Edward Hesketh
(©Lizzie Coombes)
Introduction
Hello! I am Edward Hesketh. I am primarily a programmer, but I love working on both hardware and software projects, and I have a wide range of skills.
I can...
- Architect, develop, and publish software - frontend and backend - for computers and microcontrollers
- Design and assemble custom PCBs using KiCAD
- Create 3D parts with CAD using FreeCAD, Autodesk Fusion 360, or OpenSCAD and manufacture them using at-home and workshop tools.
- Maintain multiple servers to reliably host services using NixOS.
- Automate the building of software using the Nix language.
My favourite languages to work with when creating software are C and Go, but I have experience in C++, C#, Typescript/Javascript, Python, and a little Lua.
I enjoy learning about the "secret backend" to the world - finding out about the hidden systems that run everyday things - my favourites being well-made design rules, and interesting/useful datasets (such as National Rail train data). I also have a strong passion for NixOS, which I have used for multiple years on my computers and servers.
When I make things, I try to make them easily maintainable and avoid over-complicating them, after all
the best solution to a problem is usually the easiest one
-GLaDOS, "Portal 2" Valve Corporation 2011.
You can contact me at 777b7a60757760547170637566707c3a707162, and I will try to reply within 1-2 weekdays.About me
Where I'm at now
At the moment, I work on personal passion projects in my free time, and occasionally as part of Hack Club - an international community of teenage hackers. At my college I am currently studying for A-Levels in Maths, Further Maths, and Physics, having already completed an A-Level in Computer Science.
Almost all of my projects since the start are open source, and can be found on my GitHub. I have made a wide range of different projects, with their quality improving over time as I have improved my skills.
Experience and Qualifications
- Finalist in the BAFTA Young Game Designers competition of both 2021 and 2023.
- Highly Commended in the Institute For Research in Schools' DNA Origami Project for my open source contributions to UC Davis's DNA structure design tool. This was also featured in an article by the University of Leeds.
- Achieved a Grade 9 in GCSE Computer Science at age 14 - 2 years early.
- Achieved a Grade A* in A-Level Computer Science at age 16 - also 2 years early.
- Work experience at digital consultancy Parallax, writing firmware and designing CAD parts for a low-power e-ink display. This was also featured in an article by ITBrief (a publication owned by TechDay).
Flagship projects
The Slab keyboard
A modular mechanical keyboard system that snaps together with magnets. Built from the ground-up with custom circuitboards, brand-new firmware, code-generated 3D-printed cases, and software integration with OpenRGB.
Events I took part in
In-person events
Other events
- Hack Club Arcade, where I made the Slab Keyboard v2 .
- Hack Club High Seas, for which I updated my v2 keyboard design to make the Slab Keyboard v3 system, and created various other smaller projects.
- Hack Club Hackpad, for which I created a new macropad/numpad module for the Slab Keyboard v3 system.
- Hack Club Riceathon, where I learnt how to (tastefully?) style my Gnome desktop using NixOS.
- Hack Club Say Cheese, for which I created a very very tiny game of noughts-and-crosses in x64 assembly.
- Hack Club Infill, where I designed (and - hopefully soon - made) a spinning 3D-printer, using (mostly) the parts from a broken Sovol SV01 3D-printer.