A Retro Roll with a Neon Soul
LED-based dice are common, but their light is cold. Not so for this electronic neon dice, which displays its value with the warm glow of neon lamps. It is perfect for playing games on cold, dark winter evenings. The pips of the dice are neon lamps and the random number generator has six neon lamps to show that it is working.
Even though the dice has an on-board 100-V power supply, it is completely safe. As with all Elektor Classic products, the dice too has its circuit diagram printed on the front while an explanation of how the circuit works can be found on the rear side.
The Neon Lamp Dice comes as a kit of easy-to-solder through-hole parts. The power supply is a 9-V battery (not included).
Features
Warm Vintage Glow
Elektor Heritage Circuit Symbols
Tried & Tested by Elektor Labs
Educational & Geeky Project
Through-Hole Parts Only
Included
Printed Circuit Board
All Components
Wooden Stand
Required
9 V battery
Component List
Resistors (THT, 150 V, 0.25 W)
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R14 = 1 MΩ
R7, R8, R9, R10, R11, R12 = 18 kΩ
R13, R15, R16, R17, R18, R21, R23, R24, R25, R26, R28, R30, R33 = 100 kΩ
R32, R34 = 1.2 kΩ
R19, R20, R22, R27, R29 = 4.7 kΩ
R31 = 1 Ω
Capacitors
C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 = 470 nF, 50 V, 5 mm pitch
C7, C9, C11, C12 = 1 µF, 16 V, 2 mm pitch
C8 = 470 pF, 50 V, 5 mm pitch
C10 = 1 µF, 250 V, 2.5 mm pitch
Inductors
L1 = 470 µH
Semiconductors
D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7 = 1N4148
D8 = STPS1150
IC1 = NE555
IC2 = 74HC374
IC3 = MC34063
IC4 = 78L05
T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 = MPSA42
T6 = STQ2LN60K3-AP
Miscellaneous
K1 = PP3 9 V battery holder
NE1, NE2, NE3, NE4, NE5, NE6, NE7, NE8, NE9, NE10, NE11, NE12, NE13 = neon light
S2 = Miniature slide switch
S1 = Pushbutton (12 x 12 mm)
This versatile plotter robot arm DIY kit for Arduino is equipped with MG90S metal gear servo motors to ensure precise and stable drawing movements.
Features
Fully compatible with Arduino IDE, includes complete source code for easy development and customization.
Equipped with robust MG90S metal gear servo motors for accuracy and durability.
Includes a Bluetooth module enabling wireless operation via a dedicated app.
Specially designed robotic arm tip securely holds pens or markers with a diameter of 8-10 mm, ideal for sketches and detailed drawings.
Included
Arduino-compatible Nano motherboard
Nano expansion board
Bluetooth module
MG90S all-metal gear servo motors
Aluminum structural frame
Thickened stable base plate
Screw and fastening accessories
Connecting wires
USB data cable
The Zero Delay Encoder Encoder makes it simple to attach your own arcade joysticks and buttons, and to connect to the Raspberry, PC or other devices. Create your own controller and enjoy your games without any compromises or control your robot project according to your ideas. Features Compatible with Linux, Windows, MAME and other common emulators and systems. Complete controller base with all cables included Supports up to 12 buttons Auto, Fire and Turbo modes Additional connection: Sanwa/Seimitsu 5-Pin LEDs: 1 × Power-LED, 1 × Mode-LED The scope of delivery includes Zero Delay Encoder, USB Cable, 13 × 4.8 mm cable.
