The world just recognized Earth Day and it was a good reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect the planet. Unfortunately, many of our devices suck up energy in direct opposition to that goal. But the market has proven that we aren’t willing to sacrifice convenience. Luckily, that isn’t always necessary. To demonstrate that, overVolt built this solar-powered weather station that features an E Ink display. The first — and usually easiest — step in the right direction is reducing energy consumption. And it is often possible to make efficient devices that don’t require any sacrifices ..read more

Hey there, DIY IoT enthusiasts! Ever build a cool gadget with your Raspberry Pi, only to get stuck figuring out how to show off its data? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Lots of makers like you face the same challenge: turning that awesome sensor data into something easy to see and interact with on your phone or laptop.  The good news is, there are simple and reliable ways to bridge that gap and shed light on your data without losing time. Visualize your Raspberry Pi data: Get started Raspberry Pi and other Linux-based platforms have become popular in the IoT space due to their versatilit ..read more

We recently covered Vaclav Krejci’s stick shift project, in which he designed a board that surrounds the shift lever and uses Hall effect sensors to detect its position. It then displayed the current gear on a small OLED screen. The idea was that the user could mount that screen wherever they wanted on the dashboard or center console. But now Krejci is back with a more satisfying solution: an LED display built into the shifter knob itself. The rest of the hardware, aside from the display, is the same. A custom PCB surrounds the shift lever and contains the Hall effect sensors. Jumper cables c ..read more

Arcade machines are a dying breed and that’s a shame, because their purpose-built approach to gaming is so wholesome. There is something intrinsically satisfying about a device that does one thing and does it well. If you want to bring that beauty into your own home, Migi has a great Instructables tutorial that will walk you through building your own arcade cabinet with custom Arduino-based controls. Migi’s cabinet design is inspired by Capcom’s Mini Cute line, which was a series of small arcade machines popular in Japanese cafes. But while it is smaller than standard arcade cabinets, it is s ..read more

Conserving energy is something every animal does, and we humans are no exception. Especially when energy costs are high — something many of us have been uncomfortably aware of in recent years — figuring out ways to live life without burning through excess fuel (and polluting the environment) is a serious priority. Technology has promised many solutions here, with all kinds of energy-saving products on the market claiming to cut energy bills in half while saving the planet. But how many of these gadgets actually work? And could it be better to make your own? In this article, we’ll look at some ..read more

For those who own a pet with the freedom to move between the house and the yard, keeping tabs on where they are can be a challenge, especially if there’s a pet flap involved. Instructables member “madmcu” wanted to know where their cat was whilst away from the house on vacation, so they came up with an AI-driven solution that could log entrances and exits automatically. Because a closing flap will induce vibrations, madmcu started the project by adding a three-axis accelerometer just above the pet door’s hinge. The IMU was then connected to an Arduino UNO R4 WiFi in order ..read more

Science Buddies had a problem: their tiny little pug loves eating their cat’s poop. Because the pug is smaller than the cat, they couldn’t simply put the litter box behind a tiny cat door. So they came up with a more sophisticated solution: a motorized door triggered by a magnetic collar. Riley the pug’s responses to poop access prevention are awfully pugnacious, but she is also pretty skittish. Science Buddies surmised that a cardboard door would be enough to stop her. But that would also stop Trouble the cat, so the door needed to remain open for Trouble and only close when Riley tried to e ..read more

Today’s makers have access to the most advanced materials, resources, and support in history, and it’s improving all the time. The downside is that finding the right software can sometimes feel confusing and overwhelming. There are seemingly endless options, all with different attributes and advantages. In this article, we’re here to help make things easier. We’ll walk you through the best software for makers at each experience level — beginner, intermediate, and expert — and help you identify the right software for your needs. The best maker software for each experience level Beginner-level ..read more

The entire tech industry is desperate for a practical wearable HMI (Human Machine Interface) right now. The most newsworthy devices at CES this year were the Rabbit R1 and the Humane AI Pin, both of which are attempts to streamline wearable interfaces with and for AI. Both have numerous drawbacks, as do most other approaches. What the world really needs is an affordable, practical, and unobtrusive solution, and North Carolina State University researchers may have found the answer in machine learning-optimized fabric buttons. It is, of course, possible to adhere a conventional button to fabric ..read more

Every maker should have a bench power supply in their possession, ready to provide whatever voltage a project or particular component requires. But not all bench power supplies are created equal. Some only have a single output, some have a limited voltage range, and some can’t handle much current. In an attempt to eliminate such concerns forever, Doug Domke built “the Beast.” This is a beefy bench power supply that can easily handle any project an electronics tinkerer is likely to tackle. It has three outputs that can all operate at the same time. Two of them can be set anywhere from 2V to 30 ..read more