# 156: Black Knight 2000

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2016-06-16
- Length: 1h 21m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/embedded-ep156mp3

## Summary

Jeri Ellsworth, president of CastAR, discusses the company's mixed reality headset, which uses a belt-mounted console to keep weight and heat off the user's head. She details the decision to refund an early Kickstarter campaign to pivot from a PC peripheral to a self-contained device, a move funded by Playground Global. Ellsworth also outlines CastAR's hiring strategy, emphasizing whiteboard interviews for practical engineering problems over trivia, and their focus on social, tabletop-style gaming experiences.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=6) Introduction: Jeri Ellsworth and CastAR Overview
- [1:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=73) Ellsworth's Background and CastAR's Mixed Reality Concept
- [7:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=440) Daily Routine and the Burden of Executive Duties
- [11:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=704) Kickstarter Missteps, Location Errors, and the Refund Decision
- [18:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=1095) Hiring Challenges and the State of Modern Engineering Fundamentals
- [33:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=1981) Interview Process: Whiteboard Sessions and Collaboration
- [45:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=2720) Product Vision: Social Gaming and Mixed Reality vs. VR
- [1:12:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000#t=4344) Playground Global Partnership and Resource Support

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- CastAR (company)
- Playground Global (company)
- Valve Software (company)
- Oculus Rift (product)
- HTC Vive (product)
- Microsoft HoloLens (product)
- Unity (tool)
- Unreal (tool)
- 6502 (chip)
- MOS 6502 (chip)
- Thyristor (chip)
- Commodore 64 (product)
- TiVo (product)
- Black Knight 2000 (product)
- Amazon Echo (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [An Interview with Jason Cerundolo](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-03-20-an-interview-with-jason-cerundolo) (The Amp Hour)
- [An interview with Jeri Ellsworth - Absorptive Augmented Actuality](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-05-29-an-interview-with-jeri-ellsworth-absorptive-augmented-actuality) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Jeri Ellsworth - Intense Illusion Introduction](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2013-11-27-an-interview-with-jeri-ellsworth-intense-illusion-introduction) (The Amp Hour)
- [Stepping Outside the Metaverse to Discuss Next-Gen Hardware Development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2024-01-16-stepping-outside-the-metaverse-to-discuss-next-gen-hardware-development) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Jeri Ellsworth and the demise of CastAR](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-05-29-jeri-ellsworth-and-the-demise-of-castar) (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/2016-06-16-156-black-knight-2000. 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.