It turns out the 6mm (1/4″) tape for the brother p-touch PT-1230PC computer controlled label maker is just about perfect for labeling PDIP ICs. I whipped up a small program to generate images from the chip pinouts and control the printer in raw mode to create labels. Next step is to put a QR code [...]
Given how both physical switches and optical sensors have their own issues for using as reprap endstops, I decided to experiment with Hall effect sensors which detect the presence of a magnetic field. The idea being you place a magnet on your carriage, stick the sensor at one end and when the magnet gets close, [...]
So, it turns out I am the winner of the 2008 Underhanded C Contest. The goal of the contest is to write some straightforward C code to solve a simple task, incorrectly. In particular, you had to introduce a hidden security flaw that would stand up to code review and not stand out at all. [...]
Recently I have been building the cupcake CNC 3d printer as a stepping stone for getting involved with the reprap project. This was the first time I have tried soldering surface mount components, and I must say it turned out to be quite straightforward and easy using the hotplate reflow method. The main issue was [...]
The ISO C 99 standard is a great thing. In addition to desperately needed things like a dedicated bool type and codifying a lot of universally implemented extensions to the language, it added some more subtle things such as compound literals. A compound literal allows you to use a C struct or union as an [...]
It seems that whenever the topic of biometrics comes up there are some that can’t stop worrying about what will happen if someone gets ahold of your biometric data. After all, how hard is it to lift a fingerprint off a glass at a pub? Will using fingerprints for authentication mean you have to wear [...]
While waiting for the parts to my very own reprap machine, I figured I would experiment a little with some possible head designs. One I am particularly interested in is something like a ‘pick and place’ machine that can manipulate objects in 3 dimensions. My simple design involves a drinking straw, a couple $3 hobby [...]
