Samwise Makers' News
Monday, July 20, 2026
Pico-USB-WiFi Firmware Converts the Raspberry Pi Pico W Into a Driverless USB WiFi Adapter
A developer known as Baiyibai has released open-source firmware that converts the Raspberry Pi Pico W into a driverless USB WiFi adapter. Hosted on GitLab, the project implements the USB CDC-NCM protocol, presenting the Pico W to any connected host as a standard network interface requiring no additional drivers. The design operates as a Layer-2 bridge, routing wireless traffic over USB at approximately 4.75 Mbits per second. Built with PlatformIO and the PicoSDK, the firmware works without driver installation, making it practical for embedded systems and headless single-board computer setups where minimizing software dependencies is a priority.
Sources: CNX Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Open-Source Firmware Replicates OpenAI Codex Micro on a $47 M5Stack Core2 ESP32
Developer IAMLIUBO has published open-source PlatformIO and Arduino-compatible firmware that reproduces the core features of the $230 Work Louder Codex Micro AI controller on a $47–$60 M5Stack Core2 ESP32 device. The firmware implements BLE HID, presenting the hardware to paired computers as a wireless keyboard. The layout maps six agent-mode keys and six command keys alongside four analog stick directional inputs, tested successfully with the macOS ChatGPT desktop application. The M5Stack Core2 uses an ESP32 microcontroller with a 2-inch touchscreen, making it an accessible alternative for makers who want AI-accelerator input controls at a fraction of the commercial device cost.
Sources: CNX Software Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Zilog Z80 Turns Fifty: The Chip That Powered a Generation of Home Computers Still Lives On
The Zilog Z80 8-bit microprocessor marks its fiftieth anniversary this July, half a century since Federico Faggin’s team introduced it in 1976. Although Littelfuse discontinued the original Z80 in 2024 after acquiring Zilog, the chip’s legacy is far from finished. The eZ80 core still ships inside Texas Instruments’ TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator, and the hobbyist community has responded to the discontinuation by accelerating development: a new operating system, an updated software development kit, and a multitasking demo all emerged in the past two years. The Z80’s readable architecture and well-documented instruction set continue to attract developers who see it as an ideal processor for learning embedded systems fundamentals.
Phantom Twist Drone Spins So Fast Its Spindly Frame Turns Nearly Invisible
A maker’s experimental drone, dubbed the Phantom Twist, achieves a striking visual effect by spinning its entire frame at high speed using a single downward-angled motor. When hand-launched and brought up to speed, the spindly structure rotates fast enough that the frame becomes nearly invisible to the eye, leaving what appears to be only the motor and electronics hovering in mid-air. The design eliminates the conventional multi-rotor arrangement in favor of gyroscopic stabilization generated by the spin itself. A high-speed control system manages altitude and attitude without the need for a conventional wing or propeller configuration. The drone remains audible despite its disappearing visual footprint.
DIY Perks Turns Discarded Laptops and iMacs Into High-Performance Custom PC Builds
YouTube maker Matt of DIY Perks has demonstrated a technique for extracting laptop motherboards—complete with soldered RAM and embedded discrete GPUs—and repurposing them in custom desktop PC builds for roughly the cost of that RAM alone. To identify which ribbon-cable pin carries the keyboard power signal, Matt probes them individually with a single pin. For display output, he delaminated cracked glass from Intel iMac units to recover the retina panels underneath, which exceed standard 4K resolution. The finished systems sit in an oak-and-aluminum tripod chassis with audio from salvaged television speakers, turning discarded hardware into capable, distinctive machines.
Seven Reliable Methods for Installing Magnets in 3D Prints Without Glue
Slant 3D’s YouTube channel has published a guide covering seven methods for permanently retaining magnets inside 3D-printed parts without adhesive. Thermal creep and layer-interface stress can loosen basic friction fits over time, so the preferred approach uses cylindrical rather than disc magnets, pressed in with an arbor press. Additional techniques include side-wall slot channels, interference fits modeled into the print geometry, and self-orienting spherical magnets. A practical tip: when building a magnetic latch, substituting a steel ball bearing or washer for one magnet reduces cost and improves durability, since magnet-on-magnet contact can cause brittle fracture on impact.
NOAA’s GOES-19 Weather Satellite Goes Offline During Atlantic Hurricane Season
NOAA’s GOES-19 geostationary weather satellite, covering the continental United States, Central and South America, and the Atlantic Ocean, went offline July 15–16 after entering safe mode. The timing was poor: Atlantic hurricane season was active and Canadian wildfire smoke was affecting the northeastern United States, both conditions that depend heavily on continuous satellite imagery. GOES-19, launched in June 2024, is NOAA’s current operational satellite. The agency activated backup coverage from GOES-16, a satellite launched in 2016 that shares the same instrument design and remained in good health. NOAA is investigating the cause of the safe mode entry.
Top Crowdfunding
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1. Open Book Touch — $51,167 raised (113%), Crowd Supply
2. None confirmed this week
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