Author Archives: the machinegeek

Irongeek’s Teensy based SD keylogger

Adrian Crenshaw (“Irongeek”) has released the project details and code for his latest hardware keylogger. If you have a Teensy board and ever thought about experimenting with keyloggers you’ll find everything you need in Adrian’s project description. You simple connect the Teensy between a female PS/2 connector and an SD card adapter and grab the […]

Light sequencing and decoding DMX with Arduino

Akiba of Freaklabs and the Tokyo Hackerspace has written an excellent tutorial on using the Arduino to decode the DMX protocol, a standard protocol for stage lighting displays. It includes a three-part video presentation (Part I, above) and a link to the source code. As Akiba notes, these techniques could be used in developing some […]

Tweephone analog Twitter client

UP Digital Bureau and Unteleported tech agency present the Tweephone, an analog Twitter client. In the world of short messaging this is about as retro as you can get. Remove the phone from the switchhook, use the rotary dial to enter your message (with the appropriate number of dial rotations to get the letter you […]

DesignSpark chipKIT Challenge

Manuel writes to inform us of the DesignSpark ChipKIT Challenge. According to the contest page, “[p]articipants in this competition must use Microchip’s chipKIT Max32 development board to design an energy-efficient and eco-friendly device. Entries must include an extension card developed using DesignSpark’s PCB tools, should compile using Microchip’s MPLAB IDE software and will be judged […]

Openschemes homebrew SVF player

Openschemes has a tutorial describing their project for bit bang JTAG programming of Xilinx CPLDs using their homebrew SVF player. They describe: Today’s lesson consists of the development of a bit-banged JTAG SVF player in order to program a device such as a CPLD. It’s quite likely that the SVF player we develop today could […]

Arduino controlled flamethrowing Jack-O’-Lantern

Randofo published the details on this flamethrowing Jack-O’-Lantern on Instructables. This bad boy is designed for remote control via Squidbee RF modules so you can shoot a one-second burst of flame on command. (As randofo observes, you should be able to substitute any Arduino/XBee combo for the SquidBee.) This definitely qualifies as a Dangerous (Halloween) […]

propgcc: GCC for the Parallax Propeller microcontroller

Here’s an interesting code project in the development stage. Propgcc is an open source GCC port for the Parallax Propeller P8x32a Microcontroller. The project is currently in the Alpha Test Phase, and its developers note that it’s not yet ready for general use. Testing and documentation are still in progress. They report that the compiler […]

Derbycon/Defcon: battery firmware hacking

We use laptops everyday and as long as the battery isn’t dead we probably don’t give it much thought. It turns out that most laptop batteries contain a smart chip which controls battery charge rate and ensures safety parameters are observed among other purposes. In this video from the recently concluded Derbycon conference in Louisville, […]

Arduino sound-responsive Halloween skull

Boris presents this project just in time for Halloween. It’s a simple Halloween skull which employs an Arduino to read the level from sound sensors and controls a servo connected to the skull’s mandible. You can see more project details and get the source code from the Open-Electronics website. Via the contact form.

DTMF Decoder using Goertzel algorithm on PIC18F4520

Debraj has been working on this project for DTMF decoding using the Goertzel algorithm on a PIC. Goertzel algorithm is well known in the DSP domain. It is used to detect the presence of a frequency or a number of frequencies. This algorithm is popular as the calculation required for implementation is lesser as compared […]

BoardX: multi-processor miniature motherboard

The BoardX is an open source miniature motherboard that works with a bunch of different processors. Kevin writes, “We’re producing an open source miniature motherboard similar to Arduino, except that processors come as add-ons and are not restricted to using one or a specific family.” In addition to various MCUs, the project also includes add-on […]

8-bit CPLD graphics card using XC9572

Ulrich Radig from Germany has developed an 8-bit graphics card based on the XC9572 CPLD. In addition to the CPLD chip (the same one used in our CPLD dev board), he added two cache blocks from an old motherboard. (He reports that the SRAM chip CY7C199-15 could be used instead.) He states, “[t]he graphics card […]

Arduino powered jacket detects alcohol

This jacket just might save you from a DUI. Matt Leggett of New Zealand has designed a jacket that incorporates an Arduino-based alcohol sensor. A series of LEDs, stitched into the forearm, glow with an intensity varying with the amount of alcohol present in the wearer’s blood. The idea behind this innovative piece of clothing […]