Hackaday Podcast Episode 274: Capstan Robots, Avionics of Uncertain Purpose, and What the Frack? [Hackaday]

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What do capstans, direct conversion receivers, and fracking have in common? They were all topics Hackaday editors Elliot Williams and Al Williams found fascinating this week. If you wonder what makes an electrical ground a ground, or what a theodolite is, you should check it out.

This week, the hacks came fast and furious. Capstans, instead of gears, work well for 3D-printed mechanisms, a PI Pico can directly receive radio signals, and the guys saw a number of teardowns and reverse engineering triumphs. You’ll also find solid-state heat pumps, flying wings, spectroscopy, and more.

The can’t miss articles this week? Learn about theodolites, a surveying feat from ancient Greece, and how fracking works.

Check out the links below if you want to follow along, and as always, tell us what we’ve mispronounced — or any other thoughts on the episode — in the comments!

Download an archival copy for your personal collection.

Episode 274 Show Notes:

News:

• Hackaday Supercon 2024 Call For Participation: We Want You!

What’s that Sound?

• Congrats to [Ferric Bueler] for identifying last week’s sound, which was the XDR cassette code. The rest of you, come back next week for your chance to win.

Interesting Hacks of the Week:

• Gears Are Old And Busted, Capstans Are Cool
  • Capstan Drive Is Pulling The Strings On This Dynamic Quadruped
  • This 3D Cable Printer Remixes The Delta
  • Marionette 3D Printer Replaces Linear Rails With String
  • Cable Driven Robotic Joint
  • Stanford: Applied Robot Design (CS235)
• Ham Busts The Myth Of Ground
• The Pi Pico, An SDR Receiver Front End
• Inside A Mystery Aerospace Computer With [Ken Shirriff]
• Old Dot-Matrix Displays Give Up Their Serial Secrets
• Mechanic Prince Of Tides
  • Tide Predicting Machines

Quick Hacks:

• Elliot’s Picks:
  • Thermoelectric Module Keeps Printer Filament Cool And Dry
  • The Dyke Delta: A DIY Flying Wing Fits Four
  • GlowBlaster Uses 405 Nm Laser To Make Its Mark
  • Gamma Ray Spectroscopy The Pomelo Way
• Al’s Picks:
  • Old Knobs With A Cast Of Thousands
  • VFD Tube Calculator Shows Off Wide Array Of Skills
  • Turbocase Generates A PCB Shell For You

Can’t-Miss Articles:

• Tech In Plain Sight: Theodolites
  • Earth’s circumference – Wikipedia
• Mining And Refining: Fracking