Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
@mikecoats.social
26 followers 54 following 33 posts
IT Manager with a background in software development. An active-travel advocate, a citizen activist and an unending tinkerer of all things hardware and software. Views & posts are my own. Re-posts not endorsements. Profile photo: Evelyn/OSHWA
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mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Introducing Touchy Subject

mikecoats.com/touchy-subject/

I'm proud to announce Touchy Subject, a Qwiic/STEMMA QT compatible breakout for the AT42QT2120 capacitive touch sensor; development sponsored by PCBWay.

#electro#electronicsr#openHardwareu#openSource
Introducing Touchy Subject
I'm proud to announce the release of Touchy Subject, a Qwiic/STEMMA QT compatible breakout board for the AT42QT2120 12-key capacitive touch sensor, the development of which has been sponsored by PCBWay.
mikecoats.com
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
circuitpython.org
Open Hardware Month (OHM): October 2 certified board highlights @oshwassociation.bsky.social
blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/02/o...
Open Hardware Month (OHM): October 2 certified board highlights
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
leeborg.bsky.social
If you want this poster to remind you to slow down you can get it by following me and @cyborggarbage.bsky.social October 6 on the Goshwassociation 12 hour Livestream! Any new members or donations of any size will get you a cool slow sloth riso poster! Woohoo! 💾⚙️🦥
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
circuitpython.org
Open Hardware Month (OHM): October 1 certified board highlights @oshwassociation.bsky.social
blog.adafruit.com/2025/10/01/o...
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Introducing Touchy Subject

mikecoats.com/touchy-subject/

I'm proud to announce Touchy Subject, a Qwiic/STEMMA QT compatible breakout for the AT42QT2120 capacitive touch sensor; development sponsored by PCBWay.

#electro#electronicsr#openHardwareu#openSource
Introducing Touchy Subject
I'm proud to announce the release of Touchy Subject, a Qwiic/STEMMA QT compatible breakout board for the AT42QT2120 12-key capacitive touch sensor, the development of which has been sponsored by PCBWay.
mikecoats.com
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Designing 3D Printed Sewable Badges

mikecoats.com/designing-3d...

My daughter's going as a pirate for Halloween. Here are the steps I followed to design and print a sewable cap badge for her Tricorne.

#3dPrinting #openScad #inkscape
Designing 3D Printed Sewable Badges
My daughter's going as a pirate for Halloween. Here are the steps I followed to design and print a sewable cap badge for her Tricorne.
mikecoats.com
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Designing 3D Printed Sewable Badges

mikecoats.com/designing-3d...

My daughter's going as a pirate for Halloween. Here are the steps I followed to design and print a sewable cap badge for her Tricorne.

#3dPrinting #openScad #inkscape
Designing 3D Printed Sewable Badges
My daughter's going as a pirate for Halloween. Here are the steps I followed to design and print a sewable cap badge for her Tricorne.
mikecoats.com
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Installing CircuitPython on a Freenove ESP32-S3-WROOM CAM

mikecoats.com/circuitpytho...

For CircuitPython Day 2025, here's how I installed CircuitPython on an unsupported board, the Freenove ESP32-S3-WROOM CAM.

#circuitPythonDay2025 #circuitPython #esp32 #freenove #python
Installing CircuitPython on a Freenove ESP32-S3-WROOM CAM Board
In celebration of CircuitPython Day 2025, here's how I installed CircuitPython on one of my favourite, but unsupported, boards, the Freenove ESP32-S3-WROOM CAM Board.
mikecoats.com
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Hacking an IKEA HÖVOLM into a Helmet Rack

mikecoats.com/hovolm-helme...

I received my first ever 3D printer recently, so I decided to put it to some practical use. I designed some new hooks to hold bike helmets securely on an IKEA HÖVOLM.

#3dPrinting #openSource #openHardware
Hacking an IKEA HÖVOLM into a Helmet Rack
I received my first ever 3D printer as a present recently, so I decided to put it to some practical use. I designed some new hooks to hold bike helmets securely on an IKEA HÖVOLM.
mikecoats.com
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Admitting Defeat

mikecoats.com/admitting-de...

Sometimes you have to bail out before the sunk costs sink you. Having a good idea isn’t the same as having a good product.

