yet another source of inspiration…
Somewhere between Advent candles and Christmas cookies, a strange phenomenon hit our household: pixel fever. The kids wished for pixel art from pixeln.ch for Christmas — not plush toys, not consoles, but gloriously rigid grids of colored squares. At that moment, it became clear: this was no phase. This was discrete geometry taking over family… Read more A Pixelated Christmas Gift
It all started on a rainy afternoon when my kids asked a very dangerous question:“Dad… can’t we turn our own pictures into pixel art?” That question triggered what every developer-parent knows too well — a new side project was inevitable. A Small App with a Big Creative Goal So I built a small pixel image… Read more A Geek’s Love Letter to Pixels
I recently hacked together a delightfully simple micro:bit app that converts ambient light into sound. Think of it as a poor man’s photodiode oscilloscope — or, more accurately, a light-controlled Geiger counter for photons. The idea is straightforward: more light → faster clicks. What the Code Does (in Human Terms) The micro:bit constantly reads the… Read more Turning Light into Clicks
In this post, I present a solution to the Rush Hour problem appying A* algorithm developed with ChatGPT. A human programmer would typically use more descriptive data structures to make the code easier to follow. The initial solution didn’t work because the problem instance itself was invalid, but the algorithm was correct. Attempts to prompt… Read more Solving Rush Hour using A*
Over the past few months, I’ve shared a couple of Sudoku solvers here — some built with Dynamic Programming, others with Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP). Both approaches work and are great learning exercises, but they each have their quirks when it comes to constraint formulation: This time, I wanted something cleaner — so I turned… Read more Solving Sudoku with Constraint Programming
For years, my Android unlock pattern was my fortress — a carefully chosen sequence of swipes that I thought only I could remember. Unfortunately, I underestimated two things: (1) the persistence of children, and (2) their uncanny ability to casually “observe” without being noticed. One day, I realized my long-guarded pattern had been compromised. My… Read more Mobilephone Unlock-Pattern Generator
In this post, we’re developing a Happy Cube solver using a mixed integer linear program (MILP). Previously, we tackled this problem on a micro:bit using dynamic programming and backtracking. Now, we’re trying a different approach by creating a mathematical model to solve this combinatorial challenge. The idea is to structure the MILP so that it… Read more A MILP based Happy Cube©® Solver
In today’s blog post, let’s dive into the fascinating realm of solving Sudoku puzzles using Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP). Check this previous post to see how a sudoku solver can be developed in python using dynamic programming and backtracking. Sudoku, a classic logic-based number placement puzzle, has long captivated minds around the globe with… Read more How to Develop a Sudoku Solver Using Mixed Integer Linear Programming
Two Poems by Heinz Erhardt
I dedicate this post to one of my favorite composers, Johann Sebastian Bach. I was walking through Paris years ago when I approached a cathedral where someone had played this piece. It is the fugue of the Bach Toccata, BWV 565. At first, I thought that a virtuos organist must be at work here. Only… Read more micro:bit plays Bach