Jana Marie Hemsing

Welcome to my landing page, it seems I have filled it up a bit now, enjoy reading. Meow! :3

about me

I'm an electronics and embedded engineer from Germany interested in designing elegant hardware, focusing on user integration and interaction. Furthermore, I'm interested in chemical biology, life sciences, photography digital and analog, and the metabolism & micro-biology of both, plants and humans. That's what led me to study chemical biology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), which I am currently pursuing alongside my job. I love to explore (human) language and how it shapes our thoughts, behaviors, actions and the different environments we all live & survive in. In terms of work, I design human-machine interfaces with a San Francisco startup. I also do personal projects and get into things that currently spark my interests, such can usually be found on my GitHub. No Border! No Nation! No Authority! No Hierarchisation!

Anyhow, here is a, probably incomplete, list of everything I have done so far.

projects, my favorites

As already mentioned above, most of my projects can be found on GitHub. But to give you a short glance, here are some of my better known projects. In January 2020 I released an open source USB-PD-based soldering iron, it is based upon the infamous TS100. This iron is still one of my most reliable tools that is always with me. It was followed by its pro version which accepts JBC handles and cartridges.

Around the same time I also launched my own devboard called OtterPill, of which I had ~200 units produced and shipped to various countries in the world. This devboard is still relevant to my work and is frequently used.

My biggest and most well know project is OtterCast, an open source audio streaming device running Linux. Like most of my other projects, it was created to fill a gap where no other devices were available. It is used on a daily basis by me, and a few other people and was developed by a wonderful team that I put together and led.

Since I wanted to learn Rust and had a problem I needed a solution for, I did so. This is very different from what I usually do, but it was also fun and taught me Rust very well! Hlcc was created by me, a hormone level conversion calculator with string input parsing. As it was compiled for web, a working version can be found at hlcc.haj.gf.

Another noteworthy, but also quite old project is TranspOtter, an award winning robotics platform for last mile transport.

I recently started reading about colours and how they can convey or underline messages. To experiment with series of colours and their interaction with themselfes I deployed this small colour-tool, currently showing a palette I created for a dark, witchy, herbaceous atmosphere.

Oh, and I also love photography. I have started uploading my photos to Flickr recently.

