Doug Toppin

Using claude code remote control now from my iPad to my Mac. It is very convenient for continuing to work on a project.

Table with various electronic circuits including a windshield wiper motor

In the software world equivalent, this might be considered spaghetti code. Still roughing in the electronics. So far eyes, LEDs, human presence sensor, motor drivers, and switches are working.

Soldering station with a hakko iron, kotto fume extractor, omnifixo clamps, and 2 micro switches

No better combination than omnifixo, hakko, and kotto for my esp32 zombie project

In my usage of Claude Code with my esp32 projects, I sometimes get the feeling that I am the long pole in the tent just because I'm the one with fingers and eyes. If claude had them I might just be called Captain Dunsel.

it come up with a list of parts for this project and then query the inventory in the other project for matches and misses. It then gave me a list of what I will need in addition to what I have. It did this all by itself with no action required by me other than giving it access to the other project.

Yesterday, I created a new claude code project for my halloween animated zombie and LED lights display this year. I wanted to know what parts that I currently have can be used and what parts I might need to buy. I gave claude code access to the parts inventory project and watched

I just did a fascinating test of claude code. I have a parts inventory project that it created which imported a list of all of my orders from amazon over the last few years. Many of those orders were for small electronics items such as boards, sensors, controllers, etc.

Dog napping on chair

Vibenapping

Using the claude code insights command is surprisingly reminiscent of getting a performance review at work.

Here’s a tip if you use the Wegmans app for recipes. You can edit the recipe to make any clarifications or changes and save it back. Then when you view it in your saved recipes you will see the changed version or you can view the original.
I just discovered this and it is a great way to do it.

I don't really have a need but it is hard to resist.

I always watched in wonder at their chants and machinations to make things work using what is now considered stone knives and bearskins.
Now there is a way smaller, more capable, and more powerful little booger that does all that and more and is the size of a desktop radio.

A handheld FNIRSI 2D15P digital oscilloscope with two waveform traces displayed on a color screen and multiple control knobs and buttons.

Funny story. Way back in the day, my old hardware friends were always dragging out their big Tektronix oscilloscope on wheels to do their magical hardware stuff with electricity.

A brindle dog wearing a blue collar lounges stretched across a wicker chair and ottoman in a sunlit room, looking out a window at snow outside.

This is what happens when you let people buy your furniture instead of using AI which would have done a much better job in finding furniture that accommodates your needs.

In my continued exploration of Claude Code, I discovered yesterday that it can use docker for additional capabilities. In my case, I use finch and it had no trouble at all using containers locally.

Another impressive experience with Claude Code, this time with a Raspberry Pi 3b and a Pi camera. The project is to detect vehicles, recognize a USPS mail truck, and send a message to an mqtt topic. More testing tomorrow but Claude wrote all of the code and provided a great interactive session.

Interesting experience with Claude. It helped diagnose and fix an issue with my birdnet-pi cpu temperature monitoring service exactly as if I had been talking to tech support. It, which seems rude, gave me several potential causes, how to determine which was the root problem, and then what to do.

This was my first usage of claude and I was impressed. Getting used to using the combination of the claude cli and vscode to view the files along with a terminal to scp to the pi. It is a change in my typical workflow and needs extra screen space for the terminals but so far I have no complaints.

Interesting experience today. I wanted to add cpu temperature monitoring to my birdnet-pi and have it graphed in my homeassistant. i used claude to do all of it. I gave it a description and it created all of the code, the dashboard yaml, and a readme with a description and installation instructions.

I am stupid, I am happy with my sixfab case on my birdnet-pi raspberry pi. But, I added temperature monitoring using claude code to have it send temperature reports to HomeAssistant and claude noticed that it is running hot and is throttling, probably because I have no ventilation in the box. duh

Lesson learned on Raspberry Pi power supplies. The supply that I was using was 5V - 3A. Was seeing regular undervoltage detections on my BirdNet-Pi.

The canakit power supply that I am using now is 5.1V - 3.5A. So far, no undervoltage reported.

It is possible that the usb mic needed more power.

A small gray 3D-printed, dome-shaped microphone enclosure sits on a sunlit wooden deck railing. A black microphone cable runs into the back of the enclosure, with extra cable coiled nearby. The siding of a house and the edge of the deck are visible in the background.

An open gray weatherproof electronics enclosure reveals a Raspberry Pi board mounted inside. A white USB cable labeled “Movo” is connected to the Pi. Tools, wires, and parts are scattered around the box, showing an in-progress outdoor electronics or IoT setup.

If you are interested in bird watching or listening you might like the BirdNet-Pi software. I installed it on a Raspberry Pi 4b with a usb mic. Then got a sixfab enclosure and put it outside. It has all been working perfectly. No issues at all.
Sixfab is excellent.

www.birdweather.com/birdnetpi

Since my Waterrower is offline until I get a tank seal repair kit I’m jumping on Zwift more often to make up for it

Here's a tip. Using a small chisel and hammer worked very well. I have the 2 halves of the tank separated. I did have some trouble getting the handle strap off. It took some fiddling around to get it to release after the bolt was removed. Next is cleaning the edges. Repair kit ordered. More to come.

Rats, I’ve been very happy with my WaterRower for 13 years until 3 days ago. I was in a hard sprint and all of a sudden the seal between the 2 halves of the tank split and water went sploosh. Fixing the seal requires an expensive repair kit and replacing the tank is very expensive. More to come.

By far and away, the most distracting thing that can be done during a podcast or instructional video is saying "you know". When I hear that, I start counting the number of times that I hear it. The one that I am listening to right now said it 4 times in the last 5 sentences.

Recent helicopter accident in AZ where it clipped a slack line across a canyon. It looks like the only way for a pilot to know about the line was a NOTAM for location E81 at notams.aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/...

Experimenting more with #NotebookLM. Uploaded some material about the high school band that I was in way back when and asked it to produce a video of the history of the band. It created a six-minute video that is excellent. It is going to profoundly change journalism, education, and more.

Zwift cycling screenshot showing an avatar in an orange jersey riding alone on a gently curving country road. Pink-flowering trees, wooden fences, and green hills line the road under a warm, sunset-colored sky, creating a calm, pastoral scene.

Zwift cycling screenshot of an orange-jersey rider following another cyclist on a rural road. Tall trees, rocky outcrops, and grassy fields surround the road in bright daylight, with the scene feeling shaded and forested.

Zwift cycling screenshot of a solo rider in an orange jersey pedaling through open countryside. Rolling green fields, small houses, wildflowers, and a distant snow-capped mountain appear beneath a clear blue sky, giving a wide, scenic view.

I do not always notice the sky while on a #zwift ride but, for whatever reason, today I did and was treated to a collection of bright red, intense purple, and bright sunlight. All were excellent views particularly when it is a cold and windy day outside.

Just saw the phrase "embodied intelligence" used to describe the upcoming robots that will be used in manufacturing and home services. That seems both accurate and thought-provoking.