====Long version:
1. The Batmobile's molds for injection molding are at 50% completion. The supplier is having some difficulties due to peak season, but we will start receiving the first batches of injection-molded plastic casings in the next week or so.
2. We have received most of the critical semiconductors, such as the microcontrollers
3. All of the critical components have been ordered
4. We received the entire quantity of li-po batteries for the Batmobile and the controller last week - this one was critical due to the Lithium shortage
5. All of the LCD displays for the controllers have arrived at our HQ
6. The controller’s casings are at 80% completion - we’re manufacturing this in-house on our laser cutter
7. We’ve designed the test jigs for the circuit boards.
The test jigs are used for loading firmware and testing the boards once they’re finished with production.
This is what they usually look like:
We’re going to have two jigs - one for the car’s board, the other one for the controller’s board:
8. We’ve started manufacturing and assembling the boards for the car’s taillights - these circuit boards have five red LEDs on the back that create the “fire” effect on the exhausts.
9. We’ll soon receive all of the circuit boards needed to start with the assembly. We can assemble the boards fairly quickly - in 7 - 10 days after we receive them.
1. We see the logistics and shipping chains worldwide worsening every week.
This is partially caused by the peak season (Black Friday, Christmas) and partially because of the ongoing logistic crisis building up (covid, political tensions, the war).
This is going to get better, especially after Christmas.
But promising a pre-Christmas delivery date to all of our backers right now is impossible.
2. There is one crucial component that we’re still waiting for - the electromotors.
Four motors go into your Batmobile, and we’ve been having a hard time sourcing them.
The suppliers have been citing supply chain issues and the lack of raw materials (steel) for their inability to supply them.
The problem was that no supplier in the world had the whole amount of motors we needed (we’re ordering 14000 motors), and they were giving us lead times of around 40 - 60 days.
We’ve found a reliable supplier and negotiated a 35-day lead time.
This interfered with our plans and is preventing us from shipping the product.
3. We’ve been having trouble with Warner approving the Batmobile’s packaging.
What puzzles me is that getting the approval for the product itself was a straightforward process, but the packaging was a process that took us two months to get approved.
Warner is just doing their best to protect its intellectual property, we understand that, and they’re one of our most valued partners.
But I wish we could’ve gotten the packaging approved earlier.
Apparently, they’re seeing an increased demand for product approvals, and they had internal delays.
The good news is that we have gotten the approval for the packaging today, and we’ve already sent it to the print shop.
I understand your disappointment with the news, and I am not happy with the situation.
But simply being unhappy is not going to deliver your Batmobiles.
Therefore, we’ll continue giving our maximum to deliver a truly fantastic product as soon as possible.
Providing hard delivery dates for a product that is being manufactured is a very tough job right now.
The plan remains the same - we’ll start shipping the Batmobile as soon as possible, most likely in December.
We’ll choose the best shipping option to deliver this to your location as quickly as possible.
But, unfortunately, we cannot guarantee Christmas delivery to every one of you.
Thank you for understanding our position, and I’m looking forward to seeing Batmobiles finally delivered to all of you loyal supporters.
This product would not be possible without your support and patience.
I’ll keep writing weekly updates on our progress.
Thanks
We made significant progress in the last week.
First of all, we received final approval for the molds and designs of the Batmobile and Batcontroller, which are currently being manufactured.
Here are a few photos of what the final geometry is going to look like (the paint job is not final).
Batcontroller silicone controller case
The other thing we are working on is laser-cutting Batmobile’s and Batcontroller’s casings.
And, last but not least - Batmobile’s booklet!
Each kit will include a booklet that will tell you more about Batmobile, its development, features, and CircuitMess.
We completed it and received final approval from Warner, and it’s currently being printed.
Here is a sneak-peak of what it will look like:
We are getting back to laser-cutting and Batmobile production.
Stay tuned for more updates,
Albert and the CM team
For the past two months, the entire team has been very busy working on the Batmobile,
The ongoing worldwide logistics and semiconductor crisis remains our main fun-generators.
