In this video, @BeckyStern explores sound generation and musical microcontrollers. Whether you’re building a talking robot or your own DIY synthesizer, this episode will help you choose the right parts for adding audio to your projects.
Full article on DigiKey’s Maker.io – Sound Generation and Musical Microcontrollers
Today, we’re turning one of the most cursed objects of contemporary e-waste, a disposable vape, into a musical instrument. It’s like an ocarina, using your breath to activate and your fingers to control the pitch.
Taking apart electronics, called a teardown, is a low-pressure way to dip a toe into tinkering without the hangups of building a project from scratch. In this video, @BeckyStern shares safe and useful techniques and answers to common questions about electronics teardowns and e-waste recycling. Disassembling gadgets is a cool way to see all the work that goes into making them, which often involves integrating engineering and design and several interesting manufacturing processes. Becky has disassembled so many gadgets that she’s lost count – and you can watch many of these teardowns over on her channel.
Full article on DigiKey’s Maker.io – Electronics Teardowns and Recycling
Shenzhen is often described as the fastest city on Earth. In this first episode of Made In Shenzhen, Becky Stern and David Cranor travel from Hong Kong across the land border into Shenzhen, China, to explore Huaqiangbei, the world’s most famous electronics market and a physical interface to the global supply chain.
With the help of local fixer Aqua and PCBWay’s Elaine, Becky digs into what makes Shenzhen different from anywhere else: density, repair culture, and a manufacturing ecosystem where ideas can move from concept to reality with astonishing speed.
How does a sheet of copper-clad fiberglass become a printed circuit board? What goes into making an LED? In this episode of Made In Shenzhen, Becky goes inside a PCB factory to see the complex processes that go into making printed circuit boards, then tours a factory that makes LEDs– 20 million of them a day.
Episode 3 coming soon!
Let’s explore sound-reactive electronics– projects that can sense and respond to sound. In this video, @BeckyStern shares many ways to sense audio, from basic vibration to voice recognition, so that you can pick the right path for your project.
Full article on DigiKey’s Maker.io – Making Sound Reactive Projects
Today, I’ll show you how I built a smart illuminated display case for showing off your finest wares. Specifically, I built this as a YouTube Makers Secret Santa gift for Nate From The Internet. I wanted this year’s gift to balance delight with practicality, so it has two parts: the LED display case with 3D printed logos, and a sturdy fabric knife roll.
I started with a locking steel and glass key storage cabinet, and customized it by adding NeoPixel LED strip and a 3D printed honeycomb storage wall (HCW), which is a great system of 3D printable parts that lets you swap in whatever hooks or shelves you need. I know Nate loves 3D printing, so while I printed a few generic mounts, I expect he’ll want to customize his to match the items he chooses to display.
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The holidays are the perfect excuse to celebrate creativity! Stock up on tools, kits, and projects that inspire more making in the new year. Whether you’re shopping for the electronics tinkerer in your life, the sewist, or a friend who would appreciate a handmade gesture, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite maker-friendly gifts for 2025.
Disclosure: Some links included in this article earn me an affiliate commission, at no extra cost to you.
Table of contents:
In this video by @BeckyStern, we’re showing off some of this year’s best electronics tools, parts, and boards that Becky has found useful recently and loves. If you’re shopping for yourself or the maker in your life, these are her recommendations for great holiday gifts. These tools make a great starter workbench!
Full article on DigiKey’s Maker.io – Becky’s Favorite Things 2025
A datasheet serves as the user manual for a particular electronics component. In this video, @BeckyStern covers how to read a datasheet and shares what all those charts, tables, and specs actually mean. It’s less scary than it looks!
Whether you’re picking the right resistor for an LED or figuring out how not to fry your microcontroller, this video is for you. Learning to read datasheets will make you a lot more confident when selecting parts for your next project, and it marks a pretty big jump from beginner-level electronics skills to intermediate.
Full article on DigiKey’s Maker.io – How To Read A Datasheet
Today, we’re taking a look inside two new LED red light therapy masks, the CurrentBody Series 2 and the Shark Cryoglow.
Tools used in this teardown:
First up is the CurrentBody Series 2 mask. It’s flexible like the previous version, but also more contoured to the shape of the face, especially under the chin.
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