LoRa-E5 Development Kit is an easy-to-use compact development toolset for you to unlock the powerful performance of the LoRa-E5 STM32WLE5JC. It consists of a LoRa-E5 Dev Board, an antenna (EU868), a USB type C cable, and a 2-AA 3 V Battery Holder. LoRa-E5 Dev Board embedded with LoRa-E5 STM32WLE5JC Module, which is the world-first combo of LoRa RF and MCU chip into one single tiny chip and is FCC and CE certified. It is powered by ARM Cortex-M4 core and Semtech SX126X LoRa chip, supports both LoRaWAN and LoRa protocol on the worldwide frequency and (G)FSK, BPSK, (G)MSK, and LoRa modulations. The LoRa-E5 development board features a very long transmission range, extremely low power consumption and user-friendly interfaces. LoRa-E5 Dev Board has a long-distance transmission range of LoRa-E5 up to 10 km in an open area. The sleep current of LoRa-E5 modules on board is as low as 2.1 uA (WOR mode). It is designed with industrial standards with a wide working temperature at -40℃ ~ 85℃, high sensitivity between -116.5 dBm ~ -136 dBm, and power output up to +20.8 dBm at 3.3 V. LoRa-E5 Dev Board also has rich interfaces. Developed to unlock the full functionality of the LoRa-E5 module, LoRa-E5 Dev Board has led out full 28 pins of LoRa-E5 and provides with rich interfaces including Grove connectors, RS-485 terminal, male/female pin headers for you to connect sensors and modules with different connectors and data protocols, saving your time on wire soldering. You could also easily power the board by connecting the battery holder with 2-AA batteries, enabling temporary use when lacking an external power source. It is a user-friendly board for easy testing and rapid prototyping. Specifications Size LoRa-E5 Dev Board: 85.6 x 54 mm Voltage (supply) 3-5 V (Battery) / 5 V (USB-C) Voltage (output) EN 3V3 / 5 V Power (output) Up to +20.8 dBm at 3.3 V Frequency EU868 Protocol LoRaWAN Sensitivity -116.5 dBm ~ -136 dBm Interfaces USB Type C / JST2.0 / 3x Grove (2x I²C/1x UART) / RS485 / SMA-K / IPEX Modulation LoRa, (G)FSK, (G)MSK, BPSK Working temperature -40℃ ~ 85℃ Current LoRa-E5 module sleep current as low as 2.1 uA (WOR mode) Included 1x LoRa-E5 Dev Board 1x Antenna (EU868) 1x USB Type C Cable (20 cm) 1x 2-AA 3 V Battery Holder
YDLIDAR TG15 is a 360-degree two-dimensional rangefinder. Based on the principle of TOF, it is equipped with related optics, electricity, and algorithm design to achieve high-frequency and high-precision distance measurement. The mechanical structure rotates 360 degrees to continuously output the angle information as well as the point cloud data of the scanning environment while ranging.
Features
360 degree omnidirectional scanning ranging distance measurement
Small distance error, stable performance and high accuracy
IP65 protection level
Strong resistance to ambient light interference
Industrial grade brush-less motor drive for stable performance
Laser power meets Class I laser safety standards
5-12 Hz adaptive scanning frequency (support customization)
Photomagnetic fusion technology to achieve wireless communication, wireless power supply
Ranging frequency up to 20 kHz (support customization)
Applications
Robot navigation and obstacle avoidance
Industrial automation
Robot ROS teaching and research
Regional security
Smart transportation
Environmental scanning and 3D reconstruction
Commercial robot /Robot vacuum cleaner
Downloads
Datasheet
User Manual
Development Manual
SDK
Tool
ROS
NRF24L01 is a universal ISM band monolithic transceiver chip works in the 2.4-2.5 GHz. Features Wireless transceiver including: Frequency generator, enhanced type, SchockBurstTM, mode controller, power amplifier, crystal amplifier, modulator, demodulator The output power channel selection and protocol settings can be set extremely low current consumption, through the SPI interface As the transmit mode, the transmit power is 6 dBm, the current is 9.0 mA, the accepted mode current is 12.3 mA, the current consumption of the power-down mode and standby mode are lower Built-in 2.4 GHz antenna, supports up to six channels of data reception Size: 15 x 29 mm (including antenna)
An assortment of coloured wires: you know it's a beautiful thing. Six different colours of stranded wire in a cardboard dispenser box. Sit this on your workbench, and stop worrying about having a piece of wire around!
