My latest blog post: My Experience Using PCBWay for Sponsored Prototyping mikecoats.com/pcbway-exper... Emily from @pcbwayofficial.bsky.social reached out to offer some free prototyping for my projects. I was delighted and jumped at the opportunity. #electronics #hardware #openHardware #sponsored

Dirty disgusting terribly good

My latest blog post: Cheap and Dirty 5-volt Supply mikecoats.com/cheap-dirty-... The old adage goes, 'if it's stupid, but it works, then it's not stupid.' This is possibly the cheapest and dirtiest 5-volt power supply money can buy. #electronics #hardware #hack #power

My latest blog post: Touchy Subject is Available mikecoats.com/touchy-subje... Touchy Subject breakouts for the AT42QT2120 12-key touch sensor (development sponsored by @pcbwayofficial.bsky.social) are now available for purchase at @lectronz.com. #electronics #hardware #openHardware #sponsored

My latest blog post: Open Hardware Month 2025 mikecoats.com/open-hardwar... October is Open Hardware Month, and @oshwassociation.bsky.social is celebrating with a 12-hour live stream on the 6th. See amazing makers share their projects and why Open Hardware is important. #openHardware #openSource

Open Hardware Month (OHM): October 2 certified board highlights @oshwassociation.bsky.social blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/02/o...

My latest blog post: Contributing to the CircuitPython Community Bundle mikecoats.com/contributing... I've been working with the AT42QT2120 touch sensor, and wanted to write a @circuitpython.org driver and publish it for others to use. #circuitPython #embedded #openSource #python

If you want this poster to remind you to slow down you can get it by following me and @cyborggarbage.bsky.social October 6 on the Goshwassociation 12 hour Livestream! Any new members or donations of any size will get you a cool slow sloth riso poster! Woohoo! 💾⚙️🦥

Open Hardware Month (OHM): October 1 certified board highlights @oshwassociation.bsky.social blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/01/o...

It's official! We are in Open Hardware Month! 🎉 It's time to celebrate all the wonderful ways open source hardware can exist and get those projects certified ;) Also maybe snag a fun variation on our fundraiser merch? www.customink.com/fundraising/...

My latest blog post: Introducing Touchy Subject mikecoats.com/touchy-subject/ I'm proud to announce Touchy Subject, a Qwiic/STEMMA QT compatible breakout for the AT42QT2120 capacitive touch sensor; development sponsored by PCBWay. #electro#electronicsr#openHardwareu#openSource

My latest blog post: Designing 3D Printed Sewable Badges mikecoats.com/designing-3d... My daughter's going as a pirate for Halloween. Here are the steps I followed to design and print a sewable cap badge for her Tricorne. #3dPrinting #openScad #inkscape

My latest blog post: Designing 3D Printed Sewable Badges mikecoats.com/designing-3d... My daughter's going as a pirate for Halloween. Here are the steps I followed to design and print a sewable cap badge for her Tricorne. #3dPrinting #openScad #inkscape

My latest blog post: Installing CircuitPython on a Freenove ESP32-S3-WROOM CAM mikecoats.com/circuitpytho... For CircuitPython Day 2025, here's how I installed CircuitPython on an unsupported board, the Freenove ESP32-S3-WROOM CAM. #circuitPythonDay2025 #circuitPython #esp32 #freenove #python

My latest blog post: Hacking an IKEA HÖVOLM into a Helmet Rack mikecoats.com/hovolm-helme... I received my first ever 3D printer recently, so I decided to put it to some practical use. I designed some new hooks to hold bike helmets securely on an IKEA HÖVOLM. #3dPrinting #openSource #openHardware

Check out this rad overview of bleeptrack’s OHS2025 experience! So rad to have such cool folks join us this year :)

Just when I'm hopping to the next awesome event, here are some impressions from @oshwassociation.bsky.social Open Hardware Summit:

My latest blog post: Admitting Defeat mikecoats.com/admitting-de... Sometimes you have to bail out before the sunk costs sink you. Having a good idea isn’t the same as having a good product. #battery #cell #electronics #hardware #power #prototyping #usbC

My latest blog post: Back 2 Basics - NMOS Switch mikecoats.com/back-2-basic... The latest in my 'back to basics' series. Toggle high-ish voltages and currents from a microcontroller using an N-channel enhancement mode Field-Effect Transistor. #dataSheet #electronics #hardware

2025 One Hertz Challenge: Metronalmost is Gunning for Last Place

Here we go! An ESP32-S3 running MicroPython using each of the Monstera leafs as a capacitive touch pad. Each pad works individually and multitouch works across all four too! #electronics #microPython

I've soldered on a set of pins to one board and headers to another to test the Monstera pads. The only LEDs I have stock of in four colours are these excellent not-LEGO blocks from the now defunct Lunchbox Electronics. I believe they came from an old @oshwassociation.bsky.social OHS swag bag.

