Hackaday Podcast · 30 Jan 2026 · 54m · Episode 355
Jenny List and Elliot Williams discuss the 100th anniversary of John Logie Baird's first television demonstration, highlighting the historical context of mechanical scanning. They review several hacks, including Francesco Pace's ESP32-based person detector using WiFi channel state information, V3 Electronics' open-source 'Spirit' smartphone, and Core BB's ESP32-based walkie-talkies for cyclists. The episode also covers Denny's plaster casting smoothing technique, RootKit's WiFi spectrum light sculpture, and Agony's tensegrity bicycle wheel.
makers and hobbyists
Other shows on the same ground, closest first.
The host of The Electromaker Show reviews the February Electromaker of the Month winners, including a LoRa walkie-talkie by Kutlahan Akta, and celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Raspberry Pi. He discusses a faithful Sol-20 retro computer recreation using a Raspberry Pi, reviews the Blues Wireless Notecard for cellular IoT, and highlights a Cornell University project for silent voice command recognition via lip reading.
Elizabeth Brenner and Amelia White discuss their 'Are You OK' widget, a Wi-Fi-enabled stuffed animal designed to alert caregivers if an elderly person hasn't interacted with it for 24 hours. They detail the hardware choices, including the Electric Imp module and LiPo batteries, and the software architecture involving device code, agent code, and cloud modules. The conversation also covers the challenges of soldering for non-hardware engineers, the use of Mailgun for notifications, and the potential application of Fitbit data via IFTTT for similar monitoring.
The host of The Electromaker Show reviews several maker projects, including Ralph S. Bacon’s exploration of wireless serial debugging, Carl Bugeja’s self-soldering PCB concept, and Ivan Miranda’s giant 3D-printed Lego go-kart. He also highlights the ZS Watch open-source smartwatch, the Puca DSP audio board, the FarPatch wireless debugger, and the newly announced ESP32 C6 module.
Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss a DIY drone crash video, the ADE 651 bomb detection scam, and rumors of Texas Instruments selling its OMAP processor line. They also cover Tektronix's new oscilloscope launch, a Kickstarter scam involving the Tech Sync Power System, and the future of personal robots like the Willow Garage PR2.
The host of The Electromaker Show reviews several maker projects, including Matthias Wandel’s RP2040-based microwave current sensor and Alisdair Allan’s hack of an IKEA Vindriktning air quality monitor using a Raspberry Pi Pico W. The episode also highlights Arduino Nano projects like cardboard laser tag guns and a persistence-of-vision CD display, before covering new hardware such as the GGTag e-ink RFID device, the Raspberry Breadstick, and the Orange Pi Zero 3.
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