Included
22 AWG
25 ft / Spool
6 Spools in Six Different Colors
Colours are Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, Black, and White
Dispenser Box
Specifications Size: 0.96 inch Resolution: 128 x 64 Visual Angle: >160 ° Input Voltage: 3.3 V ~ 6 V Wide voltage support: 3.3 V, 5 V Viewing angle: >160 Only Need 2 I/O Port to Control Drive IC: SSD1306 Operating temperature: -30 °C to 80 °C OLED Advantages Smaller volume Ultra-low power consumption High contrast Display dot self-luminous Broad voltage support Independent communication method via SPI or IIC 128x64 Dot matrix Broad visual angle: maximum visual angle 160° Industrial-grade operating temperature: -30 ~ 70 °C Warning: The display’s glass is very thin, please be careful while using it. If The glass is broken, display will not work well.
This development board (also known as "Cheap Yellow Display") is powered by the ESP-WROOM-32, a dual-core MCU with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. It operates at a main frequency of up to 240 MHz, with 520 KB SRAM, 448 KBROM, and a 4 MB Flash memory. The board features a 2.8-inch display with a resolution of 240x320 and resistive touch.
Furthermore, the board includes a backlight control circuit, touch control circuit, speaker drive circuit, photosensitive circuit, and RGB-LED control circuit. It also provides a TF card slot, serial interface, DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor interface, and additional IO ports.
The module supports development in Arduino IDE, ESP-IDE, MicroPython, and Mixly.
Applications
Image transmission for Smart Home device
Wireless monitoring
Smart agriculture
QR wireless recognition
Wireless positioning system signal
And other IoT applications
Specifications
Microcontroller
ESP-WROOM-32 (Dual-core MCU with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth)
Frequency
Up to 240 MHz (computing power is up to 600 DMIPS)
SRAM
520 KB
ROM
448 KB
Flash
4 MB
Operating voltage
5 V
Power consumption
approx. 115 mA
Display
2.8-inch color TFT screen (240x320)
Touch
Resistive Touch
Driver chip
ILI9341
Dimensions
50 x 86 mm
Weight
50 g
Included
1x ESP32 Dev Board with 2.8" Display and acrylic Shell
1x Touch pen
1x Connector cable
1x USB cable
Downloads
GitHub
BeagleY-AI is a low-cost, open-source, and powerful 64-bit quad-core single-board computer, equipped with a GPU, DSP, and vision/deep learning accelerators, designed for developers and makers.
Users can take advantage of BeagleBoard.org's provided Debian Linux software images, which include a built-in development environment. This enables the seamless running of AI applications on a dedicated 4 TOPS co-processor, while simultaneously handling real-time I/O tasks with an 800 MHz microcontroller.
BeagleY-AI is designed to meet the needs of both professional developers and educational environments. It is affordable, easy to use, and open-source, removing barriers to innovation. Developers can explore in-depth lessons or push practical applications to their limits without restriction.
Specifications
Processor
TI AM67 with quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A53, GPU, DSP, and vision/deep learning accelerators
RAM
4 GB LPDDR4
Wi-Fi
BeagleBoard BM3301 module based on TI CC3301 (802.11ax Wi-Fi)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Low Energy 5.4 (BLE)
USB
• 4x USB-A 3.0 supporting simultaneous 5 Gbps operation• 1x USB-C 2.0 supports USB 2.0 device
Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet, with PoE+ support (requires separate PoE+ HAT)
Camera/Display
1x 4-lane MIPI camera/display transceivers, 1x 4-lane MIPI camera
Display Output
1x HDMI display, 1x OLDI display
Real-time Clock (RTC)
Supports an external button battery for power failure time retention. It is only populated on EVT samples.
