In a Computer Science workshop led by the renowned French ethical hacker and meteorologist Gaël Musquet, we were asked to build a display that counts down to the next rocket launch using the RocketLaunch.Live API.
The Arduino library for the display unfortunately didn’t work, so I had to control the segments manually. This made the workshop incredibly valuable, as it pushed me to understand how 7-segment displays work at the electrical level and to code each segment using precise digital signal control.
In the context of a Human Body and Brain (HCI) workshop, we were asked to learn how to use Bitalino sensors to detect the activation of muscles or heartbeats.
We were then able to use it to interact with Unity.
During an HTMAA (How To Make Almost Anything) workshop, we were asked to flash a Raspberry Pi Zero and configure it to output video through GPIO pins instead of HDMI, using a custom PCB to convert the signal to VGA. The provided configuration did not work with our specific Raspberry Pi and OS version, and while the workshop eventually shifted toward using an Arduino with the VGAX library, we found this solution to be technically limiting compared to what the Raspberry Pi could achieve.
Rather than settling for a simplified workaround, we chose to persist with the Raspberry Pi. After extensive experimentation, trial and error, and a few failed attempts (including corrupting two SD cards through incorrect partitioning), we identified a single working SD card configuration. By performing a bit-by-bit clone of this card, we were able to replicate the setup reliably and complete the project as intended: a functioning video playback system with electronic channel switching and RGB output control.
This workshop was particularly valuable to me because it reinforced an important lesson: complex technical problems often have solutions if you are willing to explore deeply, iterate repeatedly, and accept failure as part of the process. Choosing the more demanding path ultimately allowed us to achieve a more expressive and powerful result, and strengthened my confidence in tackling unconventional or low-level technical challenges.