Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are primarily used to make electrical connections between onboard and external components. They also tend to be very strong mechanically, and can be made in just about any physical footprint you can imagine via quick-turn PCB manufacturing. Solderix, from the team behind Croatian electronics manufacturer Pulsar Labs, takes advantage of these fantastic electromechanical properties as a simple prototyping platform.
Solderix PCBs include an easy connection system, requiring only a screwdriver for assembly. With this you can make a “Zoom” remote-controlled car, complete with a standalone controller module. You can also make this into a line follower, add a camera, attach a Jeep shell kit, and more. There’s even an enhanced controller with a small screen for FPV use mounted to the top.
The car and joystick each use an ESP32 carrier board called a Solderbit – or SolderBit Pro with enhanced features – as its main processing unit. Solderbits are set up via Solderix’s online Scratch-like programming interface. The system is also compatible with BBC micro:bit processor boards, providing another (possibly already familiar) control option.
It looks like a lot of fun, especially for those just starting out in the world of electronics and/or curious about how things work. As explained in their (fully funded) Kickstarter campaign, today’s technology, sadly, tends to take the form of black boxes that are difficult to disassemble and explore.
“Older generations learned by the natural process of exploration and discovery, and they became the masters of DIY culture and future engineers, problem solvers, or even astronauts!” Solderix is designed to fill that gap, as “a fun, LEGO-like system made of real circuit boards that lets kids (and curious adults) build, explore, and truly understand electronics, robotics, and engineering.” Find out more on the Solderix Kickstarter page or in the video below.