The hottest Sensors Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

MAX30102 + ESP32-C3 0.4 inch OLED

atomic14 • 346 implied HN points • 15 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. You can build a compact heart-rate and SpO2 monitor by combining a MAX30102 sensor with an ESP32-C3 microcontroller and a 0.4 inch OLED display.
  2. The sensor itself is very cheap — around $3 — making this an affordable option for DIY health sensing projects.
  3. There’s a maker-friendly tutorial that explains the wiring and code so hobbyists can reproduce the project easily.

Fungible Compute, Mortal Computing and Why the IoT won't use Silicon

State of the Future • 12 implied HN points • 10 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Flexible thin‑film IGZO chips let you add cheap, bendable compute to everyday objects that never had it, creating a new class of semiconductor separate from cutting‑edge silicon.
  2. Process times measured in days and a tiny, modular 20×30m fab footprint make manufacturing much cheaper and faster, enabling billions of units and even the possibility of deploying fabs at customer sites.
  3. Edge intelligence can be very simple but valuable: tiny classifiers of a few hundred gates plus basic sensors can capture huge amounts of real‑world data for use in supply chains, healthcare, and agriculture, shifting value to the aggregate data layer.

Physical Intelligence Sweeps Humanoid Olympics

General Robots • 348 implied HN points • 05 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Physical Intelligence submitted robots for 11 humanoid Olympic events. They achieved these capabilities much sooner than expected, showing rapid progress in robotics.
  2. Many tasks that seemed to need special touch sensors or extra finger joints were actually solvable with standard grippers and cameras, and wrist force-torque sensing appears to help. This suggests clever hardware-software integration can overcome perceived limits.
  3. Teams make different trade-offs: some use more dexterous hands to collect teleoperation data while others add wrist force-torque sensors humans can’t provide. Those choices change what sensor data and training each approach can use.

Near-Field Technology - An Emerging RF Discipline

Fields & Energy • 259 implied HN points • 29 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Near-field technology focuses on short-range wireless communication, which is useful for applications like NFC and RFID. This tech works well because lower frequencies can pass through obstacles and provide reliable connections.
  2. The near-field zone, where signals are stronger and behave differently than in far-field, is often overlooked. Understanding this area can improve antenna design and application.
  3. There is a growing demand for near-field applications in everyday uses like contactless payments and real-time location tracking. This presents new opportunities for innovation and development in the tech industry.

Roche SBX Chip Die Size Estimate Update (It's small!)

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 05 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. A newly found die photo lines up with the AGBT sensor module because the screw holes and exposed vias match, confirming they’re the same module.
  2. By rescaling the die image to the PCB (for which sizes are known), you can derive a size estimate for the die.
  3. The resulting estimate indicates the Roche SBX die is quite small, implying a more compact sensor/chip than many might expect.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Solid State Nanopores - Cambridge Nucleomics!

ASeq Newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 12 Mar 26
🔬 Science Sensors
  1. A Cambridge-based solid-state nanopore company founded around 2021 recently closed a $736K seed round.
  2. Their method hybridizes barcodes with bulky loops to RNA or DNA and threads them through a solid-state nanopore. Varying the loop patterns or spacing creates distinct labels that can be counted.
  3. They’re targeting clinical counting applications such as point-of-care sepsis tests, early cancer detection, and minimal residual disease monitoring.

My PCB Has a Digital Twin

atomic14 • 692 implied HN points • 12 Aug 25
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. The LSM6DS3 sensor combines both accelerometer and gyroscope functions to measure motion and orientation. It's great for detecting movement but can have accuracy issues based on its environment.
  2. Using fusion mode can help to reduce drift over time by combining data from both sensors, allowing for more stable readings. This means your measurements can be more reliable during movement.
  3. The project is open source, meaning you can easily access and modify the code for your own use. You can load 3D models of your PCBs and see them in real time, which adds a fun interactive element to the testing process.

