Microsoft has announced they will be making a special edition of the Kinect available designed especially for Windows hackers. The new Kinect will include optimized hardware components and firmware adjustments to better enable PC-centric scenarios. The unit will complement the Kinect for Windows SDK. MS reports: Simple changes include shortening the USB cable to ensure […]
Category Archives: Development
Free O’Reilly webcast: Intro to embedded systems programming
O’Reilly is presenting a free one hour webcast this Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 10:00 AM PT entitled “A Gentle Introduction to Embedded Systems Programming.” Elecia White will be the presenter. Want to do some embedded software? Or worse, did you get handed a project and just want to know what is going on? There […]
CadSoft releases EAGLE Version 6 for beta testing
Eagle has released beta Version 6 of their CAD software for public testing. They note: We suggest that only users who already have experience with previous versions of EAGLE participate in the beta test. If you are new to EAGLE please use our current release version. CadSoft notes that the beta version is NOT for […]
Dangerous Prototypes source code visualization
See two years of source code development in a 6 minute visualization. Tayken used a script to visualize code development in the Dangerous Prototypes SVN repository at Google Code. Watch for the 2 big reorganizations, one in 2010 and again in 2011. In the beginning there’s a single long-term contributor, but around 2010 the number […]
In development: Soldering iron driver
Earlier this year Arhi developed a soldering iron driver (machine translation) that works with both PTC and K-type TC temperature sensors. In this design a microcontroller implements PID temperature control of the soldering iron, and shows the relevant information on a display. His posts in the forum inspired us to build one too. The soldering […]
Arduino IDE first release candidate available
The Arduino team has released First Release Candidate of Arduino 1.0 for download and testing. Final version 1.0 is scheduled for release at the end of October. Users are encouraged to download the release candidate’s code and direct any comments to the Arduino blog.
Bus Pirate v4 first complete package release v6-a1
The first complete release package for Bus Pirate v4 is now available in the forum. This includes a working bootloader and firmware based on the new open source USB stack, utilities, and complete source code. If you have the v4 hardware, any testing is greatly appreciated. There are still a ton of bugs to fix, […]
Testers needed: USB Infrared Toy firmware v20 release candidate 1
We are exceedingly proud to announce the first USB IR Toy firmware using an open source USB firmware. In the past we used the Microchip USB stack, but it’s not distributable so we can’t release the full source code. Sure, it’s easy enough to download the code from Microchip directly, but that is an extra […]
WIMM One – anywhere Android device
Wimm Labs has announced their development of the WIMM One platform, a go anywhere user programmable Android device. While their website doesn’t reveal the processor, they state the device will include a bi-modal display, capacitive touch screen, WiFi and Bluetooth, an accelerometer, magnetometer up to 32 GB memory and be housed in a water resistent […]
Soldering PICqueño32 dev-board prototype
A video of the PICqueno32 prototype build and test process. About 70 minutes of soldering is reduced to 5 minutes. First the big chips go down. This board has a 64pin TQFP PIC32 and a 28pin SOIC FT232 USB->serial chip. We had to salvage the FT232 from an old Bus Pirate prototype. Next the small […]
STATUS UPDATE: PICqueño32 v1.0
PICqueño32 is our knock-off the Arduino-compatible chipKIT Uno32. Earlier this summer Microchip and Digilent released a 32bit, PIC 32 development board. Yeah, it’s in the shape of an Arduino. What sets it apart from others is the open source compiler that works with the Arduino IDE and existing Arduino programs. We decided to make a […]
Radio Shack announces “The Great Create”
Radio Shack continues to pursue the DIY market: Welcome to The Great Create. We want to know what great creations you’ve come up with using RadioShack parts. Our goal is to gather the coolest projects from our most creative customers and share them here. So, show us what you’ve got and submit your project now. […]
Maker Shed kit lets you connect iPhone to Arduino — no jailbreaking!
MAKE announces the availability of the Redpark Breakout Pack for Arduino and iOS. This kit includes the only Apple-approved serial interface cable having a DB9 serial connector on one end and the iPhone connector on the other. As MAKE describes it: Exclusively in the Maker Shed, the Redpark Breakout Pack for Arduino and iOS makes […]
Nonolith Labs CEE USB analog electronics multitool
Ian and Kevin from Nonolith Labs write: Our open-hardware startup just announced our first two projects, both of which are vaguely bus-pirate related. The CEE is a USB analog multitool. It can source and measure voltage and current on two channels, making it a mix of a power supply, multimeter, function generator, and oscilloscope. It’s […]
Kinect for Windows SDK beta released
Microsoft has released the beta of their Kinect for Windows SDK. The Kinect for Windows SDK beta is a programming toolkit for application developers. It enables the academic and enthusiast communities easy access to the capabilities offered by the Microsoft Kinect device connected to computers running the Windows 7 operating system. The Kinect for Windows […]
Retro style microcomputer on Parallax Propeller
Jeffledger wrote this Instructable detailing his construction of a retro-style microcomputer using a Parallax Propeller Multicore Startup Special dev kit (any Propeller board should work), an RCA Ultimate TV IR keyboard, 38 kHz IR receiver module, resistor and micro SD card with adapter. The result is a mockup of a retro computer on which you […]
Purdue senior design roundup 2011
Each year the Purdue seniors in electrical and computer engineering design and construct projects as part of their coursework. For your reading and viewing pleasure, here’s a descriptive summary of the projects produced by the 15 teams participating in the this spring’s ECE477 design roundup. A summary of the rules which governed these design projects […]
CPLD Commodore C64 memory project
The website 64HDD has plenty of information about mods and upgrades for Commodore C64 enthusiasts. They have an article explaining their exploration of using CPLDs in C64 hardware mods. Their first CPLD project, explained in the article, explores the build of a 256kB memory expansion board originally designed using TTL chips. The project uses the […]
OTOduino: free Arduino/iPhone interface app
The Hoz writes to inform us of another Arduino related iPhone app known as OTOduino. This free app allows you to interact with an Arduino and monitor/control analog and digital IO ports in real-time via a simple audio jack interface. It’s currently available from the iPhone app store. Check out the OTOduino project support page […]
Minibloq: developing a graphical programming environment for Arduino
Minibloq is a graphical programming environment for Arduino and other physical computing devices, such as DuinoBot or Maple. One of its main goals is to bring closer Arduino, Multiplo and other platforms to primary schools, kids and beginners. It’s currently under development, and they are conducting a Kickstarter campaign with the goal of finishing the […]