FAQ

Absolutely! In fact, nLab is the perfect first tool for your journey. Instead of buying a dozen separate pieces of equipment, nLab gives you everything you need to start building and understanding circuits right out of the box. It's designed to grow with you, providing a clear, visual way to learn the physics of electronics without the steep learning curve of professional lab gear.

Definitely! We love those boards; they are the foundation of some of the coolest projects on the planet. We designed nLab to be the ultimate companion tool for the gear you already own. While your Arduino or Pi handles the logic, nLab's built-in oscilloscope acts as your "eyes," letting you see the signals moving through your wires. It takes the guesswork out of troubleshooting, shrinking your debugging time from hours to minutes so you can spend more time creating.

In short, Arduino/Raspberry Pi teaches mostly coding/programming with some electronics. We teach a full focus on electrical engineering with some coding.

The nLab kit is Arduino-compatible. You can use most of the components with other Arduino boards, though some projects may require modification.

Nope! nLab is built for complete beginners. Our step-by-step video tutorials walk you through everything—from the basics of electricity to building real working circuits. If you already have experience, we are also adding advanced tutorials and project roadmaps to keep you challenged!

Great! We're also adding advanced tutorials soon — check out our project roadmap to see what's coming next.

nLab is ideal for high schoolers and adults. It's perfect for anyone comfortable with basic algebra (like simple equations). That said, we've seen curious minds from age 9 to 89 succeed! For younger learners (ages 9–11), we recommend adult guidance—basically, if you trust them with a pair of scissors, they're ready to start building.

nLab can be used absolutely anywhere! Build from home, a coffee shop, the beach… wherever you want!

All you need is a laptop (Mac, PC, or Linux). Note: nLab is not currently compatible with Chromebooks.

The nLab is a multi-tool that fits directly into a breadboard. It functions as an:

• Oscilloscope: 4 channels, each 4MSPS, 400kHz bandwidth, plus/minus 5V input range. No probes required!
• Function Generator: 2-channel Sine and Triangle wave 0.1Hz – 20kHz, plus/minus 5V. 2-channel PWM 0.1Hz – 20kHz, 0 – 5V.
• Power Supply: +5V and –5V, 200mA with built-in short circuit detection.

Yes! The nLab is an oscilloscope, power supply, and function generator that fits into a breadboard. It does not require oscilloscope probes.

Everything you need to start building immediately:

• Hardware: nLab device, breadboard, and USB C-to-C cable.
• Tools: Wire strippers and 14 meters of solid core wire (7 colors).
• Components: A massive variety of resistors (100 ohm to 1M ohm), capacitors, transistors (NPN/PNP), 555 timer, op amps, a speaker, and potentiometers.
• Light & Sound: Various LEDs (RGB, IR, Bicolor, Super Red) and sensors (Microphone, Thermistor, Photodiode, Phototransistor).

• Works with: Laptops with USB-C running Windows, macOS, or Linux.
• Raspberry Pi: Fully tested on Pi Zero, Pi 4, and Pi 5.
• Does not work with (yet): Smartphones or locked-down Chromebooks.

The nLab App and API are 100% open source. We want you to be able to build on top of what we've made! You can find our app and Python and Rust libraries on GitHub: nLab App and nLab API

Yes! You can use nLab to debug your Pi circuits, or you can use the nLab with a Raspberry Pi computer as a high-quality analog front-end using our Python API.

Yes. nLab operates at low voltages and currents, well below dangerous levels. It's designed specifically for hands-on learning. As with all electronics, we recommend adult supervision for younger users and provide clear guidance on handling components responsibly.

We have a full library of video tutorials and projects on our YouTube channel to guide you from your first blinky light to complex circuits.

Actually, we are the creators of nScope! We launched the original nScope Kickstarter in 2016. We learned so much about manufacturing and support over the last decade. nLab is the evolution of that original design—redesigned to be easier to maintain, more powerful, and paired with a better parts kit and better tutorials.

We are aiming to ship in Summer 2026, just a few months after the Kickstarter campaign ends. We will provide a specific timeline and regular updates as we move through production!