Alex Glow (merlin)
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alexglow.bsky.social
Alex Glow (merlin)
@alexglow.bsky.social
2.5K followers 1.2K following 830 posts
Sustainable electronics, robots, PCBs, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, open-source DIY hardware... + music, languages, art • Masto: @alexglow@chaos.social • Was @glowascii on bird site • she/her • thoughts & feels my own.
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alexglow.bsky.social
Alex Glow (merlin) @alexglow.bsky.social · Nov 25
Hey! You may have seen my videos on Hackster.io – or my #robot owl Archimedes & other #CompanionBots; my Ouija #ESP8266 planchette PCB; the Companion Core...
Or seen me in Make:, Hackaday, HackSpace mag, the Adafruit blog, TWiT, Recomendo, etc.

As I make new project threads, I'll link them below :D
Alex (30s white woman with side-shaved blue hair) smiles over at the blue owl robot on her shoulder. Pic from 2018! Profile shot, showing my earring – a black circuit board shaped like a Ouija board planchette, which says "ESP-01" at the top and features chalk-like drawings of nasturtiums twining around it. Close-up of the same PCB in use – with an FTDI cable programming an ESP8266 module; both are plugged into headers on the circuit board. (There are PROGRAM and RESET buttons mounted to the bottom.) A bare PCB sits on the same blue silicone mat. Holding up two PCBs with a striking ribcage design, labeled "Companion Core". The left one is black, with a copper ribcage; the right one is purple, and its ribs are slightly lighter purple and raised (due to the copper layer below). This one has servos plugged into headers on one side, and the ribs stand out in gold where the solder mask has been omitted in a heart shape. The bottom of each board says, "Mittler zwischen Hirn und Händen muss das Herz sein": a quotation from Metropolis, "the mediator between head and hands must be the heart."
alexglow.bsky.social
Going live in just a few minutes, interviewing @mith.ro for @hacksterio.bsky.social !

Tune in for updates on custom, low-cost, open-source silicon manufacturing with wafer.space!
February 10, 2026 at 11:28 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
Live in about 5 hours!
alexglow.bsky.social Alex Glow (merlin) @alexglow.bsky.social · 1d
Stoked to interview @mith.ro about wafer.space this Tues – kicking off a new season of #HacksterCafe ! Custom, low-cost, #OpenSource #silicon fab, crowdfunded on @crowdsupply.bsky.social 👀

📍 @hacksterio.bsky.social
⏰ Feb. 10 @ 3:30pm PST / 11:30pm UTC
➡️ www.linkedin.com/events/74268...
Video thumbnail featuring mithro's portrait with a silicon wafer in the background
February 10, 2026 at 6:27 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
Stoked to interview @mith.ro about wafer.space this Tues – kicking off a new season of #HacksterCafe ! Custom, low-cost, #OpenSource #silicon fab, crowdfunded on @crowdsupply.bsky.social 👀

📍 @hacksterio.bsky.social
⏰ Feb. 10 @ 3:30pm PST / 11:30pm UTC
➡️ www.linkedin.com/events/74268...
Video thumbnail featuring mithro's portrait with a silicon wafer in the background
February 10, 2026 at 5:40 AM
Reposted by Alex Glow (merlin)
charliejane.bsky.social
Right now we're at $5500!

Can we raise some more money today for this utterly vital organization? 💝
February 9, 2026 at 6:31 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
Ordered some special #chainmail rings from ‪https://spiderchain.com‬ and there was an option to pick them up IRL in Castro Valley! Put that in earlier today, and the package is already set.

Gonna try and make it out there the same day, just for the achievement 😸
February 7, 2026 at 1:16 AM
alexglow.bsky.social
Want to save data to your earrings?
I've been working on this #Charmware MicroSD #jewelry concept for over a year, and (as with the recent LED one), am SO EXCITED to finally pull together some semi-polished prototypes!

