arduino

2944 Articles

Camera Slider: Build Instead Of Buy Goes Awry

May 4, 2026 by 1 Comment

[TheHyperFix] had a problem. He’d spied a brilliant camera slider, but didn’t want to lay out big money to acquire it. The natural solution? Build one! Only, life is seldom so straightforward.

The plan was straightforward – take an old broken 3D printer, and repurpose its parts to make a camera slider instead. The build started with a aluminium extrusion, some V-slot wheels, and a 3D printed platform to hold the camera. Moving the platform was done via a belt drive, using the stepper motors and some software to tell the original printer controller what to do.

Unfortunately, the early experiments failed when the controller blew up under load. An Arduino was subbed in with a CNC shield, which got things back on track, and [TheHyperFix] had a somewhat functional slider with relatively jerky movement. A tough iterative design process ensued to work out problems with bearings and the Arduino’s pulse limit, among others.

As it stands, the slider is semi-functional, but it’s not quite well behaved enough to use for professional shooting. Still, for a first attempt at electronics prototyping, we think [TheHyperFix] did a pretty solid job. It might not be all there yet, but it’s well on the way, and a great deal was learned in the process.

If you’re trying to build a camera slider in a hurry, you might like to try recreating one of the builds we’ve featured before. Video after the break.

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Python Comes To The Arduino Uno Q

April 15, 2026 by 14 Comments

MicroPython is a well-known and easy-to-use way to program microcontrollers in Python. If you’re using an Arduino Uno Q, though, you’re stuck without it. [Natasha] saves the day by bringing us a a subset reimplementation of machine for the Arduino Uno Q.

In the past, microcontrollers were primarily programmed in C, but since MicroPython’s popularity increased over the years, it has become more and more common for introductory microcontroller programming to be in Python. Python, of course, is generally considered more beginner-friendly than C. [Natasha] presumably wanted to teach this way using an Uno Q, but the usual MicroPython APIs weren’t available. And so, in true hacker fashion, they simply made their own library to implement the most important bits of the familiar API. It currently implements a subset of the machine module: Pin, PWM, ADC, I2C, SPI and UART. While not complete, this certainly has potential to make the Uno Q easier to use for those familir with MicroPython.

A laptop communicating with the drone via an Arduino

Reverse-Engineering The Holy Stone H120D Drone

March 31, 2026 by 5 Comments

There are plenty of drones (and other gadgets) you can buy online that use proprietary control protocols. Of course, reverse-engineering one of these protocols is a hacker community classic. Today, [Zac Turner] shows us how this GPS drone can be autonomously controlled by a simple Arduino program or Python script.

What started as [Zac] sniffing some UDP packets quickly evolved into him decompiling the Android app to figure out what’s going on inside. He talks about how the launch command needs accurate GPS, how there’s several hidden features not used by the Android app, et cetera. And it’s not like it’s just another Linux SoC in there, either. No, there’s a proper Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) running, with a shell and a telnet interface. The list of small curiosities goes on.

After he finished reverse-engineering the protocol, he built some Python scripts, through which you can see the camera feed and control the drone remotely. He also went on to make an Arduino program that can do the latter using an Arduino Nano 33 IoT.

Forgetfulino Puts Back Up Of Source Inside The Binary

March 18, 2026 by 25 Comments

How often have you pulled out old MCU-based project that still works fine, but you have no idea where the original source code has gone? Having the binary image and the source code as separate things to keep track of usually isn’t a problem, but there’s something to be said for adding the source — and documentation — to this image if you have some flash to spare. This is basically what the Forgetfulino Arduino library by [Nader Al Khatib] does.

Essentially, the library compresses the source files and assigns it to be burned onto the flash alongside the binary. There is also a bit of code added to the firmware so that this code can be retrieved via the serial port at any time, negating the need for a firmware dump and manual disassembly. For ease of use, the library has an Arduino IDE extension that automates the process. The basic idea could also be adapted to different environments should anyone wish to take up the challenge.

