Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialRob Cruickshank @robcruickshank.bsky.social · 09/09/2026Modern remotes modulate the infrared signal at around 40 khz because the first optical remotes used receiver circuitry that was adapted from the acoustic receivers. So in a sense, they are still with us. 833691
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialJamorobo @jamorobo.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Wonderful first day at #EMFCamp. So many amazing things going on. It's an incredible feat that this gets put on every other year. Hats off to @jonty.bsky.social and everyone else involved. 062
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialJamorobo @jamorobo.bsky.social · 20/07/2026A belated #EMFcamp day 2: 084
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialLaura James @laura.social.coop.ap.brid.gy · 19/07/2026#emfcamp was excellent. Didn't go to any talks or workshops, just chats, meetups, dancing, puzzles, volunteering, and wandering admiring the art. Huge thanks to everyone who made it happen ❤️ Maybe see some of you in 6 weeks for #OSHCamp? https:// oshug.org/event/oshcamp2026 #OpenSourceHardware 0155
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialHitchin Hackspace @hackhitchin.bsky.social · 16/07/2026It has taken a while to be assembled by the team but the #HitchinHackspace #GameBoy #Monumemtal has been assembled, raised in to position and is up and running at #EMFCamp. As it isn't waterproof it is currently cosseted beneath a purple gazebo. Do come along and have a game 🙂 132
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialTerence Eden @edent.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 16/07/2026Checked in to Electromagnetic Field 2026, Eastnor Castle Deer Park, United Kingdom Damien from HackyRaces is an absolute legend for helping us lug our stuff up to #EMFCamp swarmapp.com/user/56367/checkin/6a5…swarmapp.comElectromagnetic Field 2026Electromagnetic Field 2026 022
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialDr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 14/07/2026Just preparing my slides for my talk at @emfcamp.bsky.social on Friday. It's all about looking Up (it's a huge book plug). But there may also be Easter Eggs in the book ... #RobotWars #EMF2026 1202
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialDr Kat Day (she/her) 🎃🌓 @chronicleflask.katday.com · 02/07/2026#TIL that the Vanta in Vantablack stands for ‘vertically aligned nanotube array’. I’m sure this wasn’t hard to find, but it had never occurred to me that it was an acronym… 1184
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialDr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 21/06/2026I'm selling a professional (very heavy) woodturning lathe - where do I advertise it?? It's in Oxfordshire. Vicmarc VL300 ESVX +magnetic remote switch Vicmarc 1000mm Bed Extension Vicmarc VM120 Chuck Woodcut Straight Head Pro-Forme Hollowing Tools Vicmarc Camlock Banjo Vicmarc 600 mm Tool rest 6712
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialChris Tregenza @tregenza.bsky.social · 11/06/2026Sharing this because some people may find it useful but also ... To point out this is the sort of document they put in museums about genocide to illustrate how people at the sharp end knew what was coming. 123
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialExtreme Electronics @extelec.bsky.social · 09/06/2026Yay, we have a village and installation at #EMF Anyone wanting to join us playing with HV over the weekend are welcome at "Spark Life" www.emfcamp.org/villages/202...emfcamp.orgVillage: Spark Life (HV Village) 182
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 29/05/2026June in European Robot Combat: bbb.gd/events 3 Combat Robotics NI 454g meet in Belfast 🇬🇧 3-4 Fightfest feathers in Birmingham 🇬🇧 4 QRFL ants in London 🇬🇧 6 Jelgava 200g, 454g & 907g in Jelgava 🇱🇻 6-7 XR heavies in Stevenage 🇬🇧 13-14 Makerfight feathers in Mulhouse 🇫🇷 14 I Robottari ants in Rome 🇮🇹 211
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialDr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 11/05/2026Engineering misconceptions: 1) we all wear hard hats all the time 2) we all get our hands dirty all the time 3) we are all male 4) we are all 'boffins' 5) we can count and follow instructions. 2186
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialJohn Self @john-self.bsky.social · 05/05/2026Incredible chart (from otherwise depressing news story about bad advice being given to new parents) showing how cot deaths fell by 50% in the first year after the 'Back to Sleep' campaign was launched, and have continued to fall since. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... 18605195
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 29/04/2026A mega packed May in European Robot Combat! bbb.gd/events Possibly the most countries ever with a Spanish debut and the return of Belgium and Portugal! 🇬🇧🇳🇱🇪🇸🇱🇹🇨🇭🇨🇿🇮🇹🇵🇹🇱🇻🇧🇪🇳🇴 044
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialScary (they/them) @emfcamp @scaryboots.bsky.social · 28/03/2026More #art. A cute blåhaj with a #trans rights message in the pink notebook I only draw on with blue and pink, which is SO NEARLY FINISHED. (And then what do I do?) 0121
markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 21/03/2026I'm at another First Tech Challenge robot event today. I'm helping in the Robot Hospital, fixing broken bots! Our hosts, American School in London, have provided an amazing stock of spare parts. 261