We had to perform some product changes and tweaks; thus, here’s a detailed update on what’s happening.
The initial BatController design ran on an ESP8266 module (single-core CPU with WiFi).
We had to replace it with a stronger CPU - the ESP32.
Unfortunately, during the development of the final firmware version, we concluded that we couldn’t cram all of the software caboodles while still maintaining satisfactory performance.
The initial prototype on Kickstarter didn’t have all of the controller’s software features we had planned, and it was running fine.
Initially, the plan was to include extra software features by doing software optimizations.
It turns out things are not working out the way we planned, and, unfortunately, the device was operating with too much lag after all of the added changes and optimizations.
Therefore, we’ve concluded that the only proper way forward is to swap the ESP8266 for a stronger CPU - a dual-core ESP32.
We’ve already gotten the controller's new version, and the performance is superb.
What’s not superb is that this will raise the overall cost of goods for the device by 7%, but we’ll cover that since making a good product is our #1 priority.
Just a short comparison - ESP8266 vs. ESP32:
Another change we had to make was to replace the magnetic connectors on the Inventor’s pack modules with nonmagnetic ones.
Unfortunately, due to the component shortage, our supplier gave us a three months+ lead time for the magnetic connectors, which would result in an unacceptable production delay.
We had to make the difficult decision of replacing the connectors with a different non-magnetic model.
However, this change will not affect the module's functionality and will provide you with a fun and exciting learning experience.
This is what the new modules look like:
I’m happy to announce that we’ve gotten the final approval for Batmobile’s packaging from Warner.
The boxes are currently being manufactured and we’ll receive them on October 17th.
We’ve settled for a slightly more futuristic box design compared to the initial one shown in the Kickstarter campaign:
Other notable milestones include:
We have to finalize the following tasks before shipping the product to your addresses:
The Batmobile’s final casing had to be slightly changed due to a few final requests from Warner:
These are the two main issues we’re facing now that have been messing with our plans for the past year.
The current economic and logistical situation has not made things easy for us. Constant shipping delays and lockdowns in China have made our development process longer and more challenging than anticipated.
Unfortunately, the shipping date was pushed to the end of November and the beginning of December for all orders.
I understand the situation isn’t ideal with constant delivery pushbacks.
Rest assured that we’re doing everything we can to deliver a truly fantastic product.
I am also aware a lot of you are counting on this as a Christmas gift, and I will do everything in my power to get your Batmobiles delivered to you before Christmas.
======
We expect to have all the components needed to begin production of the Batmobile by the end of the month, giving us enough time to start shipping the first boxes at the end of November.
We take delays seriously and will continue to work hard to deliver the product to all of you as soon as possible.
Please note that we have paused all of our other projects to deliver the best possible version of Batmobile as soon as possible and that delivering this to your chimneys before Christmas is our #1 priority.
To keep all of you informed, we will make sure to post updates more frequently.
Thank you all for sticking with us and helping us make this amazing project happen.
If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message - I read and reply to all of the messages I get.
- Albert and the rest of the CM team
CircuitPets are currently being shipped, and you should receive them in the next two weeks.
If you haven’t received a confirmation mail with the tracking link yet, don’t worry; your CircuitPet is on its way, and everyone will receive the mail by the end of the next week.
Another important piece of information is that instead of Clockstar, the next STEM Box you’ll get will be Armstrong.
The main issue we faced during the last year and a half was the ongoing semiconductor shortage and general supply chain problems.
We'd develop a product just to figure out that a critical component such as a processor completely disappeared from the market.
As a solution to this issue, we decided to switch the shipping order while we continue to search for a solution to the chip sourcing issue.
So, Clockstar will be shipped right after Armstrong.
This is the new shipping schedule:
Armstrong is a DIY robotic arm that looks like this:
Armstrong can be programmed to perform different tasks - a perfect help for the upcoming lazy winter days.
With Armstrong, you’ll learn about:
One other cool thing about Armstrong is the ability to connect it to Wheelson and ByteBoi.
You’ll use Wheelson as a super-smart robotic car and ByteBoi as a controller for Wheelson.
