Labs
The Labs space is where I explore hardware devices and software systems, to uncover the mechanisms that make them tick. A place to pull apart devices, explore hidden capabilities, and map out the parts manufacturers never intended us to see or use.
Whether it’s a smart sensor, a consumer gadget, or an obscure embedded controller, the goal is to understand how and why it works, then push it somewhere new. A playground of sorts, to explore and learn.
I document the discoveries, the failures, and the breakthroughs so others can follow along or build on top of the work. The Labs aren’t about polished products — they’re about exploration, creativity, and the thrill of bending technology to your will.
NIX Mini 3 Color Sensor
The Nix Mini 3 is a pocket-sized, highly accurate colorimeter that instantly scans flat surfaces and matches them to over 200,000 brand-name paint colours or digital values like RGB, HEX, and CMYK.
It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth to eliminate guesswork in design and DIY painting projects
Converting an Android Vector Drawable to SVG
Sometimes I find I need to convert an Android vector drawable back to an SVG. This little tool helps
Hanshow ESL
From a recent store closure, I gained access to a Hanshow ESL Controller and a handful of Nebulla shelf labels. Looking at ways I can control the labels without the rest of the Hanshow stack, including the "ESL Working" component.
Cricut and Sublimation Printing
In the office we have a Circuit Maker 3 cutter as well as an Epson EcoTank that has been repurposed as a Sublimation printer.
BM500 Bluetooth Battery Tester
The BM500 is a Chinese produced bluetooth battery tester for testing 12V, 24V and 48V batteries. Typically car, truck, motorbike and boat.
Oregon Scientific BLE Weather Station
Oregon Scientific BAR218HGX is a small home weather station that connects to multiple sensors. Comes with a small LCD interface, but also exposes a BLE interface with a corresponding app
3D Scanning & Photogrammetry
Using cameras, drones and a 3D scanner to create Digital Twins