Knitting Yarn And Filament With FilaLoom

October 21, 2026 by Ian Bos 8 Comments

We don’t generally think of 3D printing and knitting in the same sentence. One uses threads and fine motor control, while the other requires great knowledge of pressing buttons and plastics. That said, they both entail stacking material over and over until a finished product emerges. So why not blend the two crafts together? [Joram de Haas] decided to work on just that in the form of FilaLoom.

This isn’t the first time we have seen additional elements embedded into 3D printed parts here on Hackaday. However, this particular implementation has some extra features which allow the embedded structures to grow larger than most examples prior. Instead of placing any implements directly into a structure by hand, all thread is placed by a tool head not so different from tool-changer printers. Using both the 3D printing tool head and the thread tool, some truly interesting properties can emerge from the finished product. If you aren’t interested in the weird webbing properties themselves, you surely could appreciate the possibilities demonstrated by the 3D knits.

You might not have a specific use case for thread printing, but why not check out some other fancy 3D printing techniques? Here’s a group of various design techniques that will certainly make you think twice in your next design!

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Evolving RC Circuits

October 18, 2026 by Ian Bos 9 Comments

We are surrounded by evolving algorithms and AI models, and it feels like we have to evolve to them as well. Of course, the world itself is always evolving, and when we have to implement filtering circuits based on current environments it might not last all that long. [Saikarthik Ramakrishnan] realized that this phenomenon can easily apply to simple RC circuits, so why not make them adapt to the changing world itself? This is exactly what the Darwin Board is meant to do: act like an evolving simple RC circuit for whatever environment or signal you want gone.

RC circuits are normally considered to be relatively simple in the world of circuits; however, the real world isn’t always all that simple. This simple evolutionary algorithm implemented by [Saikarthik Ramakrishnan] attempts to apply similar principles used in other evolving models to the humble RC circuit. Based on an ESP32, the Darwin Board is a fairly simple model of 2040 possible combinations of genomes. Yes, each possible RC circuit is its own genome, which allows simple evolution from one to another based on current requirements.

You should certainly consider checking out the project’s GitHub repository here to try out the mutating circuit itself. While this project might complicate what is normally fairly simple, there is sometimes beauty in simplicity. So why not use a comically simple circuit for a smart home feature?

2026 Retrocomputing Challenge: Oldputer Gives Old Eyes Relief With E-ink Display

October 17, 2026 by Ian Bos 4 Comments

Modern computers are towers of glass and metal with very few large deviations from one to another. Monitor A will go against B, except you can’t tell them apart unless they’re on. At least, that is, compared to how different the old bulky monitors look compared to the new. [Andrzej Górski] seems to agree with this sentiment with his Oldputer, a blast from the past.

[Andrzej Górski]’s inspiration came from one component, and the main component of the project, an old e-ink display. When life gives you one of the slowest versions of a display, there really isn’t too much else to do other than pair it with slow old computers of the past. From that inspiration, there isn’t entirely a whole lot to do other than throw in an ESP32 and some LEDs for indicator lights. Put all this into a fun case, and you get one pretty desk ornament for whatever information you wanna display.

If you want to replicate the past again, you might want to look for the project GitHub here. If you’re looking for something even older, check out the replica of the MCM/70!

TAKTO, Open Source Hand-Tracking Built Like LEGO

October 16, 2026 by Ian Bos 8 Comments

Hand tracking in VR/AR can add a substantial amount of immersion and added interactivity. Unfortunately, most camera based tracking suffers when fingers get covered, intertwined, or simply out of view of the headset’s camera. What’s even less common are methods of giving feedback to the user’s hands. [Sebastian Molano] saw these issues and decided if anyone was going to make an open-source solution, it was going to be him with his thesis on TAKTO.

Clear visuals show step-by-step assembly.

TAKTO aims to remove the prior issues mentioned with visual tracking by using magnetic encoders to tell where the device is and the finger’s position inside it. Actuators are able to pull on the fingers themselves to add even further information to the user. Of course, none of this is too crazy, as we have seen similar projects before. Where TAKTO stands out is the extent of the support outside of a one-off hand tracker.

TAKTO.one not only holds general information about the project itself, but also an entire digital twin of the live device. This console can give you a visual of using the glove and general status information. Documentation on how to assemble one for yourself is presented in clean visuals, which should make the build process painless.

Everything else about how to make the hand for yourself can be found on the project’s GitHub. The price tag is steep for the actuated version, though there is a sensing-only version for hand tracking, and most of the cost comes from the quality actuators used. If you want to look into implementing some usability into existing VR hardware, make sure to look at what Valve has released publicly!

The Big Moon Plot

October 4, 2026 by Ian Bos 3 Comments

When you look into the night sky, you can’t help but wish to bring the outer worlds to your doorstep. One of the best ways to do that is to photograph the Moon’s surface to display in a frame. However, [Sebastian Lague] found a simple image too lackluster compared to something with a bit more style, such as a plotted image of the lunar terrain.

Why plotting? Well, the Moon is not defined in the same way with contrasting colors as Earth is. The Moon is peppered with craters and differing elevations that separate regions, so why not build an entire DIY plotter from scratch? [Sebastian Lague] did exactly this with a custom algorithm to take the elevation maps and create vector drawings which are plotted on his custom plotter.

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Self-Repairing Conductive Material From Liquid Metal

September 26, 2026 by Ian Bos 4 Comments

PCB circuits are cool, but you know what is cooler? Terminator circuits that’s what! And what if the same material that makes Terminator circuits could also be used for smart heat sinks, flexible circuits, and self-healing material properties? Well, that is exactly what the lab at Virginia Tech’s VT MADE Lab has created, presented by Joel from [3DPrintingNerd].

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Functional Jumping Pokéball From An Ancient Pokémon World

August 10, 2026 by Ian Bos 9 Comments

When playing a game about Pocket Monsters, there’s one thing you can’t avoid using no matter what you do, and that’s a pokeball. Whether it’s a new or old game, you can’t avoid it. Many from different generations or spin-off games have their own fun spin, and that’s what [Kiara] wanted to explore with her custom made replication of an older style of ball.

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