Chairs, Sparks and Devices - Optional Olent Obreption

The Amp Hour · 1 Apr 2014 · Episode 191

What this episode covers

Hosts Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss the challenges of open-source hardware, the low-power Analog Devices AD7691 ADC, and the new DesignSpark PCB export capabilities. They also touch on the US robot initiative, patent law changes, and historical tech milestones.

Mentioned

Companies
Analog Devices, Touchstone Semi, Maxim, Freescale, DigiKey
Products
Arduino, Chumby
Chips
AD7691
Tools
DesignSpark, Google SketchUp, Eagle, Altium, KiCad

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Spark Gap · 1h 04m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 44

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss a grab bag of embedded electronics topics, starting with their new remote recording setup using Shure and MXL microphones. They review the TI ADS1263 32-bit ADC and the Lattice iCE40 FPGA ecosystem, highlighting the open-source Project Ice Storm toolchain. The hosts then critique the Raspberry Pi Zero's limited I/O and the safety issues surrounding lithium-ion batteries in 'hoverboards', before Corey airs a grievance about poor PCB differential pair routing practices.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 10m

    523: Bad Experience With Donuts

    Elecia White and Christopher White discuss the LeapFrog LeapPad and Odyssey Globe, recalling Elecia's work on their capacitive sensing and custom ASIC technology around 2001. They analyze the governance models of open source projects like Valetudo, ESPHome, and Zephyr as analogies for large company politics, and review Bunnie Huang's Dabao Evaluation Board for its verifiability features. The hosts also cover practical tools like Merlin Bird ID and Excel data bars, while debating the use of Ethernet in embedded systems and the state of Renesas MCUs.

  • Embedded.fm · 43m

    293: Skateboard Tricks (Repeat)

    Limor Fried, founder of Adafruit, discusses the company's 13-year history of manufacturing open-source hardware in New York, highlighting recent products like the PyGamer and PyBadge. She explains the engineering philosophy behind TinyUSB, an open-source USB stack developed by engineer Hathach to replace proprietary vendor stacks, and details the business model of supporting a community of 4,000 products. Fried emphasizes that while hardware design is easy, the value lies in firmware, documentation, and tutorials, which she balances with business operations and education.

  • The Spark Gap · 42m

    The Spark Gap - Episode 24

    Hosts Carl and Corey discuss their 2015 resolutions, including revisiting basic electronics design and exploring open-source EDA tools like KiCad and Altium CircuitMaker. They announce a shift to a bi-weekly release schedule to allow for more guest interviews and higher-quality content. The episode then explores the topic of reverse engineering old hardware, citing examples like the original Xbox, cable modems, and Kinect sensors to demonstrate how discarded electronics can be repurposed or studied.

  • Embedded.fm · 43m

    293: Skateboard Tricks

    Limor Fried, founder and lead engineer of Adafruit, discusses the evolution of her Manhattan-based company from dorm-room kits to a manufacturing operation with 100 employees and 4,000 products. She details the development of the PyGamer and PyBadge, the strategic importance of the open-source TinyUSB stack by engineer Hathach, and the critical role of documentation in making hardware accessible to makers and the assistive tech community. Fried also reflects on the healthy competition within the open-source hardware ecosystem, the challenges of scaling product lines, and the long-term sustainability of assistive technology through open standards.

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.