Mirza Makes

Remember Floppy Disks? They’re Back. 

Code files for this project – Arduino sketch, Python script and JSON file

If you grew up in the 90s, you’ll remember floppy disks as the way we moved files around. I still remember my dad using them to boot old software—and being handed one at school to store our “massive” 100KB of homework.

That nostalgia sparked a question:

If we still used floppy disks in 2026… what would that look like?

So I decided to build it.

The Idea: Physical “Disks” That Open Software

The concept is simple:

  1. An NFC tag is embedded inside a 3D-printed floppy disk
  2. You insert/present it to a reader
  3. A microcontroller reads the tag’s UID
  4. A Python app on the PC maps that UID to an application
  5. The PC launches the correct software
  6. The device gives feedback with lights, sound, and a screen

It’s a modern “cartridge” system—except the cartridges are floppy disks.

Step 1: Confirming the NFC Tags Work

Before building anything fancy, I needed to confirm the cheap NFC tags I bought would actually work with the RFID reader.

So I wired the RFID module to an Arduino Uno, uploaded a quick sketch, and used the Serial Monitor to check if the reader could detect the tag and output its UID.

Result: success—first hurdle cleared.

Step 2: The Architecture (Why I Used Python)

Here’s the approach I landed on:

  • RFID reader connects to a microcontroller
  • Microcontroller passes the UID to a PC
  • PC runs a Python listener that:
    • recognizes the UID
    • maps it to an app
    • launches the program automatically

I chose this route because it’s cleaner than hotkeys. I can add as many “disks” as I want just by updating a mapping file, without rewriting microcontroller code every time.

And as a bonus, once the app launches successfully, the PC can send feedback back to the device—so the hardware can respond with LEDs, sounds, or display updates.

Step 3: Prototyping the Full System on a Breadboard

With the plan confirmed, I built the full prototype using:

  • Arduino Pro Micro (important because it’s easily recognized over USB)
  • RFID reader
  • NeoPixel LED ring
  • OLED display
  • Buzzer module

The moment of truth: I tapped the NFC tag and watched for:

  • Notepad launching on the computer
  • LEDs changing colour
  • OLED showing the software name
  • a satisfying click from the buzzer

And it worked exactly how I imagined.

It’s a small detail, but feedback makes projects feel alive. The LED change, the click, the text on-screen—it all adds to the “retro tech” experience.

Step 4: Can the Reader Detect Tags Through Plastic?

A key question: would the RFID reader still read tags when they’re embedded inside a 3D print?

To test it, I quickly mocked up a simple floppy disk print, embedded a tag, and checked detection.

Happily: no issues. That gave me the green light to commit to the proper enclosure and hardware.

Step 5: Designing a Custom PCB (Sponsor: PCBWay)

Once the breadboard prototype proved everything worked, it was time to clean it up.

I jumped into KiCad to design the schematic and PCB, then sent the Gerbers to PCBWay, the sponsor of the video.

The process is straightforward:

  • upload Gerbers
  • pick your board settings
  • wait a few days
  • your boards arrive looking exactly like you designed them

What I love most is how much a custom PCB changes the feel of a project. Suddenly it stops looking like a prototype and starts looking like a product.

And PCBWay isn’t just PCBs—they also do things like 3D printing, CNC machining, resin printing, and sheet metal work, which is genuinely useful if you’re building a “real” project but don’t have the equipment.

Step 6: The Enclosure + Assembly (With a Few Setbacks)

While the PCB was being made, I designed the 3D printed enclosure.

A few details from the build:

Removing header pins (painful, but worth it)

Most modules come with header pins pre-soldered, but my plan was to use JST connectors on the PCB to make assembly fast and clean.

That meant removing the header pins from:

  • RFID module
  • buzzer
  • OLED

There was no finesse—just side cutters, flux, soldering iron, and persistence.

Brass inserts and fasteners

I used:

  • M3 brass inserts to bolt the enclosure together
  • M2 inserts on the base to mount the PCB

Except… I messed up the PCB hole alignment.

So instead of mounting screws, the PCB was secured with the maker’s best friend:

hot glue.

Not ideal—but it works, and it’s hidden inside anyway.

Cable routing surprise

The JST connector for the OLED turned out too large for the gap I left. So I had to:

  • remove the connector
  • thread wires through
  • re-crimp and reattach the JST

Annoying, but manageable.

Step 7: Making the Floppy Disks

The floppy disks were 3D printed, and the NFC tags were embedded mid-print:

  1. start print
  2. pause at the right layer
  3. place NFC tag
  4. resume print to seal it inside

For logos, I used the quick-and-dirty method:

  • printed them on sticky paper
  • applied them to the disks

It looks okay, but it’s definitely an area for improvement. I’d love to revisit this with something more “finished” (embossing, inlays, multi-material, vinyl cut overlays—lots of options).

The Final Reveal

The finished device isn’t the most practical thing in the world… but that was never really the point.

This was about:

  • nostalgia
  • building something playful
  • blending hardware, software, and 3D printing into one clean experience

And honestly, I’m really happy with how it turned out.