[Swansea Hackspace] Open Source Hardware Camp 2026 — Sat 29/08 & Sun 30/08, Hebden Bridge

[Andy Bennett]

Hello,

Just a final call in case there is anyone who plans to attend and has 
not registered yet. Registration is set to close at 09:00 tomorrow 
morning so that we can confirm numbers with the caterers.

   https://oshug.org/event/oshcamp2026



On 2026-07-21 11:04, Andy Bennett wrote:
> Hello again,
> 
> There's still a few tickets left for this and it's usually a great
> weekend in Hebden Bridge.
> 
> I hope we'll see a few of you there!
> 
> https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/open-source-hardware-camp-2026-tickets-1992209880381
> 
> 
> On 2026-06-30 22:50, Andy Bennett wrote:
>> Hello,
>> 
>> I'm pleased to announce that we have a total of 11 talks and 3
>> workshops confirmed for Open Source Hardware Camp 2026!
>> 
>> As in previous years, there will be a social event on the Saturday 
>> evening.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Andy
>> 
>>  //
>> 
>> 
>> Open Source Hardware Camp 2026 — Sat 29/08 & Sun 30/08, Hebden Bridge
>> 
>> 29th & 30th August at The Birchcliffe Centre, Birchcliffe Road, Hebden
>> Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 8DG, UK.
>> 
>> Registration:
>> 
>> https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/open-source-hardware-camp-2026-tickets-1992209880381
>> 
>> Open Source Hardware Camp 2026 will take place in the Pennine town of
>> Hebden Bridge, which is approximately 1 hour by rail from Leeds and
>> Manchester. Budget accommodation is available at the Hebden Bridge IOU
>> Hostel. Details of other local accommodation can be found at
>> www.hebdenbridge.co.uk and via Airbnb and Booking.com etc.
>> 
>> There will be a social event on Saturday evening from 7PM.
>> 
>> Any questions should be directed to the Discussion List.
>> 
>>   Open Source Hardware Camp 2026 is dedicated to the memory of Ken
>> Boak (1966-2026), a founding member of the group, a prolific
>> contributor and a good friend to many.
>> 
>> *** Saturday :: Talks ***
>> 
>> — Technical Cartoons for Fun (and Profit?)
>> 
>> What happens if you combine a traditional text book, a bunch of hand
>> drawn diagrams, and a cartoon robot?
>> 
>> Electro-Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) has a reputation as one of the
>> more mysterious electronics subjects. This project is an attempt to
>> make learning about this subject more intuitive and fun through the
>> power of cartoons.
>> 
>> In this talk, James will touch on the subject of Electro-Static
>> Discharges (ESD), inspirations behind this project, different learning
>> styles, the self-publishing process, and lessons learned along the
>> way.
>> 
>> * James Pawson is an electronics engineer, trainer, practitioner of
>> the dark arts (EMC), and now author.
>> 
>> — Clean-room reverse engineering the ATTiny 1-series On Chip Debugging
>> peripheral
>> 
>> The 1-series is a range of ATtiny microcontrollers released by
>> Microchip in 2016. They contain an avrxmega3 CPU and a UPDI interface
>> for programming and debugging. The vendor datasheet for the part
>> documents the UPDI protocol and provides information to use the Chip
>> Erase, NVM programming and User Row Programming functionality. The
>> information provided also allows the interactive reading and writing
>> of the entire CPU Data Space, which allows host-side interaction with
>> main memory and the on chip peripherals. As a result, these features
>> are all well supported in open source tools.
>> 
>> Finally, the UPDI chapter of the datasheet promises a range of
>> debugging features including hardware breakpoints, run-time readout of
>> program counter, stack pointer and CPI status registers for
>> code-profiling and program flow control (go, stop, reset, step into).
>> However it is silent on the details required to make use of them.
>> 
>> In this talk Andy will explain how he reverse engineered the On Chip
>> Debugger to write a datasheet that has been used to implement a GDB
>> Server for these devices.
>> 
>> * Andy Bennett is a highly skilled technologist, business leader,
>> entrepreneur and problem solver with almost 20 years experience
>> working in technology. He has worked in a wide variety of industries
>> including government, finance, higher education and consumer
>> electronics.
>> 
>> He has a passion for new technologies and has often been at the
>> forefront of pioneering research, development and new product
>> launches, offering both strategic oversight and hands-on development.
