My old project Exploristo started a long time ago quite simply. As it usually goes with projects like this: you solve some small problem of your own, you do one quite sensible thing, then it quietly pulls the next one along, and before long it’s too late to pretend this was ever a small experiment.
AI has become the main subject of internet hype in recent years, much like cryptocurrency a decade ago. Large language models can do things that seemed impossible not long ago: write code, produce text, explain complex phenomena. They look almost intelligent.
Schützenfest is a traditional German festival where villages march like empires and drink like there’s no tomorrow. Expect parades with a king, cuirassiers on massive horses, muskets with roses in the barrels, and a wooden bird everyone’s trying to shoot down to become the “king.” Add brass bands, sausages, beer, and a heroic dose of pomp — and you’ve got the biggest party of the year.
I’ve got a regular desk setup. There’s a monitor on it. All good — except plugging in USB devices is a pain. The USB-A (old) ports are placed on the bottom edge, so every time I need to connect something, I play the classic game of “flip the plug the right way by feel.” And if it’s a USB-C device — it has to go directly into the laptop, since that’s the only place with the right port.
Casually put together a small but rather fun project. I got curious about how much power my DIY gadgets actually consume—and at the same time, I wanted to check the real capacity of those AliExpress batteries. Sure, you could use a multimeter, but then you’d have to rig up some janky setup to wedge it into a USB cable, plus keep unplugging it whenever you need it elsewhere. And devices with microcontrollers have fluctuating power draw depending on their operating mode. So I built myself a dedicated device.