Lies, damned lies, and photodiodes

lcamtuf’s thing • 2040 implied HN points • 09 Dec 24
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Photodiodes can have a wide range of response speeds, and the advertised specs often don't tell the whole story. It's important to understand how they are tested, as this can affect their performance.
  2. When building precise measurement devices with photodiodes, two types of currents play a role. One is fast, while the other can take much longer to settle down, impacting the overall signal quality.
  3. Using techniques like reverse bias can improve performance, but some effects are inherent to the photodiodes themselves. Understanding these limitations is key for achieving accurate measurements.

Daisy Genomics

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 08 Jan 26
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. They rebranded from Armonica to Daisy Genomics and recently raised about $2.5M.
  2. That amount is modest for single-molecule sensing work, but in the current funding climate any raise is a positive sign.
  3. Patents and company direction indicate a shift away from tortuous nanopore approaches toward nano-channel sequencing devices.

Solid State Nanopores - Shanghai BaiCe Technology Co., Ltd. (上海佰测科技有限公司)

ASeq Newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 09 Jan 26
🔬 Science Sensors
  1. A little-known Chinese solid-state nanopore sequencing startup has been identified, but there is almost no public information or a company website.
  2. Their patent describes a nanopore with an embedded conductive layer or single measurement electrode that senses signals inside the pore while a separate bias voltage only drives DNA or other strands through.
  3. They claim sensing through the solid electrode reduces solution interference and that upper/lower nanopores produce useful current changes, but no experimental data or public results are available yet.

Kickoff of 2024 SVR Robotics Accelerator

Robots & Startups • 59 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Kickoff meeting for the SVR Startup Accelerator is happening on January 30th for robotics startups at any stage.
  2. Private equity investors like Resurge Growth Partners are offering struggling startups a second chance amid a drop-off in VC funding.
  3. Luxonis has introduced the OAK-Thermal for pre-order, expanding its platform with a thermal sensor for numerous potential applications.

The midwit home

DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER • 416 HN points • 12 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Smart homes can be complicated and require a lot of technical knowledge to set up and maintain.
  2. Simple, midwit solutions like remote-controlled outlets, motion-sensing bulbs, and mechanical outlet timers can make daily tasks easier and more convenient.
  3. Using basic power control for devices can offer a surprisingly effective and user-friendly home automation experience.

OSD 330: The rise of sensorship

Open Source Defense • 28 implied HN points • 17 Jun 25
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Sensors help us understand and measure things better. The more accurate our sensors are, the more we can improve our products and practices.
  2. In different fields, the use of sensors is at various stages. Some areas, like competition shooting, are advanced, while others, like non-lethal weapons, have much room for growth.
  3. Using objective measurements can change our understanding of different situations. By having clear data, we can make better decisions and improve our overall knowledge.

Stream Genomics

ASeq Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Stream Genomics is developing a DNA sequencing platform that uses a new sensor technology called temporal contrast pixel arrays, which sends data only when pixel values change. This can reduce the amount of data generated during sequencing.
  2. The patent mentions using a single molecule sequencing approach that is similar to existing technologies, but the effectiveness may depend on how well the new sensor technology is designed and manufactured.
  3. While the goal is to make sequencing more efficient and less data-intensive, there are concerns about the high costs of developing a custom sensor, which might make it hard to scale production.

Stream Genomics - Cameras

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Stream Genomics uses special cameras that capture changes in pixels instead of taking regular still images. This helps in detecting fast events more effectively.
  2. These cameras have higher dynamic range, meaning they can handle bright lights without losing details. They also produce less noise compared to regular cameras, which makes imaging clearer.
  3. There's still some uncertainty about how much these cameras can help in reducing noise for tasks like single molecule sequencing, but they show promise for better signal detection.

#71 Data you can feel

Design Lobster • 99 implied HN points • 07 Jun 21
🪑 Design Sensors
  1. Infographics can convey powerful emotional messages more effectively than just numbers.
  2. Design can communicate information without relying on visual elements.
  3. The beauty of a design can serve as a test for the correctness of the solution.