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBrian Corteil @cannonfodder.bsky.social · 20/03/2026Been working on my Hacky Racers autonomous robot, been vibe coding with Claude. Experience has been very good so far, been able to improve my code and add lots of tests and enhancements including GUIs local/web for the robot, an app calibrating the camera to help with distortion at the edges. 162
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialPaul Stoffregen @paulstoffregen.bsky.social · 05/03/2026Researchers from Prof. Joohyung Kim's KIMLAB at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) used #Teensy to develop a low-cost, easy-to-reproduce "pneumatic skin" that gives robots a sense of touch www.pjrc.com/pneumatic-ro... 021
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialAdaptive Machine Patterns @adaptive-machine-patterns.com · 03/03/2026AMP has been kitting out for a build recently... this looks like an interesting project: mitxela.com/projects/scr...mitxela.comSimple Screw Counter - mitxela.com 001
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 03/03/2026🇬🇧 🇱🇹 🇳🇱 🇨🇿 🇱🇻 🇮🇹 🇦🇹 bbb.gd/events 🇪🇺🤖⚔️📅 March in European Robot Combat! ~ 4th Combat Robotics NI 456g in Belfast 🇬🇧 5rd QRFL ants in London 🇬🇧 7th Bristol Uni ants in Bristol 🇬🇧 7th Klaipeda ant & 454g in Klaipeda 🇱🇹 8th Rock & Robots sportsman ants in London 🇬🇧 14th Robodojo sportsman feathers in York 🇬🇧 101
markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 28/02/2026It's been a year since I've competed with Paradigm Spin, but I'm back in Bristol to fight again! I've never been happy with Paradigm's reliability, so I've been doing lots of testing and development. This clip is a montage of that, full vid on youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB8J... 110
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 25/02/2026Just some of the over 50 incredible robots coming to fight at BBB Beetle Brawl 2026! We will be streaming from 11am GMT on Saturday at bbb.gd/stream 073
markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 24/02/2026It's robot season again! I'm volunteering at a First Tech Challenge event in Oxford today. New for this year: ball launchers! 161
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialcastpixel ⚧️⚢ @castpixel.bsky.social · 19/02/2026Due to popular demand, here is a demonstration video of how to make 3D printed PCBs using just vector drawing software, a 3D printed (PETG filament for mine) and self-adhesive copper tape. Any questions, let me know! 34777294
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialPrincess Vimentin PhD | Cancer Biologist @princess-vimentin.bsky.social · 06/02/2026I have encountered a little of this. My brother historically has received more praise than I. When I visit India it’s awkward for me. The women talk in the kitchen about cooking while the men sit in the living room talking about global affairs. There is no space to talk about me or science. 98229
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialEast Essex Hackspace @eehackspace.bsky.social · 31/01/2026Yesterday, Tim was looking at turning a luggage cart into a powered one with the idea of eventually having several in a 'wagon train'. Motive power will be hoverboard hub motors but fitted with pneumatic tyres. Good progress was made, next it will involve chopping the rear frame and some welding. 162
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialNick Reynolds (he/him) @ncmreynolds.bsky.social · 25/01/2026Did a session at @bridgecommand.bsky.social this afternoon with friends. Stereotyped myself by playing shuttle engineer. Also bumped into a couple of people I know from LARP but haven't seen for years. 132
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialLucy 🕊️ @lucysrausch.bsky.social · 08/01/2026(ofc i did not delete BO for production) 2197
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBristol Bot Builders @bristolbotbuilders.com · 05/01/2026In the red corner, hometown hero, you know them, you love them, it’s “Fearless” Bhuge! And hoping to end their season before it even begins, in the blue corner, The Technical Gremlin! It’s the match of the century, only at BBB Beetle Brawl 2026 Saturday 28th February at St Michael's Centre, Bristol. 144
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialM0PWX @m0pwx.bsky.social · 04/01/2026#RaspberryPi #Pi #rpi are you UK based and up for a raspberry pi challenge have a look at hacky racers (website link hackyracers.co.uk/robotic-raci... ) a robotic vehicle challenge on a rough grass field, Robots ? autonomous or remotely controlled ? race around an outdoor circuit, looks funhackyracers.co.ukRobotic Racing Series – Hacky Racers 065
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBrian Corteil @cannonfodder.bsky.social · 04/01/2026Date for the New Year, there's going to be a CamJam celebrating Raspberry Pi 14th birthday in Cambridge, UK hosted by Makespace, the community's workshop. Tickets will be released on Friday. mailchi.mp/9d1d55c5214f...mailchi.mpRaspberry Pi Birthday CamJam - 28th February 2026 176
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialScary (they/them) @emfcamp @scaryboots.bsky.social · 01/01/2026#TIL silver balls on cake are not technically food according to the FDA. The idea is they sell them and you remove them before use. Implausible, but then again. Worst case scenario if you eat a fuckton and turn blue, so maybe it's not a priority issue. www.huffpost.com/entry/silver...huffpost.comHere's What'll Happen If You Eat Those Little Silver Balls On Christmas CookiesRumors have been flying for a century that they're poisonous. 121
