Nacho Mellado
@uavster.bsky.social
Building your companion robot in public:
https://www.ignaciomellado.es/hf1
Formerly Google X, Apple, http://everydayrobots.com, PickNikRobotics, demoscene.
https://www.ignaciomellado.es/hf1
Formerly Google X, Apple, http://everydayrobots.com, PickNikRobotics, demoscene.
Pinned
Nacho Mellado
@uavster.bsky.social
· Nov 24
Mapping speech to actions in real time. Everything is processed on the robot. Sound on!
Is this the new “I’m not a robot”?
November 25, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Is this the new “I’m not a robot”?
These 3x3mm QFNs are not in the manufacturer's catalogue, so the original footprint (left) is now closer to the edge (right) for post-soldering.
Chip area is heatable with a hot plate's corner with less impact on surrounding components.
Longer pads can direct heat from a solder.
Chip area is heatable with a hot plate's corner with less impact on surrounding components.
Longer pads can direct heat from a solder.
November 20, 2025 at 2:05 PM
These 3x3mm QFNs are not in the manufacturer's catalogue, so the original footprint (left) is now closer to the edge (right) for post-soldering.
Chip area is heatable with a hot plate's corner with less impact on surrounding components.
Longer pads can direct heat from a solder.
Chip area is heatable with a hot plate's corner with less impact on surrounding components.
Longer pads can direct heat from a solder.
I struggle to find books, podcasts or movies that are not just a variation of something else, and it's unclear whether a solution is in my hands. Do I not know how to search? Is it a consequence of experience? Have we created a flood of data with little information?
November 20, 2025 at 1:24 PM
I struggle to find books, podcasts or movies that are not just a variation of something else, and it's unclear whether a solution is in my hands. Do I not know how to search? Is it a consequence of experience? Have we created a flood of data with little information?
Order 110 chips, create this ocd nightmare.
November 19, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Order 110 chips, create this ocd nightmare.
About the US Mint ending production of the penny, here’s my five cents…
November 13, 2025 at 9:25 AM
About the US Mint ending production of the penny, here’s my five cents…
November 11, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Explain to me why I, a passionate roboticist, am in this downward spiral of caring less and less about humanoid announcements.
November 11, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Explain to me why I, a passionate roboticist, am in this downward spiral of caring less and less about humanoid announcements.
One Halloween ago, I was testing robot teleoperation like this (sound on).
The experimental HF1 unit is still traumatized by its encounter with this hairy robot specter.
Happy Halloween!
The experimental HF1 unit is still traumatized by its encounter with this hairy robot specter.
Happy Halloween!
October 31, 2025 at 4:18 PM
One Halloween ago, I was testing robot teleoperation like this (sound on).
The experimental HF1 unit is still traumatized by its encounter with this hairy robot specter.
Happy Halloween!
The experimental HF1 unit is still traumatized by its encounter with this hairy robot specter.
Happy Halloween!
Neo is ~30kg+payload. Should users let babies or small kids/pets near it (or the other way around)?
Unlike a piece of furniture, it must work constantly to keep its balance.
Unlike a person, its judgment is limited by current AI.
Imagine wet stairs or a stray Hot Wheels here⬇️
Unlike a piece of furniture, it must work constantly to keep its balance.
Unlike a person, its judgment is limited by current AI.
Imagine wet stairs or a stray Hot Wheels here⬇️
October 30, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Neo is ~30kg+payload. Should users let babies or small kids/pets near it (or the other way around)?
Unlike a piece of furniture, it must work constantly to keep its balance.
Unlike a person, its judgment is limited by current AI.
Imagine wet stairs or a stray Hot Wheels here⬇️
Unlike a piece of furniture, it must work constantly to keep its balance.
Unlike a person, its judgment is limited by current AI.
Imagine wet stairs or a stray Hot Wheels here⬇️
You can now order a Neo, the humanoid home robot from the company 1X. According to their VP of AI:
October 28, 2025 at 9:26 PM
You can now order a Neo, the humanoid home robot from the company 1X. According to their VP of AI:
Couldn't live without code autocomplete.
October 23, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Couldn't live without code autocomplete.
Everybody talks about AI agents for coding, but what about electronics design?
I’ve been using GPT-5 as assistant for that lately. Net-positive experience so far, but you have to stay vigilant.
