Make: Volume 76's cover story is an enlightening profile feature about Jorvon Moss, aka "Odd Jayy," the genesis of his delightful robotic companions and his new set of moving, responsive sci-fi goggles.

Then, take a deep dive into LoRa, the long-range, free-to-use wireless protocol that's great for tracking sensor data. Learn the basics in our in-depth primer, and then put your knowledge to use building an off-the-grid portable text messaging network.

And in our special music section, create new and interesting musical instruments using everyday maker tools like microcontrollers, servos, and more. Learn to set up a MIDI-enabled, BLE driven xylophone. Then make a tapping bot that listens to the rhythms around it and synchronizes its output to match them. And finally, build a 3D-printed pocket synthesizer that omits a dedicated PCB for simple route-in-place wiring. Now you're ready to rock!

Plus, explore 30+ projects and skill builders, including:

• Construct a location tracking clock like the Weasley family has in the Harry Potter series
• Build a unique, single-rotor "ball drone" that uses air vanes to navigate
• Learn to use a Raspberry Pi & Pi camera to stream live video
• Make a fold-up kayak out of corrugated plastic sheets
• And tons more projects and maker inspiration!