You probably wouldn’t want debug builds to feature this additional payload as writing it to flash will eat up time and write cycles. But for a release build that will be put out in the (literal) field for a few years or even decades, it could be very convenient. After all, you never know when that Git repository that you relied on might go AWOL.

Arduino’s New AI-Centric Board Is The VENTUNO Q

March 10, 2026 by 37 Comments

There have been many questions about what direction Arduino would take after being bought by Qualcomm. Now it would seem that we’re getting a clearer picture. Perhaps unsurprisingly the answer appears to be ‘AI’, with the new Arduino VENTUNO Q SBC being advertised as ‘democratizing AI’ in the Qualcomm press release, although it also references robotics.

This new board is based around the Dragonwing IQ-8275 SoC along with an STM32H5F5 MCU, making it somewhat of a beefier brother of the previously covered Arduino Uno Q, which also offers an SoC/MCU hybrid solution. On the product page we can see the overall specifications for this new board, where the release date is specified as ‘soon’.

Its IQ-8275 SoC is part of Qualcomm’s IQ8 series, with eight 2.35 GHz ARM cores and an Adreno 623 GPU, paired with 16 GB of LPDDR5. The Cortex M33-based STM32H5F5 MCU comes with its own 4 MB of Flash and 1.5 MB of RAM, all on a board that’s significantly larger than the Uno Q and isn’t crippled by a single USB-C port as SoC I/O.

Although clearly more aimed at industrial and automation applications than the solution-in-search-of-a-problem Uno Q board, it remains to be seen whether this board will catch on with Arduino fans, or whether Qualcomm’s goal is more to break into whole new markets under the Arduino brand.

Building A Hackerspace Entry System

March 3, 2026 by 26 Comments

A hackerspace is a place that generally needs to be accessed by a wide group of people, often at weird and unusual hours. Handing around keys and making sure everything is properly locked up can be messy, too. To make it easy for hackers to get in to [Peter]’s local hackerspace, a simple electronic system was whipped up to grant access.

The combined use of QR code & PIN adds a layer of security.

The basic components of the system are a keypad, a QR code and barcode scanner, a stepper motor, an Arduino Nano, and a Raspberry Pi. The keypad is read by an Arduino Nano, which is also responsible for talking to a stepper motor driver to actuate the lock cylinder. A secondary Arduino mounted inside the building is used to control the stepper motor, which actuates the lock cylinder once authentication is complete.

The system works on the basis of two-factor authentication. Regular users authenticate to enter by presenting a QR code or barcode, and entering a matching PIN number. The system can also be set up for PIN-only entry on a temporary basis.

For example, if the hackerspace is running an event, a simple four-digit pin can allow relatively free access for the duration without compromising long-term security. Actual authentication is handled by the Raspberry Pi, which takes in the scanned barcode and/or PIN, hashes it, and checks it against a backend database which determines if the credentials are valid for entry. If so,they command the second Arduino to unlock the door.

While it’s not technically necessary for a project like this — in fact, you could argue it’s preposterously overkill — we have to take particular note of the machined aluminum enclosure for the keypad. Mere mortals could just run it off on their 3D printers, but if you’ve got access to a CNC router and a suitably chunky piece of aluminum, why not show off a bit?

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Scanning Table For The Professional Maker

February 10, 2026 by 11 Comments

Sometimes the simplest objects need some overthinking. This is exactly what [Chris Borge] realized when using his 3D scanner and finding that the included rotation table left quite a bit to be desired — providing him the perfect excuse to build a new one.

One of the main features of a rotation stage is the, well, rotation. This was done in [Chris]’s case with a NEMA 17 stepper motor, perfect for precise rotation of scanning. Hooking up the motor to a basic perf board with an Arduino Nano allows for on the fly adjustments to rotation speed. To really solidify the over-engineering, [Chris] applies his obligatory concrete mix to add some heft to the stage.

While the previous features could be removed/downgraded without much loss, the adjustable grid built into the top adds significant functionality. The grid is based on [Chris]’s past projects, which allows cross compatibility.

We love over-engineering here at Hackaday, especially when adding something new. For more prime overthought design, check out this over engineered egg cracker!

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