My latest boards from @oshpark.bsky.social have arrived! Hand-drawn Monstera leaf capacitive touch pads with curved PCB traces. I wonder how well they will work. They're a bit of a proof-of-concept at the moment. #electronics

My latest blog post: Reverse Engineering a Broken Night Light - Part 1 mikecoats.com/night-light-... We bought our first Night Light when our daughter was born; within 3 years two had broken. Let's reverse-engineer what's left and build a smart light. #electronics #hardware #reverseEngineering

One is reminded of Vetinari's clock...

From the archives: What is Gregg Wallace doing? Inspired by a viral pile-on of Gregg Wallace on social media, I took the joke way past its sensible conclusion. A web app to tell you exactly what Gregg Wallace is doing at any time. mikecoats.com/what-is-gregg-wa…#boto#coded#linuxu#opensourcece

My latest blog post: Metronalmost mikecoats.com/metronalmost/ This metronome, by design, will never, ever, tick exactly once per second. This infuriating object is designed to thwart the goals of @hackadayofficial.bsky.social's One Hertz Challenge contest. #hackaday #microPython #openHardware

Ever stitched a circuit? 🧵✨ The Open Hardware Summit 2025 badge by Rodney Trusty is a fully sewable e-textile project using our XIAO ESP32, WS2812B LEDs, and conductive thread—no soldering needed! Full guide on @hacksterio.bsky.social 👉 tinyurl.com/4pfsbyve

My latest blog post: Metronalmost mikecoats.com/metronalmost/ This metronome, by design, will never, ever, tick exactly once per second. This infuriating object is designed to thwart the goals of @hackadayofficial.bsky.social's One Hertz Challenge contest. #hackaday #microPython #openHardware

My latest blog post: Trying out the ice4pi from Lightside Instruments mikecoats.com/ice4pi/ At the recent @oshwassociation.bsky.social Summit, I was lucky enough to run into Vladimir from @lightside-instruments.com. He was kind enough to gift me one of their ice4pi shields. #fpga #openHardware

My latest blog post: Back 2 Basics - Op-Amp Buffer mikecoats.com/back-2-basic... The second in my series of 'back to basics' real, practical, circuits. Today we're building an Op-Amp Buffer. #electronics #hardware

My latest blog post: Building the Kilnettle Tape Dispenser mikecoats.com/building-kil... Stephen presented his Kilnettle Tape Dispenser as a @oshwassociation.bsky.social Summit Lightning Talk. He was kind enough to send me one to build. #electronics #hardware #ohs2025 #openHardware #openSource

My latest blog post: Back 2 Basics - R-2R Ladder DAC mikecoats.com/back-2-basic... The first in a series of 'back to basics' projects, building real, practical, circuits. This time it's an R-2R Ladder DAC. #code #electronics #embedded #esp32 #firmware #hardware #microPython #python

My latest blog post: I presented at the 2025 Open Hardware Summit mikecoats.com/presented-at... Apologies for the break in blogging, but I've spent the past month preparing for, and then giving, my 'VanSpoof and F**dG3ar' talk at the 2025 Open Hardware Summit. #openHardware #reverseEngineering

Missed yesterday's (and this morning's) @oshwassociation.bsky.social Open Hardware Summit talks? Videos are live in the playlist: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

Short wave receivers, solar cells, etextile experiments and highland cow SAO’s! What more could you ask for???

Duck Butt Mist Machine. #ohs2025

Kicking off day two of @oshwassociation.bsky.social Open Hardware Summit with our open hardware environmental monitoring panel.

Bugs are awesome! And we extra know this thanks to #Openflap by deadbeef! At #ohs2025! @oshwassociation.bsky.social

Day Two here we gooooo! Doors at 9am, panels and workshops start at 10am!! Get ready to have some good old open source fun!!!

Love how many @oshwassociation.bsky.social Summit slides feature certified own hardware logos

We're here! @oshwassociation.bsky.social #OHS2025

View from the bus on the way to @oshwassociation.bsky.social #OHS2025 Nearly there!

Hope y’all are ready to go wild* at the Summit today! Doors open at 9am, talks start at 10am! *see all kinds of cool open source projects, watch talks from incredible open source hardware creators, make new friends and find new ways to have oshw as part of your work!!

The Ribbit Network Frog sensor kits made it to Edinburgh for the #OHS2025 conference! See you all there @oshwassociation.bsky.social ! I'll be around all day today and running a workshop building the kits tomorrow! Come see me for climate / hardware stuffs!

On my way to @oshwassociation.bsky.social #OHS2025! Can you really call yourself a local if you don't use the station's sneaky side gate? #Inverness

Excited for the upcoming Open Hardware Summit in Edinburgh! I'm preparing some #tap4art stickers to share, thanks to the @oshwassociation.bsky.social who accepted me as fellow this year! Check out the project in this short video: youtu.be/G-BeRXeH5V0 #tap4art#generative #generativeart

I’m all packed and ready for my workshop on building climate sensors @oshwassociation.bsky.social in Edinburgh! See you all there for the 2025 Open Hardware conference! Would love to meet you and there are still a few spots for my workshop if you want.

If you decide to come last minute, you can use the code "LocalHacker" for 20% off, tickets are still available. Lots of amazing talks and folks! www.eventbrite.com/e/open-hardw...