The estimated shipping date for Armstrong is in December.
Thank you for your understanding, and keep making!
-Albert and the CM team
]]>
We started shipping your next STEM Box kits and are working during the weekends and around the clock to deliver the kits to your doorstep as soon as possible. We can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Here's a quick look at what the shipping process looks like :
The excitement is real; get ready to build and code your virtual pet.
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>We've spent the last two weeks producing CircuitPet's PCBs.
Both hardware and software are finished, and the final version looks fantastic!
We've also begun packing your orders, and here's a photo of our warehouse (yes, all of these boxes are CircuitPet kits!).
Also, we are currently working on a Coding guide to assist you in programming all sorts of cool things on your virtual pet.
The good news is that CircuitPet’s delivery will start next week, and you will receive a confirmation email with the tracking number once it is shipped.
Take a look at the fun times we had during CircuitPet’s photoshoot:
And last but not least, the CircuitPet usage guide is finished, and you can check what cool games and features it will have.
Here is a sneak peek:
Stay tuned for more info soon.
You'll soon start receiving your tracking numbers.
As always, thank you for your support, and keep making 👋
-Albert and the CM team
]]>We were busy working on CircuitPet’s software this month, and it is finally done!
Here is a sneak peek of what you’ll see once you assemble and turn your CircuitPet on:
As always, we've created a very detailed build guide that will help make the assembly process as fun and easy as possible, and it's now online.
You can find the build guide at the following link:
https://learn.circuitmess.com/resources/guides/en/circuitpet-build-guide
Also, we prepared an anatomy guide that’ll introduce you to all the components and chips used for making CircuitPet.
Here is the link to the anatomy guide:
https://learn.circuitmess.com/resources/guides/en/circuitpet-anatomy-guide
Take a look at the assembly process:
Now that you have seen everything, you must wonder, when will you ship my package?
Well, great news! We are in the final stages of producing CircuitPet,
and are starting to pack everything.
We’ll ship your next STEM Box in the following two weeks.
You’ll be informed when the shipping starts - we’ll post an update once again, and you’ll get an email with the tracking link.
Thank you for your support,
Albert and the CM team
As we mentioned in one of our past updates, we finished Batmobile's casing design and have ordered prototype versions of it to test out. The prototype arrived this week and it's looking good.
Batmobile's casing will be injection molded and will look something like this:
Stay tuned for more updates!
-Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>Synthia's coding guide is now online! You can find it here.
We've prepared a few short tutorials to guide you through the basics of coding your Synthia in CircuitBlocks. We'll show you have to do some cool things on the LED matrix and how to use inputs in a fun way.
Here's a sneak peek at one of the sketches from the guide:
We hope you’ll have a lot of fun coding your Synthia.
Keep making!
- Albert & the CircuitMess Team
]]>This week we received the final versions of CircuitPet's PCBs. Check them out:
Now, we're working on finalizing its software. We're really excited about CircuitPet and can't wait for you to receive it!
More updates are coming soon.
-Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>This week we received Batmobile's PCBs. Now, we have to assemble them and test them out to make sure they're all good.
The PCB is looking pretty snazzy. Check it out:
Stay tuned for more updates!
-Albert & the CircutiMess Team
]]>This week, we worked on Batmobile's casing and have ordered prototype versions to test and check before moving forward.
Here's a sneak peek:
Other than that, we finished designing the silicone soldering mat you were able to get as an add-on during the campaign.
Besides its main purpose of protecting the surface you're working on, this mat will have different indented sections where you'll be able to organize all the components to help stay on top of things while assembling a project.
Check it out:
More updates are coming soon!
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>We started shipping out Synthias this week.
We're working double shifts, producing them as fast as we can.
We estimate to have them all shipped to you in the next 7 - 10 days. You'll start getting tracking numbers to your email inbox as we ship out the orders.
Here are a few behind the scenes photos:
Thanks to your amazing help and support, CircuitMess STEM Box was funded almost two years ago. Since then, we have successfully fulfilled five unique STEM Boxes Spencer, Jay-D, Wheelson, ByteBoi and Chatter.