Sensors, Anomalies, and RPKI Refresh

Dataplane.org Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 03 Oct 22
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Dataplane.org has over 300 sensors in operation across 6 continents, providing valuable data from a wide range of networks.
  2. Unexpected anomalies like DNS query spikes can provide insight into network behavior and the importance of understanding data context.
  3. Dataplane.org plans to rebuild their RPKI setup due to ongoing issues caused by a previous experiment, aiming for simpler, more reliable monitoring in the future.

Sensor Strategy, Monitoring Platforms

Dataplane.org Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 04 Apr 22
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Sensor nodes monitor internet activity and contribute to data collection without generating traffic, resembling a mix of darknet collector and honeypot.
  2. Choosing hosting providers involves factors like unique origin, support for secure payment methods, provider reputation, and fraud detection practices.
  3. Monitoring platforms like Censored Planet, NLNOG Ring, OONI, and RIPE Atlas offer unique approaches to internet censorship measurement through distributed systems.

Robotics research humor, sensors map, recent fundings

Robots & Startups • 0 implied HN points • 07 May 21
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. TuSimple, an autonomous truck startup, raised $1.08 Billion and has 5,700 reservations for self-driving trucks scheduled for production in 2024.
  2. Vicarious Surgical and Sarcos Robotics are going public via SPACs, showing a growing trend in funding for robotics companies.
  3. The post discusses robotics research humor, sensors map, and recent fundings, providing insights into the robotics industry's current landscape.

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping

The Halfway Point • 0 implied HN points • 26 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Self-driving cars need to know their exact location to avoid accidents. GPS and sensors like RADAR have errors, so it's tricky to get precise positioning.
  2. The Kalman filter helps improve the accuracy of measurements by combining noisy data over time. It has two main steps: updating measurements and predicting motion.
  3. For complex situations, there are advanced versions of the Kalman filter, like the Extended and Unscented Kalman filters, which can handle non-linear data better for more accurate tracking.

Low Cost Accurate Air Quality Sensor (PM/Temperature/Humidity)

The Halfway Point • 0 implied HN points • 26 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. You can build a low-cost air quality sensor using an ESP32 for under $120. It's a great way to monitor air quality without spending too much money.
  2. This sensor not only shows air quality data on a local website but also sends it to the cloud and alerts you when the air quality is poor. It's pretty handy!
  3. You can set everything up without soldering, making it easier and safer to use, especially in a small space where fumes might be a problem.

SemiConBio - Roswell Reboot

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 28 Nov 25
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. The old Roswell company appears to be rebooting as SemiConBio with a new CEO (Mike Aicher) and a small team still active, which is surprising given expectations they were out of cash.
  2. Recent successful demonstrations of DNA expansion by companies like Roche could lower the technical bar for solid‑state readout technologies, making such sensors more attractive as alternatives to bilayer nanopores.
  3. SemiConBio’s specific sequencing approach probably isn’t a direct fit for reading expanded DNA, but some of its components or techniques might be repurposed to build a high‑speed, solid‑state readout.

MakerNews - February 2026

Maker News • 0 implied HN points • 01 Mar 26
🕹 Technology Sensors
  1. Cheap microcontrollers are being repurposed as standard USB peripherals—ESP32s and similar boards can act as webcams (including thermal), USB-to-GPIO adapters, and tiny host-to-host bridges so hobby sensors plug straight into PCs.
  2. Old and low-tech hardware is getting clever modern hacks: SNES controllers can share SPI-like buses, bargain analog clocks get Wi‑Fi NTP upgrades, and neon-lamp ring counters can drive Nixies without silicon.
  3. The community favors calm, practical projects alongside playful demos—house e-paper dashboards, QR-paper audio players, and fake webcams streaming Pong all show a mix of usefulness, compatibility, and creative delight.