What is pocket-lab-power-supply?

Pocket Lab Power Supply is an open hardware project for building a small, battery powered version of a lab bench power supply, the kind of device electronics hobbyists and engineers use to send a controlled amount of voltage and current into whatever circuit they are testing. Instead of being a plug in box that sits on a desk, this version is pocket sized and runs off a rechargeable lithium ion battery pack, so it can be carried around and used anywhere. The project is still a work in progress, as the author notes directly in the README. The device lets you adjust both the output voltage and a current limit, which protects whatever you are powering from drawing too much current. It charges over USB-C using USB Power Delivery, and it shows information on a small 8 character LED matrix display. Both the hardware design and the firmware, the small program that runs on the device's microcontroller, are fully open, meaning anyone can view, copy, and build on them. The repository is organized into a hardware folder containing the circuit board design, schematic, parts list, and manufacturing files, a firmware folder with the code that runs on the device, and a documentation folder with build guides, diagrams, and notes. Building one yourself requires sourcing specific parts, including a particular display chip, a 4S lithium ion battery pack with a built in battery management system, a 3D printable case, and various small hardware pieces like screws and threaded inserts. The README includes a clear safety warning: this project uses lithium ion batteries and power electronics, and it is designed specifically for a 4S battery configuration. Using a different battery setup without adjusting a specific setting on the charging chip can overcharge and damage the cells, and the battery pack used must already include its own battery management system, since the circuit board itself does not provide one. The project is released under the CERN Open Hardware License version 2, Strongly Reciprocal, which allows commercial use but does not let others use the project's name or branding for marketing without permission.