While developing these products, we had a lot of fun, and we learned so much. None of that would be possible without the support from all of you amazing backers! So, thank you for everything!
Clockstar was scheduled as the seventh STEM Box we'd fulfil, but unfortunately, we had to change this.
Clockstar's fulfilment will be pushed to a later date, and the seventh STEM Box will be a brand new product called Circuitpet.
This is the current STEM Box shipping order:
The main issue we faced during the last year and a half was the ongoing semiconductor shortage and general supply chain problems.
We'd develop a product just to figure out that a critical component such as a processor completely disappeared from the market.
As a solution to this issue, we decided to switch the shipping order while we continue to search for a solution to the chip sourcing issue.
So, Clockstar will be shipped as the eighth box, right after Circuitpet.
Circuitpet is a product we're very proud of and are sure it will be a worthy and fun replacement for Clockstar in the seventh STEM Box.
Circuitpet is a DIY virtual pet game similar to Tamagotchi.
With Circuitpet, you'll bring your own digital pet duck to life. Just like with any other pet, you can play with it, take care of it, love it and help it grow!
This pet duck is actually a mechanical duck that you have to keep alive and safe from rust. To do that, you'll play six preloaded minigames and collect XP to help your pet grow and keep it happy and safe from rusting.
Circuitpet will teach you about always-on technology, RTC (real-time clocks), coding, microcomputers, electronic components and much more.
Circuitpet is equipped with:
We're looking forward to you all raising your own pet duck with Circuitpet and learning about new technological topics along the way.
If you have any questions regarding this change, please reach out to us at contact@circuitmess.com, and we'll help you out :)
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>
We are very fortunate to be sharing another amazing initiative from our partners at Shiny Gloves Club- a non-profit organization committed to providing free education to children in impoverished communities in Africa.
Their latest initiative is a GoFundMe campaign to help one of their students, Blessing Yohanna, attend an engineering university in Nigeria.
Help make her dream come true and donate here ➡️ https://www.gofundme.com/f/byf-a-fund-to-help-lowincome-girls-study-stem
Watch Blessing's full story here.
Meet Blessing Yohana - an electronics inventor and one of the best students in Shiny Gloves Club's engineering program.
She graduated from high school two years ago and wants to study engineering, but her family cannot afford to send her to university.
Blessing's father was initially unwilling to support her wish to become an engineer, not only due to their family's economic conditions but also because of her gender.
In Nigeria, where Blessing is from, gender discrimination often keeps girls out of school. According to UNICEF's research, more than half of the girls in northern Nigeria are not in school.
To help with this, Shiny Gloves Club set up a GoFundMe campaign to help fund Blessing's education at an engineering university in Nigeria.
Let's make Blessing's dream come true 👉 donate here & help support Blessing's education and girls in STEM.
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
Let’s start with the basics. There are two types of coding: text-based coding and block-based coding. The easiest way to differentiate the two, if you have never come in contact with either type of coding, is to look at how they look on the screen.
To someone who has never coded before, text-based coding basically looks like a bunch of random letters, numbers and brackets on a black screen. On the other hand, when you look at block-based coding on the screen, you’ll see many different colorful blocks similar to puzzle pieces.
Looking at text-based coding can quickly discourage you from even trying to teach your child to code, as it might look impossible to figure out which is why most parents opt for block coding. However, that’s precisely why companies have figured out creative ways to show that learning how to code doesn’t have to be difficult, regardless if your child wants to start learning how to code with a text-based or block-based interface.
Block coding does not only look more simple than text-based coding; it actually is easier to figure out and master. Also, because block coding does not require any knowledge of programming languages and syntaxes, it can be introduced to kids as young as 5 years old.
However, some apps and websites have found unique approaches to teaching text-based coding in beginner-friendly ways. Here is a list of a few websites and apps kids can use to get started with coding.
When you think of block coding you will most likely think of Scratch and ScratchJr. They are one of the most popular block coding apps. What makes them special is that they encourage kids to use their imagination and creativity while learning to code.
