Make: Volume 76

Make: Volume 76's cover story is an enlightening profile feature about Jorvon Moss, aka "Odd Jayy," the genesis of his delightful robotic companions and his new set of moving, responsive sci-fi goggles.

Then, take a deep dive into LoRa, the long-range, free-to-use wireless protocol that's great for tracking sensor data. Learn the basics in our in-depth primer, and then put your knowledge to use building an off-the-grid portable text messaging network.

And in our special music section, create new and interesting musical instruments using everyday maker tools like microcontrollers, servos, and more. Learn to set up a MIDI-enabled, BLE driven xylophone. Then make a tapping bot that listens to the rhythms around it and synchronizes its output to match them. And finally, build a 3D-printed pocket synthesizer that omits a dedicated PCB for simple route-in-place wiring. Now you're ready to rock!

Plus, explore 30+ projects and skill builders, including:

• Construct a location tracking clock like the Weasley family has in the Harry Potter series
• Build a unique, single-rotor "ball drone" that uses air vanes to navigate
• Learn to use a Raspberry Pi & Pi camera to stream live video
• Make a fold-up kayak out of corrugated plastic sheets
• And tons more projects and maker inspiration!

Mike Senese is the Executive Editor of Make: magazine. He is also a TV host, starring in various engineering and science shows for Discovery Channel, including Punkin Chunkin, How Stuff Works, and Catch It Keep It.

An avid maker, Mike spends his spare time tinkering with remote-control aircraft, doing amateur woodworking, and attempting to cook the perfect pizza.