Open Hardware/Modding: Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and More

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Aug 03, 2023

• The Past, Present, And Future Of CircuitPython

  Modern microcontrollers like the RP2040 and ESP32 are truly a marvels of engineering. For literal pocket change you can get a chip that’s got a multi-core processor running at hundreds of megahertz, plenty of RAM, and more often than not, some form of wireless connectivity. Their capabilities have been nothing short of revolutionary for the DIY crowd — on any given day, you can see projects on these pages which simply wouldn’t have been possible back when the 8-bit Arduino was all most folks had access to.

• Examining Test Gear From Behind The Iron Curtain

  Back in 1978, an oscilloscope was an exotic piece of gear for most homebrewers. We expect they were even more rare in private hands behind the iron curtain, and [Thomas Scherrer] shows us a Soviet X1-7B combination oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer (he thinks, at least, it is a spectrum analyzer) that he got working.

• Meet Unihiker – A Linux Computer & Microcontroller In One

  The Unihiker is a new single-board computer from DFRobot which is a bit different to the ones that I usually take a look at on my blog.

• 8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard Hits All The Right Buttons

  I’ve never been tempted to use a mechanical keyboard — but 8bitdo’s new NES-styled one might change that. It’s beautiful to look at, has programmable buttons, volume dials, works both wired and wirelessly (200 hour battery life), is an 80% width (i.e. compact but not cramped), has 87 keys, and, best of all, costs a mere $99. The price point alone is certifiable impulse-purchase territory.

• Arduino Cloud is ISO 27001 certified

  At Arduino, we embrace security as an integral part of the development lifecycle in order to provide secure hardware, software, and digital services to our customers.

• Magical office gadget encourages coworkers to solve problems

  Whether it’s budget issues, lack of time management, or simply not having any ideas for solving the issue at hand, dealing with coworkers who bring up these problems is a pet peeve of element14 Presents host Mark Donners.

• Raspberry Pi RP2040 Becomes a Mouse in a Pinch

  Maker and IoT Ideas threw together a makeshift mouse in a pinch using a SEEED Studio XIAO RP2040 module along with a few extra components.

• Raspberry Pi Supply Improves. Here's Where to Buy One Now. (Updated)

  The Raspberry Pi are staying in stock for longer, and we've done the math to show how Eben Upton's predictions for 2023 hold up against real production numbers.

• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Alternative from Geniatech Has up to 8GB RAM

  As Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W stocks are still hard to come by, Geniatech's XPI-3566-ZERO is an enticing alternative, for bulk purchasers.

• Best Raspberry Pi Pico Accessories and Add-Ons 2023

  You’ve got the Raspberry Pi Pico, but what accessories do you need to get the most from this board?

• Raspberry Pi supplies are improving, but trust may be hard to rebuild with makers

  Last December, Eben Upon provided an update about Raspberry Pi availability and expected “unlimited supplied” by H2 2023. Nine months later, Raspberry Pi supplies have indeed improved a lot. Still, some makers with small-volume production have already moved on, and are using alternative solutions. This seems especially true for products based on Raspberry Pi CM4 modules. Tom’s Hardware has just had a fresh look at the Raspberry Pi supply situation, and based on Eben’s tweets noted an increased number of Raspberry Pi boards had shipped in 2023.

• This Nicla Vision-based fire detector was trained entirely on synthetic data

  Due to an ever-warming planet thanks to climate change and greatly increasing wildfire chances because of prolonged droughts, being able to quickly detect when a fire has broken out is vital for responding while it’s still in a containable stage.