Unitree GO-M8018-6 Motor Driver Opened Up for Open Source

[Thomas Flayols] has published ongoing work reverse-engineering the proprietary motor driver in Unitree’s Go2 quadruped robot. Each GO-M8018-6 motor assembly integrates a reducer, magnetic encoder, 3-phase inverter, current sensing, RS-485 bus, and a Cortex-M0-based CMS32M57xx MCU in a single compact unit. Unitree removed all IC markings from the PCB to discourage analysis, but X-ray imaging and detective work identified the components. The firmware was encrypted, yet a locally recovered key enabled decryption, yielding an initial custom firmware prototype. The work could extend the useful life of Go2 robots given serious security concerns surrounding the device’s official firmware.

Sources: Hackaday

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Direct Granules FDM Extruder Reaches Version 7.1

Version 7.1 of the open-source direct-granules FDM extruder project has been put through detailed print testing by its developer. This iteration focuses on manufacturing simplification, removing the brass insert from V7.0 and instead relying on manual alignment with a drill bit and hand reamer to square the inner extrusion tube. The goal is a granule-fed system capable of production use, bypassing the need for pre-made filament spools. Testing evaluated layer adhesion, dimensional accuracy, and flow consistency across several materials. Results show measurable improvement over the previous version, though the developer notes further refinement is still needed before recommending it for production workflows.

Sources: Hackaday

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Hackaday Europe 2026 Wraps in Lecco with Talks, Badges, and Bold Hacks

Hackaday Europe 2026 concluded last weekend at Politecnico Milano’s Lecco campus in Italy, delivering 48 hours of talks, badge hacks, and hands-on workshops for the global maker community. Sessions included Tiny Tapeout for custom chip design, a fault injection security workshop, and an EchoGlow: Arduino UNO Q workshop showcasing the new Q-series boards. Due to a technical limitation with the university’s AV setup, only audio and slide recordings were captured rather than presenter video. The Hackaday editorial team has committed to publishing detailed talk write-ups in the coming weeks. Badge hacks from attendees are also expected to be documented separately.

Sources: Hackaday

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Single Needle, All the Time: Maker Builds Analog Meter Wristwatch

[Sahko] has built a distinctive wristwatch that displays time using a single analog coil-meter needle rather than conventional clock hands. The timepiece is built around a Raspberry Pi Pico driving the meter via a digital-to-analog converter. Pressing the external buttons cycles the display between modes for hours, minutes and seconds, or current calendar data. Because only one parameter can be shown at a time, reading the watch requires cycling through readings — a constraint the builder accepts as a fair trade for a striking look. The dial backer is a custom PCB rather than printed paper, giving the build a sturdier and more polished finish.

Sources: Hackaday

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Water-Cooled 3D Printed Rocket Engine: Educational Failure with a Point

[Mr. More Gooder] attempted to build a functional propane-burning rocket engine from FDM 3D-printed components, adding a water-cooling circuit to prevent the plastic nozzle and combustion chamber from melting under flame. The first design cooled only the nozzle; the uncooled combustion chamber melted promptly during testing. A revised version extended water cooling throughout the assembly and survived longer before the water jacket developed a leak into the main chamber, extinguishing the flame. While the experiment falls short of a practical propulsion system, it clearly demonstrates regenerative cooling principles in rocket engine design at an accessible, low-cost DIY entry point.

Sources: Hackaday

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