Electrical engineering
Check out the project on GitHub. After prototyping the MAX3421E USB host chip with the Raspberry Pi Zero in the previous blog entry to this series, I decided to design a custom PCB for this task. Transparency Disclaimer: This project has been in part sponsored by the PCB manufacturing company PCBWay. Circuit Design I used the public schematics of the… Read More →
Check out the project on GitHub. A while back, I wrote about how I use javacard chips for all kind of systems. One of the authentication protocols these chips support (given a compatible applet is installed) is FIDO2. I won’t go into what FIDO is or why it is such a big deal, you can find plenty of resources on… Read More →
Check out the project on GitHub and DangerousThings . In my previous posts about NFC security models and custom hardware tokens, I explained why I want a hardware token which can perform computations and is freely programmable, and how I built a development prototype based on the NXP P71 chip. As I explained, I always wanted to use the VivoKey… Read More →
In 2018, I bought my first and only 3D-printer: The Anet “Firestarter” A8 DIY kit. A few months later, I wrote a post about what upgrades and modifications I did to this printer (No more firestarter). Now, in 2022, I once again upgraded this printer. Like the Ship of Theseus, at what point does it stop being the original printer?… Read More →
Check out the project on GitHub. In my previous post about NFC security models, I explained why a hardware token that is able to do some computation on its own is required for a secure (enough) authentication. The obvious solution would be to use a YubiKey, however I want to use my own code and control the hardware as well… Read More →
Check out the project on GitHub. Recently, I became interested in the security of various NFC/RFID contactless access control systems. You have probably seen some in action, for example smart door locks which you can unlock using a small key fob. Even credit cards and recent smartphones use the same technology to pay by touching the register terminal. I am… Read More →
Check out the project on GitHub. During the last few months, two interesting opportunities coincided: First, I was asked to design a purpose-built electrical control board for a water pumping system. In addition, I had an idle offer for financial sponsorship waiting in my inbox. This finally gave me a reason and the means to expand my PCB design skills… Read More →
Like many makers, I took my first steps in hardware programming using the Arduino platform. And just as Atmel Microchip hoped, I am still pretty faithful to the AVR platform today. To program AVR microchips, you need some kind of (USB) programmer. I opted for a cheap USBasp clone, because it is cheap but still reliable. However, you still have… Read More →
Do you remember the good times of LEGO? Or even LEGO Technic? Turns out that LEGO is a timeless classic and still very much fun. What is not timeless however, is battery technology. Several old LEGO models are powered by 9 Volts via six 1.5 AAA batteries. This proved to be cumbersome, because the batteries would drain quickly or even… Read More →
Adventures in tuning my Anet-A8 3D Printer. About a year ago, I purchased a rather inexpensive “DIY” 3D printer kit directly from the country that sells everything; China. My model of choice was the “Anet-A8” printer, due to its low price and big online support community. Not only the price and support led to my decision, but also the potential… Read More →