Debug UART
1x 3-pin debug UART
Power
5 V/5 A DC power via USB-C, with Power Delivery support
Power Button
On/Off included
PCIe Interface
PCI-Express Gen3 x1 interface for fast peripherals (requires separate M.2 HAT or other adapter)
Expansion Connector
40-pin header
Fan connector
1x 4-pin fan connector, supports PWM speed control and speed measurement
Storage
microSD card slot, with support for high-speed SDR104 mode
Tag Connect
1x JTAG, 1x Tag Connect for PMIC NVM Programming
Downloads
Pinout
Documentation
Quick start
Software
Features NFC chip material: PET + Etching antenna Chip: NTAG216 (compatible with all NFC phones) Frequency: 13.56 MHz (High Frequency) Reading time: 1 - 2 ms Storage capacity: 888 bytes Read and write times: > 100,000 times Reading distance: 0 - 5 mm Data retention: > 10 years NFC chip size: Diameter 30 mm Non-contact, no friction, the failure rate is small, low maintenance costs Read rate, verification speed, which can effectively save time and improve efficiency Waterproof, dustproof, anti-vibration No power comes with an antenna, embedded encryption control logic, and communication logic circuit Included 1x NFC Stickers (6-color kit)
The Seeed Studio CANBed – Arduino CAN-BUS Development Kit integrates an ATmega32U4 microcontroller, eliminating the need for an external Arduino board. It combines an MCP2515 CAN Bus controller and an MCP2551 CAN Bus transceiver on a single board, providing a compact and reliable CAN communication solution.
Features
ATmega32U4 with Arduino Leonardo bootloader on the board
MCP2515 CAN Bus controller and MCP2551 CAN Bus transceiver
OBD-II and CAN standard pinout selectable at the sub-D connector
Compatible with Arduino IDE
Parameter
Value
MCU
ATmega32U4(with Arduino Leonardo bootloader)
Clock Speed
16 MHz
Flash Memory
32 KB
SRAM
2.5 KB
EEPROM
1 KB
Operate Voltage (CAN-BUS)
9 V - 28 V
Operate Voltage (MicroUSB)
5 V
Input Interface
sub-D
Included
CANBed PCBA
sub-D connector
4PIN Terminal
2x 4PIN 2.0 Connector
1x 9x2 2.54 Header
1x 3x2 2.54 Header
LWL01 is powered by a CR2032 coin battery, in a good LoRaWAN Network Coverage case, it can transmit as many as 12,000 uplink packets (based on SF 7, 14 dB). In poor LoRaWAN network coverage, it can transmit ~ 1,300 uplink packets (based on SF 10, 18.5 B). The design goal for one battery is up to 2 years. User can easily change the CR2032 battery for reuse. The LWL01 will send periodically data every day as well as for water leak event. It also counts the water leak event times and also calculates last water leak duration. Each LWL01 is pre-load with a set of unique keys for LoRaWAN registration, register these keys to local LoRaWAN server and it will auto connect after power on. Features LoRaWAN v1.0.3 Class A SX1262 LoRa Core Water Leak detect CR2032 battery powered AT Commands to change parameters Uplink on periodically and water leak event Downlink to change configure Applications Wireless Alarm and Security Systems Home and Building Automation Industrial Monitoring and Control
The kit is a faithful and functional transistor-scale replica of the classic NE555 timer integrated circuit, one of the most classic, popular, and all-around useful chips of all time.
The kit is designed to resemble an (overgrown) integrated circuit, based around an extra-thick matte-finish printed circuit board. The stand – which gives the circuit board eight legs in the shape of DIP-packaged integrated circuit pins – is made from machined and formed semi-rigid PVC foam.
Use acoustic waves to hold in mid-air samples such as water, ants, or tiny electric components. This technology has been previously restricted to a couple of research labs but now you can make it at your home.
