We’re all used to emulating older computers here, and we’ve seen plenty of projects that take a cheap microcontroller and use it to emulate a classic home computer or gaming …read more

Many of us have run a Blink program on a microcontroller before. It’s effectively the “Hello, World!” of the embedded space. However, few of us have ever thought about optimizing …read more

You can use a microcontroller to build a clock. After all, a clock is just something that counts the passage of time. The only problem is that microcontrollers can’t track …read more

What color do you like your microcontroller boards? Blue? Red? Maybe white or black? Sadly, all of those are about to look old hat. Why? Well, as shared by [JLCPCB], …read more

Here’s a fun one for Mac nostalgia fans: a new project by hobbyist Nick Gillard has taken the idea of mini retro builds to a whole micro level. Called the pico-mac-nano, this is a working replica of the original Macintosh that stands just 62 millimeters tall (that’s 2.4 inches for you, Casey Liss). And what’s more, you can actually run MacPaint and MacWrite on it. How awesome is that? The project (via BoingBoing) builds on an earlier open-source emulator by Matt Evans, who had already managed to get a Raspberry Pi Pico running System 1. Gillard took that idea and ran with it, packing it into a shockingly faithful 3D-printed case, complete with a tiny rainbow Apple logo and even a scale replica of the original Picasso-style shipping box. “I just couldn’t resist creating a matching, tiny version of the iconic ‘Picasso’ box that the original 128K Macintosh shipped in. After finally finding a manufacturer (in India!) and having the first batch back, I’m super-happy with the result; a white, full colour printed, corrugated cardboard box.” The guts of the machine are made of a Pi Pico microcontroller, a 2-inch 480×640 TFT screen configured to match the original Mac’s 512×342 resolution, and a speaker capable of those signature startup chimes. Everything runs off a custom firmware that emulates a 68000 CPU, all open-sourced and shared on GitHub. The result is a perfect desktop curiosity you can gift yourself on a special occasion or, if you’re one of these DIY creatures, build on your own. Gillard says he’ll be selling a few pre-assembled kits soon, but if you’re the DIY type, you can also grab the STL files, firmware, and a full parts list for your next weekend project over at 1BitRainbow.com. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Researchers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have developed MiniFix, a fully 3D printed syringe-based biological fixation system engineered for spaceflight. Successfully deployed in five MAPHEUS sounding rocket missions, MiniFix represents a breakthrough in experimental payload design, combining rapid prototyping, modularity, and robust performance in microgravity environments, combining rapid prototyping with modular, lightweight, and reliable performance under the extreme conditions of microgravity research. A 3D printing milestone for space life science Unlike conventional biological fixation systems, MiniFix is entirely produced via Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). Key components, including the syringe holders, baseplate, and housing, were fabricated using desktop 3D printers, notably a Prusa MK3+, with 0.4 mm nozzles and a 0.3 mm layer height. This approach enabled fast, low-cost iteration and customization of parts to suit different missions and experimental needs. The system has undergone structural revisions using three different filaments; PLA (Polylactic Acid), used in initial missions (MAPHEUS-09 and -12), PETG (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol), chosen for enhanced mechanical durability (MAPHEUS-14), and GreenTEC Pro, a compostable bioplastic with high thermal resistance, used in MAPHEUS-15. This made MiniFix the first biologically compostable experiment structure to fly aboard a rocket. Sectional, translucent view through the MiniFix fixation system. Image via Sebastian Feles / DLR. Modular design for rapid adaptation MiniFix features a dual-syringe configuration, where a fixative and a biological sample are housed in vertically stacked syringes. Syringe actuation is handled by NEMA11 stepper motors coupled with linear actuators, allowing precise fluid dispensing. The hardware is modular and sterilizable, enabling pre-assembled syringe units to be installed under sterile conditions. Its all-3D printed chassis ensures that custom features, like integrated lighting for plant experiments, can be introduced quickly without redesigning the core system. This makes MiniFix suitable for various biological models, from unicellular organisms to organoids. Variants of the SBBFS Configuration. Image via Sebastian Feles / DLR. Built-in thermal regulation via waste heat A standout innovation is MiniFix’s passive thermal management system, which uses the heat generated by its stepper motors to maintain stable internal temperatures. With no need for separate heating elements, this system simplifies design, reduces power draw, and lowers overall payload mass, critical factors for sounding rocket missions with strict weight and energy budgets. Test data from MAPHEUS-15 showed that MiniFix maintained an internal temperature of 21.98 °C ±0.12 °C, consuming just 4.6 Wh during operation, even under ambient conditions as low as 4 °C. Space-tested reliability The reliability of this 3D printed structure was put to the test across multiple missions. MiniFix successfully endured extreme conditions, including launch vibrations exceeding 20 g and temperature swings from hypergravity to microgravity and re-entry. Across four missions, its components have shown no degradation or material failure, with post-flight inspections confirming the integrity of all printed parts and mechanical systems. Future applications Beyond fixation, MiniFix could evolve into a general-purpose liquid handling system for space. Its syringe mechanism is already capable of performing programmable mixing and the platform could be adapted for reagent delivery, drug testing, or even microfluidics in space-based manufacturing. Additionally, it exemplifies how additive manufacturing can accelerate experimental development cycles while maintaining reliability in harsh environments. Its open-source microcontroller and modular design ethos further position it as a template for future experimental hardware in life sciences and beyond.3D printing gains traction in space hardware development Additive manufacturing is rapidly transforming the development of spaceflight hardware, from on‑orbit part fabrication to ground-based launch systems. Just this year, ESA’s Metal3D printer aboard the ISS produced the first metal 3D‑printed part in microgravity, now safely back on Earth for analysis. Meanwhile, Nikon and JAXA are collaborating to refine large-scale metal 3D printing for space components, advancing materials and process control to shorten lead times and reduce launch costs. Within this context, DLR’s MiniFix system exemplifies a new wave of highly adaptable, mission‑specific payloads, completely fabricated using desktop FDM printers and bioplastics, optimized for the rigors of sounding rocket flight and microgravity research. The full research paper, titled “Pioneering the Future of Experimental Space Hardware,” is available in Microgravity Science and Technology via Springer Nature. Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us onLinkedIn and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry YouTube channel to access more exclusive content. At 3DPI, our mission is to deliver high-quality journalism, technical insight, and industry intelligence to professionals across the AM ecosystem.Help us shape the future of 3D printing industry news with our2025 reader survey. Featured image shows sectional, translucent view through the MiniFix fixation system. Image via Sebastian Feles / DLR.

