# Ep100: Arduino Plays CDs, Virtual Reality in the 60s, and Magical Linear Actuators

- Show: [Hackaday Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast)
- Published: 2021-01-08
- Length: 59m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators
- Listen: https://hackaday.libsyn.com/ep-100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators

## Summary

Hackaday editors Mike Szczys and Elliot Williams review a diverse range of hardware hacks, including Daniel 1111's Arduino-driven CD player, Boston Dynamics' dancing robots, and a DIY capacitive water level sensor for Christmas trees. They also discuss the Kataka linear actuator, a tool for calibrating ATtiny oscillators, and a review of the Pine64 Pinecil soldering iron. The episode concludes with a historical look at the origins of virtual reality technology in the 1960s.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=1) Introduction and Personal Projects
- [5:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=324) Arduino CD Player and Old Bus Hacking
- [11:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=713) Boston Dynamics Robot Dance Demo
- [17:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=1038) Capacitive Water Level Sensor for Christmas Trees
- [21:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=1313) Kataka Linear Actuator and Rigid Chains
- [27:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=1629) ATtiny Oscillator Calibrator and Double-Threaded Bolt
- [36:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=2180) Quick Hacks: Breadboarding, Stove Hood, and Plastic Springs
- [39:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=2381) Robot Trombone, Ceramic 3D Printing, and Brain-Computer Interface
- [42:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=2533) History of Virtual Reality in the 1960s
- [50:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-01-08-ep100-arduino-plays-cds-virtual-reality-in-the-60s-and-magical-linear-actuators#t=3000) Pine64 Pinecil Soldering Iron Review

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [EDA & CAD tools](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/eda-and-cad-tools)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Arduino (other)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- ATtiny (chip)
- Pinecil (product)
- TS 100 (product)
- Ivan Sutherland (other)
- Valve (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Raspberry Pi 500, Robot Roadies, Huge 3d Printers and Car Hacking!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2023-11-26-raspberry-pi-500-robot-roadies-huge-3d-printers-and-car-hacking) (The Electromaker Show)
- [Hacked E-Paper Price Tags, Raspberry Pi MCU Dev HAT, Arduino Robot Arm, and More!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2023-01-18-hacked-e-paper-price-tags-raspberry-pi-mcu-dev-hat-arduino-robot-arm-and-more) (The Electromaker Show)
- [223: Gregorian Chants and Things](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2017-11-16-223-gregorian-chants-and-things) (Embedded.fm)
- [ML on Arduino, Framework's Open Hardware, Miniature Billiards Game, and More!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2022-04-29-ml-on-arduino-frameworks-open-hardware-miniature-billiards-game-and-more) (The Electromaker Show)
- [Episode 143: ROBOTS!!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2017-11-10-episode-143-robots) (Making It)

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