Included
76x 10 mm 40 kHz transducers
1x Arduino Nano
1x L298N Dual Motor Drive Board
1x Power Switch
1x DC Adaptor 9 V
1x Jumper Wires
6x Black and Red Wire
Some Exposed Wire
1x 3D-Printed TinyLev
Downloads
Instructables
Scientific Information
GreatFET One is a hardware hacker’s best friend. With an extensible, open source design, two USB ports, and 100 expansion pins, GreatFET One is your essential gadget for hacking, making, and reverse engineering. By adding expansion boards called neighbors, you can turn GreatFET One into a USB peripheral that does almost anything.Whether you need an interface to an external chip, a logic analyzer, a debugger, or just a whole lot of pins to bit-bang, the versatile GreatFET One is the tool for you. Hi-Speed USB and a Python API allow GreatFET One to become your custom USB interface to the physical world.Features
Serial protocols: SPI, I²C, UART, and JTAG
Programmable digital I/O
Analog I/O (ADC/DAC)
Logic analysis
Debugging
Data acquisition
Four LEDs
Versatile USB functions
High-throughput hardware-assisted streaming serial engine
Downloads
Documentation
GitHub
The T-Journal is a cheap ESP32 Camera Development Board that features an OV2640 camera, an antenna, a 0.91 inch OLED display, some exposed GPIOs, and a micro-USB interface. It makes it easy and quick to upload code to the board. Specifications Chipset Expressif-ESP32-PCIO-D4 240 MHz Xtensa single-/dual-core 32-bit LX6 microprocessor FLASH QSPI flash/SRAM, up to 4x 16 MB SRAM 520 kB SRAM KEY reset, IO32 Display 0.91' SSD1306 Power indicator lamp red USB to TTL CP2104 Camera OV2640, 2 Megapixel Steering engine analog servo On-board clock 40 MHz crystal oscillator Working voltage 2.3-3.6 V Working current about 160 mA Working temperature range -40℃ ~ +85℃ Size 64.57 x 23.98 mm Power Supply USB 5 V/1 A Charging current 1 A Battery 3.7 V lithium battery WiFi Standard FCC/CE/TELEC/KCC/SRRC/NCC (ESP32-chip) Protocol 802.11 b/g/n/e/i (802.11n, speed up to 150 Mbps) A-MPDU and A-MSDU polymerization, support 0.4 μS Protection interval Frequency range 2.4 GHz~2.5 GHz (2400 M ~ 2483.5 M) Transmit Power 22 dBm Communication distance 300m Bluetooth Protocol meet bluetooth v4.2BR/EDR and BLE standard Radio frequency with -98 dBm sensitivity NZIF receiver Class-1, Class-2 & Class-3 emitter AFH Audio frequency CVSD & SBC audio frequency Software Wifi Mode Station/SoftAP/SoftAP+Station/P2P Security mechanism WPA/WPA2/WPA2-Enterprise/WPS Encryption Type AES/RSA/ECC/SHA Firmware upgrade UART download/OTA (Through network/host to download and write firmware) Software Development Support cloud server development /SDK for user firmware development Networking protocol IPv4, IPv6, SSL, TCP/UDP/HTTP/FTP/MQTT User Configuration AT + Instruction set, cloud server, Android/iOS app OS FreeRTOS Included 1x ESP32 Camera Module (Fish-eye Lens) 1x Wi-Fi Antenna 1x Power Line Downloads Camera library for Arduino
The official Sense HAT from the Raspberry Pi Foundation is an add-on board for Raspberry Pi (4, 3, 2, B+ and A+). The Sense HAT has the following sensors: 8x8 RGB LED matrix display Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer Air pressure sensor Temperature Humidity sensor Five-button joystick
This exceptional GPS/GNSS antenna is designed for both GPS and GLONASS reception. The magnetic mount allows it to be easily mounted to a metal base such as a ground plate or car roof. The antenna is terminated with a 3m cable and standard SMA connector. Features Dimensions: 50x38x17mm Weight: 75g including 3m cable Frequency Range: 1575 - 1610MHz GPS Center Frequency: 1575.42MHz GLONASS Center Frequency: 1602MHz LNA Voltage: 3 to 5VDC LNA Gain: 28dB LNA Current: 10mA Termination Connector: SMA Impedance: 50Ω Right-hand polarization Cable Length: 3 meter
The Mendocino Motor AR O-8 is a magnetically levitated, solar powered electric motor as a kit.
Light Becomes Movement
The solar-powered Mendocino motor seems to float in the air. At first glance, you can't see why the rotor is turning at all. This is the magic of the motor.
The Lorentz force is a very small electrical force. In a classroom setting, it is detected by a current swing in the magnetic field. With the Mendocino motor, we have succeeded in developing a beautiful application that uses this weak force for propulsion. Due to its concealed base magnet, the motor will fascinate technically inclined observers.