>> 
>> — A tale of two tiles: custom chips at home
>> 
>> Open source silicon provides ordinary people with an opportunity to
>> manufacture real chips! Hundreds of people have made their own
>> designs, but what does the journey look like? This talk will cover the
>> who, what, how and why of the process, with a look at two of Kristaps’
>> own submissions and a light dive into tools that make it possible.
>> 
>> * Kristaps Jurkans is a recent graduate of the University of Lincoln,
>> an open source hardware and software enthusiast, and a big fan of
>> disassembling anything just to learn more about it.
>> 
>> — What does the future hold for an electronics engineer in the age of 
>> AI?
>> 
>> Unless you have been hiding under a rock for the last few years, you
>> will have noticed that the world is changing at an unprecedented pace.
>> The rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) is impacting all areas of
>> knowledge work, doubly so for technology related roles.
>> 
>> So, what does the future hold for an engineer as we move into this new
>> era? In this talk we will take a look at some exploratory work Alan
>> has been performing over the last year or so to see what's possible
>> with LLMs in the open source hardware space, and what this might mean
>> for the future of open engineering in general. We will look at some of
>> the tools that are already available, and some of the exciting
>> possibilities that are on the horizon. We will also discuss some of
>> the challenges that we will need to overcome in order to fully realize
>> the quality, educational and productivity benefits emerging in OSHW.
>> So, if you are an electronics engineer, a hobbyist or just interested
>> in the future of open source hardware, this talk is for you!
>> 
>> * Alan Wood has been working with embedded electronics and FPGAs for
>> many years. His recent work includes smart grids, 3D printers,
>> robotics, automation biotec diagnostics, flow computation, measurement
>> and multi protocol integration. His current research is focused on
>> multilayer concurrency, mixed language models for complex systems,
>> linux and Rust based embedded development, realtime testing, capture
>> and analysis. He is a long term advocate of open source communities,
>> previously a moderator (aka Folknology) for xCORE, the co-founder of
>> myStorm open hardware FPGA community, as well as a co-founder of
>> Surrey and Hampshire Makerspace.
>> 
>> — RISC-V — the road to ubiquity
>> 
>> Systems based on the open source RISC-V instruction set architecture
>> are becoming more available and popular in both MCUs and SOCs. The MCU
>> ecosystem is already well developed, but SOCs have greater
>> dependencies, and software stacks that have only recently been marked
>> as production ready. As always happens with new stuff, the hardware
>> people are waiting for broader software support, and the software
>> people are waiting for a larger hardware installed base. This talk
>> will examine the forces that are driving RISC-V forward, and what
>> still needs to happen for RISC-V SOCs to go mainstream.
>> 
>> * Chris Swan is a long term member of the OSHUG community, and past
>> speaker on security, homebrew projects and the Open Compute Project.
>> In his Engineer role at Atsign he’s been involved in bringing RISC-V
>> support for the Dart programming language into Docker official images.
>> That’s given him a front row seat to how hardware and software have
>> been developing over the past few years. Chris contributes to the
>> broader community as a Google Developer Expert (GDE), InfoQ editor and
>> co-host for the Tech Debt Burndown Podcast.
>> 
>> — Emulating the great machines of the past!
>> 
>> There are now many excellent software emulations of early systems such
>> as the PDP-8 and PDP-11 and as such they work well and support the
>> various operating systems and applications.
>> 
>> However, the excitement of operating the functioning front panel
>> cannot be beaten! The range of DEC machines now available as
>> functioning replicas will be shown and the techniques used to emulate
>> both the software and hardware will be discussed.
>> 
>> * Kevin Murrell is a retired software industry entrepreneur. He
>> co-founded The National Museum of Computing with Tony Sale in 2005. He
>> is the author of several books on the history of British computing and
>> is an authority on early home computing. He is a committee member of
>> the Computer Conservation Society and serves as editor of its journal,
>> Resurrection.
>> 
>> — This is Not a Chip Butty, but bare silicon needs COB and a PCB, Dave
>> 
>> Getting custom, open-source silicon back from the foundry is amazing,
>> but a piece of silicon won't do much without connectivity. This talk
>> offers a look into the practicalities of getting bare, open-source die
>> connected to the PCB using Chip-on-Board (COB) wire bonding.
