Computing Fluidly

Computers come in many forms, depending on your definition. We’ve seen computers and computer gates built out of things as diverse as marbles, relays, and — of course — transistors. However, there are logic gate systems that use a property of moving fluids to form logic gates and a bistable element. That’s all the pieces you need to build a working computer.

It may sound far-fetched, but there have been general-purpose computers built using this technology. It is also used in specialized applications where fluids are already flowing, like shower heads, automotive transmissions, and in places where electronics are prone to misbehave. Many think the field will see a resurgence when we need to build logic at the molecular level for nanotech applications, too.

Basics

In its most basic form, a fluidic gate uses flow as a logic 1 and less flow to be a logic 0. Merging two streams together provides an OR gate. Using a supply stream that you can divert with a control stream provides a NOT function. Given enough inverters and OR gates, you can build everything else.

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The WiFi Pumpkin Is The WiFi Pineapple We Have At Home

While networking was once all about the Cat 5 cables and hubs and routers, now most of us connect regularly in a wireless manner. Just like regular networks, wireless networks need auditing, and [Brains933] decided to whip up a tool for just that, nicknaming it the PumpkinPI_3.

The build is inspired by the WiFi Pineapple, which is a popular commercial pentesting tool. It runs the WiFi Pumpkin framework which allows the user to run a variety of attacks on a given wireless network. Among other features, it can act as a rogue access point, run man-in-the-middle attacks, and even spoof Windows updates if so desired.

In this case, [Brains933] grabbed a Raspberry Pi Zero W to run the framework. It was stuffed in a case with a Alfa Network AWUS036NHA wireless card due to its ability to run in monitoring mode — a capability required by some of the more advanced tools. It runs on a rechargeable LiPo battery for portability, and can be fitted with a small screen for ease of operation.

It should prove to be a useful tool for investigating wireless security on the go. Alternatively, you can go even leaner, running attacks off an ESP32.

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Comparing Solar Energy Harvesters

There doesn’t have to be much more to setting up a simple solar panel installation than connecting the panel to a battery. Of course we would at least recommend the use of a battery management system or charge controller to avoid damaging the battery, although in a pinch it’s not always strictly necessary. But these simple systems leave a lot on the table, and most people with any sizable amount of solar panels tend to use a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system to increase the yield of the panels. For a really tiny installation like [Salvatore] has, you’ll want to take a look at a similar system known as a solar energy harvester.

[Salvatore] is planning to use an energy harvester at his small weather station, which is currently powered by an LDO regulator and a small solar cell. While this is fairly energy efficient, the energy harvesters that he is testing with this build will go far beyond what an LDO is capable of. The circuit actually has two energy harvesters built onto it which allows him to test the capabilities of both before he makes a decision for his weather station. Every amount of energy is critical when using the cell he has on hand, which easily fits in the palm of one’s hand.

The testing of this module isn’t complete yet, but he does have two working prototypes to test in future videos to see which one truly performs the best. For a project of this size, this is a great way to get around the problem of supplying a small amount of power to something remote. For a larger solar panel installation, you’ll definitely want to build an MPPT system though.

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