
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
The SunFounder Ultimate Sensor Kit packs 40 parts including an Arduino Uno R4 Minima and various sensor modules like temperature, motion, and distance sensors, all on circuit boards for easy hook-up with jumper wires. It also includes motors, a screen, and communication modules for versatile projects.
By inventing a new transceiver architecture blending digital and analogue processing, UC Irvine researchers achieved wireless data rates at 140 GHz, matching fibre-optic speeds and enabling ultra-fast communication for future data protocols.
Scientists have found a new heat-shrinking way to fit high-performance circuits onto tricky 3D shapes, overcoming the limits of flat, stiff boards and fragile flexible electronics.
The world’s smallest autonomous robots measure under 300 micrometers and can independently navigate, sense temperature, and operate for months, all powered by light and without any external controls.
Learn how concepts become working PCBs through a blend of old-school techniques and modern CAD software, with insights into workflow, tool choices, and why some popular programs still frustrate even experts.
PROJECTS & TUTORIALS
Learn how to manage several ESP32 boards with one main device using MicroPython and ESP-NOW. The protocol sends data wirelessly using MAC addresses, so you don’t need a Wi-Fi network, making communication fast and efficient for many-board projects.
Learn to connect the Reyax RYLR999 LoRa transceiver to Arduino and build a straightforward system for sending data wirelessly over several kilometres without draining your battery.
With dual cores and wireless features built-in, the ESP32 outshines the ESP8266 for many IoT projects. Here’s how to choose your development board, install software, and write your initial code.
This project turns your Raspberry Pi into a voice assistant that listens for a wake word, understands your speech using Vosk, generates smart replies with Ollama’s local AI, and talks back via Piper TTS—all without needing cloud services.
This project shows how to use an ESP8266 NodeMCU flashed with Tasmota firmware to create a smart plug that lets you control electrical devices via Alexa voice commands, a web dashboard, or a physical switch, using a relay to handle the power switching.
Using an ESP32 and WS2812B LEDs, this desk lamp features a 3D printed case and hidden wiring, with sound reactive RGB effects driven by either a custom PCB with an INMP441 microphone or a commercial WLED controller, all powered by a USB power bank.
PRODUCTS
This new SoC from Espressif covers all three Wi-Fi bands including the new 6 GHz spectrum, while handling the entire wireless stack and offloading application processing to a separate CPU.
Powered by Espressif’s ESP32-S3-PICO-1, the StickS3 includes a small colour screen, microphone, speaker, and integrated IR receiver and transmitter for versatile IoT projects.
Built on AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P100 Series processors, Congatec’s new COM Express 3.1 Type 6 Compact modules come in four- or six-core versions and run reliably between -40°C and 85°C for industrial AI applications.
The TB67S579FTG stepper motor driver from Toshiba features second-gen Active Gain Control, an Automatic Wave Generation System, and continuous micro-stepping to deliver constant current control and quieter, smoother motor motion.
Same Sky has launched water-resistant surface-mount USB-C connectors with IPx5 to IPx8 ratings, sealing moisture out using an elastomer O-ring. They support USB 2.0, USB 3.2 Gen 1, and some handle 48V 5A power delivery.
Now with 4GB RAM and 32GB storage, Arduino UNO Q can smoothly run graphical Linux desktops, manage multiple simultaneous tasks, support advanced AI projects, and hold extensive logs or software packages all in the same compact board.

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