>> 
>> While COB is a standard industry process, most factories expect
>> automated, high-volume runs. When you turn up with an artisanal batch
>> of assorted chips, things can get somewhat experimental.
>> 
>> We will dive into how multiple Open Source ASIC project die were
>> bonded to boards, the physical realities of the assembly process, and
>> the fun to be had along the way.
>> 
>> * Stuart Childs has spent the last decade working directly with
>> factories in China, acting as the glue between the clever people and
>> the manufacturing hubs that can make the things. Before diving into
>> industrial production, Stuart was a member of the UK Maker Belt and
>> wider UK Maker scene, increasingly bringing colour, silliness, and fun
>> to the workplace. As a member of Tiny Tapeout and a long-term
>> Wuthering Bytes attendee, he combines a passion for open-source
>> hardware with the joy of working with others on unusual projects.
>> 
>> — A Multi-Function Instrument for School Physics Experiments
>> 
>> An overview of school physics apparatus shows that much can be traced
>> back to the work of the Nuffield Science Teaching Project in the
>> 1960’s. Modern equivalents, having no other commercial use, are
>> expensive. Off-the-Shelf commercial instruments are a poor match to
>> educational requirements. Solutions using general purpose computers
>> raise many IT support problems in a school environment.
>> 
>> The multi-function instrument can replace several separate
>> instruments. The emphasis is on suitability for the school
>> environment: robust, simple to use, and lacking extra features that
>> serve little pedagogical purpose.
>> 
>> The objective is to produce an open hardware and software design that
>> can be easily reproduced by others or form the basis for alternative
>> variations.
>> 
>> * Alan Bernard. After an apprenticeship with Thorn Electrical
>> Industries leading to a degree in Electrical and Electronic
>> Engineering at Bradford University Alan joined a small company where
>> he designed nucleonic equipment, electronic organs, and apparatus for
>> the Nuffield Physics Project. After running his own business
>> manufacturing instrumentation for the wire-drawing industry he joined
>> ITT developing liquid crystal displays. This led to him designing
>> Public Information Displays for airports, bus and train stations, and
>> on-board trains. Finally, he worked as a physics technician at
>> Bradford Grammar School; a position he held for 12 years before
>> retiring at age 72.
>> 
>> — Powering Your Home With Your Car
>> 
>> How to utilise your very own Big Battery for '1/10th' the price of a
>> "Home Power Wall". (The car comes for free!)
>> 
>> This adventure takes low cost overnight “off-peak” electricity, and
>> the occasionally available zero cost excess grid electricity. By
>> utilising the woefully underutilised battery in my EV, it is possible
>> to then power a home each day with those low cost electrons to avoid
>> the much more expensive non-off-peak electrons. Except… There are no
>> UK agreed standards for doing that yet. Here is a personal
>> all-Open-Source story for economically connecting a home to a Big
>> Battery on wheels.
>> 
>> * Martin Lomas has followed the world of computers since the
>> beginnings of the home computer revolution in the UK. He gained
>> degrees in Computer Engineering and subsequently Computer Systems
>> Design. At Fujitsu he worked on, at the time, the world’s largest
>> Application Specific Integrated Circuit ICs. He moved back to academia
>> to develop cutting edge Scanning Probe Microscopes for biophysical
>> investigations at the dept of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University
>> of Nottingham, gaining his PhD.
>> 
>> Martin then supported a multinational pharma research company for all
>> their open source server and computing needs, becoming their IT
>> Director. Since then, he works for himself. More recently, he is
>> considering his next career adventure! Especially, he enjoys making
>> new things and making them work well! He also enjoys hiking, beer,
>> wine, cheese, and the world of Linux. His interests span across
>> technology and science, and computing and the ongoing old/new
>> phenomenon now marketed as “AI”.
>> 
>> — FreeCAD Improvements and Exciting Uses
>> 
>> FreeCAD, the open source CAD package for mechanical engineering and
>> more, has had heaps of development in the last few years. Whilst we
>> aren't quite at the "replace Catia or Solidworks in all sectors"
>> tipping point yet we have lots more users, a better (but by no means
>> perfect) user experience and we are beginning to see FreeCAD getting
>> used in all manner of cutting edge use cases.