With these apps, kids create interactive stories and practice teamwork skills through working collaboratively with each other. Another awesome feature of thes apps is that users can look at guides and ideas if they get stuck while creating games and stories.
To make it more accessible, not only is the app free, it’s available in over 60 languages and it can be both, downloaded onto a computer or used in a web browser.
Tynker is an online coding platform that teaches kids about programming and helps them develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Tynker lessons feature different challenges that introduce kids to block coding. As children learn and acquire more and more knowledge, these blocks turn into JavaScript and Python commands. The game-like approach Tynker has helps to keep kid engaged at the task at hand.
CircuitBlocks is our own beginner-friendly programming interface that teaches kids how to code and requires no prior coding experience whatsoever. CircuitBlocks has to be paired with one of our CircuitMess STEM kits in order to code new functions, games and apps for the chosen kit.
These STEM kits come disassembled so your child will also develop fine motor skills, learn about electronics and components that make an electronic device come to life. They will also get a sense of accomplishment after assembling the device on their own which will encourage them to continue tinkering with it and modify it with code.
Once the device is assembled, it can be connected to a computer and programmed in CircuitBlocks by simply dragging and dropping colorful blocks on the screen. Depending on the CircuitMess kit your kid chooses, they will be able to code games, apps, light shows, sound effects, and much more.
Another great thing is that, while using blocks to code on one side of the screen, your child will see code in C generated in real time. This will help them get a better understanding of how real code is written.
Codeable Crafts is an app for Android devices and iPads that welcomes kids to the world of coding through their imagination. With this app, kids can use drawings and storytelling to experiment with coding. This is fun because kids can use coding blocks to bring their stories to life by animating their drawings.
CodeCombat uses a gaming platform to teach kids how to code in programming languages like Python and JavaScript. With this game-based approach, kids are virtually taught how to code by teachers. To make things even more fun, kids can join a competitive AI coding league to put their coding skills to the test.
Code.org is a nonprofit organization that wants to make coding education more accessible to students around the world. They facilitate in-person classes and you can also find a variety of online courses on their website so that your kids can get started with coding from home.
Hopscotch is an app that teaches kids how to build code with blocks through creating animated stories, games, and art. Another great aspect of this app is that it teaches kids about entrepreneurship skills.
SpriteBox Coding is great for teaching kids different functions like like sequencing, parameters, loops, procedures, and basic Swift and Java syntax. The app is basically an adventure game that teaches kids coding through different icons that turn into textual commands.
If you can’t make up your mind on which of these apps and programs is the best for your child to get started with coding, let your child choose their favorite. Your child is the one who will use it to learn so it’s important to listen to their thoughts and let them choose the one that’s most interesting for them as that will ultimately keep them engaged the longest.
In any case, it is great that there are so many different options to choose from because if one of these apps and programs doesn’t work out it is super easy to switch to another one until you and your child find the perfect one.
We're currently working on Batmobile's electronics and are examining them for any errors in order to remove them all before production.
Check out the schemes below to see what Batmobile's electronics look like currently.
======
Don't forget to fill out your shipping address survey. We won't be able to ship out your Kickstarter reward without your shipping information.
If you haven't received your survey or need help with filling it out, reach out to us at contact@circuitmess.com, and we'll help you out.
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert
]]>Exciting news this week - we've received Synthia's parts and have started its production process.
Take a sneak peek at our production space filled with shelves and boxes of bits and pieces we'll use to produce Synthia:
While producing Synthia, we're simultaneously working on its software and making progress.
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>While working on Batmobile, we've simultaneously started the production of Synthia. Synthia is one of the items included in the Collector's Pack that was available as an add-on in our campaign.
Here's a sneak peek at our production space filled with shelves and boxes of bits and pieces we'll use to produce Synthia:
While producing Synthia, we're simultaneously working on its software and making progress.
=========
If you haven't already, please fill out the shipping survey, we sent to the email address associated with your Kickstarter account.
