VoltJots | Electronics and IoT

NEWS & ARTICLES

Stretchable, biodegradable battery powers wearables

Researchers have created a soft, stretchable battery made from citric acid, gelatin, and biodegradable metals that powers wearables while safely decomposing after use, cutting down electronic waste.

How machine communication drives physical AI

AI is moving into the physical world by linking robots through machine-to-machine communication, letting them think and work together independently across places like factories and farms.

Sensors that learn from light spectra

A new sensor design encodes spectral and spatial data directly into its output, letting it identify materials and chemicals instantly without sending data to separate processors.

Toshiba launches new gate driver for BLDC motors

The TB9084FTG from Toshiba integrates a charge pump, diagnostics, and single-shunt current measurement support, which helps reduce external parts and save board space in automotive three-phase BLDC motor designs.

Protecting power and data in Ethernet systems

PoE and PoDL deliver power over Ethernet connections but need careful protection to avoid electrical faults and keep data clean. Understanding their different power delivery methods and safety components helps ensure reliable operation in automotive, industrial, and other networks.

Improving current mirror accuracy with op-amps

Current mirrors often rely on matched devices or complex topologies, yet for ultimate accuracy, the simplest fix might just be to throw in a rail-to-rail I/O op-amp.

PROJECTS & TUTORIALS

Create your own compass with the LSM303AGR

Combine accelerometer and magnetometer data from the LSM303AGR sensor to create a digital compass. This guide walks you through wiring it up to a microcontroller, calibrating the magnetometer, and displaying orientation on an OLED screen.

Dual band WiFi scanning with ESP32-c5

Using the freshly released ESP32-C5 dev board, you can build a dual band WiFi analyzer that visualises nearby WiFi signals and helps choose the right channel to reduce interference.

Build a precision micro amp meter with stm32

Detecting ultra-low currents (micro/nano) is made easier with this STM32-based meter that turns small current flows into detailed voltage readings, displayed instantly on an OLED.

Make your own AI assistant with ESP32 and an OLED

Create a voice-activated AI assistant using an ESP32 and a small OLED screen that listens to your questions, sends them to Google’s Gemini AI for answers, and shows the response on the display.

Build a dual axis solar tracker

Using an Arduino, light sensors, and servos, this dual axis solar tracker follows the sun’s position in two directions to capture more sunlight and improve solar panel efficiency.

Back to basics: how logic gates shape digital circuits

The seven basic logic gates—AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, XNOR, and NOT—are easy to grasp and form the foundation of digital electronics. Try building some circuits to see how they process binary signals first hand.

Compact temp gun with ESP32 and IR sensor

Make a simple handheld temp gun using an ESP32 C6 board and an MLX90614 infrared sensor that reads temperatures from -70°C to 380°C, showing results on a small LCD powered by a 600 mAh LiPo battery.

Encrypted texting and tracking without a phone

With its LoRa mesh capability, this pager provides secure, jam-resistant texting and location sharing on a private network, operating off-grid and reaching 3-6 miles directly or more through meshing and external antennas.

PRODUCTS

Build and code your own encrypted LoRa radios

These ready-made Chatter 2 devices are simple to assemble and let you chat securely over LoRa without any network. They include a phone-style keypad, USB-C charging, and support custom firmware and games.

New dual op amp for low-power designs

Analog Devices’ MAX74822 is a new dual CMOS op amp designed to improve low-power analogue applications by delivering low supply current alongside rail-to-rail input and output operation.

GNSS module with flash-upgradeable firmware

Designed for battery-powered devices, the low-voltage u-blox MAX-M10N module provides sub-meter positioning accuracy and easy firmware updates for wearables and trackers.

Cool tech gifts for embedded developers

Bill’s picks cover a range of tech gifts from fun AR/VR headsets and smart glasses to Raspberry Pi kits and Python-friendly electronics, plus advanced tools like AI microcontrollers and compact 3D printers for prototyping.