projects, hardware

• OtterCast, a family of open-source audio streaming devices running Linux.
• OtterCam-s3, an open source 1080p60Hz USB & IP camera based on Sochip s3 and OS05A10/OS05A20.
• Otter-Iron, a TS100 USB-PD replacement PCB.
• Otter-Iron-PRO, a portable USB-PD soldering station for JBC (C245) handles.
• EF-S-Adapter, a USB to EF-S lens bayonetta.
• anotter-sensor-hub, is anotter OSHW environment sensor hub, focussed on Sensirion SEN055/SEN05x sensors.
• OtterPill, a STM32F072 dev board with arduino nano alike pinout.
• ligra, an open source image projector build from scratch and based off of flea market parts.
• dìyījí, an open source slanted desktop audio-monitor stand.
• analog-toolkit, a small and simple STM32G431 based dev board, doubling as analog-to-usb acquisition tool.
• Type-C recessed, an easy way of recessing Type-C receptacles, flush into PCBs.
• MINIMIX, a minimal audio mixer.
• miniscan, a simple platform to fix 35mm film in place with an even backlight for scanning purposes.
• LAEMP-Prism, an aesthetically pleasing and colorful effect lamp that can be used in your home.
• LAEMP-Panel, a Zigbee controllable (e.g. philips hue) RGBY + W spot.
• LAEMP-Spoet, a snack for moths (a six-channel spotlight).
• MiniBee, a smol Zigbee endpoint to integrate addressable LEDs (e.g. SK6812, WS2812) into existing smart lighting systems (e.g. Philips Hue).
• philphoc-luma, a Zigbee/Hue to WS2812 or similar addressable LED bridge.
• temperature-logger, is anotter USB temperature logger that can record up to four channels with thermocouple, or NTCs connected via CDC directly, or SCPI to USB.
• hoverboard-breakout,a hoverboard to I2C, UART, Analog and Nunchuk breakout board.
• mini-motor-controller, a controller for miniature stepper motors.
• Small-Form-factor-Toy, a standalone board for reading SFP(+) EEPROMS, writing them and utilizing SFP modules.
• USB-UART-BRIDGE, a USB to UART bridge & ESP programmer featuring tag-connect.
• USB-I2C-BRIDGE, a USB to I2C bridge featuring tag-connect.
• JEGGER_s-link, a USB to SWD/JTAG bridge featuring tag-connect.
• CH330_Hardware, a tiny CH330 breakout board.
• 18650-interlude, a very simple board to measure the current from a 18650 battery cell for power profiling.
• simple-dfu-tool, a simple helper for flashing devices via (USB) DFU.
• trainlog, a simple position and movement tracker/logger.
• PD-Injector, a USB-PD Power/Data Splitter.
• shitty-mlcc-xy-stage, an experiment aiming to develop a mechanical superresolution xy stage for the OpenIRV project.
• OtterPill-CAN-Adapter, a CAN-adapter for the OtterPill running candleLight firmware.
• Zoetrope-Flash, a camera vision flash.
• OPS, the Otter Power Supply.
• electrostatic-adhesion-plate, an experiment with electronic adhesion plates.
• PD-HUB, a 720W, 6 port USB-PD hub.
• Teebeutel-Image-Sensor-Expansion, a backpack board for Jadyn's Teebeutel
• otterlinear-keyboard, a smol ortholinear keyboard desgined by an otter for otters.
• OtterStepMini, a user friendly, up to 48V 10A stepper-motor-driver with USB-CDC and USB-PD for desktop-applications.
• haj-coaster, a colourful coaster highlighting your drinks temperature.
• Mini-TDS, a tiny software defined TDR.
• lab-balance, a hardware hack for chinese lab balances.
• JlinkBreakout, a collection of JLink breakouts.
• Enlightened-Otter, an Open-Source and OSHW work-light for hacker/maker events like the chaos communication congress, which can be screwed onto a club mate bottle.
• OtterControlNG, next generation of OtterControl.
• OtterScreenAdapter, a displayport to iPad 3/4 display adapter
• USB-LED-Otter,a tiny USB to adressable LED adapter. Fits in your USB port.
• LED-Polyhedron, a huge LED polygedron as cealing lamp.
• lightball, a replacement PCB for those cheap "flying balls" from AliExpress.
• otterprotect, an overcurrent and spark protection for LiPo batteries.
• amg8834-GPN17badge, a breakout board for AMG8834 thermal sensors and the GPN17 badge.
• gpn17-badge, is a badge we designed and produced for GPN17.
• tallylight, is a tallylight for voctomix with PoE.

projects, software

• GoLTGen, a Game of Life alike texture (and animation) generator.
• MP2300-Tools, a collection of tools I've written for Graphtecs MP2300 plotter.
• waveplus_exporter, a simple exporter for Airthings Waveplus air quality sensor.
• STM32G4xx_USB_CDC, a STM32G474 USB CDC example implementation, combined with Jan Breuer's SCPI parser library v2.
• STM32-HAL-I2C-Peripheral-Library, a ISC device library for STM32.
• Progeny-Vision-DX-Python, a collection of tools to interface Progeny Vision DX sensors.
• OtterControlNG-FW, firmware for OtterControlNG.
• USB-PD-Firmware, USB-PD firmware for STM32F072.
• tesla-midiplayer, an automatic midi file splitter.
• pac5532-gcc-make, example makefile for PAC5532.
• gerber2graphtec, a toolset for cutting SMT stencils on graphtec plotters.
• Digiotter, a CCD emulator for Digipan X-Ray sensors.
• python-l-system, a L-System written in python.
• zepto, a simple python2 script to list all chips that Zeptobars decapped.
• mch22-badge, the badge of MCH22, where I worked on the firmware.

projects, web

• hormone-level-conversion-calculator [source], a hormone level conversion calculator written in Rust.
• my-little-color-collection [source], a collection of all the color collections I've crafted
• all-colors-are-beautiful [source], a simple and yet beautiful pride flag color reference.
• theme-showcase-tool #1 [source], a simple webapp to place colours in a conical fashion.
• theme-showcase-tool #2 [source], a simple webapp to place colours side by side.
• haj.gf [source], sharks, on the internet?!
• 404.janamarie.dev [source], shruggs.
• social.haj.gf [source], a mastodon instance.

