Why can't all electronic devices be waterproof like my watch? There are watches worth three times as much as my iPhone that I can wear into the hot tub without a worry in the world, but cleaning most of my electronics requires a lot of caution. If only I could toss my dusty l ...more
In the following video, I demonstrate how to create a device capable of charging the body of anyone who wears it with static electricity, allowing a powerful shock to be discharged into anything that is touched. This grants the wearer the ability to do some pretty amazing thin ...more
New to soldering? This how-to video answers the questions for these common beginner soldering questions: what is flux? what tip should be used? do solder fumes contain dangerous amounts of lead? why regularly clean and tin the iron tip? Watch this video computer-circuitry tuto ...more
USB devices are ubiquitous and cheap nowadays, which means they make great raw materials for hacking and electronics projects. This video will show you how you use a USB host shield to hack USB devices and use them with MIDI controllers, game controllers, and other devices.
This year, like every year before it, Black Friday sales are starting earlier than ever. A lot of stores will be opening their doors as early as 5pm on Thanksgiving to get a head start on the madness (and it really is madness). As we've discussed in the past, one of the keys t ...more
Whenever we make a homemade circuit, we use what are called through-hole components. Any components with long metal leads is a through-hole component. They are great for soldering to, but it's tough to fit enough through-hole resistors and capacitors into a smartphone. To get ...more
If you want user friendly electronics projects, you'll need to build an enclosure case around it. Not only will this help it look cool, you can also protect it from dust, water or other kind of damage. This tutorial shows you how to make a great looking user intereface and enc ...more
It's no secret that water and electronics don't mix well, but somehow, people always manage to combine the two. I've had my fair share of water-damaged electronics, everything from cheap headphones to a desktop computer. My devices are getting dunked in water so much, it's lik ...more
Welcome to part 2 of robotics teacher Scotty's introduction to electronics! the first video taught about the basic tools and components we need to start working with electronics. This one will cover the basics of electronics, from a primer on electricity and how it works to ma ...more
Analog robots might seem a little backwards conceptually, but they are still really fun to make if you're into robotics and electronics. This video will teach you how to make a simple self-balancing analog robot. It's basically a small, robotic, analog Segway.
It turns out that the popularity of soft circuit electronics has leaked out of the interwebs and into the hands of the U.S. military. Soft circuit electronics allow you to literally sew electronics circuits into fabric using flexible conductive thread instead of wire. Soft cir ...more
Charge your cell phone, mp3 player or other USB-equipped device with the power of the Sun! All you need is a 6-volt solar panel and a female USB cable. Solder them together (this video demonstrates how), and then you have a solar powered USB charger!
I obviously do a lot of Steampunk projects, but there are a ton of things out there that I haven't tried yet. So, in an effort to broaden my horizons, I recently taught myself how to use Arduinos, which I plan to incorporate into some of my future Steampunk builds. Since ther ...more
This video could very well apply to most bathroom exhaust fans, but this video specifically installs the Delta Electronics Breez Humidity Sensor Exhaust Fan, Model VFB25AEH (130 CFM). With this video, you'll learn the DIY approach to installing one of these exhaust fans in you ...more
Rockets are lots of fun when you are launching them. However, finding them can be an arduous if not maddening task. Fancy space rockets have lots of tracking equipment to make touchdowns as simple as pie. Today, we look at embedding LEDs into your hobby rocket for easy night f ...more
Perfboard, or perforated board, is a simple board with evenly spaced holes and lined with metal which can be soldered on one side. The holes let you set up a board with circuits and wires as you need them for your own project. This tutorial shows you everything you need to kno ...more
A CNC router machine is probably the most useful tool a hobbyist can own, but the price for a CNC machine on the market is way more than the average hobbyist is willing to spend. You can build your own CNC with very basic tools, little knowledge of machinery, mechanics, or ele ...more
Electronics are the most important new thing people have created in the last hundred years, and learning how to use them will make you much more able to function in modern society. If you want to learn about electronics without going to a class or anything so formal, this exce ...more
Just in time for Halloween, a collection of creepy, pulsating biological monstrosities designed by interactive media artist Mio I-zawa. Click through the gallery of videos below for the Mechanical Tumor (a fleshy visualizer that displays CPU usage, quivering as your computer ...more
If you want to control electronic devices, such as a relay or motor, you can do so using MicroPython with an ESP8266 and web browser. Usually, you'd program an ESP8266 using Arduino, but C++, which Arduino uses, is not always the easiest programming language for beginners to l ...more
Dan McPharlin has created some super-sweet retro electronics papercraft models. Click through to Dan's Flickr page to view the entire collection. Beautiful handmade cardboard models. Previously, Rotating Kinetic Transforming Gear Heart. Make Your Own Racist 1920's Mechanical ...more
It's one of the most popular queries on the web, meaning the wet electronic disaster is likely a common mishap. There are many answers out there, but if you're lucky enough to have never googled it, pay attention now. You never know when you may drop your cell phone or iPod in ...more
A function or signal generator is an electronic device that can create different types of waves and send them through a circuit without building oscillators. This video will teach you how they work and how to build a basic LED dimmer that uses one as an example.
