The Amp Hour · 1 Oct 2014 · 1h 25m · Episode 218
Eric Van Wyk, cofounder of Mooshim Engineering and adjunct professor at Olin College, discusses the development of the Mooshimeter, a Bluetooth-connected multimeter. He details the rigorous safety compliance testing required for CAT 3 600V ratings, including the 'sociopath testing' that forced a design change to seal the SD card slot. Van Wyk also covers the hardware choices, such as the TI CC2540 and ADS1292, and the strategic decisions around crowdfunding via Dragon Innovation and manufacturing costs.
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Monk Eastman, an experienced compliance engineer, explains the maze of hardware certifications including FCC, CE, UL, and UN 38. He details the specific costs, testing procedures, and strategic advice for embedded engineers to navigate these requirements efficiently. The discussion covers the history of standards bodies, the importance of pre-scanning for EMC, and the rigorous nature of battery safety testing.
Jeff Keyzer, an electrical engineer at Valve and founder of the open-source electronics kit company MightyOhm, discusses the challenges of designing and manufacturing consumer hardware like the Steam Controller. He shares insights on the importance of clear specifications for vendors, the difficulties of managing complex electromechanical assemblies, and the critical role of embedded software in facilitating manufacturing test and programming. Keyzer also provides detailed technical advice on soldering techniques, flux selection, and the physics of RF antenna design.
Hosts Christopher and Elecia White discuss their recent experiences judging the Hackaday Prize, highlighting finalists like the Ramen Spectrometer and Chip Whisperer, and review the rapid success of Darma Kickstarter campaign. They also cover the logistics challenges faced by Light Up and the upcoming Peep camera project, while critiquing the technical accuracy of the TV show Scorpion versus the novel The Martian.
John Shook, a manufacturing engineer and hobbyist, discusses his experience as a semifinalist in the Hackaday Prize with a remote water consumption monitor. He details the technical challenges of sensing municipal water meters using a 3-axis magnetometer and the necessity of rigorous documentation to win over judges. Shook also reflects on his past wins in the Mouser 500 Challenge and Circuit Cellar contests, emphasizing the value of open-source hardware and public domain releases for community learning.
Florian Simmendinger, co-founder and CEO of Soundbrenner, explains how the company created the world’s first wearable smart metronome for musicians. He details the journey from prototyping in Berlin to moving to Hong Kong for manufacturing access, and the strategic decision to use Indiegogo to validate product-market fit and raise $250,000 in pre-orders. Simmendinger discusses the subsequent $2 million in seed funding, the importance of building an audience before launch, and the cultural differences between German skepticism and American optimism in business.
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