Hackaday Podcast Ep 359: Flying Squids, Edible Passwords, and a CAD Automaton
Feb 27, 2026
They trade favorite hardware and hacking stories from intricate CAD-driven automata to a one-winged blimp deep dive. Discussions cover Peltier cooler pitfalls and a clever STM32 TV transmitter hack. Other highlights include ingestible password-pill concepts, a camera-noise hardware RNG, modular USB repair ideas, and a 3D-printed panoramic film camera.
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CAD Motion Planning Revives Complex Automata
- Modern automata mix old mechanical tricks with CAD motion planning to produce complex, human-like motions.
- Oliver Pett models 18 joints in Rhino, records poses, and auto-generates cam paths to CNC-cut synchronized cams.
Maillardet Automaton Writes And Signs Its Name
- The Maillardet automaton demonstrates pre-CNC machines could write cursive and sign their own name.
- Museum engineers reassembled it, ran it, and discovered it writes a poem and signs 'Maillardet', revealing its maker.
Don't Overdrive Peltier Modules Past Their Apex
- Avoid driving Peltier modules past their power-efficiency apex because resistive heating overwhelms cooling and shortens life.
- Peltier Power's tests show the cooling curve is parabolic; reduce power at low temps instead of cranking it.