Thomas's Blog

Goal: Build a 3D scanner.What I need to explore: Arduino, Stepper Motors, Sensors, Math, and CAD. Questions I’m asking myself: How should I read a datasheet? How should I use math to tune my data? What should I actually do with a 3D scanner? What are my limitations? Day 1: Analog distance sensingFirst question: what is Analog vs Digital? Analog Sensing: Produces continuous data that varies smoothly over (T)ime. No conversion delay — the signal is “live.” Directly reflects the measurement: t ...

Whose FireWhen there’s a firethere’s a claimNot the witnessNot the wiseBut the gloryBut the nameAll must be oneAll must be none The clown on the ChairHeard the FireThe Clown saidThat must be mineThe Clown’s DogBarked and wavedPissed a few inkOn history’s name When there’s a fireThere must be a victimAnd there must be deathFor which the clown can saveNot save the death, but sold the tearsFor the dog’s piss named history When the clown criesThe dog criesThe victim criesThe Clown smilesAs the purpo ...

Robotic ArmWhat does a robotic arm look like? Gears End Effectors Anything Metal Not really: since robotic arms are invented by humans, we get to decide their function and look. Biomimicry:Before this project, I had started to think about biomimicry—how nature’s mechanisms can inspire robotic systems. In biological organisms, movement is rarely rigid or purely mechanical. Muscles, tendons, and joints interact fluidly to adapt to the environment with precision and efficiency. Biomimetic princi ...

Ronaldo’s Quote “I said this one year and a half ago and I will continue to say it: the problem is not the coaches. “I always give this example, it is like the aquarium. If you have the fish inside and he is sick, and you take him out and fix the problem. If you put him in the aquarium they will be sick again. “The problem of Manchester United is not only the coach. It is much more than that.” The Second Red HorrorLast season (2024–25), we almost got relegated.Fifteenth. Out of twenty. Who ...

PNPThe first unit of the Technology Seminar class asked us to collaborate and create a nameplate for the admissions team.Though I don’t have everything recorded, I still want to share some of my approaches and progress. BackgroundBefore this project, I already had some experience in CAD — I made my own PC case.It was my first big CAD project and took about a month… and it was painful. Here’s a little gallery walk: Looks cool, right? But it only looks cool. I didn’t leave enough margin for testi ...

My PressureI always laugh when I see this meme that our forefathers fought in the great war to save humanity and us from evil dictators, yet after their death they came to realize that Gen Z now has depression or pressure. It is a joke to them and to me. I thought only those who experienced great trauma or great misfortune had the right to claim such honor. Others are losers. A loser is a failure in society. Nobody cares. Unfortunately, thoughts can be a crime. And I was given a death sentence b ...

CMOS “What we didn’t realize was that it would reduce the cost of electronic functions by a factor of a million to one” - Jack Kilby Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductors What is CMOS?CMOS stands for Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor. MOSFET Structure and TerminalsThe MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) is the building block of CMOS. It has four key regions: Source: where carriers (electrons) enter the channel. Drain: where carriers exit. Gate: a metal electrode ...

Phones Can’t Trap Us A gun doesn’t become notorious because it is made out of metal. A gun is just a commodity that is man-made. Nicolas Cage is not the Lord of War if there are no wars. Simply, selling weapons creates such conditions for war. Drugs did not become a problem until laws permitted it. Should we then ban democracy if it is such a system that allows drugs to be legal? So recently, when I was traveling around the globe, I often saw banners, PSAs, or healthcare ads warning us not ...

Short StoryI was customizing air filter panels. Why? Because I’m being irrational with my money. Just kidding. I was messaging a Chinese factory that specialized in producing paneled air filters. Here’s how the conversation went: 1234567891011Me: How much for one panel, 155mm × 255mm × 10mm?Manufacturer: Sixty for one, or a hundred for four.Me: How about fifty for just one? I only need one.Manufacturer: Wait, let me check with my supervisor...Manufacturer: Our starting price is sixty, but we can ...

Can Freedom and Coercion be Mutually Inclusive?When the little man asks for a job: But his acquaintance knits his brow and says that that is objectively impossible. Business is bad, he says, and he’s even been obliged to let many employees go. The man should not be angry with him, for it is not within his power, his freedom doesn’t extend that far. Who is the little man?The ordinary, powerless individual in society. Someone who believes the “propagandaish” promise of freedom, but continually r ...