projects, everything else

• pure-chaos, a venture into analog photography, featuring a jammed Olympus RD 35 camera.
• KiCAD-libs, all my KiCAD libs.
• Dell-Precision-SSF-HDD-Carrier, a HDD carrier for my Precision Small Form Factor tower.
• citation-needed, wikipedia [citation needed] style sticker.
• IBM-dials-retrofit, a retrofit of an IBM Dials input device.
• transpOtterNG, build files for TranspOtterNG.
• Ottersauger, it saugs otter.
• EasyCoder-PX6i-Hack, a hardware hack for EasyCoder PX6i labelprinter.
• schlieren-videography, an experimental setup to capture Schlieren.
• Druckschnubbel, the Warpzone e.V. thermal-printer service.
• ECG-Simulator-Teensy, a ECG generator built with a Teensy 3.1.
• Rainbow-Space-Invader, a script to print OpenSCAD files with multiple colors.
• Image-to-3D-map, a Processing script to generate depth maps from images.
• GoLTGen Demo, a GoLTGen Demo video.
• vitacp, reverseengineering of a Vita devkit.

talks, workshops, publications & press

• "Issue #4: The epic Paged Out! story continues", I have written an article for Paged Out Issue #4, enjoy finding it!
• hackerhotel-stm-workshop, all files and notes for the "STM32 for Arduino Users" workshop at HackerHotel 2020.
• Jana Marie Hemsing - Show-and-Tell #018, a 1 hour interview with me.
• howto moving objects, GPN18.
• how we bodged the badge, GPN17.
• hack the badge - preisverleihung, GPN17.
• Hacker-Friendly And Elegant Air Quality Sensor Hub, Hackaday.
• Jana Marie Hemsing's Sensor Hub Boils Sensirion's SEN055 Sensor Down to an Attractive Dashboard, hackster.io.
• USB Temperature Logger With Some Extra Tricks, Hackaday.
• You Otter Be Able To Stream That Audio: Open Hardware Eclipses Chromecast Audio, Hackaday.
• OtterCast Looks to Launch OtterCastAmp Driven by a Sochip S3 SoC, hackster.io.
• OtterCastAudio V2 Is Set to Become an Alternative to Chromecast Audio, hackster.io.
• OtterCastAudioV2 OSHW Certification, oshwa.
• Proprietary Lenses Are No Problem With This USB Adaptor, Hackaday.
• Cheap Lab Balance Needs Upgrades, Gets Gutted Instead, Hackaday.
• Have JBC Soldering Handle, Will USB-C Power Deliver, Hackaday.
• Solder on the Go with Jana Marie Hemsing's Otter-Iron PRO: The Travel Iron We've Been Looking For!, hackster.io.
• A Nano With An Otter’s Bite, Hackaday.
• Add the Analog Toolkit to Your... Toolkit, Hackaday.
• OtterPill Is a Nano-Compatible STM32 Board with USB-PD, hackster.io.
• Adding USB-C To The TS100, But Not How You Think, Hackaday.
• USB-C PD for the TS100? This All-in-One Solution "Otter" Be Easier Than Some of the Other Hacks!, hackster.io.
• This Clever CMOS Sensor Breakout Sits at the Heart of a Custom Crafted Camera, hackster.io.
• Addressable LED Strings In Your USB, Hackaday.
• A Work Light For Hacker Events, Hackaday.
• Look Ma, No Glue! Electrostatic Adhesion As If By Magic, Hackaday.
• This Electrostatic Adhesion Plate Is Better Than Magnets, hackster.io.
• The Electric Vehicles Of Electromagnetic Field: The Ottermobile And The Ottercar, Hackaday.
• Reverse Engineer An X-Ray Image Sensor, Hackaday.
• Boxes, Form An Orderly Queue Behind The Armchair, Hackaday.
• Game Boy Advance Hiding In A Medical Device, Hackaday.
• Vacuum Exposure Unit Gives Better PCB Etching Results, Hackaday.
• Hacklet 90: Schlieren Videos And Jigsaw Puzzle Robots, Hackaday.
• 3D Printing Different Colors With A Single Extruder, Hackaday.
• 3D Printable LED Diffusors, Hackaday.
• Attiny PWM Generator And Servo Tester, Hackaday.
• An Audio Based USB Oscilloscope And Signal Generator For $20, Hackaday.
• Making Manual Lens Flares With A Few Simple Parts, Hackaday.
• A minimal 2x4 or 1x8 audio mixer board, Adafruit.

contact

Anyway, you can also contact me via Mastodon, LinkedIn, Flickr and Telegram, or reach out by email: hello@janamarie.dev in English, German, Spanish, toki pona, 中文 or French. You can find my CV here. I used to have Twitter, but I deprecated that account when the network went sideways.