VoltJots | Electronics and IoT

Issue 64

Author

VoltJots
October 23, 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of the VoltJots newsletter, linking you to the very best electronics and IoT news, products, and projects.

Hope you enjoy! Until next week,

VoltJots

NEWS & ARTICLES

Caltech’s X1 pairs a Unitree R1 humanoid with an M4 robot that transforms between rolling and flying, so they can cover varied environments by walking, driving, and flying in sequence during missions like search and rescue.

IoT devices can now get their energy wirelessly using Energous’ PowerBridge transmitters that work with a special chip and antenna. This setup provides enough juice for basic microcontrollers and wireless connections like Bluetooth.

London startup Embedd builds an AI platform that reads chip documentation and creates vendor-neutral tools, making hardware and software integration easier for embedded engineers.

Bipolar stepper motors usually run open loop for precise position control, but any sudden load change can cause them to lose steps and mess up position tracking. Adding a simple closed-loop system lets the motor sense its position and fix errors on the fly.

The budget K18 bug detector scans from 1MHz to 6.5GHz using RF, magnetic, and camera detection to spot common hidden cameras and wireless bugs, but you need to understand how these devices work to use it right.

By running digital logic at voltages near 0.4V and using error correction, Upbeat’s new dual-core RISC-V SoC achieves much lower power consumption than ARM rivals, aiming at next-gen drones, wearables, and IoT sensors.

MIT researchers have swapped silicon for a magnetic semiconductor to build transistors that can control electricity more efficiently, making circuits smaller and quicker. This magnetic material might also let transistors store memory directly, though that feature is still being explored.

Researchers have developed a nearly invisible sensor built from transparent oxide layers and indium tin oxide film monitors UVA exposure live and transmits the info to your phone, helping to prevent sunburn and skin damage.

PROJECTS & TUTORIALS

This compact Solar Survival Tracker uses solar energy to run a multi-constellation GNSS module, giving you real-time location and speed info on a low-power OLED. It also doubles as a power bank with a built-in battery, perfect for off-grid survival situations.

This smart helmet prototype listens for rider voice commands like "left" or "right" amid road noise, then lights up LEDs to show turn signals. It trains a TinyML model with Edge Impulse on the Portenta H7, using continuous inferencing to recognise commands and improve accuracy through retraining.

Get step-by-step instructions on setting up Bluetooth Low Energy between a Raspberry Pi and a Pico W, explaining central and peripheral roles before demonstrating data transfer from the Pico to the Pi.

The PiDigitizer combines a Pi Zero 2 W, HQ Camera, and a Philips-style diffusion LED to convert analogue film into digital files. It’s a modular, accessible project that helps you preserve and work with film without expensive equipment.

Starting with the TMP117, a highly accurate temperature sensor, and Adafruit’s breakout board, you’ll learn how to hook it up to an ESP32-S3, test its accuracy versus other sensors, and finish by making a no-wires WiFi thermometer using an ESP32-C6 and a tiny OLED display.

With an Arduino UNO Q, build a fully functional arcade cabinet running RetroArch, and enjoy classic retro games at home or work.

With the ESP32-S3 Box-3’s built-in touchscreen and Arduino IDE compatibility, programming a touch interface to control RGB LEDs becomes hassle-free. This developer-friendly board simplifies IoT prototyping, letting you build interactive dashboards, control systems, and smart devices faster.

PRODUCTS

This small light meter fits classic and modern film cameras, letting you set film sensitivity and exposure compensation. It supports shutter and aperture priority modes, offers single or continuous readings, and charges via USB-C with long battery life thanks to auto-sleep and low power use.

TDK’s new TMR sensors detect magnetic field changes with quantum tunnelling, overcoming speed and accuracy limits of mechanical switches and Hall sensors to enhance input performance in competitive gaming devices.

Flux’s AI assistant handles multi-step hardware tasks by chatting through your design needs, researching parts, and creating block diagrams before generating a full bill of materials to speed up your project from concept to build.

As more people get older and sports safety gains attention, smart sensors like ST’s LSM6DSV320X are stepping up to offer personalised monitoring. These advanced components deliver actionable data that helps users enhance physical performance and manage recovery, making elite insights available beyond professional athletes.

Infineon’s new 60 GHz CMOS radar sensor runs ultra-low power and handles radar processing on-chip, letting smart devices like security cameras and thermostats detect presence efficiently while keeping systems small and cost-effective.

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