From Peter Hizalev on Tindie:
This is VT-100 and XTerm compatible video terminal implemented on the PIC32 microcontroller. It has a serial interface with TTL or RS-232 signal levels, input from a standard PS/2 keyboard, and output to a VGA monitor. There is also a USB interface that supports serial over USB and acts as a USB-to-serial converter.
Bring your small projects to life with this SAMD21 dev board that is perfect for running CircuitPython:
A small but powerful SAMD21E18A powered micro dev board designed to be easy to use with direct support for Circuit Python! Get started with i2c projects using the onboard STEMMA/QWIIC connector or easy access to SPI pins and more.
The 5V power in is protected by a Schottky diode allowing up to 500mA of current, as well as a 3.3V pin which can sink up to 500mA between the microcontroller and connected devices.
This board also features a comfortable and easy to press reset button with smooth tactile action.
The BioAmp by Upside Down Labs can help! The project is open source hardware and the design files are available at upsidedownlabs/BioAmp_v1.5:
BioAmp v1.5 is a single chip Bio-potential amplifier for recording any Bio-potential signal non-invasively. It’s compatible with Backyard Brains Spike Recorder, which you can use to record and visualize all the Bio-potential signals.
Originally tweeted by Upside Down Labs (@myupsidedownlab) on March 17, 2021.
Oak Dev Tech designed this stackable LiPo battery backpack for the Adafruit QtPy:
What is it?
A LiPo Battery Backpack specifically designed to work with the Adafruit Qt Py and board with similar 5V, GND, and 3.3V pin configurations.
This little backpack not only brings LiPo Battery power to your Qt Py, but also battery charging so you can easily recharge your project
Why did you make it?
The QT Py was wildly popular and many were asking how to use a LiPo with the board. With that question the LiPo Power Pack was born.
What makes it special?
It’s designed specifically to work with the footprint of the Adafruit Qt Py (all variants) and the seeed studio Xiao making it an obvious choice for maintaining the smaller footprint while still bringing LiPo battery capabilities to these devices.
It’s true to say that we are spoilt for choice when it comes to wonderful LED badge designs on Tindie. However, the luxuriously-coloured Nautilus Blue from n°Garage stood out to us and we wanted to show it off!
It’s a lovely design that’s sold fully assembled. It doesn’t have the usual badge pin or clip but rather has a small mount hole at the edge of the PCB and as such lends itself to being worn as a key chain or perhaps a pendant. There’s seven cool blue LED’s around the design, driven by a logic inverter IC and powered by a coin cell in a holder on the reverse. We also notice on the reverse there is another LED that we can see casts a little back lighting glow through some of the via’s on the PCB.
It’s the perfect accompaniment for a night out or a fancy dress outfit in need of illuminaton and perfect for oceanic, aquatic, or seaside-themed get togethers!
Definitely take the time to have a look around the n°Garage store as they have created and curated a gorgeous range of badges. They use a real variety of techniques to get wonderful and very wearable effects.
From Jo Hinchliffe on the Tindie blog:
Board Braces: Hold Any PCB Securely
We’ve all been there, poking a hot soldering iron at a component on a PCB and then the PCB shifts and components fall as your set up of tape and binder clips slide across the desk! Whilst PCB vice ideas are common, these Board Braces take a slightly different but very inventive approach.
The idea is pretty straightforward; each post is a large standoff with a screw clamp arrangement at the top of the post to hold your PCB in a groove. It’s a good approach as it adapts well to a range of PCB thicknesses and sizes. The base of the posts contain a strong magnet, so you have to work on a ferrous metal work surface (not supplied) and we like that that means the posts can accommodate PCB of many shapes and dimensions.
Add RGB light to your project with this PixelLeaf display from Oak Dev Tech on Tindie:
5×10 PixelLeaf RGB Matrix – SK6812mini RGB Matrix
What is it?
A small but bright RGB matrix sized at 5×10 to provide a nice wide matrix for your project. Compatible with Adafruit NeoPixel libraries and FastLED. This is made with the SK6812mini meaning you can rest assured that the display will remain bright even if there is fluctuations in supply voltage.
Why did you make it?
I thought it would be fun to make an RGB matrix display for small projects where standard displays might not fit right.
What makes it special?
It’s 1:2 ratio makes it perfect for long format projects that don’t need square displays, but ones that would be better for scrolling or smaller form factors.
We’ve all been there, you hook things up to a breadboard, only to find that you need to figure out a simple LED indicator to see what’s going on, or have to use a wire or two as an input “button.” This is fine, but not really optimal. You can of course add actual buttons and switches, and perhaps cut down your LEDs to make them more presentable, but this takes up valuable space and time.
If you’d like a little shortcut to this problem, then the Atom IO may be just what you need. The device plugs in to the + and – rails of a breadboard, with 5 lines that connect to 3 LEDs, as well as 2 buttons. The LEDs are routed to the ground rail, so if you apply 2-ish volts, each will light up. The buttons are normally pulled low, but supply voltage from the positive rail when engaged.
Read more: AtomIO Simplifies Your Breadboard UI — Tindie Blog
From Evil Genius Labs on Tindie:
Fibonacci128 – 86mm disc with 128 WS2812B RGB LEDs
Fibonacci128 is a beautiful 86mm circular disc with 128 WS2812B-Mini 3535 RGB LEDs surface mounted in a Fibonacci layout.
I have created several LED art pieces in Fibonacci patterns. They are all very labor intensive to create, and so are fairly expensive and limited in quantity. I wanted to come up with a Fibonacci layout that was at least slightly easier to create, and therefore more affordable.
I have RGB LEDs in just about every form they come: strips, strings, rings, discs, etc. The LEDs on most discs are arranged in very regular rings. Fibonacci64 is different. The LEDs are arranged in a Fibonacci distribution. The makes the layout very organic and seemingly messy. But with the proper animation, spiral patterns emerge with spectacular results.
Each of the 128 WS2812B-Mini 3535 RGB LEDs has its own decoupling capacitor built in to reduce noise. The top and bottom of the PCB are large 5V and GND planes, to allow for the large amount of current required by the 128 LEDs. Two separate three-pin headers are provided. One for 5V, Data In, and GND, and the other for 5V, Data Out, and GND. The Data Out pin can be used to connect to even more LEDs.
Jo Hinchliffe writes on the Tindie blog:
ATtiny LED Letter Keychain Kit
If you have tried your hand at soldering and want to progress to soldering with surface mount devices (SMD), this LED keychain kit might be just the ticket!
The kit is comprised of a tiny PCB featuring a grid of pads onto which you solder some of the 15 SMD LEDs supplied. You can use as many or as few as you need to make your chosen letter or icon. Arranged as 3 columns of 5 LED’s you can make any letter you require. The ATtiny micro controller can be supplied pre-flashed with the project code and once assembled the keychain has four display modes, all on, slow blink, fade and fast blink. Of course the code is provided in the documentation and you could always create your own patterns for the device.
You get a choice of LED colour when ordering and we think this is a great way to practice your SMD soldering or a nice kit to put together as a gift for someone.
OSH Park 