Garage AI: AutoProber turns a cheap CNC, a USB scope and some duct-tape ingenuity into a flying-probe lab

What it does

AutoProber is an open, source-available stack that automates flying-probe style PCB probing — from spotting a board on the plate to touching individual pins. The GitHub release bundles the Python control code, a single-page web dashboard, CAD for a printable toolhead, and documentation so you can rebuild the whole pipeline yourself. The flow is simple and clever: an agent ingests the project, the system homes and calibrates, a microscope takes tiled frames, the software stitches and annotates a map (pads, pins, chips), you approve probe targets on the dashboard, and the rig probes and reports back. There’s even a demo video available from the author’s site.

Hardware and architecture

The tested setup is refreshingly low-end: a GRBL-compatible 3018-style CNC, a USB microscope (mjpg_streamer), and a Siglent oscilloscope used as a safety monitor on Channel 4. Optional bits include a networked power strip and a handful of printable parts for the custom toolhead. It has been reported that community posts describe versions cobbled together with duct tape and an old webcam; not glamorous, but it captures the maker spirit — cheap parts, big ambition. The repo documents BOMs, device assumptions, and runtime configuration so you won’t be flying blind.

Safety first — seriously

This isn’t a web app masquerading as a toy. The project’s safety model treats it as a machine-control system: the CNC probe signal is not a trusted endstop, the oscilloscope Channel 4 is the independent safety channel and must be continuously monitored, and any ambiguous trigger, scope alarm, or hardware-limit condition is defined as a stop. Read docs/safety.md and docs/operations.md before firing up motors. That precaution is the emotional pivot of the story — exciting because you can do real hardware work at home; unnerving because moving metal around boards with automated agents requires discipline and guardrails.

Why it matters

AutoProber sits at the intersection of two trends: the democratization of electronics lab tooling and the rise of agent-driven automation. Hobbyists and security researchers can iterate faster, but the same accessibility raises questions about responsible use and safety culture. The project is licensed polyform noncommercial 1.0.0 (commercial contact provided), and the repository is a tidy starting point for anyone who wants to prototype an inexpensive flying-probe rig — provided they respect the safety rules written into the code and the docs.

Sources: github.com/gainsec, Hacker News