2026-01-20 17:00:42
3D scanners rely on being able to identify physical features of an object, and line up what it saw a moment ago with what it sees now in order to build a 3D model. However, not every object is as distinct and visible as others at all angles, particularly in IR. One solution is reflective scanning markers, which are either pre-printed on a mat, or available as stickers that can be applied to objects to give the scanner a bit more to latch onto, visually speaking.
[firstgizmo] shows a slightly different approach: that of surrounding the object to be scanned with 3D printed reflective markers instead of covering the target object itself with reflectors, or relying on a flat scanning mat.
The main advantage (besides not having to remove stickers from the object afterwards) is that these printed markers present the reflective dots at a variety of angles during the scanning process. This makes the scene less sensitive to scanner angle in general, which is good because the angle at which to scan an important feature of an object is not always the angle that responds best.
By giving the scene more structure, the scanner can have a better shot at scanning reliably even if the reflectors aren’t on the target object itself. It also helps by making it easier to combine multiple scans. The more physical features scans have in common, the easier it is to align them.
Just to be clear, using these means one will, in effect, be 3D scanning the markers along with the target object. But once all the post-processing is done, one simply edits the model to remove everything except the target object.
[firstgizmo]’s DIY magnetic 3D scanning markers are an expanded take on an idea first presented by [Payo], who demonstrates the whole concept wonderfully in the video below.
3D scanning can be tremendously handy but it does have its quirks and limitations, and a tool like this can be the difference between a terrible scan and a serviceable one. For a quick catch-up on 3D scanning and its strengths and limitations, read our hands-on tour of using an all-in-one 3D scanner.
2026-01-20 14:00:30
We are always amused that we can run emulations or virtual copies of yesterday’s computers on our modern computers. In fact, there is so much power at your command now that you can run, say, a DOS emulator on a Windows virtual machine under Linux, even though the resulting DOS prompt would probably still perform better than an old 4.77 MHz PC. Remember when you could get calculators that ran BASIC? Well, [Calculator Clique] shows off BASIC running on a decidedly modern HP Prime calculator. The trick? It’s running under Python. Check it out in the video below.
Think about it. The HP Prime has an ARM processor inside. In addition to its normal programming system, it has Micropython as an option. So that’s one interpreter. Then PyBasic has a nice classic Basic interpreter that runs on Python. We’ve even ported it to one or two of the Hackaday Superconference badges.
If you have a Prime, this is a great way to make it even easier to belt out a simple algorithm. Of course, depending on your age, you might prefer to stick with Python. Fair enough, but don’t forget the many classic games available for Basic. Adventure and Hunt the Wumpus are two of the sample programs included.
2026-01-20 11:00:49
Silicone bakeware has become a staple in many kitchens due to its flexible, yet temperature-tolerant nature. New research from Canada shows it could be causing trouble for your liver and lungs, however.
The siloxanes that make up silicone bakeware can target “the liver through oral exposure, as well as the liver and lungs through inhalation exposure.” The fat content of the food being baked is also a factor as these compounds are lipophilic, so higher fat foods will absorb more siloxanes than lower fat foods.
Don’t throw out all your silicone yet, though. The researchers say, “the results showed a consistent decreasing trend in migration levels across consecutive weekly baking sessions, with no increase after the seven-month interval.” So, that dingy looking silicone mat you’ve used a hundred times is safer than a brand new, brightly-colored one.
This seems like an example of how glass and (non-heavy) metal are usually the best way to go when handling food. While we’re talking about ovens, do they really need to run a connectivity check? They certainly could be improved with a DIY thermometer or by making a more practical solar-powered example.
2026-01-20 08:00:07
If you ever built a line following robot, you’ll be nostalgic about [Jeremy’s] light-seeking robot. It is a very simple build since there is no CPU and, therefore, also no software.
The trick, of course, is a pair of photo-sensitive resistors. A pair of motors turns the robot until one of the sensors detects light, then moves it forward.
This is a classic beginner project made even easier with a 3D printer and PCB to hold the components. You might consider using an adjustable resistor to let you tune the sensitivity more easily. In addition, we’ve found that black tubes around the light sensors in this sort of application give you a better directional reading, which can help.
The robot only has two wheels, but a third skid holds the thing up. A freely-rotating wheel might work better, but for a simple demonstration like this, the skid plate is perfectly fine.
This is a good reminder that not every project has to be fantastically complex or require an RTOS and high-speed multi-core CPUs. You can do a lot with just a handful of simple components.
If you want to follow a line, the basic idea is usually the same, with perhaps some different sensors. Usually, but not always.
2026-01-20 05:00:46
How do you go about making a mirror with 128 segments, each of which can be independently angled? That was the question that a certain bloke over at [Time Sink Studio] found himself pondering on, to ultimately settle on a whole batch of mini-actuators bought through AliExpress. These stepper-based actuators appear to be akin to those used with certain Oppo smartphones with pop-up camera, costing less than half a dollar for a very compact and quite fast actuator.
The basic design is very much akin to a macro version of a micromirror device, as used in e.g. DLP projectors, which rely on a kinetic mirror mount to enable precise alignment. With the small actuators travelling up to 8 mm each, the mirrors can cover 73 mm at a distance of 4 meters from a wall.
With the required angle of the mirror being effectively just the application of the Pythagorean theorem, the biggest challenge was probably calibrating these linear motors. Since they’re open loop devices, they are zeroed much like the steppers on 3D printers, by finding the end limit and counting steps from that known point. This doesn’t make drift impossible, but for projecting light onto walls it’s clearly more than good enough.
2026-01-20 03:30:00
Syringes are pretty ergonomic, but when manually dispensing flux and solder paste it doesn’t take long before one wants a better way. [Elektroarzt]’s flux and solder paste dispenser design uses 3D-printed parts and minimal hardware (mostly M3x20 screws, and an optional spring) to improve handling and control.
How does it work? The ratcheting lever mechanism is similar to that of a hot glue gun, where an arm slips into notches in a rod when pressed down, driving it forward and never backward. In the process, a larger lever movement is translated into a shorter plunger travel, enhancing control.
The types of syringes this tool is meant to be used with have a plunger tip or piston (the rubber stopper-looking part, in contact with the liquid) inside the loaded syringe, but no plunger shaft attached to it. This is common with syringes meant to be loaded into tools or machines, and [Elektroarzt]’s tool can be used with any such syringe in a 10 cc size.
It’s an attractive design, and we like the way syringes top-load as well as the way the tool is made to lay flat on a tabletop, with the lever pointed up.
Want truly fine-grained control over your extrusions? Then check out this dispenser which really lets one dial in small amounts. You can also go motorized, and let a small PCB and stepper motor do the work.