Take a look at this instructional video and learn how to completely disassemble electronics without damaging the tamper seal or the parts. This tutorial uses a brand new HP IPAQ 2410 for instructional purposes and you can apply these techniques to other electronic products tha ...more
This video tutorial explains how to strip insulated wire the right way. You'll learn how to adjust your wire strippers to make the process easier. Some people don't even use wire strippers, they use a knife or maybe even their teeth, but this causes nicks in the copper. To get ...more
Rural Geek shows us a thorough step by step for soldering wires and other electronics.
In this video, Bre Pettis shows you how to set up a breadboard for power and then play around with electronics on it.
In this five-part video tutorial series, you'll learn the fundamentals of working with electronics. To follow along, you'll need a 28-280 Electronics kit from RadioShack. You can skip to lesson 1 if you (a) have experience with a bread board and caring for electronic chips, ( ...more
Learn about circuit bending in this video series that will help you understand how and when to utilize this unique way of making music. Part 1 of 15 - How to Circuit bend audio electronics. Circuit bend audio electronics - Part 2 of 15. Click through to watch this video on exp ...more
Learn how to solder. Whether you like to tinker with electronics or do your own plumbing repairs, soldering metal is an essential skill. Plus, it's kinda fun. You Will Need * A soldering iron * A soldering tip * Safety glasses * Solder * Flux * Soldering clamps ...more
Calculating resistance and power isn't hard... and, as David explains, knowing Ohm's Law and the Power Triangle can be darn useful when you're designing a project, sorting out power supply issues, or want to keep from burning your car down.
Do you like to try out the latest electronics before they come out? Do you hate it when you have to send back test products you do get your hands on? Watch this video to learn how you can get companies to send you products to review and let you keep them afterwards.
In this how-to video series, learn how to solder from soldering expert Ken Orlich. Ken has been soldering for over twenty years and will teach you what he knows about soldering, including what tools you need for soldering, how to save money soldering, and soldering safety tips ...more
When you think of AR experiences, you typically think of something that either involves a headset or a handset. Augmented reality without either of those things has seemed impossible in the past. But if anyone is going to try to find a way to have an augmented reality experien ...more
When out on the ocean, it's always a smart move to make sure your electronics are close by and easily accessible. The best way to do so is by having it located at the t-top tower of your boat. So this tutorial will show you how to install a CE Smith electronics box on the t-to ...more
Math scares a lot of would-be electronics lovers away from the field, and if you really hate math this is probably the video in this series where you stop. It will teach you how to use Ohm's Law to calculate resistance and how that applies to a basic circuit.
