Ep 314: It's Pi, but Also PCBs in Living Color and Ultrasonic Everything
Mar 28, 2025
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The hosts dive into the quirky world of ultrasonic technology, discussing its uses from detecting mosquitoes to cutting cheese. They explore the evolution of PCBs, showcasing vibrant, full-color designs and innovative applications. A journey into automation reveals new techniques for 3D printer calibration using affordable endoscopes. Nostalgia meets tech as they reminisce about classic computers and inventive projects like creating dynamic lamps. Plus, the intrigue of plasma in a bottle gets a unique twist with kombucha and silicone!
The podcast explores innovative ultrasonic technology designed to detect mosquitoes by analyzing their wingbeats, significantly improving pest control methods.
A discussion on the aesthetic advancements in PCB manufacturing reveals the potential for vibrant full-color designs that enhance both functionality and artistry.
Listeners engage with the sensory experiences and challenges of metalworking tools, emphasizing the community's connection to DIY crafts and the risks involved.
Deep dives
A Sound Guessing Game
Listeners engage in a guessing game where they analyze a sound related to metalworking tools. Several guesses are made, with the consensus leaning heavily towards identifying it as an angle grinder, a sound familiar to many DIY enthusiasts. The conversation dives into the sensory experiences tied to using such tools, including the distinct smells that arise during metal cutting. Feedback from listeners adds to the vibrant discussion, highlighting the community's connection to their craft and the inherent risks accompanied by tool usage.
Innovative Sonar Technology
A new innovative project using drones and sonar technology is introduced, aimed at detecting mosquitoes. The creator, Alex Toussaint, focuses on developing an ultrasonic microphone array to effectively locate and identify mosquitoes by analyzing the sound of their wingbeats. This technology promises high accuracy and the ability to differentiate between various flying insects based on their unique sound signatures. The potential applications extend beyond pest control, providing insights into leak detection and environmental monitoring.
Automation in Crafts
A DIY star lamp project showcases the use of automation in crafting a unique decorative piece. The creator constructs a polar coordinate gantry system to efficiently drill holes for fiber optics in the lamp mold. Despite the complexity of the automation rig, the creator emphasizes its role in enhancing the creative process rather than overpowering it. This blend of artistry and technology demonstrates how automation can elevate personal projects and maintain engagement through the building experience.
Full-Color PCB Innovations
The expanding capabilities in PCB manufacturing are discussed, particularly the introduction of full-color silkscreen printing by major suppliers. This new process allows for vibrant designs on PCBs, enabling creators to produce intricate artwork alongside functional electronics. Joe Long shares his experiences and potential applications, such as making educational kits where components are visually represented on the board to aid assembly. This technological advancement raises artistic possibilities while igniting a dialogue about traditional PCB design aesthetics versus the ease of modern methods.
Advanced 3D Printing Techniques
A project focusing on 3D printer optimization introduces the concept of pressure advance calibration using a simple camera setup. By monitoring test patterns printed at various pressure advance settings, the system automates the adjustment process, resulting in improved print quality. The creator highlights the benefits of this method over manual calibration, which can be time-consuming and lead to inconsistent results. This innovation not only enhances printing accuracy but also contributes to a more user-friendly experience for hobbyists and professionals alike.
It might not be Pi Day anymore, but Elliot and Dan got together for the approximately 100*Pi-th episode of the Podcast to run through the week's coolest hacks. Ultrasound seemed to be one of the themes, with a deep dive into finding bugs with sonar as well as using sound to cut the cheese -- and cakes and pies, too. The aesthetics of PCBs were much on our minds, too, from full-color graphics on demand to glow-in-the-dark silkscreens. Is automation really needed to embed fiber optics in concrete? Absolutely!
How do you put plasma in a bottle? Apparently, with kombucha, Nichrome, and silicone. If you need to manage your M:TG cards, scribble on the walls, or build a mechanical chase light, we've got the details. And what exactly is a supercomputer? We can't define it, but we know one when we see it.