#battery #cell #electronics #hardware #power #prototyping #usbC
Admitting Defeat
Sometimes you have to bail out before the sunk costs sink you. Having a good idea isn’t the same as having a good product.
mikecoats.com
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Back 2 Basics - NMOS Switch

mikecoats.com/back-2-basic...

The latest in my 'back to basics' series. Toggle high-ish voltages and currents from a microcontroller using an N-channel enhancement mode Field-Effect Transistor.

#dataSheet #electronics #hardware
Back 2 Basics - NMOS Switch
The latest in my 'back to basics' series. Toggle high-ish voltages and currents from a microcontroller using an N-channel enhancement mode Field-Effect Transistor, also known as an NMOS Switch.
mikecoats.com
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
mikecoats.social
Here we go! An ESP32-S3 running MicroPython using each of the Monstera leafs as a capacitive touch pad.

Each pad works individually and multitouch works across all four too!

#electronics #microPython
A green LED being lit while pad 1 is touched. A blue LED being lit while pad 2 is touched. A red LED being lit while pad 3 is touched. A yellow LED being lit while pad 4 is touched.
mikecoats.social
I've soldered on a set of pins to one board and headers to another to test the Monstera pads.

The only LEDs I have stock of in four colours are these excellent not-LEGO blocks from the now defunct Lunchbox Electronics. I believe they came from an old @oshwassociation.bsky.social OHS swag bag.
4 LEDs that look like LEGO blocks. Two Monstera cap touch test boards.
mikecoats.social
My latest boards from @oshpark.bsky.social have arrived! Hand-drawn Monstera leaf capacitive touch pads with curved PCB traces.

I wonder how well they will work. They're a bit of a proof-of-concept at the moment.

#electronics
Three PCBs in OSH Park Purple. Gold Monstera leaves are visible. A close up of one capacitive touch pad Monstera leaf and some curved PCB traces.
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Reverse Engineering a Broken Night Light - Part 1

mikecoats.com/night-light-...

We bought our first Night Light when our daughter was born; within 3 years two had broken. Let's reverse-engineer what's left and build a smart light.

#electronics #hardware #reverseEngineering
Reverse Engineering a Broken Night Light - Part 1 - Tear Down
We bought our first Night Light when our daughter was born; within 3 years, it and its replacement had broken. Let's tear it down, reverse-engineer what's left, and build it back up with some extra '...
mikecoats.com
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
hackadayofficial.bsky.social
One is reminded of Vetinari's clock...
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Metronalmost

mikecoats.com/metronalmost/

This metronome, by design, will never, ever, tick exactly once per second. This infuriating object is designed to thwart the goals of @hackadayofficial.bsky.social's One Hertz Challenge contest.

#hackaday #microPython #openHardware
Metronalmost
This metronome, by design, will never, ever, tick exactly once per second. This infuriating object is designed to thwart the goals of Hackaday's One Hertz Challenge contest.
mikecoats.com
mikecoats.social
From the archives: What is Gregg Wallace doing?

Inspired by a viral pile-on of Gregg Wallace on social media, I took the joke way past its sensible conclusion. A web app to tell you exactly what Gregg Wallace is doing at any time.

mikecoats.com/what-is-gregg-wa…#boto#coded#linuxu#opensourcece
https://mikecoats.com/what-is-gregg-wa…
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
mikecoats.social
My latest blog post: Metronalmost

mikecoats.com/metronalmost/

This metronome, by design, will never, ever, tick exactly once per second. This infuriating object is designed to thwart the goals of @hackadayofficial.bsky.social's One Hertz Challenge contest.

#hackaday #microPython #openHardware
Metronalmost
This metronome, by design, will never, ever, tick exactly once per second. This infuriating object is designed to thwart the goals of Hackaday's One Hertz Challenge contest.
mikecoats.com
Reposted by Mike Coats 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🌍♻️
seeedstudio.com
Ever stitched a circuit? 🧵✨ The Open Hardware Summit 2025 badge by Rodney Trusty is a fully sewable e-textile project using our XIAO ESP32, WS2812B LEDs, and conductive thread—no soldering needed!

Full guide on @hacksterio.bsky.social 👉 tinyurl.com/4pfsbyve