[Gnuk-users] FS-BB48 and FST-01 situation, and BBG-SWD

[NIIBE Yutaka]

Hello,

Today, let me share situations of FS-BB48 and FST-01.

For FS-BB48, I made experimental prototype by hand soldering.  I'm
modifying Chopstx so that it works better for Cortex-M0.  Last week, I
pushed my changes of context switch code for Cortex-M0.  In my local
computer, I wrote a code of USB for KL27Z, and it will be pushed soon.
I haven't written the code for touch sensor yet.

On April 1st, I visited Seeed Technology in Shenzhen again and I left
a prototype of FS-BB48 there.  Happy news is that the company are
evolving.  But this good news does not necessarily mean good for me.

While the company is changing, I have to decide either of:

(1) I only design the product and (somehow) "license" Seeed to
    manufacture and sell the product.
    As it's free hardware design, "license" sounds weired, though.

(2) I design, ask Seeed manufacturing and will get products.  Then, I
    sell the product to Seeed Studio when/if they decide to sell.

FST-01 (and FS-BB48 in future) are niche products, which don't sell
much.  If I guess correctly, Seeed are planning to go to more
profitable business (or investors expect so), it would be difficult to
hope the choice of (1), and if it will be the choice of (2), it will
be possible for Seeed not to sell FST-01 at their shop any more.

Seeed Studio was major distribution channel for me.  I also ask FSF to
sell FST-01 with NeuG, it seems that most people prefer buying at
Seeed.

No, things are not yet decided.


Well, let me show you another achievement of mine, that's BBG-SWD.
You can find my entry at:

   Projects of BBG contest:
   https://www.hackster.io/challenges/beaglebonegreen/projects

It had been shame on me that I had to say (to my friend) I was using
ST-Link/V2 by reverse engineering (the USB protocol) of the
programmer.  And it was true that in the process of the manufacturing
of FST-01, I asked use of ST-Link/V2 for flashing firmware.

This March, I decided to use BeagleBoneGreen (BBG, in short) as SWD
programmer to improve manufacturing process.

BBG is better than BBB because the default setting doesn't have HDMI
connector, so it doesn't assume using the proprietary GPU.

I hope next batch of FST-01 and the production of FS-BB48 will use
BBG-SWD, so that the customer can be sure about the firmware.
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