Samwise Makers' News
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
KryonOS Brings JavaScript Runtime and App Store to ESP32
[Haris]'s KryonOS brings a JavaScript runtime and graphical operating system to the ESP32 microcontroller, with a working app store that lets users download software directly to the device. The open-source project targets the Cheap Yellow Display—a popular all-in-one ESP32 board with touchscreen—and other ESP32 hardware, running a GUI on the microcontroller without any host computer. Developers write apps in JavaScript and publish them to the store, enabling a growing library of downloadable programs. KryonOS exposes hardware APIs for GPIO, sensors, and peripherals, letting JavaScript apps interact directly with connected electronics. Source code is available on GitHub at Haris16-code/KryonOS.
Maker Recreates Myst on the Atari 2600 Using E7 Bank Switching
[Vince] completed a three-year project to create a playable demake of the 1993 point-and-click adventure Myst on the Atari 2600—hardware from 1977 that shipped with just 128 bytes of RAM. The project required stretching the cartridge's memory through E7 bank switching, the same technique used by BurgerTime, to accommodate graphics and navigation code that would otherwise be impossible on the platform. The Atari 2600 version recreates Myst Island's key locations as navigable screens with clickable objects and puzzles ported to work within the console's severe hardware constraints. The modified BurgerTime cartridge serves as the hardware base for the project.
TN Deck Crams Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero Into an Altoids Tin
[Salim Benbouziyane] built the TN Deck, a fully functional cyberdeck inside an Altoids tin powered by a Raspberry Pi Compute Module Zero. The build includes a custom-designed PCB that fits inside the tin alongside the compute module and a small speaker. The keyboard uses 3D-printed TPU membrane keys with laser-marked keycaps, running QMK firmware for full programmability. A rechargeable battery provides portable power. The project demonstrates how compact a functional Linux computer can be, squeezing display output, audio, wireless connectivity, and a custom keyboard into one of the smallest possible enclosures. Full schematics and firmware are available on GitHub at sb-ocr/tndeck.
Sitina B220M: Open-Source 22-Megapixel Digital Back for Mamiya Medium Format
[Wenting] published the Sitina B220M, an open-source digital back for the Mamiya Super 23 medium format film camera, capturing full-frame 38.8×50mm images on a 22-megapixel Kodak KAF-22000CE CCD sensor. The processing hardware is built around a Xilinx Zynq 7010 system-on-chip, which combines an ARM Cortex-A9 processor with programmable FPGA fabric to handle raw sensor readout and image processing. The Sitina B220M replaces the film holder and interfaces with the camera's native shutter and lens mechanisms without modification. All hardware schematics and firmware source code are publicly available on GitLab at zephray/sitinab220m for makers wanting to build their own.
Raspberry Pi Firmware Update Locks Down Third-Party RAM Upgrades
Raspberry Pi's September 2024 bootloader update introduced firmware-level RAM locking on the Pi 4, Pi 5, and Compute Modules, preventing the memory upgrades that some third-party resellers had been performing by soldering higher-capacity LPDDR chips onto existing boards. The mechanism ties the RAM configuration to the bootloader version, causing upgraded boards to fail to boot with newer firmware. Raspberry Pi's position is that the change targets unauthorized resellers misrepresenting modified hardware as official products. A workaround exists: downgrading the bootloader to the 2024-09-10 release restores functionality on modified boards, though Raspberry Pi has characterized the change as a deliberate product policy decision rather than a bug.
LeafBus: ESP32 Firmware Replaces Unsupported NanoLeaf Panel Controllers
[Myrik]'s LeafBus project provides open-source firmware for ESP32 microcontrollers to replace dead or unsupported NanoLeaf lighting panel controllers. NanoLeaf panels communicate position and orientation data over a single data bus, and while NanoLeaf publishes its firmware openly, [Myrik] adapted the protocol to run on ESP32 hardware instead. The ESP32 host communicates panel status over the network and is compatible with any lighting control software that supports the NanoLeaf protocol. The project emerged from a failed NanoLeaf controller that would have otherwise rendered the lighting panels unusable, demonstrating the viability of right-to-repair through protocol reimplementation. Source code is hosted on GitHub at MyrikLD/LeafBus.
DIY Ground-Source Heat Pump Built From Dumpster-Dived Window Air Conditioner
[Craftsman Chris] converted a dumpster-dived window air conditioner into a ground-source heat pump by burying PEX tubing in his back yard to serve as a ground loop heat sink, replacing the standard air-cooled heat exchanger with soil as the thermal mass. He welded a custom scrap-metal tank around the existing heat exchanger to allow water circulation from the buried PEX loop. The refrigerant circuit remains sealed and unmodified throughout. Control is handled by an old PLC driving a linear actuator that physically presses the unit's stock power button. The project demonstrates that ground-source heat pump efficiency is achievable without specialized refrigeration equipment, using off-the-shelf components.
Top Crowdfunding
Kickstarter / Indiegogo
InfiMaker K1 — $4,290,734 pledged (Kickstarter, true 5-axis desktop CNC mill)
HeyGears G1 Series — $17,399,458 pledged (Kickstarter, modular full-color 3D + UV printer)
Beni — $4,761,786 pledged (Kickstarter, 4K all-terrain auto-tracking camera robot)
GitHub Trending
Makers & Hardware
Haris16-code/KryonOS — JavaScript OS + app store for ESP32 (featured Hackaday Sept 23)
sb-ocr/tndeck — Open-source Altoids tin Raspberry Pi cyberdeck (featured Hackaday Sept 22)
MyrikLD/LeafBus — ESP32 NanoLeaf panel controller replacement (featured Hackaday Sept 22)
Upcoming Events
Maker Faire Bay Area 2026 — September 25–27, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo CA
Maker Faire Rome 2026 — October 23–25, Gazometro Ostiense, Rome (14th edition)
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Curated by JD · samwise.agency