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This is the official website of Kevin McAleer

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Off-Grid Messaging with MeshCore

My phone had no signal, no wifi, and no SIM card in it — and it still sent a message. Here's how I built a MeshCore LoRa mesh network with two cheap Heltec V3 boards and a repeater in my loft.

XIAO - the Micro Microcontroller

The Seeed Studio XIAO is a tiny microcontroller that packs a punch. In this post, I'll share my experiences and some cool things you can do with it.

What If Building Robots With Code Was Actually Easy?

What would a code editor look like if it was actually designed around building robots, instead of just editing text? I built the answer, and Adafruit noticed too.

ClawBox Review: A Lovely Box Betting on a Moving Target

The ClawBox is a compact, 3D-printed box positioned as a dedicated local-AI appliance. It promises a turnkey experience for running local LLMs and bridging to cloud AI providers.

Why I'm Running Hermes Agent on an Arduino Uno Q

One board. One agent. Always on. Here's how I moved from OpenClaw to Hermes Agent, why I picked the Arduino Uno Q to run it on, and what it actually costs compared to a VPS.

From Code to Create Part 3: Going Wireless with the Pico W

The WiFi part is easy. The interesting question is what you want your data to do. Let's get a Pico W on the internet and our sensor readings onto a phone — from anywhere in the world.

The Self-Documenting Workshop

What if your workbench could watch you build and write the blog post afterwards? I built a passive AI agent using an Arduino Uno Q, Claude, and faster-whisper that does exactly that.

Happy 13th Birthday MicroPython!

MicroPython turns 13 today — and what better way to celebrate than with a tour of the best MicroPython resources around, plus a hands-on look at Arduino's new MicroPython IDE, the Arduino MicroPython Installer, and how it all compares to Thonny.

Why are Bus Servos better?

Tired of jittery hobby servos, messy wiring and no feedback? Bus servos fix all three. Let's wire up the Feetech STS3215, daisy chain two of them, and control them with MicroPython on a Pico.

Affordable Pi Projects

With Raspberry Pi prices continuing to climb, the Raspberry Pi Pico offers an affordable alternative for a wide range of projects. Here are 10 fun and budget-friendly Pico projects you can build right now.

SAM - Software Automatic Mouth on MicroPython

A 1982 text-to-speech engine now runs on a Raspberry Pi Pico. Learn how SAM works, how to wire it up, and how to give your robots a voice.

Will Cogleys Eyemech

From Code to Create Part 2: Adding OLED Displays with MicroPython

Master OLED displays in MicroPython! This episode covers I2C setup, text rendering, graphics, and building a real-time sensor dashboard.

How to Set Up WiFi on the Arduino Uno Q

Get your Arduino Uno Q online using App Lab or the command line. This guide covers both methods for configuring WiFi over USB-C.

From Code to Creation - New Video Series

Ready to move beyond blinking LEDs? The new From Code to Creation video series is here to help you level up your maker skills.

New Year, new robot - meet Cubie-3

A step-by-step guide to installing Raspberry Pi OS.

How to install RaspberryPi OS

A step-by-step guide to installing Raspberry Pi OS.

Channel Update - Stick, Twist or Fold?

Pironman 5 Max Review

The Pironman 5 Max is a versatile and robust case designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi 5. In this review, we will explore its features, build quality, and overall performance to help you determine if it's the right choice for your Raspberry Pi projects.

Cyberbricks - are these the Lego Mindstorms killer?

Calling all Arduino developers! Ready to learn MicroPython but don't want to start from scratch? This new course gets you up to speed in just 2-3 hours with side-by-side code comparisons.

New Course - Arduino to MicroPython Quick Start Guide

Calling all Arduino developers! Ready to learn MicroPython but don't want to start from scratch? This new course gets you up to speed in just 2-3 hours with side-by-side code comparisons.

Introducing the KevsRobots Stats Dashboard - See What Everyone's Searching For!

Ahoy there makers! I'm excited to share something I've been working on - a completely transparent, public analytics dashboard that shows exactly what's happening on KevsRobots.com in real-time!