Kickstarter does not collect your shipping address when you back a project. Instead, we have to send out a survey that collects addresses from all you amazing backers.
Also, Kickstarter didn't collect the shipping costs for your pledge, so you will be charged for the shipping costs in the survey as well.
Please fill out the survey as soon as you can in order to receive your pledge, as we can't ship out your Kickstarter reward without your shipping information.
If you haven't received your survey yet, email us at contact@circuimess.com, and we'll help you out!
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert
]]>Unfortunately, this week has been full of inconveniences that are impacting our development.
Global transport slowed down due to geopolitical conflicts and increased gas prices. The current lockdown in China closed down all the hardware factories in Shenzhen, which also significantly impacts us and our ability to obtain the parts we need to continue the development.
Development is still going forward, but these events are not making it any easier.
An interesting change is that we're testing out the new version of the ESP32 chip released this year.
ESP32 is the main processor used on the Batmobile. It's basically Batmobile's brain that handles all the bit crunching related to camera recognition and wireless communication.
The new version we're testing is called ESP-S3-12K. It has new functions, more CPU speed and more memory.
If you want to learn more about ESP-S3-12K, check this out: https://hitechchain.se/startsida/ai-thinker-esp-s3-12k-wi-fible-module
Even with these challenges, we're still pushing through and giving it our all to continue the development.
As always, we'll keep you posted, so stay tuned.
-Albert
]]>CircuitMess STEM Box was successfully funded 18 months ago thanks to your fantastic help and support.
Since then, we have successfully fulfilled five unique STEM Boxes:
- Spencer
- Jay-D
- Wheelson
- ByteBoi
- Chatter
While designing every box, we've learned a lot and had so much fun.
Thanks to your amazing support, all of these products were made possible (you rock!).
Clockstar - a DIY Smartwatch - was scheduled as the sixth STEM Box.
Unfortunately, we had to change this.
Clockstar will be pushed to a later date, and the sixth STEM Box will be Synthia instead.
Due to the ongoing semiconductor and supply chain shortage, we've faced development issues.
The past year was the best year for CircuitMess so far and the most challenging one.
We'd develop a product just to figure out that a critical component such as a processor disappeared from the market.
These situations required us to scrap months worth of valuable development time and find a new solution available on the market.
Mislav - one of the hardware devs here at CircuitMess - praying to the semiconductor gods during these challenging times
This is what happened with Clockastar's development right now - the initial design shown in the Kickstarter campaign proved to be unproducable in the current environment.
Specific chips such as the accelerometer and gyroscope chip vanished from the market.
This required us to search for alternatives, which caused a significant development setback.
As a solution to this issue, we've decided to go with Snythia instead while we search for a solution to the chip sourcing issue.
We will eventually ship Clockstar in one of the following boxes, but we need more time to make it happen.
Synthia is a product that I'm very proud of, and I am confident it will be a worthy replacement for Clockstar for the sixth STEM Box.
STEM Box #6 (Synthia) will be shipped in April.
We've introduced Syntia in one of our previous Kickstarter updates, but here's a brief overview to refresh your memory.
Synthia is a DIY digital musical sampler.
It combines some functions of a sampler, drum machine, sequencer, and synthesizer.
With Synthia, you'll learn how microcomputers and other electronic components are used for sound production.
You will be able to create unique music by playing with the pre-loaded sound samples or recording your own sound samples with the built-in MEMS microphone.
Synthia is equipped with:
Check out the latest circuit board silkscreen design - this will be on the back of the device explaining the different functions it has
We're looking forward to you all creating your own music with Synthia!
If you have any questions regarding this change, please reach out to us at contact@circuitmess.com, and we'll help you out :)
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>
All the shipping information surveys have now been sent out, so you all should have received it inbox by now.
About 48% of you filled it out, so please fill yours out as soon as possible if you haven't already.
If you haven't received the survey yet, we've sent it to the email address associated with your Kickstarter account so be sure to check your inbox and the spam folder.
If you still can't find it or if you need the survey sent to a different email address, please get in touch with us at contact@circuitmess.com.