Site coming soon at charmware.tech 👀

// #WearableTech #chainmail #privacy
February 4, 2026 at 9:53 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
Alt text + tagging #USPol – point 3 is MASSIVE.
It imposes extra costs and unexpcted barriers on tens of millions of married people, plus untold trans people and others who have changed their names. Many would be turned away from voting because they wouldn't know, or wouldn't have birth cert handy.
The GOP's new Voter Suppression Bill (deceptively called the "SAVE Act") would: 1. Require that election officials conduct ongoing voter purges using info from the DHS, SSA. or other agencies & "databases" that profess to confirm citizenship, with no penalty for the many thousands of mistakes that GOP officials typically make when conducting voter purges. 2. Require that everyone registering to vote or changing their registration (or re-registering after a faulty voter purge) prove their citizenship in person with approved documentation (eg, a passport or certified birth certificate, which up to 21 million citizens don't have). 3. Disenfranchise many of the 69 million married women whose last names don't match their birth certificates (because the bill doesn't list marriage certificates as approved documents). 4. Subject any election official to criminal penalties (a fine of up to 5 years in prison) & citizen lawsuits for inadvertently registering a single voter without approved documentation, even if the voter is a citizen.
February 4, 2026 at 9:43 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
I searched "Hatsune Miku" in the #DuckDuckGo browser app, and it dressed up the little icon as her?!

Any others I should know about? :D
Search bar with "hatsune miku"; the tiny goose in the icon has her iconic teal twintails and a matching neck bow
January 31, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Reposted by Alex Glow (merlin)
antlervel.vet
Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step.

1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.

2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
January 23, 2026 at 3:46 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
Live in ~45!! 🤘
Somedayyyy I will get better at setting these up earlierrrrrrr
🛠️🫶✨
January 22, 2026 at 7:15 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
New #DayGlowShow today (Thurs) with @ishotjr.bsky.social ! Live deep-dive on #Jumperless (@architeuthisflux.bsky.social), new #RaspberryPi #hardware, event reports, & more 🤩

Noon PST, 3pm EST, 8pm UTC:
▶️ YT: see below
▶️ www.linkedin.com/posts/alexgl...
▶️ www.twitch.tv/glowascii

#Electronics #Maker
DAY//GLOW Ep. 7: Jumperless Jam
YouTube video by Alex Glow
www.youtube.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:46 AM
Reposted by Alex Glow (merlin)
cara.city
the texture of CRT scanlines on silkscreens is just so perfect damn
image of a glitch art ascii heart (less than three) on a purple silk screen, the scan lines are visible
January 22, 2026 at 6:46 AM
alexglow.bsky.social
This is EXACTLY why I want to get good enough at repairing hardware, fabbing swap-in parts, and wearables/prostheses to bypass manufacturer locks!

OK, maybe not *exactly* – I'm fairly squeamish 😅 But I can collab w/ software, security, & wetware specialists~
January 20, 2026 at 2:56 AM
alexglow.bsky.social
Just had the honor of putting this over the top!! 🫶
Please join me, if you can – predictable, ongoing support is a lifeline.
divyampersaud.com Dr. Divya 🇵🇸 (offline) @divyampersaud.com · 27d
Most people can't fundraise online for life-saving winter supplies. This is one way Spark Space is providing a CRUCIAL service: internet & electricity so that workers can connect to remote jobs—to earn income.

Click "weekly" on a coffee to keep the lights on: chuffed.org/project/spar...
🇵🇸 Gaza Needs Your Support: Help Build a Lifeline for Students and Remote Workers!
In Gaza, war has destroyed homes, blocked roads, and left countless people without work. Yet, amidst the rubble, hope remains. Students and remote workers face daily struggles—power outages, broken…
chuffed.org
January 15, 2026 at 2:16 AM
alexglow.bsky.social
Oooo, these look cool 👀
laweyd.bsky.social 🌞 LaweyD 🌞 Hiatus @laweyd.bsky.social · 28d
Hello guys !

A friendly reminder that all my four digital comics are currently ~40% OFF on Itchio 🥳

Link: laweyd.itch.io
January 13, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Reposted by Alex Glow (merlin)
emily.space
Vienna has a lively astronomy department - consider applying to the below if you'd be interested in a four year (!!) position here: 🔭☄️
blazgaspa.bsky.social Blaž Gasparini @blazgaspa.bsky.social · Jan 5
4-year postdoctoral fellowships for women @univie.ac.at

The application consists of a short (3-page) research statement only.

Feel free to get in touch if you’re interested or would like to discuss potential projects.

careers.univie.ac.at/en/postdoc/e...

Application deadline: 2 March 2026
E-STEEM: Postdoctoral Positions for Women in STEM and Economics - University of Vienna
Supporting women in science: Postdoctoral positions in STEM and Economics as part of the E-STEEM programme. Apply between January and March 2026.
careers.univie.ac.at
January 5, 2026 at 8:33 AM
alexglow.bsky.social
New vid! #PCBs I made in 2025, pt. 1: LED charm ✨
www.instagram.com/reel/DTH1Nue...