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialMichael Horne @recantha.bsky.social · 31/12/2025My #RaspberryPi project - the PsionPi. A Pi 4 is underneath the screen. Then, I have a 3S Waveshare UPS giving power to the whole thing, over which is a #Psion 5 keyboard. A small adapter board converts the keyboard signal to USB. 2 3D printed halves of the case are held together with M2.5 screws. 2338
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialArcadia Science @arcadiascience.com · 29/12/2025A free, open-access library of high-quality organism illustrations for science communicationdoi.orgA free, open-access library of high-quality organism illustrations for science communicationWe create vector graphics of model organisms and emerging biological research organisms to enhance our publications. We’re sharing these editable graphics under a CC0 license for other scientists to... 0268132
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialDr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 26/12/2025I made a thing! It is cloisonné enamel coaster. Took about 3 hrs. Thanks to Be-RAS Creatives Art Cafe, Melbourne. Loved it. 0323
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialFootleg @drfootleg.bsky.social · 26/12/2025It is finished, and I love it! Word Clock kit from GurgleApps.com 193
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialDr Lucy Rogers @drlucyrogers.com · 14/12/2025Date for your diaries - Lancaster, UK Wed 25 March 2026 - free to attend, registration required. Hear me talk about my soon to be published book 'Up - A scientist's guide to the magic above us' www.lancaster.ac.uk/scc/about-us...lancaster.ac.ukLooking Up: Stories, Science, and Surprises with Dr Lucy Rogers MBE, Wednesday 25 March, 7:00pm - Lancaster UniversityJoin us for an engaging 75-minute session with Dr Lucy Rogers MBE, whose career blends hands-on engineering, inventive making, and a gift for turning complex ideas into clear, compelling stories. 2177
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialHitchin Hackspace @hackhitchin.bsky.social · 29/11/2025We hear news that there is a new Make/Hackspace starting up in March, Cambridgeshire associated with the folks at REMO remo.org.uk If you are looking for a Hackspace in the North of Cambridgeshire you may have a new place to check out... #HackSpace #Makespace #Cambridgeshire #IsleOfElyremo.org.ukREMO 013
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialSam Ettinger @settinger.net · 08/09/2025A silly idea that turned out well! Most flex PCBs are cut by laser, not milled, so you can make perforations by adding incomplete edge cuts. These disks are for cleanly joining LED strips at different angles and different radii, and they break apart with just my fingers, no other tools. 1297
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialRue Mohr @ruenahcmohr.bsky.social · 07/11/2025a really neat way to couple sheet metal to a motor shaft. I leaned this from photocopier teardowns. 5445
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialSarah O'Connor @sarahoconnorft.ft.com · 30/10/20252nd edition of our The AI Shift newsletter is out. The question today: could AI be making us LESS productive? @jburnmurdoch.ft.com www.ft.com/content/2480... At the individual level, it's clear we're not reliable witnesses on this Q. At an organisational level, it gets even more interesting... 511145
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBrian Corteil @cannonfodder.bsky.social · 20/10/2025I will be at Assemble, Darby on Saturday, showing off the @pimoroni.com Giant Unicorn hat and other projects. #GiganticUnicorn 184
markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 18/10/2025I'm at @bristolbotbuilders.com Champs today, supporting @pinski1.bsky.social and his new robot Fig Roll 172
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialBrian Corteil @cannonfodder.bsky.social · 20/07/2025Good Maker event in Derby, I will hopefully be showing off my Giant Unicorn hat there in October. derbymuseums.org/assemble/derbymuseums.orgAssemble: Derby’s Making Festival - Derby MuseumsThis years Assemble will be held on October 25th 2025! If you are a maker and would like to get involved please fill out the form here. Meet the makers and discover what you can make! Produced by Der... 364
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialarturo182 @arturo182.bsky.social · 07/10/2025Happy 20th anniversary to the wrong header spacing in the Uno form-factor, btw. 3424
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialAllie Katz @katzcreates.bsky.social · 27/09/2025In other news, it fukken WORKS and I've successfully made a tiny stained glass window for my beetle's abdomen. 😍 98915
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialste5eu.bsky.social @ste5eu.bsky.social · 28/09/2025Hey Derek @extelec.bsky.social seen this? A steam powered Van der Graaf generator 142
Reposted by @markmellors.bsky.socialste5eu.bsky.social @ste5eu.bsky.social · 26/09/2025I do love a Makerfaire 281
markmellors.bsky.social @markmellors.bsky.social · 27/09/2025I'm in Somerset today for Hacky Racers at Scrumpy Cup. Nice to see a mix of new racers and old timers. 270
![The same flex PCB with one quarter of it torn out and turned into three curved connector pieces of different radii. The remaining board has a silkscreen that says "Do it [...] coward" in Jokerman font.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:a66hnhcr6waofv7umsqr6263/bafkreib5dpc6dkvga4rtzlqssc7spmnyvdo255ps2ri5ol3n3te5qpfnqa)
