These startups are making smarter canes for people with visual impairmentsThe white cane for the 21st century. While many tech companies have increasingly worked to make technology more accessible for the blind and visually impaired, canes haven’t benefitted much from these advances. London-born WeWalk takes a more traditional approach to the white cane. Beyond the bulkier handle, not much sets the company’s product apart visually […]
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Bitcoin corporate treasury shareholder proposal submitted to Meta"Due to its verifiable fixed supply, Bitcoin is the most inflation-resistant store of value available," the proposal read.

Bit-Banging the USB-PD ProtocolFor one-off projects, adding a few integrated circuits to a PCB is not too big of a deal. The price of transistors is extremely low thanks to Moore and his laws, so we’re fairly free to throw chips around like peanuts. But for extremely space-constrained projects, huge production runs, or for engineering challenges, every bit of PCB real estate counts. [g3gg0] falls into the latter group, and this project aims to remove the dedicated USB-PD module from a lighting project and instead bit-bang the protocol with the ESP32 already on the board.
The modern USB power delivery (PD) protocol isn’t quite as simple as older USB ports that simply present a 5V source to whatever plugs itself into the port. But with the added complexity we get a lot more capability including different voltages and greater power handling capabilities. The first step with the PD protocol is to communicate with a power source, which requires a 1.2V 600kHz signal. Just generating the signal is challenging enough, but the data encoding for USB requires level changes to encode bits rather than voltage levels directly. With that handled, the program can then move on to encoding packets and sending them out over the bus.
After everything is said and done, [g3gg0] has a piece of software that lets the ESP32 request voltages from a power supply, sniff and log PD communication, and inject commands with vendor defined messages (VDM), all without needing to use something like a CH224K chip which would normally offload the USB-PD tasks. For anyone looking to save PCB space for whatever reason, this could be a valuable starting point. To see some more capabilities of the protocol, check out this USB-PD power supply that can deliver 2 kW.

Life Without Limits: A Blind Maker’s Take on 3D PrintingIn the world of creation, few stories inspire as much as [Mrblindguardian], a 33-year-old who has been blind since the age of two, but refuses to let that hold him back. Using OpenSCAD and a 3D printer, [Mrblindguardian] designs and prints models independently, relying on speech software and touch to bring his ideas to life. His story, published on his website Accessible3D.io, is a call to action for makers to embrace accessibility in their designs and tools.
[Mrblindguardian]’s approach to 3D printing with OpenSCAD is fascinating. Without visual cues, he can still code every detail of his designs, like a tactile emergency plan for his workplace. The challenges are there: navigating software as a blind user, mastering 3D printers, and building from scratch. His tip: start small. Taking on a very simple project allows you to get accustomed to the software while avoiding pressure and frustation.
His successes highlight how persistence, community support, and creativity can break barriers. His journey mirrors efforts by others, like 3D printed braille maps or accessible prosthetics, each turning daily limitations into ingenious innovations. [Mrblindguardian] seems to be out to empower others, so bookmark his page for that what’s yet to come.
Accessible tech isn’t just about empowering. Share your thoughts in the comments if you have similar experiences – or good solutions to limitations like these! As [Mrblindguardian] says on his blog: “take the leap. Let’s turn the impossible into the tangible—one layer at a time”.

I am fully blind, and this is how I 3d design and print independantly byu/Mrblindguardian inprusa3d

How to create the perfect sample: 5 tips and techniques
2x GRAMMY-nominated music producer John Smythe breaks down the process for how he creates a perfect sample, from ideation to completion.

New public YouTube Audience stat: What it means for artistsA new public YouTube audience stat provides a new metric for artists and he industry to measure and market popularity.
The post New public YouTube Audience stat: What it means for artists appeared first on Hypebot.

Music Industry Trends 2025: Panel of experts weighs inHypebot's panel of experts weighs in on music industry trends 2025 and how they will shape the business this year.
The post Music Industry Trends 2025: Panel of experts weighs in appeared first on Hypebot.

How to make Music Merch and Sell It: 7 Step GuideLooking for a new way to boost income and connect with fans? Learn the seven steps to make merch that will leave a lasting impression.and then sell it.
The post How to make Music Merch and Sell It: 7 Step Guide appeared first on Hypebot.

From Blackstone’s Citrin Cooperman acquisition to Travis Scott’s alleged copyright infringement… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
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Krotos’ AI Ambience Generator gains image-to-sound feature Krotos Studio now allows creators to generate audio ambiences directly from an image, eliminating the need to sift through extensive sample libraries in search of their desired sounds.

NAMM CEO says 2025 show will take place as planned but is “closely monitoring LA wildfires”John Mlynczak, NAMM’s CEO, has shared an update on this month’s event due to the catastrophic LA wildfires, confirming the show is not being disrupted but the team will offer “additional accommodations” where required.
READ MORE: What to expect at NAMM 2025
10 people have lost their lives according to LA authorities, and many have lost their homes. At the time of writing, five fires are currently active across the city and 179,000 residents are under evacuation orders. Another 200,000 have been warned that they may also need to leave their homes.
Mlynczak released an official statement on 9 January, confirming that “the 2025 NAMM Show will be able to take place as planned from January 21-25 in Anaheim.” However, the team are “closely monitoring” the fires, as destruction and loss continue.
The deadline for badge allotment has been extended to Friday 10 January for all member companies, and NAMM “will offer any additional accommodations needed” for its members and attendees in LA who are affected.
“During the past few days, our efforts have been focused on reaching out to our members and partners located in the metropolitan Los Angeles area to confirm their safety. Our thoughts are with them at this time,” he says.
“Anaheim is located 60 miles southeast of the wildfires and is currently unaffected.  We are actively working with our partners in Anaheim and the local authorities to ensure we have accurate, up-to-date information. Both Los Angeles International (LAX) and Orange County (John Wayne) airports have remained fully operational.”
Mlynczak concludes, “NAMM will continue to monitor the situation daily as the winds calm down and fires are contained. We will communicate any further information as it’s available leading up to the 2025 show. We know the road to recovery will be long for the communities affected. NAMM and The NAMM Foundation are committed to supporting the needs of our members and partners in LA through this unprecedented tragedy.”
For further updates, you can check back on the NAMM website. MusicTech will also provide further information, should the event change. If you are in LA, the latest updates on all live incidents and safety information can be found via Cal Fire.
The post NAMM CEO says 2025 show will take place as planned but is “closely monitoring LA wildfires” appeared first on MusicTech.

Noise Engineering introduce Confundo Funkidos Noise Engineering have announced the launch of Confundo Funkidos, a successor to their hugely popular Confundo Funkitus module that has been inspired by DJ performance techniques.

Wise Music Group acquires Austria-based classical music publisher Doblinger MusikverlagDeal follows the divestment of Wise Music's Digital Education division
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TikTok tells LA staff impacted by wildfires to use personal/sick hours if they can’t work from homeWildfires are currently devastating the greater Los Angeles area, burning over 45 square miles, torching over 1,300 structures, and putting nearly 180,000 people under evacuation orders as of Thursday. And yet, TikTok’s LA-based employees are being told to either continue their work from home or use their personal/sick days if that’s not possible, while the […]
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XRP price preps for 'powerful move' above $2.90 as sentiment metrics signal optimismXRP’s market structure suggests that the altcoin is gearing up for a run to new all-time highs.