Samwise Makers' News
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Running Linux 6.11 on the ESP32-S3 With a Few Tweaks
Maker Paulneja has achieved something remarkable: booting a mainline Linux 6.11 kernel on an ESP32-S3 microcontroller — a chip with no MMU and just 8 MB of octal PSRAM. The project uses NOMMU Linux configuration with a custom fork() implementation that enables real processes on memory-constrained hardware. The N16R8 configuration (16 MB Flash, 8 MB octal PSRAM) leaves 3.7 MB available after boot. One core runs Linux while the other handles FreeRTOS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Version 0.8 is the first build to boot reliably. A research project rather than a daily driver, it definitively proves NOMMU Linux on an ESP32-class chip is viable.
Bare Metal Made Easy: Minimacy Language Runs on RP2350 Without an OS
Sylvain Huet’s Hackaday Europe 2026 talk introduced Minimacy, a “new minimalism” programming language designed for bare-metal hardware without an operating system. Written entirely in under 900 KB of C and fully open source, Minimacy compiles and runs on a virtual machine combining an instant compiler with a virtual processor. The Minimacy Machine — powered by a Raspberry Pi RP2350 at 150 MHz — pairs with Ethernet, OLED display, SD card, and real-time clock peripherals. The project’s philosophy: developers should understand every layer of their system. Minimacy is aimed at makers and researchers who want zero-mystery software running on real hardware.
Every ZX81 Expansion Card You Ever Wanted, All at Once
Adam Klotblixt’s OpenSpand project — published on Codeberg — uses a single Raspberry Pi RP2350 to bring a vintage Sinclair ZX81 into the modern era. The RP2350 emulates the original Z80 CPU, RAM, and ROM, implementing the full 64 KB address space. Capabilities the original never had are added in software: SD card storage via BASIC LOAD/SAVE command hijacking, high-resolution graphics, emulated sound chips, joystick and serial ports, ROM selection, and composite video output. It’s an elegant demonstration of how a modern microcontroller can breathe new life into a beloved 1980s machine while remaining architecturally faithful to its spirit.
Super-Accurate Radio Clock Built Around a Tiny ATtiny814
An ATtiny814 microcontroller decodes the DCF77 long-wave time signal broadcast from Germany at 77.5 kHz, delivering radio-synchronized accuracy in a remarkably compact package. The project uses an I2C display to show the current time, an optional temperature sensor for environmental monitoring, and an add-on RTC module to maintain time when the DCF77 signal drops. The push-button doubles as a multi-function UI: a short press cycles through display modes while a long press triggers a full DCF77 receiver reset. At just a few grams of silicon and copper, this clock proves that microcontrollers designed for constrained applications can still achieve centisecond time accuracy.
Round AMOLED Badge Packs Clock, Games, Air Mouse and Liquid Simulation
Maker curisama started with a Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-1.75C, a 466×466 round display with milled aluminium case, and turned it into a versatile wearable. The custom firmware began as an air mouse, then grew to include a touchpad, physical keys, a clock, and games. Recording was added next: up to 52 minutes of audio in WAV format. The standout feature is a liquid simulation showing water sloshing around the circular display with a little boat bobbing on it, optimized from 3 FPS up to 18 FPS. Battery life improved from 11.9 to 19.6 hours by enabling the ESP-IDF CONFIG_PM_ENABLE power management flag.
Handy Brings Local, Privacy-First Speech Recognition to Linux
Linux speech recognition has historically meant cloud uploads or complex setup, but Handy changes that. The open source tool wraps Whisper-compatible models in an install-and-go experience, running entirely local on your machine. You configure the hotkey, choose your preferred model, and Handy types recognized speech into any active window. It handles X11 and Wayland input injection via xdotool or dotool. An optional second hotkey sends transcribed text through a configurable OpenRouter or local LLM to clean up dictation, fixing punctuation, converting number words to digits, and removing filler words. Nerd Dictation, a lighter alternative built on Vosk, offers stdout output for scripting voice-driven pipelines.
Model Your CNC Cabinet in Fusion 360 Before Buying Anything
[Clough42] makes a compelling case for modeling your entire CNC control cabinet in Fusion 360 before ordering a single part. Industrial suppliers provide STEP files for most components, but in practice these are full of gotchas: missing geometric snap points, enclosures without articulated doors, inaccessible assembly references. The video walks through practical techniques for each in Fusion 360, turning a potentially expensive build into a verified, surprise-free project. The broader lesson applies to any hardware build: CAD prototyping surfaces problems — like a screwdriver handle trapped by surrounding hardware — before they become costly mistakes. Plan before you spend.
Top Crowdfunding
Kickstarter / Indiegogo
nLab All-in-One Electronics Lab — $231K raised, 1,271 backers — Kickstarter
HeyGears G1 Modular Desktop Fabricator (UV + 3D resin, swappable modules) — Kickstarter
AI-integrated hardware & smart home robotics lead Sept 2026 maker crowdfunding
GitHub Trending
Makers & Hardware
oscar30gt/pulse — New open source VHDL simulator, C++20, MIT license
AX.25 packet radio chat with digital signatures — TypeScript, +227★ today
delftopenhardware/awesome-open-hardware — curated open hardware projects list
Upcoming Events
Hackaday Supercon 10 — November 2026, Pasadena CA (10th annual!)
Maker Faire Bay Area 2026 — Bay Area, CA (see makerfaire.com)
Music Hackspace Hardware Hackathon — Nov 2–3 2026, Riga, Latvia
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency