Introduction
Chapter 1: Passive Components
Chapter 2: Semiconductors
Chapter 3: Electromechanics
Chapter 4: Cables and Connectors
Chapter 5: Retro Tech
Chapter 6: Composite Devices
Afterword: Creating Cross Sections
Glossary
Eric Schlaepfer runs the popular engineering Twitter account @TubeTimeUS, where he posts cross section photos, discusses retrocomputing and reverse engineering, and investigates engineering accidents. Some of his better-known projects include the MOnSter 6502 (the world's largest 6502 microprocessor, made out of individual transistors) and the Snark Barker (a retro recreation of the famous Sound Blaster sound card). Windell H. Oskay is the co-founder of Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories, where he designs robots. A longtime photographer, he holds a B.A. in Physics and Mathematics from Lake Forest College and a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of The Annotated Build-It-Yourself Science Laboratory.
"This book made me fall in love with electronics all over again . .
. Part history book, part coffee-table book, and part journey into
the inner lives of the electronics, [Open Circuits] is a
fascinating journey through the history of electronics."
-Haje Jan Kamps, TechCrunch
"Its stunning cross-section photography unlocks a hidden
world full of elegance, subtle complexity, and wonder. . . .
Open Circuits has something for everyone to appreciate,
whether you're a seasoned electrical engineer, an amateur tinkerer,
or simply a lover of art and photography."
-Lee Goldberg, Electronic Design
"Each page is both a dive into technological history and an
ode to the evolution and aesthetics of electronics
themselves."
-Grace Ebert, Colossal
"An eye-catching and educational coffee table tome."
-Gareth Halfacree, Hackster.io
"Every page is a new discovery."
-New Screwdriver
"A celebration of the electronic aesthetic . . . blur[s]
the line between engineering and art."
-Andrew "bunnie" Huang, Author of The Hardware Hacker and Hacking
the Xbox
"Excellent pictures of the world's most interesting objects
with clear, accessible explanations."
-Trevor Blackwell, Founder of Anybots
"Anyone interested in electronics and/or macrophotography will
enjoy this book from both an aesthetic and informational
standpoint. . . . It's truly a technological and photographic
masterpiece."
-Jeremy Cook, Embedded Computing Design
"Stunningly beautiful . . . While the component images stand alone
as works of art, authors Schlaepfer and Oskay pair the pictures
with clear and informative text that adds to the reader's knowledge
of the circuitry they are looking at. This book is sure to be a
staple in many makers, educators, and engineers libraries."
-Professor AnnMarie Thomas, University of St. Thomas, School of
Engineering
"While it will definitely be a 'geek coffee table book' for me, I
would very much have appreciated it when I was 12 years old and
first getting into electronics."
-Mark Eichin, Senior Software Developer at RightHand Robotics
"This is the coolest book I've seen in years. Fascinating look
inside hundreds of circuits, switches, and mechanical electronic
devices that I've never seen before."
-Jeff Geerling, @geerlingguy, Author of Ansible for
DevOps
"What an awesome book! A rare breed of technical content that is
appreciable by experts and novices alike."
-Chris Lafky, @fluxotronlabs, Electrical Engineer
"Without a doubt, the most beautiful electronics book!"
-Ben Krasnow, @BenKrasnow, YouTuber at Applied Science
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