# 39: I Blame Space

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2014-02-19
- Length: 1h 00m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/mes-ep39mp3

## Summary

Jen Costillo, Director of Engineering at Bia Sport, discusses the challenges of shipping a GPS sports watch designed for women, including the decision to separate the GPS and GSM modem into a detachable 'Ghost Stick' to keep the watch slim. She details the hardware struggles of an underfunded startup, such as corrosion from saltwater exposure and the lack of discrete pull-up resistors on the PCB, which complicated firmware debugging. Costillo also explains the difference between casual activity trackers and serious sports wearables, emphasizing the need for ruggedness and safety features like SOS alerts.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space#t=6) Introduction and Bia Sport Overview
- [2:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space#t=129) Product Design: The Ghost Stick and Watch
- [25:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space#t=1515) Hardware Challenges: Corrosion and PCB Design
- [27:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space#t=1636) Funding, Shipping, and Investor Relations
- [29:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space#t=1774) Activity Trackers vs. Sports Wearables
- [34:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space#t=2079) Conference Talks and Product Teardown

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Bia Sport (company)
- Ghost Stick (product)
- Garmin (product)
- Fitbit (product)
- Strava (company)
- ANT (chip)
- RadioShack (company)

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- [#018: The Hidden Complexity of Sleep Tech: Power, Comfort, and 8 Hours of Reliability](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/coredump-sessions/2025-11-26-018-the-hidden-complexity-of-sleep-tech-power-comfort-and-8-hours-of-reliability) (Coredump Sessions)
- [An Interview with Travis Goodspeed](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-05-13-an-interview-with-travis-goodspeed) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview With Andrew Witte - Telistic Timepiece Technomania](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-12-11-an-interview-with-andrew-witte-telistic-timepiece-technomania) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-02-19-39-i-blame-space. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.