From the Editor's Desk
Tips and tidbits from readers like you.Page 06
Make: Volume 91 — Core Strength
In this issue of Make: we make friends — literally! Build your own companion robot with a Raspberry Pi 5, and then give it a voice using AI and a large language model running locally. No internet required! Or keep it simple and build a friendly bot with a micro:bit and a few servos.
Next, get an overview of the latest new dev boards, including offerings from Adafruit, Seeed, Sparkfun, Pimoroni, and more, that use Raspberry Pi’s second-gen, double dual-core RP2350 chip. And, get started with new Arduino libraries and example projects for cheap ESP32+LCD boards.
Special Bonus — Make: Guide to Boards 2025
You know Raspberry Pi and Arduino, but the waters run deep for microcontrollers and single board computers. From onboard screens, to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, to AI capabilities, we show you 77 new boards that have exactly what you’re looking for to power your next project.
Table of Contents
Columns
Welcome: A Community Round
Dale Dougherty
An opportunity to invest in Make: Community.Page 07
Made on Earth
Marshall Piros and Cabe Atwell
Amazing builds from around the globe.Page 08
Features
Why Make Electronic Music
Kirk Pearson
Explore the subversive joys of building your own unique and alien instruments.Page 12
Maths in the Wild
Jennifer Blakeslee
Science-artist Nick Sayers expresses the beauty in mathematics through hands-on installations.Page 16
Board Tricks
My Sweet Board
David J. Groom
There’s so much to love in this year’s bumper crop of new dev boards.Page 20
Basic Boards
David J. Groom
Go beyond Raspberry Pi and Arduino with these similarly robust, but lesser known, boards.Page 22
"Hey, Robot!"
Shawn Hymel
Chat with and command your own embedded-AI companion bot using local LLMs, no internet needed.Page 24
How to "Make" Some Friends
Some of our favorite companion bot creators talk about how their electronic buddies keep evolving.Page 32
Micro:bit Wizardry
Joan Horvath and Rich Cameron
Use a kid-friendly, low-cost processor to create a magic wand and a “familiar” friend.Page 34
Oxocard Connect Innovators Kit Make: Edition
Daniel Bachfeld and Keith Hammond
Our sweet new kit makes learning programming and electronics quick, easy, and fun — with ready-made code and plug-in cartridges.Page 42
Badge of Love
Mo Rahman
Creating a video game wedding invite with Adafruit’s nifty badge boards.Page 48
Special Insert: Make: Guide to Boards 2025
We explore the latest and greatest in the world ofMCUs, SBCs, and more, so you can pick the best board for your next project.Page
DIY Energy
Batteries With Bulbul
Bulbul Yousif
A bird’s-eye view of battery types and applications.Page 52
1+2+3: Beverage Battery
Ted Donnell
Use household items and your favorite electrolyte-filled sports drink to make this simple battery.Page 58
Projects
3D-Printed Mirror Fabric
Krizia Medero
Embed tiny mirrors and mesh into your 3D prints to create sparkling fabrics.Page 62
My Autotune Kazoo
Guy Dupont
Deploy real-time pitch shifting like the pros, in the most amateur instrument.Page 68
Ski Chalet Birdhouse
Andy McElfresh
A laser cutter makes creative birdhouse designs extremely fun.Page 76
Camera Obscura
Nick Sayers
Make a walk-in camera room to project the outside world inside (and upside down).Page 80
Squishy Tech: DMX Lighting for Makers
Lee Wilkins
Set up professional stage lighting with just an Arduino.Page 86
Breathe Breezy
Christina Cole and Victoria Jaqua
This DIY powered respirator keeps you safe and cool.Page 92
Router Restarter
Theron Wierenga
Cure the scourge of internet and Wi-Fi outages with this daily auto rebooter.Page 96
Hack Your Toothbrush
Cy Tymony
Part 2: Salvage the magnets from discarded electric toothbrushes and use them for fun projects!Page 100
Toy Inventor’s Notebook: Barrel of Makeys!
Bob Knetzger
Update a classic toy with a laser-cut version of the Make: mascot, Makey the robot.Page 104
Skill Builder
How to Detect Spy Tech
Tim Deagan
Teardown: How the budget K18 Bug Detector works — and how to use it.Page 108
Cheap Yellow Displays
Larry Bank
Get started with new Arduino libraries and example projects for these inexpensive ESP32+LCD boards.Page
Toolbox
How to Choose Robot Kits for Kids
Sam Freeman
Making sense of billions of bots.Page 120
Toolbox
Gear up with the latest tools and kits for makers.Page 124
Over the Top
A Kinder Robot
Dale Dougherty
Kind Humanoid’s vision for a future of robotic partners is ambitious and inspiring.Page 128
