Hardware Podcasts

An Interview with Jeff Rowberg - Mini Module Master

The Amp Hour · 24 Jul 2013 · 1h 47m · Episode 155

What this episode covers

Jeff Rowberg, a Field Application Engineer at BlueGiga Technologies and creator of the KeyGlove Project, discusses the technical and business aspects of wearable computing. He details the use of BlueGiga's WT12 Bluetooth modules and the proprietary IRAP stack to enable flexible HID profiles for his glove, while also explaining his open-source I2C dev library for InvenSense sensors. Rowberg addresses the significant delays in his Kickstarter-funded KeyGlove project, citing the difficulty of integrating electronics with flexible fabrics and his new full-time role at BlueGiga.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
BlueGiga, InvenSense, SparkFun, CSR, TI
Products
KeyGlove, Google Glass
Chips
WT12, MPU6050, RN42
Tools
Saleae
Also
Mojo, Arduino

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 15m

    173: Everything's Amazing

    George Stocker, former VP of Software Development at Jewelbots, discusses his transition from a 10-year career in application development to embedded firmware engineering. He details the challenges of building the Jewelbot, a Bluetooth-enabled friendship bracelet for girls, including porting the Nordic nRF51 SDK, debugging hardware-software interactions, and managing the unique constraints of a hardware startup. Stocker highlights the humbling experience of learning embedded systems from scratch, the insular nature of the embedded community, and the specific technical hurdles of BLE mesh networking and power management.

    Embedded firmwareDebugging & failure analysis
    8 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 08m

    100: Unintentional Radiator

    Hosts Amelia Cook and Christopher White reunite with guests Star Simpson and Jen Costillo to reflect on the evolution of the hardware hobbyist landscape over the two years since their first appearance. Star Simpson, who works at Orion, discusses her wearable device project and her open-source FPGA toolchain initiative called Balboa, while also recounting the challenges of crowdfunding the Octopart reference card. The group analyzes the shifting attitudes toward privacy and security in the Internet of Things, the rise of accessible prototyping tools like 3D printing and Crowd Supply, and the changing ecosystem of development boards including the Odroid and Arduino.

    Crowdfunding & preordersChips, FPGAs & semiconductors
    10 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 07m

    147: Bolts for Tuco

    Micah Elizabeth Scott, an artist and engineer known for projects like FadeCandy and the Eclipse installation, discusses her transition from making art to creating tools for other creators, specifically the Wiggleport platform. She explains how Wiggleport aims to solve synchronization challenges for multi-channel audio and sensor data, drawing inspiration from her work on the Bela project and her own 'Eclipse' art piece. Scott also details her video content strategy, including her 'Coaster Melt' series and her Patreon model, which focuses on empowering viewers through open access and inspiration rather than exclusive content.

    Industrial & consumer product designEmbedded firmware
    10 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 57m

    117: In as Much as Which

    Hosts Elecia White and Christopher White discuss listener emails covering Bluetooth 4.2 security, the definition of masked ROM, and the use of the volatile keyword in C. They review Elecia's work on precision mice feeders and bike lights, and detail their disassembly of BB-8 robots for competitive analysis of their BLE and inertial sensors. The episode concludes with commentary on Amazon's work culture and drone regulations.

    Wireless & RFEmbedded firmware
    8 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 58m

    370: This Is the Whey

    Alvaro Prieto, an electrical and firmware engineer at Sofar Ocean, discusses his work on oceanic remote-sensing buoys and his personal passion projects, including making cheese and building weather stations. He details the evolution of his cheese-monitoring device from an over-engineered prototype to a low-power Bluetooth wedge using an nRF52, and explains how these side projects helped him secure jobs at companies like Apple and Verily. Prieto also shares insights on choosing wireless protocols (Zigbee, BLE, LoRa) for his weather station and the importance of getting a working prototype before optimizing.

    Embedded firmwareWireless & RF
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Amp Hour. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.