Samwise Makers' News
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
NVIDIA Quietly Raises Jetson Prices by Up to 101%
NVIDIA has raised prices across its entire Jetson embedded AI product line by 33 to 101 percent, effective July 2026. The entry-level Jetson Nano module doubled from $99 to $199, while the Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit jumped from $249 to $399. No official announcement accompanied the changes — the price hikes were uncovered by a reader monitoring NVIDIA's FAQ page, then reported by CNX-Software. The Jetson platform is widely used by makers and robotics hobbyists for edge AI projects, and the increases will significantly raise the cost barrier for community builders working with computer vision and machine learning on embedded hardware.
Sources: CNX-Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Anemoia-ESP32 Achieves 60 FPS NES Emulation With Full Audio
A maker has released Anemoia-ESP32, a rewrite of the Anemoia NES emulator optimized specifically for the ESP32 microcontroller, achieving a smooth 60 frames per second on most games with full audio emulation. The project builds on prior ESP32 emulation work but focuses on performance optimizations to hit full-speed gameplay on the modest hardware. Key features include save state support and a web-based flashing tool, eliminating the need for command-line setup. The small footprint of the ESP32 opens the door to compact handheld NES gaming form factors that makers can build themselves, combining retro appeal with modern DIY hardware builds.
OOMWOO: A Fully Open-Source Robot Vacuum That Skips the Cloud
OOMWOO is a fully open-source robotic vacuum cleaner — both hardware and software — that requires no cloud services and integrates with Home Assistant for local smart home automation. The robot runs ROS 2 on a Raspberry Pi paired with an inexpensive 2D lidar for autonomous mapping and navigation, while most structural parts are 3D-printed using standard filaments. Development remains active, with the community contributing improvements across firmware, path planning, and mechanical design. Unlike commercial robot vacuums that depend on vendor cloud infrastructure, OOMWOO gives makers complete control of their device and data, with full project documentation freely available on GitHub.
Community Project Brings Arduino Support to Nordic nRF54L Wireless SoCs
A community-driven open-source project called nRF54L Arduino Core has added Arduino IDE support for Nordic Semiconductor's nRF54L Cortex-M33 wireless SoCs, initially targeting Seeed Studio XIAO boards and HolyIoT modules. The core provides full Bluetooth Low Energy peripheral and central roles, GPIO, ADC, PWM, and audio support, alongside experimental Zigbee, Thread, and Matter stacks for smart home interoperability. Released under the MIT license on GitHub, the project gives Arduino developers an alternative to Nordic's Zephyr-based nRF Connect SDK, lowering the barrier for makers wanting to prototype modern wireless products without learning an entirely new development environment from scratch.
Sources: CNX-Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
ART-Pi II Packs 600 MHz STM32H7R7 and Pi-Compatible GPIO for $44
The ART-Pi II is a compact development board built around the 600 MHz STM32H7R7 Cortex-M7 microcontroller with integrated NeoChrom GPU, available on AliExpress for approximately $44. The board includes 32 MB HyperRAM, 64 MB HyperFlash, Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.1, a 40-pin Raspberry Pi-compatible GPIO header, Qwiic connectors, a microSD slot, and an onboard debugger. Notably the first third-party board based on ST's high-performance H7R/S MCU family, it runs RT-Thread RTOS with demo applications including LVGL touch graphics and TouchGFX visual design. The Raspberry Pi-compatible GPIO header broadens compatibility with existing maker accessories and HATs.
Sources: CNX-Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Neural Net on Raspberry Pi Reads Analog Gas Meter Dials Automatically
A maker named Cian trained a neural network to automatically read the analog dial gauges on his basement gas meter, solving the problem that the meter is physically inaccessible to utility company readers. Using OpenCV running on a Raspberry Pi, the system captures an image of the meter's dials, processes them through the trained model, and automatically submits the reading to the gas company without human involvement. The project is a practical example of computer vision applied to a real-world domestic utility problem, demonstrating how off-the-shelf hardware and open-source machine learning tools can automate tasks that would otherwise require manual intervention or costly meter hardware upgrades.
Creality Falcon A1C Brings Enclosed Laser Engraving to Beginners at $199
Creality has opened pre-orders for the Falcon A1C, a compact fully enclosed laser engraver aimed at first-time makers seeking a safe entry into laser cutting and engraving. Priced starting at $199, it features a 150x150mm work area, autofocus laser, AI camera for material recognition, and a fully enclosed OD4+-rated housing that eliminates the need for protective goggles. Higher-tier variants add contour-extraction tools and smart layout features via the AI camera module. The enclosed design marks a departure from open-frame laser engravers that require dedicated eyewear, targeting a beginner-friendly market that existing products have largely left underserved.
BasiliskII Macintosh 68k Emulator Runs on the ESP32-P4
Austin McChord has ported BasiliskII, the open-source Macintosh 68k emulator, to the Espressif ESP32-P4 microcontroller, bringing classic Mac OS to a compact embedded platform. The port supports touchscreen display output and USB peripheral input, producing a functional retro Mac experience in a form factor suitable for handheld maker projects. Adafruit highlighted the build as a showcase of the ESP32-P4's growing capability for emulation-class workloads — tasks that earlier ESP32 variants could not sustain. The project demonstrates how recent advances in affordable microcontroller performance are expanding the range of historically demanding applications now accessible to the broader maker community.
Sources: Adafruit Blog Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
AirSense Turns a Trash Can and Xiaomi HEPA Filter Into a Smart Air Purifier
AirSense is an ESP32-powered DIY air purifier built by Kishan Pratap Singh using a Xiaomi HEPA filter housed inside a perforated metal trash can, combined with sensors measuring PM2.5, air quality index, temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure. The sensor data and fan controls are displayed on an LCD screen, with the ESP32 tucked into a custom 3D-printed cap that mounts to the top of the enclosure. The build prioritizes repairability through widely available components — the Xiaomi HEPA filter is inexpensive and replaceable — while delivering environmental monitoring data that most commercial air purifiers simply do not expose to users.
Top Crowdfunding
Kickstarter / Indiegogo
1. Hanboost T1 Pocket Laser Engraver — $700k+ raised (14,000% funded), Kickstarter
2. RootBoard Pocket Linux Computer — $23,666 raised (473% funded), Kickstarter
3. None confirmed live this week
GitHub Trending
Makers & Hardware
1. micropython/micropython — ~22,000★ (lean Python for microcontrollers)
2. zephyrproject-rtos/zephyr — ~16,000★ (RTOS for embedded & IoT)
3. KiCad/kicad — open-source PCB design (v10.0.5 RC1, Jul 2026)
Upcoming Events
Maker Faire Bay Area — Sep 25–27, 2026, Mare Island, CA
Hackaday Supercon 2026 — Nov 6–8, 2026, Pasadena, CA
Maker Faire Orlando — Nov 7–8, 2026, Orlando, FL
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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