This survey will collect your shipping information as we can't ship out your Batmobile without it.
The shipping cost will also be charged with this survey, so here's the shipping cost table as a reminder:
If you need help filling out the survey, check out the videos below.
If you've pledged the CircuitMess Batmobile Exclusive Option, check this video.
If you've selected any other perk (that is not a $1 exclusive option), check this video.
]]>
Here's a quick update on Batmobile's development.
As you might remember from our previous update, we decided to use a different CPU model from the one we were hoping to use as it vanished from the market. The chip we'll in Batmobile use is called ESP32-S3. We added 4MB RAM and 16MB flash memory to it. We also added 3 light sensors for line following.
Check it out below:
Here are a few rendered images of the PCB. It's not entirely finished yet, but it's looking good so far:
Thank you so much for your support so far.
Stay tuned for more updates.
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>Chatter's coding guide is now online! You can find it here.
As for the Anatomy guide, it’s live as well. Check it out here and learn about the components on Chatter’s board.
We've prepared a few short tutorials that will guide you through the basics of coding your Chatter in CircuitBlocks. We'll show you have to do some cool things like display text and icons & play different sounds.
Here's a sneak peek at one of the sketches from the guide:
We hope you’ll have a lot of fun customizing your Chatter.
Keep making!
- Albert & the CircuitMess Team
]]>This is a quick update to let you know that your shipping address surveys are being sent out.
Kickstarter does not collect your address when you back a project. Instead, we have to send out a survey that collects addresses from all you amazing backers.
Also, Kickstarter didn't collect the shipping costs for your pledge.
You will be charged for the shipping costs in the survey.
Here's the shipping cost table as a quick reminder:
You will get an email with a link to the survey in the following days.
Please check your email inbox and the spam folder.
We will use the email associated with your Kickstarter account.
If you need the survey sent to a different email address, please contact us via contact@circuitmess.com
We are using a service called Backerkit for sending out the survey.
Please fill them out as soon as you can in order to receive your pledge as we can't ship out your Kickstarter reward without your shipping information.
When filling out the survey, you'll also have the possibility to add additional add-ons for a special price if you missed out on getting something that you wanted during the campaign.
Here's a video that will guide you through the process of filling out the survey.
The survey is a bit different depending on your pledge.
If you've pledged the CircuitMess Batmobile Exclusive Option, check this video.
If you've selected any other perk (that is not a $1 exclusive option), check this video.
====
In other news, we displayed our Batmobile at the new Batman movie premiere. It feels surreal but the event was tons of fun. The movie was awesome as well. Have you had a chance to watch it yet?
Check out a few photos from the event below:
Please fill out the survey as soon as possible!
Stay tuned for more updates!
-Albert
]]>
All Chatter kits have now been shipped, and you should be getting them shortly if you haven't received them yet. So, we're sure you're very excited to build them as soon as possible. :)
As always, we've created a very detailed build guide that will help make the assembly process a breeze, and it's now online.
You can find the build guide at the following link: https://learn.circuitmess.com/resources/guides/en/chatter-build-guide
Here's a quick sneak peek of a few assembly steps from the build guide:
Once you're done assembling, you can immediately start texting and playing around with your Chatters, so be sure to check out the usage guide if you need any help with how to do this.
Find Chatter's usage guide here: https://learn.circuitmess.com/resources/guides/en/chatter-usage-guide
Stay tuned for more updates as Chatter's coding guide is coming soon!
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
]]>There's no time to rest here at CircutiMess. We're currently hard at work on the hardware design of Batmobile's controller.
Here's a sneak peek at the controller's PCB design that we're working on:
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert
]]>It's been a busy few weeks for us here at CircuitMess. We're hard at work getting Batmobile ready for production, and we're currently working on Batmobile's software.
Our lead software developer, Filip, preaching the way of clean code.
There's truly never a dull moment here, so stay tuned for more updates as we move onto the next phases of Batmobile's development.
Thank you so much for your support!
