ST’s VL53L5CX is a very small 8×8 grid ranging sensor that can perform distance measurements at a distance of up to 4 meters.  [Henrique Ferrolho] demonstrated that this little sensor can also be used to perform a 3D scan of a room. The sensor data can be combined with an IMU to add orientation information to the scan data. These data streams are then combined by an ESP32 MCU that streams the data as JSON to a connected computer.

Is it digital, or is it analog?  Well it's some combination of the two! The rack driven 7 segment display is a fully 3D printed mechanical desk piece that is equal parts satisfying and bewildering.  Turn the top dial to rotate a series of 14 cams which push on a rack and pinion system to reveal a number.  Operate is manually, or add a servo motor to the back and have the thing run on it's own.

Add sheet metal panels to your project almost for free.

Did you know there were typewriters that used ball point pens to draw not just text but also graphics? I’ve collected several of these over the years. Read on to discover a world that you didn’t know existed.

Modern TVs are very poorly suited for kids. They require using complicated remotes or mobile phones, and navigating apps that continually try to lure you into watching something else than you intended to. The usual scenario ends up with the kid feeling disempowered and asking an adult to put something on. That something ends up on auto-play because then the adult is free to do other things and the kid ends up stranded powerless and comatose in front of the TV.