Expect the following quirks / failure modes: 🧵
I’ve been using GPT-5 as assistant for that lately. Net-positive experience so far, but you have to stay vigilant.
Expect the following quirks / failure modes: 🧵
October 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Everybody talks about AI agents for coding, but what about electronics design?
I’ve been using GPT-5 as assistant for that lately. Net-positive experience so far, but you have to stay vigilant.
Expect the following quirks / failure modes: 🧵
I’ve been using GPT-5 as assistant for that lately. Net-positive experience so far, but you have to stay vigilant.
Expect the following quirks / failure modes: 🧵
I don’t get why software folks say electronics is difficult. The only difference with software is that true constants don’t exist, your variables change with other variables in ways you didn’t intend, and a syntax error can destroy the computer or burn the building down.
October 15, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I don’t get why software folks say electronics is difficult. The only difference with software is that true constants don’t exist, your variables change with other variables in ways you didn’t intend, and a syntax error can destroy the computer or burn the building down.
Hello, graph police? I'd like to report a crime.
October 9, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Hello, graph police? I'd like to report a crime.
Please, Qualcomm, treat Arduino well. arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
Qualcomm is buying Arduino, releases new Raspberry Pi-esque Arduino board
Qualcomm claims Arduino will keep its own branding and “open source ethos.”…
arstechnica.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Please, Qualcomm, treat Arduino well. arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025...
I’ve been struggling lately to design a cost-effective new version of the robot’s PCB that can enable these improvements⬇️, but I think I’m finally pulling it off!
Wish me luck.
Wish me luck.
October 2, 2025 at 11:58 AM
I’ve been struggling lately to design a cost-effective new version of the robot’s PCB that can enable these improvements⬇️, but I think I’m finally pulling it off!
Wish me luck.
Wish me luck.
Oh no… Rethink Robotics shuts down again www.therobotreport.com/rethink-robo...
Rethink Robotics shuts down -- again
Rethink Robotics Inc., which rose as a force- and power-limited arm pioneer, has shut down for a second time.
www.therobotreport.com
September 17, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Oh no… Rethink Robotics shuts down again www.therobotreport.com/rethink-robo...
Don't be me and trace USB data lines first thing in your PCB.
They're a differential pair that needs to be designed carefully for robust transmission. Will likely make you move all other components out of the way.
They're a differential pair that needs to be designed carefully for robust transmission. Will likely make you move all other components out of the way.
September 16, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Don't be me and trace USB data lines first thing in your PCB.
They're a differential pair that needs to be designed carefully for robust transmission. Will likely make you move all other components out of the way.
They're a differential pair that needs to be designed carefully for robust transmission. Will likely make you move all other components out of the way.
I'm at that stage where the last 20% of the project feels as long as the previous 80%.
September 11, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I'm at that stage where the last 20% of the project feels as long as the previous 80%.
Here’s the coding agent that BigCode doesn’t want you to know.
It’s incredibly predictable. If your prompt is specific enough it will do what you intend EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Software gurus call it “compiler”.
It’s incredibly predictable. If your prompt is specific enough it will do what you intend EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Software gurus call it “compiler”.
September 9, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Here’s the coding agent that BigCode doesn’t want you to know.
It’s incredibly predictable. If your prompt is specific enough it will do what you intend EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Software gurus call it “compiler”.
It’s incredibly predictable. If your prompt is specific enough it will do what you intend EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Software gurus call it “compiler”.
That’s it. If this is where software development is headed, I’m opening a coffee shop.
September 9, 2025 at 9:21 AM
That’s it. If this is where software development is headed, I’m opening a coffee shop.
Regular servo -> servo with position feedback
September 6, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Regular servo -> servo with position feedback
This feels like Christmas to me. I’ve always loved reading about SLAM and the index looks so complete.
asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~tdb/slam/
asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~tdb/slam/
SLAM Handbook
SLAM Handbook: From Localization and Mapping to Spatial Intelligence
asrl.utias.utoronto.ca
September 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
This feels like Christmas to me. I’ve always loved reading about SLAM and the index looks so complete.
asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~tdb/slam/
asrl.utias.utoronto.ca/~tdb/slam/
Next SV unicorn. Uber meets nap pods.
September 4, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Next SV unicorn. Uber meets nap pods.
