Awesome Electronics

This circuit board-inspired glass cutting board is a great kitchen accessory for tech geeks. Unlike an actual motherboard, it’s perfectly smooth, so you don’t have to worry about getting bits of onion stuck in the electronics. If the circuit looks familiar to you, that’s because it’s based on the board inside the classic Sinclair ZX81 PC.

There are some off-the-shelf kits out there for building colorful LED cubes, but we’ve never seen anything quite as impressive as Mike Caan’s custom-built light cube, which features a whopping 24,576 RGB LEDs across its six 64×64 faces, each capable of displaying animations and videos uploaded from his computer.

The Roadie 3 is an automatic tuner for guitars, basses, ukuleles, and other stringed instruments. We took one for a spin to see how quickly and accurately it works on a guitar, along with testing it on a less common instrument – a bouzouki. Overall, it’s an impressive tool for any musician who plays strings.

Split-flap displays used to be common in everything from tabletop clocks to arrival and departure boards at airports. While not as popular these days, these electro-mechanical displays are still marvels of engineering. Scottbez1 walks us through how they work with a demonstration of his single-digit Arduino-controlled display.

Adafruit Industries shows off some tiny LEDs that can light up without being attached to a power source. They use wound copper wire to capture inductive power from up to a foot away, much like a wireless phone charger. Apparently, they’re used by model makers in order to light up scenes without running wires. More here.

This fascinating tabletop clock tells the time by changing the temperature. Instructables contributor Twisted & Tinned created the display using thermochromic foil and surface-mounted resistors that heat up liquid crystals. They previously made a temperature and humidity display using a different

technique.

Engineers, makers, and anyone else who works with circuits will love these pocket reference cards. The durable card set includes measurements, schematic symbols, a component value calculator, SMD footprints, laws and theories, and more. It comes in black and gold or a Kickstarter limited-edition PCB green.

Unless you’re a vampire, a mirror will reflect your face when you look at it. But The Action Lab’s unique mirror is a bit different. It uses a liquid crystal panel to block out the mirror and an expression recognition app that detects if its user isn’t smiling. We like the creative approach he came up with for the triggering system.

If you know anything about electronics, you know there are tons of different types of switches. Engineer and inventor Tim Hunkin delves into some of the many kinds of switches, how they work to complete circuits, and how to choose the right type for your projects.

A volumetric display can show images that produce the illusion of depth. After maker Sean Hodgins got his hands on some see-through OLED displays, he designed and built a miniature display that can display a 3D image by spreading its components across its multiple layers. This thing looks straight out of science fiction.

Concord Aerospace makes replicas of the switches found in NASA’s space vehicles, including the Apollo command module and the Space Shuttle. The switches feature accurate labeling, and can be wired to control circuits, should you decide to build your own basement simulator. You can also order switches with custom labeling.

With the right circuitry and engineering skills, tesla coils can be programmed to play music. Franzoli Electronics previously wowed us with their high-voltage version of Toto’s Africa. Now they’re back with a powerful cover of The White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army, replacing the thumpy garage rock sounds with a fuzzy electronic sound.

Last Christmas, maker Jiří Praus decided he wanted a unique ornament. So he set about building a light-up sphere that can display colorful patterns. He built the orb using meticulously-soldered brass wires, 194 individual RGB LEDs, and an ESP32 microcontroller. Check out the full build details on Instructables.

When the dreaded “check engine” and other dashboard warning lights flare, discover what’s wrong without a costly trip to a mechanic. The Innova 1000 Car Scan Mobile turns smartphones into advanced OBD2 diagnostic tools. It pairs with the RepairSolutions 2 app for systems health checks of most cars made since 1996.

This DIY handheld gaming system offers gamers an opportunity to learn about electronics. The system features a 2.42″ monochrome widescreen and comes with 200 Arduboy games pre-loaded into its memory. Advanced users can even program their own games for it. Available with or without a tool kit.

We’re only a month from the release of Sony and Microsoft’s latest consoles, and both brands have been more liberal about showing the inner workings of their systems than before. Sony mechanical design VP Yasuhiro Ootori disassembles a brand new PS5, and explains each of its components. English subtitles available.

Last time we checked in with musician Mezerg, he was playing the watermelon. This time, he performs on a more conventional instrument – though Voël Martin rigged up this upright piano with an electronic circuit and pumps that dispense a variety of juices and liquor to make a custom cocktail based on the notes he plays.

Electronics hobbyist splat238 shows off an awesome mask they built with 104 RGB LEDs layered in front of the fabric, and behind a mesh structure. Working with a Wemos D1 Mini and an Arduino-compatible controller, it’s able to display more than 40 different lighting effects. Check out the full build details on Instructables.

Elephant’s playing card tech-decks feature custom illustrated fronts and backs inspired by the intricate traces on printed circuit boards. They come in blue, green, white, or our favorite, a premium edition with two-tone foil on its box, and gold and silver metallic inks.

The Q was looking for a way to power his plug-in gadgets while away from home. While he could have just bought a ready-made power pack, he decided to build his own, wiring together dozens of 18650 batteries, then connecting an inverter to convert the DC power into AC.

Working in collaboration with Wallpaper* Re-Made project, men’s apparel brand Vollebak comments on electronic waste with a unique timepiece. The colorful Garbage Watch is made from recycled components taken from old circuit boards. Vollebak is accepting waiting list requests for its 2021 release now.

This Humble Bundle is packed with over $1000 worth of reading material from Morgan & Claypool to help you learn about electronic circuits, microcontrollers, and engineering principles. Pay what you want, and if you spend more than $15, you’ll get all 17 e-Books, while supporting the National Coalition Against Censorship.

This low-cost add-on for Raspberry Pi computers lets you build a 12.3 megapixel camera that accepts interchangeable lenses. Its 1/2.3-inch Sony IMX477 sensor can also shoot 4K/30 video. Its mount accepts C- and CS- lenses, which are common in CCTV and 16mm film cameras. It also has a tripod mount for ease of use.