It won’t be one thing most individuals take into consideration usually, however electronics hobbyists {and professional} engineers by no means know when a little bit of hacking will come in useful. Whether or not you are testing the safety of a community or troubleshooting a defective gadget, having the precise instruments makes all of the distinction. Fortunately, there are extra succesful choices accessible in the present day than ever earlier than — just like the Flipper Zero, for instance.
Nonetheless, if you need a real always-on-you multi-tool, even a compact gadget just like the Flipper Zero could be too giant. If that’s the spot you end up in, a brand new gadget referred to as HackStar is value a glance. It’s an open supply, RP2350-based programmable USB management and automation gadget. The {hardware} is all packed right into a tiny USB dongle that you could slip into your pocket and neglect about till you want it.
Plug it right into a USB port to get began (📷: Arushi)
HackStar features as a USB Human Interface Gadget (HID), which means it might act like a regular keyboard when plugged into a pc or cell gadget. This allows programmable keystroke injection on the {hardware} stage, permitting predefined instructions to execute immediately with out requiring drivers or software program set up. As a result of it operates immediately over native USB protocols, the gadget delivers quick, dependable efficiency that’s impartial of the host working system.
In contrast to conventional macro instruments that depend on background purposes, HackStar runs its logic onboard. Builders can program complicated workflows utilizing MicroPython, CircuitPython, or C/C++, defining sequences, delays, and conditional habits. This makes it appropriate for every little thing from productiveness automation to managed safety testing and USB protocol demonstrations.
HackStar works with telephones as nicely (📷: Arushi)
The gadget is constructed across the Raspberry Pi RP2350 microcontroller, a dual-core chip designed for contemporary embedded techniques. With native USB help and hardware-level integration, the RP2350 allows low-latency HID execution and steady cross-platform compatibility. It additionally introduces superior options like TrustZone and {hardware} cryptographic acceleration, making HackStar a safe choice for delicate workflows.
Firmware, examples, and improvement assets are publicly accessible, giving customers full management over how the gadget behaves. This transparency eliminates hidden performance and permits builders to customise the platform to suit their precise wants.
HackStar is at the moment accessible on Kickstarter, beginning at $34. Delivery is predicted to start in June 2026.