With its open-source, modular approach to personal electronics, New York’s Bug Labs could be on to something big. Its beautifully designed flagship device, the Bug, is a central base about the size of an iPhone that can be programmed to serve as a custom-designed gadget with the help of snap-in modules. To maximize its flexibility, a user needs to be able to program in Java, so initially, the Bug may be of interest only to hobbyists. But the company is building up a library of programs and designs that will be easy for the average person to use. The Bug, and the first modules made for it, began shipping at the end of 2007.
Linux Computer
Most electronic devices, because of their limited memory and processing power, must be programmed using languages and techniques that are difficult to master. But the Linux computer at the heart of Bug Labs’ modular device provides tools that let users program applications more easily. The technically inclined can program in Java, a widely known language, and make their programs available to other users. The device has enough memory to store multiple programs, so it can perform many different functions when the proper modules are connected.
A. Common Connections
Rather than use a customized connector for each module that snaps into its base, the Bug relies on standard 40-pin connectors. “It’s a very low-tech, brute-force method, but we didn’t want to get into the cable business,” says Bug Labs CEO Peter Semmelhack. In addition, the sides of the base feature USB, Ethernet, power, and memory ports. The Bug contains embedded software designed to recognize modules. To avoid crashes, the software prevents programs from running unless all the necessary modules are plugged in. For example, a program that tells the Bug how to take geotagged photographs will run only if the system detects the camera and GPS modules.
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