# Ep 387: Superhuman Clocks, CAN in USB-C, and the Joys of Bare Metal

- Show: [Hackaday Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast)
- Published: 2026-09-18
- Length: 1h 10m
- Episode: 387
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal
- Listen: https://hackaday.com/2026/09/18/hackaday-podcast-episode-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal/

## Summary

Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Tom Nardi discuss recent community hacks, including Mikey Sklar's work to bring MicroPython's Viper and empy cross speedups to CircuitPython, and Bas Bottberg's reverse engineering of a Bluetooth printer using bleak. They also cover Ben's complete firmware rewrite of an E-grooter in Rust, which involved discovering CAN bus over USB-C, and Egg Karate Singh's complex mechanical clocks like Ovodio. The episode concludes with Hackaday Europe talks: Sylvain's bare metal 'Minimacy' virtual machine for security-critical applications, and Janelle Wellen's presentation on space mission hacks and troubleshooting.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=2) Introduction: Supercon 2026 and Retro Computing Challenge
- [2:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=138) Mailbag: Air Precision APE 2650 Clock Reverse Engineering
- [6:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=364) CircuitPython Speedups: Viper and empy Cross Integration
- [14:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=869) Bluetooth Printer Reverse Engineering with bleak and ESP32
- [18:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=1109) E-grooter Firmware Rewrite in Rust and CAN over USB-C
- [23:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=1398) 3D Modeling CNC Cabinets in CAD Before Assembly
- [29:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=1755) Egg Karate Singh's Mechanical Clocks: Ovodio and Beyond
- [38:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=2327) Full Color 3D Printed Sliding Puzzles via UV Printing
- [45:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=2749) Quick Hacks: Round MOLED Badge, Apple II Speech Synthesizer, Linux on ESP32
- [50:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-09-18-ep-387-superhuman-clocks-can-in-usb-c-and-the-joys-of-bare-metal#t=3030) Hackaday Europe: Bare Metal Minimacy and Space Oddities

## Topics

- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- CircuitPython (other)
- MicroPython (other)
- Viper (other)
- empy cross (other)
- bleak (other)
- ESP32 (chip)
- Air Precision APE 2650 (product)
- E-grooter GTE (product)
- Ovodio (product)
- Minimacy (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [405: Bacta Tank for Your Brain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2022-03-11-405-bacta-tank-for-your-brain) (Embedded.fm)
- [065 - Multitalented Grinch](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2023-07-30-065-multitalented-grinch) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [362: Permutations of Underscores](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-02-18-362-permutations-of-underscores) (Embedded.fm)
- [256: Agglomeration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-08-16-256-agglomeration) (Embedded.fm)
- [Apple II controlled Synthesizer, Rust on Everything, New Pi Bootloader](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-electromaker-show/2022-02-10-apple-ii-controlled-synthesizer-rust-on-everything-new-pi-bootloader) (The Electromaker Show)

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