year and roughly 5,000 per year are stolen in Dublin. Even having a top of the range bicycle lock won’t be much use against something like a 42 inch foldable boltcutter as shown in the image below.
Bolt cutters. (Vaccum cleaner for scale)
Sure you can make a bike less appealing to a bike thief by using multiple locks etc., but really if they want it they will eventually get through any defenses you have. Tracking the whereabouts of your bike is a great second line of defense to have, especially if you’ve shelled out a few hundred euros for a decent bicycle. The second generation GSM/GPS tracker made by Fusion is still undergoing development and not yet for sale on Tindie, but we have blogged about the first generation which you can buy. Fusion has streamlined the design to focus specifically on fitting it into handlebars.
A post to the r/electronics subreddit by Fusion about the new design has gotten a considerable amount of attention and people have been commenting with all kinds of possible additions to the project. Reddit user camomile came up with the great idea to add Bluetooth and link to a smartphone. This way alerts could be set up to notify you of any movement of your bike away from your relatively close proximity — like locked right outside your office.
It’s great to see a project like this that gets people thinking and throwing their suggestions into the ring. The fact that this tracker is Teensy based means it wouldn’t be all that hard to go adding in new features you want.
The tracker comes with a nano sim card slot and communicates via 2G. The GPS co-ordinates and battery voltage are sent back to an SQL database for you to access. There are other places besides bicycles where this device would be useful, several people mentioned motorcycles as an obvious other application. It will be interesting to see this second version in action — currently living in metal handlebars is a connectivity design hurdle that needs to be overcome — and who knows, there might well be more revisions after this.
I’ve now been writing for Tindie for a few months, mostly talking about various items that people sell here. Admittedly, I haven’t listed anything on Tindie, so take my ideas with a grain of salt, but I have browsed around quite a bit at this point. Some listings are better than others, and here are a few things I’ve noticed that will hopefully help you sell your awesome and wacky items!
Listing a product on Tindie is free and each listing goes through approval before appearing in your store. In addition to making potential customers feel great about their purchase, ensuring you have great images and that you have done a thorough job of proofreading will get your listing approved post-haste. If you’re just starting out it is worth your time to check out this roundup of all the basics in this Tindie listing guide.
Text Description
Descriptions, in my opinion, should be longer than a paragraph or two, but not too long. From my perspective of writing up a summary on a project, even if the item looks cool, I need details on how it was made, what it could be used for, and what sets it apart from the crowd. This can, or course, take the form of a video, but if there’s just a paragraph and a picture, it’s tough to get a feel for what the product is all about. In many cases actual customers will be better convinced to buy something if they know a little more about it with a minimum of effort.
That being said, if it’s too long for someone to easily read, perhaps it’d be best to cut it down, or host an expanded description on another site like Hackaday.io or GitHub. Strive to do an excellent job of explaining your product, but instead of leaving out a wealth of details you can point the more motivated engineers to your “making-of” or “taking this further” page. When in doubt, sometimes it helps to put yourself in the place of many different types of readers. Are you appealing to the beginner, the ‘this just needs to work’ crowd, and the experts who want to know every component and why it was chosen?
Video
For some items, what it does is pretty self-explanatory with just a few pictures and some text. “Oh, it’s an adapter for a USB cable to plug into X-Y-Z?” On the other hand, if you’re showing off a new MIDI device or something that flashes LEDs, it’s really good to see and/or hear how it works! For that matter, even if you don’t need a video, it’s a great format to personally describe your item and what it’s good for.
The holo clock video seen above is a great example. It’s entertaining, fairly short, shows how it works, and how the device is assembled!
Though many of us build eclectic items, it might be helpful to keep your store focused on one theme, such as breakout boards, camera accessories, or 3D printing. Though I don’t have hard data to tell me this, if I were looking for a certain product, I might look for a store that sells “X” over one that sells “X, Y, Z, and sometimes Q.” For that matter, there is no reason one couldn’t open two or even more stores to keep things separate!
If you want to go even deeper into what can make your store a success, check out this analysis published last year by a data scientist.
Robotic applications take many forms, but much of the time it comes down to creatively controlling servo motors. If you’d like to control up to 16 servos over WiFi, here’s a solution called the WiFinch. It’s board allows you to control servos via WiFi using an Android app, or you can reconfigure it using Arduino, NodeMCU, or MicroPython. You can see it below controlling a robotic arm via a smartphone.
It can also control electronic speed controllers (ESCs) or any other device compatible with a digital servo signal, so there are certainly quite a few interesting possibilities.
If you’re sure you’re going to build a robot with this device, or just want a few accessories to go along with the board, you could also step up to their “Robot Maker Kit” featuring 5 servos, a battery holder, and a USB cable. Though you could certainly find a use for those components, if you need some ideas, Rototeurs has you covers with their “Printabots” designs.
Electronic loads are used to draw power from a source at either a constant current or a constant voltage. This comes in useful for things like battery discharge testing or making sure that PCB you designed can actually power those motors without releasing the all important magic smoke. Another cool thing about electronic loads is that you can do all the testing in your workshop and if nothing catches fire, take it out into the real world.
The MightyWatt is a programmable electronic load that sits on top of an Arduino Uno/Zero/Due. Thanks to the built-in heat-sink and fan you can draw 70W before the FET on the board starts overheating. The included Digital to Analog converter lets you set the desired load characteristics through the Arduino. The board creator, Kaktus has made a C# program which you can run on Windows as a simple user interface for the electronic load. The design is fully open source and you can find the documentation over Kaktus’ blog.
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