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Ask HN: Most interesting tech you built for just yourself?

1901 points l2silver | 4 comments | 27 Apr 23 15:04 UTC | HN request time: 0.699s | source

Maybe you've created your own AR program for wearables that shows the definition of a word when you highlight it IRL, or you've built a personal calendar app for your family to display on a monitor in the kitchen. Whatever it is, I'd love to hear it.
1. NotPavlovsDog ◴[28 Apr 23 18:37 UTC] No.35745320[source]▶
A TDCS device. Trans-cranial Direct Current Stimulation, mostly experimental, somewhat proven for short-term depression and cognition improvement. Motivation was my solution would be simpler and easier to control as well as include triple safety.

I had little trust for the Chinese IC steered devices nor the early US attempters at pop market that refuse to describe even their safety approach.

Pleased with my personal results. Would not openly recommend doing it, because the DIY route as well as adopting TDCS do require that you can competently read medical studies. At least half of those I browsed fail good science test even at first glance.

And then of course the manufacturers and sellers are even worse, such as they are quite good at parroting misquotes of study results for marketing and PR.

Next plan is build an ECG and my own medical ultrasound, although with that one it is probably best to wait for about 5 to 7 years till the new-tech ultrasound generators get to market.

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2. yeswecatan ◴[28 Apr 23 20:18 UTC] No.35746561[source]▶
If you're in the area, Stanford's Brain Stimulation Lab is always recruiting for clinical trials: https://bsl.stanford.edu/clinical-trials/
3. wholinator2 ◴[28 Apr 23 21:54 UTC] No.35747560[source]▶
So did you build the device or research and purchase a personal one? I've been thinking of doing this for probably approaching a decade and been terrified of the potential consequences.

What do you use it for? Just the typical depression type thing or have you experimented with it at all? Super interested

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4. NotPavlovsDog ◴[29 Apr 23 08:20 UTC] No.35751102[source]▶
1. Built from scratch on protoboard, analog ammeter, lm337, fuses on input and output, tight safety tolerances, multiple fail-safes.

2. I have experimented with cognition and mood modulation with positive personal results. I would prefer not to go over my current area of application since it is outside of the well-tested. Too often personal anecdotes on the internet may be misinterpreted as "proof", dangerous in areas that require a solid scientific approach.

3. Sadly, and the credible scientists have been calling for such research for years, no solid long-term, large-scale studies have been done on TDCS. What has been widely and somewhat better researched is a) application for depression alleviation and b) cognition modulation.