I am a curious person. My primary job used to be computer science but robotics was always my hobby - as I like to explore, invent, and build stuff that is not only software. Now I am trying to combine my work life with my hobbies.

I am a lazy person, therefore...

I write tools to make my life easier 🧑‍💻

I have written several tools to automate the boring task of the makers' life, for example:

• KiKit: Automation for KiCAD: panelization, automatic DRC check, generating assembly data.
• PcbDraw, Pinion: Making nice pinout diagrams for your boards
• JLCPars: Parametric search for electronics components
• YSpurGear, YBevelGear: Parametric generators for gears in Fusion 360 which allow you to edit the gear parameters in history.

All of these tools were created for my projects, to improve my workflow and make it more efficient and pleasant.

My tools gained users 👨‍🔧

The users report bugs and propose feature requests. I would like to help them and make my tools as useful as possible. However, I struggle to dedicate enough time to maintain these projects - I have to sacrifice time I could spend on my daytime job, family, and friends. If the proposed features have no direct benefits to me, it is hard to find the motivation to finish them in a reasonable time. However, I believe in free and open-source software. This is why I start this campaign - I would like to acquire funding, which would allow me to dedicate at least one day per week for maintaining these projects, implementing features proposals, fixing bugs, and making better tools for the makers out there!

I also contribute to other open-source projects: e.g., I improved Eagle importer for KiCAD, I also submitted a few PR to fix several bugs causing crashes.

My other activities

Apart from the projects mentioned above, I actively do research in MSLA 3D printing. I recently joined the Photonsters Group which aims for open-source solutions for MSLA 3D printers. I also write a blog about my findings. Check it out, many of the blog posts were also featured on Hackaday.com.

I also try to educate ✍️ young makers and teach them what I know at Robotárna. We also started a high-tech Robotic Camp. If you have children and they know Czech, be sure to sign them up. The camp is epic - see the photos on the website.