>> 
>> In this talk Jo will quickly run through some of the developments and
>> explore why it might be worth people who previously didn't enjoy
>> FreeCAD to take another look. We'll blast by some high end
>> applications of FreeCAD such as computational fluid dynamics, multi
>> body dynamics and FEA and also squint at some interesting projects
>> undertaken by organisations you might not at first glance think would
>> use FreeCAD! I'll throw in some fun aspects of the community
>> development and talk about FreeCAD's upcoming (but hopefully delivered
>> by the time this talk takes place) first round of their global open
>> source hardware design competition!
>> 
>> * Jo Hinchliffe is a freelance technical writer and community
>> developer working across a variety of technical sectors with a passion
>> for open source.
>> 
>> Jo is the author of FreeCAD for Makers, a well received book from the
>> Raspberry Pi Press covering beginner and intermediate level usage of
>> FreeCAD. Also on the Raspberry Pi Press Jo has authored “Design an
>> RP2040 Board with KiCad” which not only covers the basics of designing
>> a PCB for fabrication, it goes on to cover automated assembly
>> services, virtual warehousing and more.
>> 
>> In article form Jo has written for many platforms, these include
>> multiple STEM/STEAM articles for the American magazine Kids Code and
>> Computer Science, these articles range from tutorials on micro
>> controller projects, to fun maths activities and articles highlighting
>> historic STEM figures. For the Raspberry Pi Press magazines Jo has
>> written dozens of articles and features. Often his own projects, these
>> have included a wide variety of subjects, wooden boat building, an
>> open source carbon fibre filament winding machine, watch making, cable
>> lacing in space, and much more. A somewhat complete list of articles
>> can be found here. Toms Hardware, Jo has written numerous articles for
>> Toms Hardware including a series on basic use of the Linux terminal.
>> 
>> Finally when Jo isn’t writing for his paid clients he can currently be
>> found writing, designing and publishing a free and open source
>> magazine of his own called SOURCE.
>> 
>> — Open Wetware: How a bioart project inspired a biopunk future
>> 
>> This talk will summarise the current trend in biodesign/art to open
>> source 'recipes', through the lens of a recent art project
>> Phycologica, which attempted rather foolishly to reimagine a LCD
>> screen made out of algae.
>> 
>> While I wouldn't recommend anyone else reproducing our design- it
>> would just lead to more ewaste- I believe there was still great value
>> in the process of doing this project and in sparking imagination. This
>> was never intended to be rebuilt in its current form.
>> 
>> Through preparing this talk I would like to explore, while documenting
>> the important bits of the project - the recipes, the care guide, the
>> ethics, what is the value of documenting a project like this? I am
>> also interested in exploring the documentation itself as an artwork-
>> beyond the original piece.
>> 
>> We won't reach a more technologically sustainable (solarpunk) future
>> without community collaboration and sharing- the exact ethos of open
>> source hardware. Therefore I propose that the goal of documenting this
>> project will be to collate a library of alternative, bio appropriate
>> technologies that are more aligned to a sustainable society that we
>> want to see in the future.
>> 
>> Jon Somerscales is an Experience Designer & Interaction Prototyper
>> researching novel interactions and regenerative design that could
>> highlight better outcomes for us and the planet through a critical
>> making practice. His interactive design work spans digital software,
>> services and installations.
>> 
>> Studio Blue Green's Phycologica artwork is a collaboration between Jon
>> Somerscales and Andrew Stone. Studio Blue Green aims to Amplify and
>> recenter living systems through experience design and creative
>> technology, creating impactful, planet-first interventions,
>> encouraging environmental stewardship and ecological consciousness.
>> 
>> // Compered by: Kevin Murrell //
>> 
>> Swap Table
>> 
>> Due to popular demand there will once again be a swap table at Open
>> Source Hardware Camp, where delegates can bring along surplus
>> components, dev kits and (smaller!) unfinished projects to give away
>> and swap with others.
>> 
>> Please note that larger items such as VDUs and printers must not be
>> brought along and any unwanted items must be removed at the end of the
>> day!
>> 
>> ITEMS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES,
>> INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
>> MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
>> IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ORGANISERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
>> INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
>> BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
>> OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
>> ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR
>> TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE
>> USE OF ITEMS RECEIVED, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
>> DAMAGE.
