Several projects on this site involve the modding of consumer electronics for new and inventive purposes. The NES tv remote for example used an old remote control as the base of the whole project. However, the circuitry inside was diverted to the controls of an old NES controller. This process of redirecting the internal circuitry of a component is what I call “circuit hijacking” because essentially, the circuitry is “hijacked” to a new location and purpose. This method is by no means new, nor is it even difficult but in this article I will attempt to described the best ways that circuit hijacking is accomplished so you can begin hijacking your own circuits. Note: This is meant as an introduction to circuit modding. The elements covered in this article describe very basic techniques as this guide was written for the beginner. However, hopefully the tips recorded here will be of value to all.

1. The first step I take whenever I attempt a project like this is to spend some time analyzing the component’s original circuitry. You should look at the circuit traces and try to follow the logic to see where and how the component actually works. You don’t have to understand all of the circuitry but it definitely helps to understand the portions of the device that you want to alter. In reference to my remote project, I studied the lines that ran to channel buttons and volume buttons. These were the buttons that I was re-routing to connect with the NES controller’s buttons.

Above you can see what typical button connections look like on most circuitry. This means that below those rubber buttons of a remote control are circuit traces that look like this. When the rubber button is pressed a connection is made between the two segments of this connection and the desired function (channel up, for example) is activated. In my plan for the NES tv remote, I had to hijack the function of these buttons and re-route them to similar buttons from the NES controller circuitry. Thus, whenever the buttons on the NES controller were pressed, the corresponding functions were activated on the remote control.

2. The next step in hijacking the circuits is to scratch off a small portion the trace material covering the circuit lines. These lines can be of several colors but in the picture above, I am referring to the light green lines. Below this trace material lies the actuall copper (orange in color) used for conducting the current. This scratching is necessary as solder will only stick to the copper underneath. If you try to solder to the trace material the solder will simply ball up and fall off. In addition to scratching off the trace material on the hijacked board, you will also need to scratch off the material covering the copper lines on the board that you are re-routing to if necessary. For example, to hijack the circuit from my remote I scratched off a small portion of trace from the channel and volume button pads in the manner shown below.

3. Next you will need to solder wires to the scratched off portions of your circuit board. So, in my example above, I soldered one end of a wire to each of the exposed points of copper. Remember that solder will only bond with the copper portion of the board, but you will still need to be careful not to touch other components nearby. It is possible to damage IC’s and other components with too much heat. You will need to make sure that you have a good bead of solder on the connection with your wire to make sure that it will be stable and will conduct properly. This will need to be done for each button you are attempting to hijack.

4. Lastly, you will need to solder the ends of the wires you previously soldered to the original board to their new button pads. The new layout should be similar to the diagram above. When the button for the NES controller is pressed, then the circuit is closed for the remote’s button which activates the desired function (i.e. Channel Up). Once this type of connection has been completed for every button you wish to hijack, you are finished. Further details about the rest of the NES TV remote project can be found here.

Hopefully, this guide helped some of you understand the principles of circuit hijacking a little better. But, as always, if you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments below or send me an email. Ø

Are you prepared for the coming robot rebellion? Well, you’d better be cause if there’s one thing I’ve learned from today’s film industry it’s that robots will revolt against their makers and wreak havoc. Thankfully, one of the only sane men left in this world has come to our aid by writing the book “How to Survive a Robot Uprising”. I’d advise you to purchase this book immediately, it may just save your life…

sample exerpt from the site, “If you find yourself in a brawl with a robot, your only hope is to escape. A robot foe won’t trade insults and it can’t be intimidated. You should fully expect a swift pincer-clamping attack without warning. Follow the rules of disengagement; every second you spend within arm’s reach of a robot can take years off of your life - all of them.”

link - RobotUprising.com [thanks John]

You didn’t think I was going to miss this did you? Wired.com recently compiled their list of the 50 coolest robots ever - real or fictional. While the list is definitely an interesting read, I couldn’t help but notice a few of my favorites didn’t make the cut.

link - Wired.com

Enter the galactic space battles with the first bulletproof robotic spacesuit designed by JAXA, the Japanese equivalent to NASA but alot cooler. Wait, can you even fire a bullet in space? Next to follow in the space battle arms race are photon laser cannons, cloaking shields and tractor beams. [Did I mention StarTrek.com is going offline?]

link - Digital World Tokyo