Hackaday Podcast · 21 Aug 2026 · 1h 27m · Episode 383
Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi discuss the 2026 Retrocomputing Challenge, laser-assisted 3D printing, and an open-source firmware project for a Master Built Gravity 800 grill. They also cover Phil Underwood’s open-source cave surveying hardware, QR code compression techniques, and the legacy of Radio Shack electronic kits. The episode concludes with a look at over-the-counter hearing aids and the Motorola MC14500 one-bit CPU.
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Hosts Elecia White and Christopher White discuss the intersection of science fiction and engineering inspiration, review Digilent's Analog Discovery 2 and Digital Discovery test equipment, and detail Christopher's experience building a QRP Labs Ultimate 3S ham radio kit for WSPR. They also cover Elecia's struggles with Ubuntu and the NVIDIA Jetson TX2, the choice of programming languages for embedded firmware, and Elecia's appearance on the Jennylyn Show.
The host of The Electromaker Show reviews the August Electromaker of the Month winners, including a QR code access system by SwAWEC 13, a smoke detection project by Blatz 01 using Nordic Semiconductor kits, and a light-based audio transmission project by Yeshvanth M. He also discusses the MNT Pocket Reform, a modular open-source mini laptop, and GlowStich LEDs, which are sewing-machine-compatible conductive strips for wearable tech. Additionally, the episode covers Femto, an ultra-compact RP2040 development board, and a 3D-printed electronic guitar built with multiple ESP32 microcontrollers.
Elecia White and Christopher White discuss the LeapFrog LeapPad and Odyssey Globe, recalling Elecia's work on their capacitive sensing and custom ASIC technology around 2001. They analyze the governance models of open source projects like Valetudo, ESPHome, and Zephyr as analogies for large company politics, and review Bunnie Huang's Dabao Evaluation Board for its verifiability features. The hosts also cover practical tools like Merlin Bird ID and Excel data bars, while debating the use of Ethernet in embedded systems and the state of Renesas MCUs.
Jen and Alvaro interview Chris Svec of SEGGER, Josh Lifton of Crowd Supply, Richard Whitney of the Happy Robot Company, Alex Glow of Hackster, and Chris Gammell of Contextual Electronics at the 2018 Hackaday Superconference. They discuss reverse engineering tools like the SEGGER J-Link and Analog Discovery 2, and projects including the Open Steno Project, Charmware, and the Happy Robot's cuddly robots. The guests share personal anecdotes about electronics mishaps, such as shorting high-voltage rails and dealing with thermal printer integration issues at Crowd Supply.
Hosts Dave Jones and Chris Gamble discuss the open-source RC controller from Gizmo For You, highlighting its complex injection-molded cases and 8-layer PCB. They review Ken Lumbard's 'Reading Jim Williams' project, which curates and analyzes the application notes of legendary analog engineer Jim Williams. The hosts also cover rumors of a DARPA humanoid robot grand challenge and share experiences using CircuitLab for SPICE simulation.
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