Arduino Alvik Maze Navigation - From Wall Following to SLAM

Take your Arduino Alvik from basic wall following to advanced SLAM-based maze navigation with ROS2

n8n: Give your homelab server superpowers with n8n

Transform your Raspberry Pi into a powerful automation hub with n8n and local AI capabilities using Ollama

Reed Switches - Magical Magnetic Switches

Discover the magic of magnetic sensing! Learn how to use reed switches in your maker projects with complete wiring guides, code examples, and three real-world project tutorials.

5 Tips for Managing Your Arduino Uno Q

Learn how to effectively manage and maintain your Arduino Uno Q with these essential tips.

SMARS Q

This project showcases the design and construction of the SMARS Q robot, an Arduino Uno-based robot designed for various tasks.

Creating Gears in Fusion 360

Ever wanted to convert rotational energy into linear motion for your robot projects? Learn how to create gears and rack-and-pinion systems in Fusion 360 with this step-by-step guide.

UGREEN DXP 4800 Plus NAS Review

UGREEN sent me their DXP 4800 Plus NAS to test. Here's everything you need to know about this 4-bay NAS, from the surprising features to the one setting you must enable immediately.

How Serial Servos Work (and Why They’re Awesome for Robotics)

Learn about the benefits of using serial servos in your robotics projects, including advanced features and communication protocols.

How to Keep your Raspberry Pi happy

Discover essential maintenance tips to keep your Raspberry Pi running smoothly and efficiently.

How to Install Pi-Apps on a Raspberry Pi

Learn how to install the Pi-Apps on your Raspberry Pi to easily discover and install new applications.

Pikon II, The Ultimate DIY Raspberry Pi Camera!

The PiKon II is a DIY Raspberry Pi camera project that allows you to build your own camera system. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to create a high-quality camera using the Raspberry Pi and Python.

Pico Plotter

Create your own drawing robot with the Raspberry Pi Pico. This project uses MicroPython to control the plotter and bring your designs to life.

LEGO Gets Lights & Sound with Tiny FX

Add lights and sound to your LEGO builds with the Tiny FX board from Pimoroni. This project uses MicroPython to control the Tiny FX board, making it easy to enhance your LEGO creations.

Thinkman

This project combines hardware and software to create a modern take on the classic Sony Walkman, allowing you to interact with AI models offline.

Podman vs Docker

This course is designed to help you understand the differences and similarities between Podman and Docker, and how to use Podman effectively

MicroPython Robotics

Learn how to build and program a robot using MicroPython on the Raspberry Pi Pico.

Bottango and Isaaca

Bottango is a powerful tool for animating and controlling servos, and it can be used in conjunction with the InMoov robot to create a wide range of interactive projects.

LidarBot

LidarBot is a 3D printed robot that uses a Raspberry Pi Pico and Lidar to navigate its environment. It is designed for educational purposes and can be used to teach programming and robotics.

Snaszy NAS a 3D printed NAS for Raspberry Pi

Snaszy NAS is a 3D printed NAS for Raspberry Pi, designed for 2.5 inch drives. It uses BTRFS for RAID and is powered by a Raspberry Pi 5.

Waveshare CM5 boards

The Waveshare Compute Module 5 boards are a great option for those looking to use the Compute Module 5 in a compact design. They are affordable and have a number of features that make them ideal for a variety of projects.

The Best Arduino Robot for Beginners

"The SMARS robot is a simple, 3D printed robot that can be controlled with an Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or any other microcontroller. It's a great way to learn about robotics, electronics, and programming."

SMARS Lab upgrade with PyCharm

I've started to try PyCharm for my Python development, and I have to say I'm impressed. I've been using Visual Studio Code for a while now, and I've been happy with it, but I wanted to try something new.

Chicken Nugget Piano

Making touch sensors is easier than you'd think.

Pi Tray - Mini-rack - Part II

In this part of the mini-rack project, we will finish the design with the Pi Tray, Top Panel and Front Cluster Panel

Weather Station Display

Pi 10 Inch Mini-rack

A mini-rack is a great way to keep your equipment organized and easily accessible.

Installing and Using DeepSeek-R1:1.5 on a Raspberry Pi with Docker

We explore its features, pros, cons, and why it's a disruptive innovation challenging ChatGPT and Gemini.

Gamepad & BurgerBot

Build a Raspberry Pi Pico powered bluetooth remote control for your robot