Holoseat - Leonardo retired - need to consider alternative dev boards/implementations - Open Design Engine

Leonardo retired - need to consider alternative dev boards/implementations

@Bryan pointed out this news a week or so ago over IM. I think this is actually gives us a chance to reevaluate our implementation some (for example, do we want to move away from usb connection to Bluetooth?). Bluetooth is particularly interesting for two reasons. First, we have gotten feedback (internal and external) that the USB cable is annoying. Second, it would decouple us from the specific chip used in the Leonard (required currently to imitate the keyboard).

Here is an example of connecting Bluetooth to an Arduino to make it an HID.
Here is an example of turning an Raspberry Pi into a Bluetooth keyboard

That last example is interesting to me. I wonder if a Raspberry Pi Zero could be the basis of a new rev of Holoseat.....

Replies (2)

RE: Leonardo retired - need to consider alternative dev boards/implementations - Added by Bryan Christian over 8 years ago

Work noting, Adafruit has continued to support the chip on the Leo.
Bluefruit 32U4 LE is a product they make that uses that chip and has the bluetooth module built in along with the ability to be powered/charge a battery from USB.

RE: Leonardo retired - need to consider alternative dev boards/implementations - Added by Bryan Christian over 8 years ago

Fleshing out my last post. If we do decide to go with a bluetooth capable Leonardo then we can pull it off by combining a Bluefruit 32u4 LE, a Featherwing Doubler, a featherwing protoboard, and the mini USB Host from Circuits@Home and it should all come together for a prototype set. All combined that allows us to continue with the leonardo but provides for bluetooth and uses a product that is not discontinued. Can do stacking with the proto, but this allows us to keep a fairly close form factor to the existing model.

All told it gives us a good bit of proto space to attach and total cost of 62.50 which isn't too bad. If we don't worry about form factor that much we can cut that to 60 flat.

Additionally, if we drop Bluetooth from the list of requirements the Adafruit board we'd need drops down to 20 and reduces the cost of the build. Having an option to do both our current model and swap to bluetooth later with a board replacement could make development easier. In this case it would be as simple as pulling the board off the pins of the protoboard and replacing it.

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