Laptops haven’t quite reached the same plug-and-play modularity as desktop PCs, but tinkerers have found ways to piece together unique machines using Raspberry Pi boards as the guts, Arduino microcontrollers for extra tricks, and 3D printing to craft custom shells. The result is a wave of personalized cyberdeck designs, each one showing off its creator’s vision of portable computing with a heavy dose of personality. If you’ve ever dreamed of walking around with a computer straight out of a retro sci-fi movie, this DIY cyberdeck briefcase laptop is the stuff of geeky fantasies. Today’s electronic components and digital fabrication tools mean anyone with enough patience and creativity can build a custom computer that feels more like a prop from a 1970s space adventure than a modern laptop. Designer: rawkout1337 This particular cyberdeck, known simply as Cyberdeck 1.1.0, doesn’t try to outdo the most extreme designs, but it still packs plenty of character into a briefcase-sized package. Instead of chasing the thin, minimalist look of commercial laptops, it leans into bold shapes, chunky silhouettes, and a color scheme that would have been right at home on the set of a 70s or 80s sci-fi show. You half expect to find it on the lap of a spaceship pilot or tucked under the arm of a secret agent from the future, or at least the future envisioned by the 70s and 80s. What really sets the Cyberdeck 1.1.0 apart is the playful placement of its components. The power button, trackball, and mouse buttons all live on the upper half of the computer, right next to the compact screen. Using the trackball requires gripping the edge of the lid, while the three mouse buttons are tucked along the back edge, making you interact with the machine in a completely different, almost cinematic way. Most of the internals are off-the-shelf parts, but there’s enough custom wiring and soldering to keep seasoned makers entertained. The mechanical keyboard is satisfyingly chunky, and the panels snap together with a satisfying click, thanks to the wonders of 3D printing. Even the handles are made from bent metal bars, giving the closed briefcase a portable, industrial vibe, perfect for a quick getaway or a dramatic reveal at a hacker meetup. Of course, carrying a bright, boxy computer through airport security is bound to draw some second glances. But that’s half the fun: this is a laptop that refuses to blend in, embracing the spirit of DIY and cyberpunk with every detail. For makers, tinkerers, and sci-fi fans, the Cyberdeck 1.1.0 is a reminder that computers can be quirky, bold, and a little bit rebellious, just like the people who build them. The post Cyberdeck Briefcase Laptop Channels 70s Sci-Fi for DIY Tech Lovers first appeared on Yanko Design.