In bright sunlight, the motor can reach a speed of up to 1,000 rpm. More impressive, however, is that even the faint glow of an ample tea light (D = 6 cm with a flame height of about 2 cm) is sufficient to drive the motor. The motor is not yet an alternative source of energy, even though it looks tempting. Presumably, it will remain an attractive model until a resourceful mind disproves this assumption.
Dimensions
All solar cells 65 x 20 mm
Mirror diameter: 25 mm
Rotor weight: approx. 150 g
Model length: 160 mm
Model width: 85 mm
Frame height: approx. 85 mm
Frame material: black acrylic
Tube made of highly polished aluminum
Mirror color: silver
The Mendocino motor’s easy-to-follow instruction manual includes more than 70 illustrations. It describes a safe and practical approach to construction but also gives you the freedom to try your solutions.
Partly Pre-Assembled Kit
A portion of the kit comes pre-assembled. Bonding the borosilicate glass pane to the acrylic surface requires specialized knowledge and aids. We do not want to impose this on the hobbyist. For instance, the base magnet is attached to the aluminum tube.
As a hobbyist, you will need some know-how and appropriate tools: carpet knife, soldering iron and tin, hot glue, pliers, and a clamp or ferrule to fix the supplied assembly aid. A lot of fun is guaranteed!
This bundle contains the popular Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi Pico and the new Elektor Laser Head Upgrade, offering even more options for displaying the time. Not only can you "engrave" the current time in sand, you can now alternatively write it on a glow-in-the-dark foil or create green drawings.
Contents of the bundle
Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi Pico (normal price: €50)
NEW: Elektor Laser Head Upgrade for Sand Clock (normal price: €35)
Elektor Sand Clock for Raspberry Pi (Raspberry Pi-based Eye Catcher)
A standard sand clock just shows how time passes. In contrast, this Raspberry Pi Pico-controlled sand clock shows the exact time by "engraving" the four digits for hour and minute into the layer of sand. After an adjustable time the sand is flattened out by two vibration motors and everything begins all over again.
At the heart of the sand clock are two servo motors driving a writing pen through a pantograph mechanism. A third servo motor lifts the pen up and down. The sand container is equipped with two vibration motors to flatten the sand. The electronic part of the sand clock consists of a Raspberry Pi Pico and an RTC/driver board with a real-time clock, plus driver circuits for the servo motors.
A detailed construction manual is available for downloading.
Features
Dimensions: 135 x 110 x 80 mm
Build time: approx. 1.5 to 2 hours
Included
3x Precut acrylic sheets with all mechanical parts
3x Mini servo motors
2x Vibration motors
1x Raspberry Pi Pico
1x RTC/driver board with assembled parts
Nuts, bolts, spacers, and wires for the assembly
Fine-grained white sand
Elektor Laser Head Upgrade for Sand Clock
The new Elektor Laser Head transforms the Sand Clock into a clock that writes the time on glow-in-the-dark film instead of sand. In addition to displaying the time, it can also be used to create ephemeral drawings. The 5 mW laser pointer, with a wavelength of 405 nm, produces bright green drawings on the glow-in-the-dark film. For best results, use the kit in a dimly lit room. Warning: Never look directly into the laser beam!
The kit includes all the necessary components, but soldering three wires is required.
Note: This kit is also compatible with the original Arduino-based Sand Clock from 2017. For more details, see Elektor Magazine 1-2/2017 and Elektor Magazine 1-2/2018.
Features 2.13' capacitive touch e-Paper display, 5-point touch, 250×122 pixels Supports waken up by user-defined gesture No backlight, keeps displaying last content for a long time even when power down Ultra low power consumption, basically power is only required for refreshing Standard Raspberry Pi 40PIN GPIO extension header, supports Raspberry Pi Zero / Zero W Comes with development resources and manual (examples for Raspberry Pi) Included 1x 2.13inch Touch e-Paper HAT 1x ABS case 1x Screwdriver 1x Thermal tape 1x Rubber feet 4pcs 2x Screws Downloads Documentation
Here you will find all kinds of parts, components and accessories you will need in various projects, starting from simple wires, sensors and displays to already pre-assembled modules and kits.
