Skip to main content

Posts

The Open Source Way ...

Hello all, a happy new year ! This is my first post of 2014 and am quite excited. The past week was all open source than ever before in my life. I attended a workshop on Drupal which left me inspired to look at how the system worked and also importantly how Drupal was developed collaboratively. So, when I was thinking of material for a nice little new year resolution, involving in open source development sprang up spontaneously in my mind. Last week I spend some time reading through the pages of drupal.org meant for contributors and I felt thankful to have came across it at least now. If you are a social entrepreneur or just someone wanting to make this world a better place (I bet most of us feel this ...) I think there is lot to learn from how free software development communities like Drupal are successful in making such fine software but all of it with volunteered effort. Simply amazing.
Post a Comment
Read more

Homemade PCB

Making PCB at home using the toner transfer method is a well known art. Finally, when my project required a simple EEG amplifier circuit, I decided to give the technique a try myself. And surely it did work. However, I also learned certain quirks and potential limitations. Sharing some of these findings here. I will also be really happy to hear from the experiences of others who have done DIY PCBs. My primary reference was a Youtube video due to Pareekshith P . (TODO: add images) * In my experience, 16mil (0.016 inch) of trach thickness might be Ok. However, I think its safe to use 24mil. * When using the iron box, take special care to ensure that edges of the pattern are also properly transferred. * The etching process is largely trouble free. If it seems very slow add enough Ferric Chloride. I think 15min is typical.
Post a Comment
Read more

Career in Geology

Today during dinner time, I met Varun and he was wearing a T-shirt that said - "International Earth Sciences Olympiad". I inquired and this is what he told me ... The olympiad is organised in India by the Geological Society of India who train students selected through a screening test for the international competition. Varun gave the exam in his XIth standard and he prepared for it by referring to the Geology text books of CBSE and his state board. The smart chap won a bronze for the country in the competition held at Argentina. Geology is an interesting example of applied physics/chemistry and Varun might pursue the subject in his further studies. He is now enrolled in the Engineering Physics programme.
Post a Comment
Read more