Z386 Brings Open-Source Intel 80386 Back to Life on FPGA

The Z386 is an open-source FPGA reimplementation of Intel's iconic 80386 processor, built around the original microcode recovered from decapped chips. Unlike software emulators, Z386 recreates the structural internals of the 386: a 2,560-entry, 37-bit-wide microcode ROM, 32-entry paging TLB, Protection PLA, and a barrel shifter matching the original design. Running on Altera Cyclone V and Gowin GW5A FPGAs, it performs at approximately 70 MHz equivalent and adds a 16 KB 4-way set-associative L1 cache absent from the original silicon. Z386 boots DOS 6 and DOS 7, runs protected-mode extenders like DOS/32A, and plays Doom. Source code is on GitHub under an open-source licence.

Sources: Hackaday

This PCB D20 Has a Mood — and It Remembers Your Bad Rolls

A maker known as kati has built a PCB-format electronic d20 that does more than generate random numbers — it tracks your luck streak and reacts emotionally. The circular board features twenty charlieplexed LEDs around its perimeter, one per die face, with a central capacitive touch pad to trigger a roll. After repeated natural 1 results, the die enters a low mood: it may ignore touch inputs, glitch before rolls, and secretly re-roll outcomes into the 1–6 range, prolonging unlucky streaks. The firmware logic encodes the superstitions tabletop gamers project onto cursed dice. Additional undocumented behaviors are hidden in the firmware for players to discover.

Sources: Hackaday

Firefox Finally Supports Web Serial: Big Win for Makers Everywhere

Mozilla has shipped Web Serial API support in Firefox 151, ending years of resistance and aligning the browser with Chrome and Edge. The feature lets web applications communicate directly with serial-connected hardware — microcontrollers, development boards, 3D printers, and other maker devices — without native software. Adafruit collaborated on the rollout to ensure CircuitPython flashing workflows work smoothly in Firefox out of the box. Compatible hardware includes ESP32 boards, Raspberry Pi Pico, and Betaflight-powered flight controllers. Web Serial requires explicit user permission per-site and per-port, keeping the security model intact. The update means makers running Firefox can now configure Meshtastic nodes and flash firmware directly from the browser.

Sources: Hackster.io

M5Stack's CardputerZero: A $59 Credit Card Linux Computer for Makers

M5Stack has unveiled the CardputerZero, a credit card-sized Linux computer built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero, aimed at makers, developers, and cybersecurity enthusiasts. The pocket device packs a 46-key matrix keyboard, 1.9-inch LCD, HDMI output, Fast Ethernet, three USB ports, IR transceiver, microphone, speaker, and a 14-pin GPIO header with Grove interface. The full model adds an 8MP camera, 6-axis IMU, and a 32 GB microSD card preloaded with software. The underlying CM0 module provides four Arm Cortex-A53 cores at 1 GHz and 512 MB RAM. A Kickstarter campaign opens May 26, 2026 with early-bird pricing starting at $59 for the Lite version.

Sources: CNX Software

Hacknect: An ESP32-S3 Wi-Fi Automation Platform Hidden Inside a USB Cable

Hacknect is a Kickstarter-backed Wi-Fi automation tool disguised as a standard USB cable. Hidden inside the connector housing is an ESP32-S3 microcontroller alongside a microSD card slot. Users connect to the device's built-in web dashboard over Wi-Fi to trigger HID keystroke injection, mouse automation, and payload execution from a smartphone or laptop. The microSD stores multiple payload slots for different automation scripts. The developers plan to open-source firmware, documentation, and example scripts after launch. Designed for makers, developers, and cybersecurity learners, the Kickstarter campaign has raised approximately $14,000 so far, with rewards starting at $76 and first shipments planned for August 2026.

Sources: Hackster.io

Rapp Instruments Offers a Benchtop Neutron Generator for Home Researchers

A commercial benchtop neutron generator from Rapp Instruments has attracted attention from the amateur physics community. The device produces free neutrons through deuterium-deuterium fusion: pure deuterium feedstock is ionized and accelerated into a titanium target loaded with titanium deuteride. Incoming ions collide with trapped deuterium nuclei, triggering fusion reactions that yield helium-4 and helium-3, along with a flux of free neutrons. The generator targets educators, researchers, and well-funded hobbyists seeking nuclear physics experimentation without constructing a full inertial electrostatic confinement fusor. Safety certifications and licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction, and Rapp Instruments provides regulatory guidance documentation with each unit.

Sources: Hackaday

V2X2MAP Turns an ESP32-C5 Dev Board Into a Live V2X Traffic Monitor

An open-source project called V2X2MAP enables makers to receive live vehicle-to-everything (V2X) traffic data using a Waveshare ESP32-C5-WIFI6-KIT development board and an Android app. The system sniffs ITS-G5 signals broadcast on the 5.9 GHz band by vehicles, traffic lights, and roadside units, decoding Cooperative Awareness Messages (CAM), Signal Phase and Timing messages (SPATEM), and hazard alerts (DENM) in real time. A Python bridge relays data from the ESP32-C5 to an Android app displaying live annotated maps. The original OpenTrafficMap board, also ESP32-C5-based, adds on-board GPS and Ethernet with PoE. Both hardware designs and firmware are fully open-source on Codeberg.

Sources: CNX Software

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