Transforming Photos into Stunning Line Art, Dissolvable 3D Printed Circuit Boards, n8n Smart Terminal

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Arduino Automated String Art Machine

This project is an automated string art machine controlled by an Arduino Uno, capable of automatically converting a regular photo into a complex and exquisite string art piece. Traditional string art requires manually nailing many pins onto a board and wrapping string around them to create patterns, while this machine achieves full automation.

Transforming Photos into Stunning Line Art, Dissolvable 3D Printed Circuit Boards, n8n Smart Terminal | DF Maker Weekly (Issue 143)

Users only need to upload a photo, and the accompanying algorithm will automatically calculate the best winding order, precisely controlling the movement and winding of the string through stepper motors and servos, ultimately forming stunning string portraits or patterns on a circular board.

The project integrates image processing algorithms, mechanical structure design, and electronic control, utilizing various manufacturing processes such as 3D printing and laser cutting. Notably, the author replaced traditional nails with pin headers, significantly improving installation efficiency and accuracy.

The entire project is open-source, and the algorithms and production processes can be found online, making it ideal for DIY enthusiasts who enjoy the combination of creativity and technology.

Source:https://www.reddit.com/r/arduino/comments/1mwz5gc/i_made_it_with_an_arduino_uno/

ESP32 Wireless Pong Game

This project brings the classic Pong game to the microcontroller platform, using two “kode dot” development boards based on the ESP32-S3 chip, enabling two-player battles via the ESP-NOW wireless protocol.

Players can each operate a development board for real-time battles without needing WiFi or Bluetooth pairing, experiencing the simplicity of wireless connectivity.

The entire project is developed based on the Arduino framework, with open-source code and a user-friendly development environment. The highlight is the use of ESP-NOW to achieve low-latency, point-to-point device communication, allowing handheld development boards to easily implement interactive games. This project is not only suitable for electronics enthusiasts to experience wireless communication technology but also serves as an excellent entry-level interactive game project for makers.

GitHub Repository:https://github.com/kodediy/kodedot_examples

Documentation:https://docs.kode.diy/en/introduction

Source:https://www.reddit.com/r/esp32/comments/1n0g6qb/pong_espnow/

Dissolvable 3D Printed Circuit Boards

The DissolvPCB project introduces a new environmentally friendly method for electronic prototyping. It utilizes standard FDM 3D printing technology, using water-soluble PVA material as the circuit board substrate and liquid metal (gallium-indium alloy) as the conductive material. The resulting circuit boards can be dissolved in water when no longer needed, allowing the substrate to dissolve, the liquid metal to reassemble, and the electronic components to be easily recovered.

All materials can be recycled, significantly reducing electronic waste.

The project also developed an open-source software plugin that can automatically convert circuit design files into 3D printable models. By creating examples such as Bluetooth speakers, decompression toys, and variable fixtures, DissolvPCB demonstrates its diverse application prospects and environmental potential, making it an ideal choice for green makers and electronics enthusiasts.

Source:https://smartlab.cs.umd.edu/publication/dissolvpcb

Elastic Magnetic Drive, Mini Bionic Robot “Muscle” Online

Have you ever seen a robot the size of a small bug? Scientists have recently invented an elastic electromagnetic drive system inspired by “muscles,” making these mini soft robots more flexible and powerful.

These small robots use special flexible materials and miniature electromagnetic devices as “muscles,” allowing them to crawl autonomously like caterpillars, swim, jump, and even carry sensors to perceive the environment, such as detecting humidity or gases. They can easily adapt to various complex terrains and withstand falls from heights without damage.

The highlight is that this drive system is highly efficient, low energy-consuming, and has a large range of motion, potentially allowing these “bug robots” to form teams to collaboratively complete tasks such as search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and even exploring deep-sea areas in the future.

Source:https://spectrum.ieee.org/nuclear-battery-revival

n8n Smart Terminal

n8n is an open-source workflow automation tool that helps you connect different applications and services to automate task processing.

This project is a physical terminal device for n8n based on the K10 development board, adding a physical screen and buttons to the n8n automation platform, bringing complex automation workflows to tangible, operable small hardware.

By simply pressing a button, you can trigger an n8n workflow, and the AI smart assistant will automatically process data in Google Sheets and provide feedback on the device’s small screen, such as displaying the next order information to be delivered, and can even generate a QR code with one click. Compared to operating on a computer or mobile phone, this compact terminal device is more intuitive and focused, especially suitable for scenarios like warehouses and factories. The device itself integrates a rich array of sensors (temperature, light, acceleration, etc.), a microphone, and a speaker, and can quickly expand buttons through the Gravity interface.

The entire project is low-cost, easy to deploy, supports AI intelligent decision-making, delivers information directly to the screen, and can flexibly expand more functions based on actual needs, making it an interesting exploration that tightly integrates cloud automation with the physical world.

Source:https://www.hackster.io/roni-bandini/n8n-terminal-device-e719a6

This weekly report was first published in the DF Maker Community

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