>> 
>> *** Sunday :: Workshops ***
>> 
>> — Practising the use of LLMs with open source electronics projects
>> 
>> This workshop will explore some hands-on use of some of the emerging
>> tools, LLMs and strategies for using them in the engineering space. We
>> will play with some of what is already available, and explore exciting
>> possibilities on the horizon. We will also discuss common challenges
>> that we need to overcome including pitfalls, risks and limitations.
>> So, if you are a practicing hardware/firmware engineer, or hobbyist,
>> this workshop gives you an opportunity to tinker with the OSHW future.
>> 
>> Participants should bring:
>> 
>>     - A laptop.
>> 
>> Hosted by: Alan Wood.
>> 
>> — Retro Computing Simulation
>> 
>> Some of us hanker after an original minicomputer with all the switches
>> and lights but no longer have access to the hardware. Indeed, few of
>> us have the space required to recreate installations from those early
>> days when disk drives were the size of washing machines!
>> 
>> There are excellent software emulations of many of these early
>> systems, but the excitement of operating a functioning front panel
>> cannot be beaten!
>> 
>> We expect to be demonstrating the following running replicas:
>> 
>>    - Wireless World Computer
>>    - Raspberry Pi based PDP-1, PDP-8, PDP-11 and the PDP-10
>>    - FPGA-based LGP-30
>>    - FPGA-based PDP-8
>>    - IMSAI 8080
>> 
>> We will show the systems running and welcome user interaction. So, get
>> out the old CP/M handbook and the DEC Introduction to Programming and
>> off we go!
>> 
>> Participants should bring:
>> 
>>    - A laptop.
>> 
>> Hosted by: Kevin Murrell.
>> 
>> — The Project Salon
>> 
>> The project salon is part show and tell and part project clinic, which
>> will provide an opportunity to discuss projects and share skills and
>> experience with fellow OSHCamp delegates. For example, this might be
>> showing off your latest creation, sharing details of a neat hack, or
>> seeking advice on a particularly tricky problem which has brought your
>> project to a standstill.
>> 
>> Rod Moody will be bringing along Raftabar — the autonomous robot which
>> made its debut at OSHCamp 2024 — and sharing details of numerous
>> upgrades made over the past few years.
>> 
>> Short presentations are welcome and if using slides these should be in
>> PDF or OpenDocument Presentation format.
>> 
>> Participants should optionally bring:
>> 
>>    - A project. Exercise common sense! E.g. nothing large or dangerous 
>> etc.
>>    - Slides (PDF or OpenDocument Presentation format).
>> 
>> Hosted by:
>> 
>> * Andy Bennett.
>> 
>> * Rod Moody was born in 1940 and at 15 years of age started an
>> electrical engineering apprenticeship with Dale Electric, a
>> manufacturer of diesel-engine driven electrical generators ranging
>> from a few kW to a few MW, for both base load and standby
>> applications. Through day release and night class he gained an HNC in
>> electrical engineering, and at the age of 19 was appointed to the post
>> of Test Department Manager. He went on to become Electrical
>> Engineering Manager responsible for running the design office and
>> designing control systems using relay logic, and following which
>> Engineering Director.
>> 
>> In 1992, at 52 years of age Rod joined Deep Sea Electronics as their
>> Engineering Manager. DSE were quite small at that time and using
>> through-hole technology, but with improved product design and the
>> introduction of SMT production they grew very rapidly over the eight
>> years before Rod retired in 2000 at 60 years of age. DSE is now the
>> leading supplier of microprocessor based controllers to generating set
>> manufacturing companies worldwide.
>> 
>> In retirement Rod spends most of his spare time with projects
>> involving mechanics, electronics, and software using the Raspberry Pi
>> and Arduino microcontrollers. He continues to be a keen gardener as he
>> has been from an early age, has a keen interest in all aspects of
>> science and engineering, and is currently leader of the York U3A
>> Science & Engineering World group.
>> 
>> 
>> NOTE:
>> 
>> There are separate tickets for Saturday and Sunday.
>> A light lunch will be provided each day.
>> Please aim to arrive between 09:00 and 09:15 on the Saturday as the
>> event will start at 09:20 prompt.


-- 
andyjpb at ashurst.eu.org
http://www.ashurst.eu.org/
http://www.gonumber.com/andyjpb
0x7EBA75FF