Common readers might recall that safety researcher and basic open supply {hardware} enthusiast [Walker] has been making plans a moderately atypical flash power for a while — one that may best display its contents if the consumer makes certain to lick their arms earlier than plugging it in. We’re happy to document that principle has just lately given strategy to actual {hardware}, and the Ovrdrive “self-destructing” flash power is now a step nearer to fact.
The final time we checked in with [Walker], he hadn’t but put any {hardware} in combination, despite the fact that he was once moderately certain what parts he would want and the way it might all cross in combination. This was once assisted rather via the truth that USB flash drives are this kind of ubiquitous piece of tech, making their concept portions considerable and moderately neatly documented. As defined within the video beneath, all you actually want to spin up your personal flash power is the USB connector, the controller chip, and a pleasant slab of flash reminiscence for it to entry. Despite the fact that naturally you’re by yourself for spit detection.
What we particularly like about this undertaking is that [Walker] is freeing the entire thing as open supply {hardware}. So although you’re no longer serious about the entire lick-for-access function, you’ve nonetheless were given a boilerplate flash power design to construct on. We haven’t noticed a large number of DIY initiatives take on USB Mass Garage up to now, and in all probability this design can trade that.
However in fact, provided that the object works. In keeping with the video after the smash, [Walker] turns out to have hit a snag with this revision of the {hardware}. Whilst it enumerates as a garage tool when plugged into the pc, the running gadget claims its capability is 0. He thinks there may well be a swapped hint between the controller and flash chip guilty, so expectantly he can get issues looked after out earlier than too lengthy. We’ve been masking this undertaking because the summer time, and are keen to peer it move the end line.
Editor’s Observe: That is unrelated to the flash power itself, however let’s take a second to realize the shout-out to the builders of the entire open supply tool used to supply the undertaking and the accompanying video that [Walker] added to the tip of the presentation. We will have to all take into accout to pay appreciate to the parents that make such a lot of what we do conceivable.
