Samwise Makers' News
Monday, May 11, 2026
Polysynth Breakthrough: Multi-Material Resin Printing Arrives for Home Users
Polysynth, a hardware startup led by maker Eric, has unveiled what may be the first practical multi-material resin 3D printer for home use. Instead of a single vat, the machine uses a carousel of up to eight small circular resin tanks beneath the build plate. A servo-driven kinematic linkage locks each tank position to within a few microns between layer changes, while an integrated wash step removes uncured resin between materials. Eric demonstrated printing conductive resin layers suitable for multilayer PCBs. Dental applications are another target use case. Multi-material capability has long existed on FDM machines but remained largely absent from desktop resin printing until now.
Sources: Hackaday
Build a Binaural Microphone Rig for Under $70 Using Off-the-Shelf Silicone Ears
A DIY binaural microphone rig that captures three-dimensional audio can be assembled for roughly $70, according to a project documented by audio experimenter David Green and covered on Hackaday. The design uses omnidirectional electret capsules — chosen for flat frequency response at low cost — mounted inside foam mannequin heads fitted with off-the-shelf cast silicone ears. Directionality comes from the physical shape of the ear and skull replica, not from microphone polar patterns. Commercial dummy-head systems such as those from Sennheiser can cost thousands of dollars; this build keeps total outlay under $100. Standard XLR wiring and an audio interface complete the setup.
Sources: Hackaday
KernelESP Turns the ESP8266 Into a Networked Control System With a UNIX-Like Shell
KernelESP is new open-source firmware for the ESP8266 that transforms the chip into a UNIX-like networked control system. Developed by Hery Torrado and inspired by the KernelUNO project for Arduino Uno, version 0.10.0 adds persistent LittleFS storage, a password-protected web console, scheduled automation jobs, sensor-driven rules, a JSON API, NTP time synchronisation, and email alerts alongside the Wi-Fi stack. A serial shell mirrors the web UI for direct hardware access. The project is licensed open source and hosted on GitHub. While newer chips such as the ESP32-C3 have largely replaced the ESP8266, KernelESP demonstrates the original Wi-Fi module still has useful headroom for connected automation work.
Sources: Hackaday
MIT's Open-Source Inchworm Robot Assembles Structures From Modular Voxel Blocks
MIT researchers have published work on the MILAbot, a five-degree-of-freedom inchworm-style robot that assembles modular lattice structures from standardised voxel blocks — interlocking units made from plywood, PLA, or metal. Unlike robots with fixed bases, the MILAbot actuates from both ends, inching across the growing structure as it builds. The paper examines embodied energy across construction methods and finds lattice voxel assemblies compare favourably to poured concrete, with 3D-printed concrete performing worst. The project is open source. The authors acknowledge balloon-frame construction currently wins on cost but argue robotic fabrication economics will improve. Hackaday reported on the project May 8.
Sources: Hackaday
Noctua Releases CAD Files for Its Fans — But 3D-Printed Replicas Deliver Half the Airflow
Noctua released free CAD files for several of its top-rated 120mm and 140mm fans, inviting the maker community to explore the geometry. Hackaday and Gamers Nexus immediately tested the obvious question: can you print a functional Noctua fan? After reworking the files for FDM printing on a Bambu Lab machine using PLA, results were mixed. Noctua's proprietary polymer is engineered for high rotational stability; PLA deforms under spin, requiring a 3mm blade clearance versus the original 0.5mm gap. The printed version delivered roughly 50% of the genuine fan's airflow despite a similar acoustic profile. The files are best suited to fit-testing in enclosures rather than building working replacement fans.
Sources: Hackaday
DFRobot's 6.67-Inch Flexible AMOLED Display Brings Curved Screens to Raspberry Pi and Friends
DFRobot has introduced a 6.67-inch flexible AMOLED display module at 2400×1080 resolution and 450 cd/m² brightness, designed to work with Raspberry Pi, LattePanda, and other single-board computers via standard HDMI output. The unit ships as a two-board stack: a main driver converts HDMI to MIPI DSI while a smaller adapter bridges the panel's high-density mezzanine connectors. The panel can be curved horizontally but not vertically without risk of damage, suiting cylindrical enclosures, automotive dashboards, robot face displays, and curved HMI panels. DFRobot prices the module at $199, with a $183 per-unit price available for orders of ten or more.
Sources: CNX Software
April OSHWA Certifications Include HackRF Pro SDR, a Wildlife Camera, and an ESP32-C6 Home Sensor
The Open Source Hardware Association certified 18 new designs in April 2026, bringing its database to 3,310 total certified projects. Highlights include the HackRF Pro from Great Scott Gadgets (US002820), a software-defined radio peripheral covering 100 kHz to 6 GHz with both transmit and receive capability for next-generation radio prototyping. Also certified: TrunkCAM (US002819), a 3D-printed cable-driven articulated camera built around a USB endoscope for exploring small natural spaces, and Kaze (LU000002), a compact ESP32-C6 temperature and humidity sensor with Home Assistant integration — notably only the second OSHWA certification ever issued from Luxembourg. All certified designs are publicly listed at certification.oshwa.org.
Sources: Make: Magazine
Maker Faire Rome 2026 Opens Global Call for Makers, Schools, and Researchers
Maker Faire Rome — The European Edition has opened its global call for its 14th edition, scheduled October 23–25, 2026, at the Gazometro Ostiense in Rome. Three parallel calls are open through a June 15 deadline, all offering free exhibition space to accepted projects. The Call for Makers is open worldwide covering robotics, AI, IoT, digital fabrication, 3D printing, sustainability, wearables, agritech, and space technologies. A Call for Schools targets student teams aged 14–18, while a Call for Universities and Research Institutes welcomes doctoral researchers and academic spin-offs. Since 2013 the event has recorded more than 895,000 cumulative attendances with projects from over 40 countries.
Sources: Make: Magazine
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