Tossing old computers and electronics in the trash is bad for the planet. Techno-Guru Lloyd gives a smarter alternative. Some other helpful e-cycling links: HopeLine Phone Recycling http://aboutus.vzw.com/communityservice/hopeLineRecycling.html Earth 911: Electronics http:/ ...more
Any electronic equipment is bound to accumulate dust, slight moisture, dirt or any combination of the above on its sensitive parts over time. The delicate nature of items also means further care is required. This video explains how to clean the contact and other surfaces of c ...more
Oscillators are basically just machines that make waves, but they are used everywhere in modern life and if you want to know electronics you should understand them as well. This video will teach you how oscillators work, what they're for, and how to make some simple circuits w ...more
To etch copper, an acidic solution of copper chloride and hydrochloric acid may be used. Gather copper etching materials with tips in this free electronics video. Etch copper - Part 1 of 15. Click through to watch this video on expertvillage.com Etch copper - Part 2 of 15. Cli ...more
Have a computer too old to sell? A hopelessly dated phone? Don’t just toss them into the garbage, where they will leach toxic materials into the soil and water. Recycle them. You need to research recycling options, and you will need a delivery method. No reason to toss old ele ...more
I recently came across this amazing MIT media lab site, Kit-of-No-Parts. Though not directly related to the content Cory has been posting, it is an interesting "craft" approach to technology/science. The site was created as documentation of a student's thesis work in the High- ...more
Whether you just got a brand new laptop or you've had an old notebook for several years, it's in your best interest to maximize your laptop battery life so you get the most out of your computer. Make sure you "work" the juice in your laptop batteries by unplugging your laptop ...more
Age doesn't matter in the world of programming, only skills, and recent high school grad Jack Eisenmann definitely has them. He recently built a homebrew 8-bit computer from scratch, calling it the DUO Adept. A worn television makes up the monitor and speaker system, an old ke ...more
This awesome how to explains the construction of a DIY USB-charged flashlight! The coolest part is that there are no batteries! Two super capacitors hold the charge from the USB and release it to the LED light at the touch of a button! Image from La famille créative
To hack a Wi-Fi network using Kali Linux, you need your wireless card to support monitor mode and packet injection. Not all wireless cards can do this, so I've rounded up this list of 2019's best wireless network adapters for hacking on Kali Linux to get you started hacking bo ...more
The iPod changed the music and electronics industries when it was first introduced way back in 2001. It is credited with ushering in the age of "connected devices," and has held a huge market share of around 70% for years. At the height of its popularity, the iPod made up almo ...more
"What is dead may never die." That's easily one of the best lines (and episode title) from HBO's Game of Thrones series. While the saying may ring true for the Ironborn, it's not quite as catchy when it comes to batteries. Lithium-ion batteries power tons of consumer electron ...more
When it comes to squeezing as much battery life as possible out of our smartphones, most people aim for software solutions, or ones that can otherwise be easily managed right from the touchscreen. Managing Wi-Fi and data connections, fine-tuning screen brightness, and install ...more
There's a lot of conflicting information out there when it comes to the best habits for charging a smartphone's battery, so let's clear some of that up right off the bat. Lithium ion batteries (the type used in most modern electronics) start to lose their ability to hold a cha ...more
Search engines index websites on the web so you can find them more efficiently, and the same is true for internet-connected devices. Shodan indexes devices like webcams, printers, and even industrial controls into one easy-to-search database, giving hackers access to vulnerabl ...more
In this article, I'll be showing you how to make a simple yet effective static electricity generator. Basically, this device allows you to carry a constant static charge on your body and discharge it on anything grounded or of opposite polarity. The electricity generated is ar ...more
SentrySafe puts all sorts of measures in place to protect your valuables and important documents. This particular SentrySafe has an electronic lock, four 1-inch bolts to keep the door firmly in place, pry-resistant hinges, and it's able to withstand drops of up to 15 feet. Tha ...more
I have owned quite the plethora of electronics in my life. A commonality between most of these devices' screens is frozen or dead pixels. This is probably the most annoying thing about buying new hardware—your LCD, or worse, LED display has one or more pixels that continues to ...more
Citizen Engineer is an online video series about open source hardware, electronics, art and hacking by Limor (`Ladyada') Fried of Adafruit Industries & Phillip (`pt') Torrone of MAKE magazine. In part one of this episode dedicated to phone hacks, you'll learn how a how to bui ...more
If you've recently joined the ever-growing ranks of the cable cutters, you're far from alone. More and more people (myself included) are getting fed up with service providers' outdated subscription models and absurd pricing—and canceling their service. And why not? There are ...more
Welcome to Microwave Energy—the next part of my Making Electromagnetic Weapons series. For the Electromagnetic Pulse Generator, check out the last three articles (One, Two and Three). I'm sure almost all of you have used a microwave at some point in your lives. As a child, I ...more
There's a lot that goes into making a nice crystal radio set, so this is going to have to be broken down into two parts. The first part is the actual making of a functional radio, and the second part is making the whole arrangement look nice. In this part, I'm actually going t ...more
Your home has walls for privacy, but Wi-Fi signals passing through them and can be detected up to a mile away with a directional Wi-Fi antenna and a direct line of sight. An amazing amount of information can be learned from this data, including when residents come and go, the ...more
It used to be that you only had to worry about maids rummaging through your belongings in your locked hotel room. But now anyone with 50 bucks of hardware and some programming skills can hack their way in—as long as it's locked by keycard. At the Black Hat security conference ...more