Inventor and physicist Thomas Senkel created an Internet sensation with the October 2011 video of his maiden—and only—test flight of a spidery proof-of-concept 16-rotor helicopter dubbed Multicopter 1. Now the maker of the experimental personal aviation craft, the European start-up e-volo, is back with a revised "volocopter" design that adds two more rotors, a serial hybrid drive and long-term plans for going to 100 percent battery power. The new design calls for 1.8-meter, 0.5-kilogram carbon-fiber blades, each paired with a motor. They are arrayed around a hub in two concentric circles over a boxy one- or two-person cockpit. After awarding the volocopter concept a Lindbergh Prize for Innovation in April, Yolanka Wulff, executive director of The Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation, admitted the idea of the multi-blade chopper at first seems "nutty." Looking beyond the novel appearance, however, she says, e-volo's concept excels in safety, energy efficiency and simplicity, which were the bases of the prize. All three attributes arrive thanks largely to evolo's removal of classic helicopter elements. First, the energy-robbing high-mass main rotor, transmission, tail boom and tail rotor are gone. The enormous blades over a normal chopper's cabin create lift, but their mass creates a high degree of stress and wear on the craft. And the small tail rotor, perched vertically out on a boom behind the cabin, keeps the helicopter's body from spinning in the opposite direction as the main blades, but it also eats up about 30 percent of a helicopter's power. The volocopter's multiple rotor blades individually would not create the torque that a single large rotor produces, and they offer redundancy for safety. Hypothetically, the volocopter could fly with a few as 12 functioning rotors, as long as those rotors were not all clustered together on one side, says Senkel, the aircraft's co-inventor and e-volo's lead construction engineer. Without the iconic two-prop configuration, the craft would be lighter, making it more fuel efficient and reducing the physical complexity of delivering power to the top and rear blades from a single engine. Nor would the volocopter need an energy-hungry transmission. In fact, "there will be no mechanical connection between the gas engine and the blades," Senkel says. That means fewer points of energy loss and more redundancy for safety. E-volo's design eliminates the dependence on a single source of power to the blades. As a serial-hybrid vehicle, the volocopter would have a gas-fueled engine, in this case an engine capable of generating 50- to 75 kilowatts, typical of ultralight aircraft. Rather than mechanically drive the rotors, the engine would generate power for electric motors as well as charge onboard lithium batteries. Should it fail, the batteries are expected to provide enough backup power so the craft could make a controlled landing. Whereas helicopters navigate by changing the pitch of the main and tail rotor blades, the volocopter's maneuverability will depend on changing the speed of individual rotors. Although more complex, it is more precise in principle to control a craft using three to six redundant microcontrollers (in case one or more fails) interpreting instructions from a pilot using a game console–like joystick—instead of rudder pedals, a control stick and a throttle. Wulff's first impression about the volocopter's design is not uncommon. E-volo's computer-animated promotional videos of a gleaming white, carbon-fiber and fiberglass craft beneath a thatch of blades recall the many-winged would-be flying machines of the late 19th century. This point is not lost on Senkel. "I understand these skeptical opinions," he says. "The design concept looks like a blender. But we really are making a safe flying machine." That would be progress in itself. Multicopter 1 looked like something from an especially iffy episode of MacGyver, complete with landing gear that involved a silver yoga ball. Senkel rode seated amid all those rotors powered only by lithium batteries. Multicopter 1 generated an average of 20 kilowatts for hovering and was aloft for just a few minutes. There's a reason why the experimental craft flew briefly and only once.Senkel describes that first craft as "glued and screwed together." Seated on the same platform as the spinning blades, he says, "I was aware of the fact that I will be dead, maybe. Besides, we showed that the concept works. What do we win if we fly it twice?" he asks rhetorically. Other than putting the pilot safely below the blades, the revised volocopter design would operate largely the same as the initial prototype. The design calls for three to six redundant accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure the volocopter's position and orientation, creating a feedback loop that gives the craft stability and makes it easier to fly, Senkel says. The volocopter's revised prototype under construction could debut as soon as next spring. The first production models, available in perhaps three years, are expected to fly for at least an hour at speeds exceeding 100 kilometers per hour and a minimum altitude of about 2,000 meters, still far shy of standard helicopter's normal operating altitude of about 3,000 meters. "This could change our lives, but I don't expect anything like that for 10 years," Senkel adds. Given that most of the technology needed to build the volocopter is already available, "this idea is fairly easy to realize," says Carl Kühn, managing director of e-volo partner Smoto GmbH, a company that integrates electric drive systems and related components. Like Senkel, Kühn has modest short-term expectations despite his repeated emphasis on the standard nature of the technology involved. "I guess that e-volo will have [a prototype] aircraft in three years that can do the job—that it will lift one or two persons from one point to another," he says. The biggest immediate limitations appear to be regulatory. For instance, European aviation regulators consider any electrical system greater than 60 volts to be high voltage and regulate such systems more aggressively, Kühn says. As a result, the volocopter will operate below that threshold. The craft will also need to weigh no more than 450 kilograms to remain in the ultralight category, which is likewise subject to fewer government aviation regulations, according to Senkel. The Lindbergh Foundation's Wulff says the organization's judges felt e-volo had "a greater than 50 percent chance of succeeding, or they wouldn't have given them the innovation award." Asked if she would line up to fly one someday, she says, "I sure would. It looks very compelling to me." Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs. Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news. © 2012 ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.