- Albert
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So far, we've shipped out 80% of Chatter kits and are working during the weekends and around the clock to deliver the rest of the kits to your doorstep as soon as possible. We can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Here's a quick look at what the packing process looks like :
Chatter's packaging looking snazzy
The excitement is real; get ready to build and code your pair of Chatters.
Stay tuned for more updates!
- Albert & the CircuitMess team
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I hope you had some rest during the winter holidays and that you're now energized and back to your regular crunch.
Here at CircuitMess, we were hard at work to get your fifth STEM Box delivered to your door - Chatter.
I'm happy to announce that, despite the ongoing difficulties with semiconductor sourcing and shipping, your chatters are in the finishing phase of the development and will start shipping out in about seven days.
To get Chatters produced and delivered, we had to perform some changes to the initial prototype shown in the Kickstarter campaign in 2020.
The hardware changes were done in order to:
1. make the chatter work in the best way possible
2. make the chatter producible with the components available on the market right now
3. account for the rising costs of semiconductors. We always try to deliver the best products possible. Still, sometimes, we cannot use a component that was initially put into the prototype shown in 2020 because the prices of specific components skyrocketed.
Here is a detailed list of changes that we've performed:
1. we've radically improved the esthetic and the functionality of the software.
The software now works in a way more similar to Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, or other messaging apps that you're used to using.
It includes a new set of functionalities, including:
- pairing with multiple devices
- friends lists
- multiple chats with chat history
- on-screen notifications
- chat color customization
- user avatar customization
- fancy gif animations and a complete UI overhaul
- a set of unique memes that we've designed
2. we've switched from a single-core processor to a dual-core CPU.
At first, we wanted to pull this off with a single-core processor (ESP8266).
We've figured out that we cannot make everything work with the amount of RAM and FLASH esp8266 had, so we had to switch to his bigger brother - ESP32.
The left silverly thingy is the CPU
3. we changed the wireless communication module
The one on the prototype was not working well enough. We've switched to a LoRa (long-range radio) module called Ra-01. This one has a metallic shield and is less prone to interference and errors; it just worked better for us.
4. The screen is landscape instead of portrait
It turns out people liked it better when the display was in landscape orientation.
5. USB-C
Everyone's using it, so we've put it on your chatters as well.
6. The buzzer is bigger and a bit louder now.
7. We've made Chatter smaller. It fits in your palm better now, and we can also fit both of them in a box that isn't super big.
8. we've switched from Li-Po to AAA alkaline batteries.
I know, I know, but we couldn't produce the chatters and still cover all the costs due to the stronger processor and the rising component prices.
You'll get six pieces of AAA batteries in your package.
9. The Antena is smaller
From our tests, we've figured out that the size of the external antenna affected the range minimally on our design.
We've reduced the size of the antenna to make the device more portable and to account for the higher production costs while still not crippling the functionality of the device.
10. we've added a keyboard sticker
We were not satisfied with the readability of the key markings printed on the circuit board, so we've switched to vinyl stickers that you can apply if you don't remember what typing on a phone in 2006 looked like.
Bonus:
We've radically improved our quality control process by designing a new series of test jigs that test the circuit boards when they come out of the production process.
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Stay tuned for more info soon.
You'll soon start receiving your tracking numbers.
As always, thank you for your support and keep making 👋
- Albert and the team
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After a fantastic ending of our campaign, we're hard at work developing Batmobile's final form and preparing it for production.
We're currently working on Batmobile's software and finishing its casing so that it can be injection moulded.
The parts shown in campaign photos and videos are just prototypes, and we're currently optimizing them for mass production. Since the campaign was a huge success, we cannot 3D-print all casings individually, so we opted for injection moulding (a process used for mass-producing plastic parts).
We're also praying to semiconductors that the semiconductor crisis ends soon.
Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all once again for supporting the campaign. None of this would be possible without you!
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From all of us at CircuitMess - have a successful and happy new year. 🎉 2021 has been a wild year for us - we've shipped over 18,000 packages all around the world, finished the campaign with the largest number of backers we've ever gotten on Kickstarter, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
There's lots more to come in 2022, so stay tuned!
- Albert
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