Been dreaming of prototyping with these new #Charmware (modular tech #jewelry) bits, plus elytra & bike-leather... and scraping together the braincells to publish.
Eat it, burnout! :D

// #Maker #WearableTech #LEDs
Alex holds up an earring made with a little black-and-gold board, a hidden blue LED, jewel beetle wing casings (elytra), and upcycled bike inner-tube rubber (which I call "bike leather"). Wearing the earring: the blue LED sheds its light on my cheek and palm.
January 5, 2026 at 11:14 AM
alexglow.bsky.social
Heading to #CES next week! Will mainly be running around Eureka Park for startups; also scouting eco, bio/neuro, and exciting stuff outside of hype bubbles.

Also looking for a spare ticket :) But I'll figure it out either way!

// #electronics #hardware #sustainability #biohacking #neuroscience
Alex plays an electric guitar with her guitar pick PCB earring, at CES '25 Alex throws up the horns while being fitted with a demo robotic exoskeleton
January 2, 2026 at 9:08 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
Tagging for filters: #USPOL
bubbaprog.xyz Timothy Burke @bubbaprog.xyz · Dec 23
The full spiked 60 Minutes CECOT package, clean & subtitled. 1/5
December 23, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Reposted by Alex Glow (merlin)
drsaddison.bsky.social
Gotta say I need to train more for next year's Solstice, but I'm really glad I bought that pair of Brooks runners with the design by Lisa Congdon a couple of years ago! Stylish and comfortable.
neolithicsheep.bsky.social Shepherd @neolithicsheep.bsky.social · Dec 21
TOMORROW IS THE WINTER SOLSTICE AND Y'ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. It is time for the women (defined broadly) to hunt the Year King through the woods and tear him apart with their bare hands!
December 21, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Reposted by Alex Glow (merlin)
garethbranwyn.bsky.social
Don't forget: Subscribe to "Gar's Tips & Tools" for a chance to win an incredibly cool mini flashlight. Upgrade to a paid sub for three drawing entries!

Only two more days to enter!

garstipsandtools.com/p/gars-tips-...
Gar's Tips & Tools - Issue #207
Access to tools, techniques, and shop tales from the diverse worlds of DIY
garstipsandtools.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:57 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
This week’s #HacksterCafe guest is Shrouk El-Attar! A UN and BBC honoree, Shrouk consults on #space, #WearableTech, & #IoT #hardware and uplifts human rights.

LIVE: Tues, Dec. 16
10:30am PST / 6:30pm UTC
▶️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdrD...
▶️ www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

🎙️ @hacksterio.bsky.social
Shrouk El-Attar: Consulting Polymath // Hackster Café
YouTube video by Hackster.io, an Avnet community
www.youtube.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:41 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
AHHAHAHAAAAA! I was trying to find this thing the other week!!! I mis-remembered that it was a computer. HAHA YESSSS @ishotjr.bsky.social
obsoletearchive.bsky.social Obsolete Electronics Archive @obsoletearchive.bsky.social · Dec 15
1978 JVC Video Capsule 3100R
December 15, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Reposted by Alex Glow (merlin)
earlthird.bsky.social
While digging through my Game Boy carts last night I found what might be my favorite bootleg find. The title and label really capture what I love about unofficial releases.
A bootleg Game Boy cartridge of The Blues Brothers (1992, Titus). Despite being a black and white Game Boy game, it’s in a Game Boy Color style cart (albeit with a notch in the back so it can still physically fit in an original DMG-01) that’s molded in yellow, and says “Game Color” where an official cart would read Game Boy Color. Despite being a copy of The Blues Brothers, the cartridge label has a picture of Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as seen on the poster for Men in Black. According to the cartridge label, the game is simply called “The Blues Brother”. Rest assured, you can indeed still play as both Jake and Elwood. I purchased this at a GameCrazy in 2005, where it sat among the other Game Boy/Color games as if nothing was amiss.
December 12, 2025 at 10:12 PM
alexglow.bsky.social
Tues #hardware update & #HackOClock coming up in ~30!

Lovely new black #PCBs arrived; testing & wrapping up a new Joule Thief design in #KiCad – plus, #PenPlotter prep for holiday cards?? ✨

▶️ youtube.com/glowascii
▶️ www.twitch.tv/glowascii
▶️ linkedin.com/in/alexglow

// #electronics #maker
Alex Glow
DIY robotics, wearable tech, music, languages, and more – with a cozy, chaotic, techno-arcane flavor. I've been creating videos for Hackster.io's channel since 2015, and making electronics since '09. ...
youtube.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:03 AM