A Pro-Grade Power Supply for Your Pocket
Synapse is a pocket-sized, open-source USB-C power supply offering 3.3–21V at 5A with PID control and a sleek, Art Deco design.
Every electronics project has different hardware requirements. One project might need a single-board computer, while another might need a microcontroller, LEDs, or an audio amplifier. There is a nearly endless list of potential components one might need, but one thing is constant: the need for power. Whatever the bill of materials might look like, you are always going to need a good, solid power supply.
As such, a recent creation of Clément Roblot’s might be of interest to anyone who tinkers with electronics. Roblot built an open-source, precision power supply that you can stuff in your pocket and take wherever it may be needed. Called Synapse, it is a USB‑C Power Delivery (PD) Programmable Power Supply (PPS) that can deliver between 3.3 and 21 volts at up to 5 amps.
Synapse was designed around an STM32G0 microcontroller. It uses active PID control to constantly monitor the voltage level it is outputting to ensure what you ask for is exactly what you get — even under load.
The device was made not just to be functional, but also to look nice. It has an Art Deco-inspired 3D-printed enclosure and a brass control knob so that it will look great in your homelab. It is also compatible with the Gridfinity modular, open-source grid storage system, so if you like to keep things tidy, Synapse would be a great choice.
The power supply is currently in the prototype stages, so it is possible that issues could arise — however, Roblot has not run into any problems yet. If you’d like to try it out for yourself, you can grab all the details from the project write-up.