@curiouselectric
Posts and updates from the workshop of The Curious Electric Company who provide educational DIY electronic kits to interact with our world. Mainly posting about environmental monitoring electronics, solar power with a bit of random making thrown in.
Love this frequency spectrum wall light (via @hackaday@hackaday.social and @Raspberry_pi@raspberrypi.social): hackaday.com/2026/01/29/b.... It shows the invisible radio waves that are around us all the time in a beautiful object.
Just been setting up my little CNC with @millmage_software from @LightBurnLaser. Software install has all gone well and quickly up and running with GRBL 1.1 Arduino Uno controller.
Note to self: don't mix up the z-probe cables as it will cause you a few hours of frustration! #CNC
@makemagazine are doing a Tech Book bundle on @humble Bundle here: www.humblebundle.com/books/esp32-... Good selection of tech books, pay what you feel and help code.org charity. I've just picked up my bundle.
I remixed a 3D model from thingiverse to make an improved red dot pointer for my laser cutter: www.re-innovation.co.uk/blog/2026/ad...
FUNKI PORCINI will be showing THE LASERIUM with friends DJ FOOD SDNA DR REEKIE MECHANISMO HENRY ROLLS SEETHEMUSIC 23 & 24 January LIMEHOUSE TH | E14 THA . 3pm till 12 TICKETS https://tickets.partyutility.uk/funkiporcini/
London friends - a rare chance to see Funki Porcini's amazing Laserium is coming up:
I've done a quick write up of converting some mechanical film projector unit to LCD based units (for an interactive art installation). I've been using a Stone 10.1" LCD display controlled by a simple arduino. Blog post here: www.re-innovation.co.uk/docs/kinetis...
These LED boards I'm using have the printed tag line "Better Than Expected"... not quite sure how good advertising that is?
Some pedal power equipment I designed and built has just been used on Boom Bang!, a Welsh language kids science program. Love it! www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0mh26ww via BBC iPlayer at around 21mins.
We released another solder kit, just in time for the Holidays! Happy soldering!
Love these procedurally generated marble runs: youtu.be/ULpNiZU2tpg?.... A few simple rules and the structures are nicely organic. (seen via @make magazine)
I'm name checked in this article on a film art installation at Newstead Abbey (leftlion.co.uk/features/202...). I've been working with Ben Wigley for several years on various human and solar powered film units....
I've been working on a paper circuits workshop for Lancaster Light Night 'Explore Week' at the Storey (www.lightuplancaster.co.uk/exploreweek/) as one of the activities LAMM (lamm.space) are running. Its been fun to play!
It is a bit boring, but I have a new product available: an RS485 soil moisture. Might be useful for your monitoring needs?
www.curiouselectric.co.uk/collections/...
Nice design!
I've added my sensor.community air quality data to Home Assistant. Really easy!
I'd love more people to monitor their local air quality, so reduced the price of the last few of my air quality monitoring kit (save £15 - now £54.95). You can order here: www.curiouselectric.co.uk/collections/...
Been messing around with soil moisture sensors. Here are details of getting an RS485 sensor working: www.re-innovation.co.uk/docs/soil-mo...
Might be useful to others using them?
Been making a batch of OPET units (Open PV Electrical Tool) - these are used for testing solar PV cells and modules. Not my design (designed by CREST at Loughborough Uni for NREL in the US) - I just built a batch for a project. Design is now open source: github.com/NREL/opet-ha...
Just been looking at the Historical Tech Tree (www.historicaltechtree.com) which is pretty fascinating. Surprised to see the anemometer invented before the screwdriver!
Interesting indoor solar energy harvesting circuit design from @Elektor magazine:
www.elektormagazine.com/magazine/ele...
Uses the LTC3129 IC to harvest every micro-watt!
Finally got around to making my stoRPer from @concretedog. Picked it up at EMF, but needed to get motors and wheels. All running well from 18650 cell. Now I need to do some code...
After a couple of little updates, my solar powered house-plant moisture sensor kit is back in stock: www.curiouselectric.co.uk/products/sol... Might be interesting for the green fingered electronics enthusiast.
I'm a bit late to the @home_assistant party, but it is excellent! I have been working on adding LoRa sensor nodes and sending data via Things Network to then be shown in Home Assistant. My progress so far is here: www.re-innovation.co.uk/docs/experim...
Laser cutting many maps. Working on a slightly different project with no electronics in it. Using the amazing, free and open source tools #QGIS and #Inkscape.
This smart buoy monitors water quality in remote areas with a Particle B524 SoM to increase the yields of shrimp farming operations.
Citizen Scientists Building Sensors
A Frog Sensor and Electronics Being Assembled
A completed Frog Sensor
The Open Hardware Summit Poster
Build-a-Frog Workshop: Build an Open-Source Climate Sensor
Everyone! I'll be running a workshop at the @oshwassociation.bsky.social summit in May! I want to see you there!
Ribbit Network (www.ribbitnetwork.org) is still going strong and is my passion project that I want to keep growing.
I was on this summer school last year. It was excellent and gave me loads of info, advice, knowledge and inspiration.
Recommended if you have a prototype you want to take forwards.
Had a nice email from a customer highlighting that their project (which we emailed about over 5 years ago) has now been completed! They now know what day to put the bins out....
Wanting to take your shed off-grid? - Then maybe our PV system kit can help you. It was originally designed to be used on the "Intro to solar PV" courses I run.
www.curiouselectric.co.uk/collections/...
Note: You still need to supply the solar panel and the battery!
