Episode 325 of our site: The Laughter-Amplifier Device, Homemade USB-C Power Cables, and Plastic Piercing Equipment
Fresh Take:
Hey there, folks! The crew at our site just fast-forwarded through a week-long hiatus, and it was a doozy. Elliot and Al had a catch-up chat, covering a whole range of topics like do-it-yourself (DIY) USB cables, clocks, and even Magnets!
Speaking of cool DIY projects, the 2025 Pet Hacks Contest is wagging its tail, making its presence known. So, stay tuned, 'cause winners will be announced shortly. Fancy a free ticket to Supercon, you ask? Well, yes you can! Submit an in-demand talk and get accepted, and it's all yours, dude. November's on its way, so it's crackin' time to get those talks ready.
Our website is mad about the NOAA Polar satellites. Apparently, they've been working overtime and now it seems that they're on their last legs. The agency plans to let them run their course, but they won't be providing any maintenance if the satellites start misbehaving. So, keep your eyes peeled: the satellites might be 'literally' neutralized for safety.
Elliot was MIA, so Al took the reins and, in a perfect twist of fate, Elliot had to do the guessing this week. His performance was decent, but there's always room to up the ante. Beat his score, and you could score a coveted our site Podcast T-shirt!
When it comes to hacks that leave you gobsmacked, the guys were feeling magnets, clocks, cables, 3D-printed machine tools, and even resurrected moonbase proposals. The top articles this week were a Baker's dozen, with Al grabbing two homeruns. Elliot couldn't resist picking an article about the machine that generated laugh tracks in the latter part of the 20th century, while Al shamelessly chose an article he wrote about the role of British ham radio operators during WWII.
Did you miss anything? No worries, peep the links below and catch up. As always, let us know your thoughts about the week in our site by leaving a comment.
Downloading unencrypted, oxygen-free, DRM-free MP3 files is just a click away.
Follow us on these platforms to stay updated:
- iTunes
- Spotify
- Stitcher
- RSS
- YouTube
- Checkout our Libsyn landing page
Revamped Show Notes:
News:
- 2025 Pet Hacks Contest: A Hackaday-hosted competition encouraging tech-savvy individuals to create projects that enhance pet care, featuring challenges such as cat facial recognition[1][2].
- NOAA Polar Satellites: Space dwelling sentinels at the end of their lifespan, with the agency intending to let them run their course but not providing maintenance should they malfunction[3].
What's that Sound?
- Try to guess the mystery sound. Think you can beat Elliot's score?
Interesting Hacks of the Week:
- DIY Ball Mill for creating Iron Nitride Permanent Magnets
- Thermochromic Clock, a tsunami of colors indicative of evolving temperatures[4]
- DIY USB-C Cables: Secure your data and avoid fakes by going homemade[5]
- Concentric Clock with Multiple Modes: Timekeeping reinvented and reimagined[6]
- 3D-Printed Compound Press: Versatile device focused on shaping materials[7]
- History of Forgotten Moon Bases: When dreams of lunar colonies met reality[8]
Quick Hacks:
- Elliot's Picks:
- Hoberman Sphere-inspired expanding racks
- Fragile parts and glue present challenges in Switch 2 Pro Controller
- Tower of Watkin's London: Eiffel Tower underdog
- BhangmeterV2 deciphers whether a nuke has detonated
- Al's Picks:
- Modular Cyberpunk keyboard construction
- Split Keyboard: No Printed Circuit Board(PCB) required
- Simple LED Probe for easy LED testing
Can't-Miss Articles:
- Just For Laughs: Charlie Douglass And The Laugh Track
- Crowdsourcing SIGINT: Ham Radio in War
- High-Stakes Fox Hunting: The FCC's Radio Intelligence Division in WWII
- It's always intriguing to create your own tech gadgets, such as DIY USB-C cables or a 3D-Printed Compound Press, showcasing the power of technology in our hands.
- If you're passionate about technology and gadgets, you might want to design an Iron Nitride Permanent Magnet using a DIY Ball Mill or build a Thermochromic Clock to keep track of temperatures in style.
