# Ep 347: Breaking Kindles, Baby's First Synth, and Barcodes!

- Show: [Hackaday Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast)
- Published: 2025-11-28
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 347
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes
- Listen: https://hackaday.com/2025/11/28/hackaday-podcast-episode-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes/

## Summary

Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Kristina Panos review a week of hardware hacks, including Bertrand Selva's use of BMI160 MEMS gyroscopes to measure Earth's rotation and Alistair's Arduino-based 'Baby's First Synth' for a three-year-old. They also discuss Usagi Electric's teardown of a vintage helium-neon barcode scanner, Projects in Motion's retrofit of physical heated seat controls in a RAM 1500 using an ESP32, and SN Carter's assistive radio built with a TEA5767 module. The episode concludes with Tom Nardi's guide to hacking old Kindles and a discussion on Chinese regulations regarding retractable car door handles.

## Chapters

- [0:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=5) Introduction: Elliot Williams and Kristina Panos
- [6:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=409) What's That Sound: Hairdryer Guess
- [8:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=528) Bertrand Selva's Earth Rotation Gyroscope
- [13:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=812) Alistair's Baby's First Synth
- [15:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=921) Usagi Electric's Vintage Barcode Scanner
- [20:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=1219) Projects in Motion's Heated Seat Retrofit
- [22:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=1347) Tool Scientists' Battery Balance Analysis
- [28:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=1707) SN Carter's Assistive Radio
- [35:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=2112) Quick Hacks: Hydrofoils, Radiometers, and TENS
- [41:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-11-28-ep-347-breaking-kindles-babys-first-synth-and-barcodes#t=2495) Tom Nardi's Kindle Hacking and Door Handle Regulations

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- BMI160 (chip)
- Arduino (other)
- Helium-Neon Laser (other)
- ESP32 S3 (chip)
- TEA5767 (chip)
- Kindle (product)
- Tesla (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [003 - Barbies and Keyboards](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2017-09-17-003-barbies-and-keyboards) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [004 - 0x0FF the Rails](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2017-10-13-004-0x0ff-the-rails) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [117: In as Much as Which](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-09-09-117-in-as-much-as-which) (Embedded.fm)
- [73: That's a Waste of Bits](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-10-22-73-thats-a-waste-of-bits) (Embedded.fm)
- [85: Stalked by Hoopers and Engineers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-01-21-85-stalked-by-hoopers-and-engineers) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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