The Amp Hour · 14 May 2014 · 1h 19m · Episode 198
Michael Ossmann of Great Scott Gadgets discusses the Daisho project, an open-source hardware platform featuring an FPGA and a custom USB 3.0 core designed to avoid the high cost and bugs of commercial chipsets. He details the challenges of debugging USB 3.0 compliance using expensive LaCroix test instruments and explains how DARPA Cyber Fast Track funding enabled the development of this core. The conversation also covers the open-source hardware ecosystem in Colorado, the Novena modular computer's new solar scope add-on, and Ossmann's preference for using KiCad to support open-source hardware development.
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Kate Temkin and Mikaela Szekely from Great Scott Gadgets discuss the challenges and tools of USB reverse engineering. They detail the creation of open-source hardware like the GreatFET and Rhododendron, as well as software tools like USBProxy and the new USB analyzer framework called USB. The conversation covers specific vulnerabilities, such as the Nintendo Switch stack smash, and the difficulties of high-speed signal analysis compared to low-cost logic analyzers.
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.
Piotr Esden-Tempski of 1BitSquared discusses the company's role in manufacturing open-source hardware, specifically the Glasgow digital interface explorer, the iCEBreaker FPGA board, and the Black Magic Probe debugger. He explains the economic rationale for using an old Quad 4C pick-and-place machine for small-batch production and details how Glasgow uses an FPGA to dynamically generate hardware protocols via the nmigen HDL. The conversation also covers the geopolitical shift toward RISC-V in China, the challenges of debugging legacy industrial equipment, and the importance of documentation and community education in the open-source hardware ecosystem.
Antoine van Gelder from Great Scott Gadgets discusses the development of Cynthion, an FPGA-based USB protocol analysis tool, and FaceDancer, a Python library for emulating USB devices. He explains the technical differences between MIDI and USB for digital musical instruments, highlighting latency and timing issues, and details how Cynthion can be used to learn USB standards and debug complex protocol bugs like zero-length packet errors. Van Gelder also shares insights on Great Scott Gadgets' open-source business model and the challenges of implementing robust USB stacks in embedded systems.
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.
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