Using MetaWear to build CUBIT

rafatuita

Hi guys,

I was playing with metawear so I was trying to add some display to it, but according to some emails I've exchanged with Laura, what I need is a mix between metawear and CUBIT (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/guardyen/cubit-smart-and-stylish-wearable-technology?ref=nav_search)...

I just wonder if I can build CUBIT like device using metawear and its SDKs (software stack)...

I believe that the OLED display can be bit bigger so I could make different use of it like displaying charts, etc...

Question: is it possible? what are the parts I'd need (with link to order if possible) and software...

thank you guys...

rafael

Laura

Rafael,

It will be possible to add an LCD or OLED when we open up I2C support on Metawear.

Just so you know it is not our intention for MetaWear to ever support an LCD due to a lack of demand (i/e CUBIT).

pannfred

Dear Laura,
We are working on a project that will need the integration of a LCD display. I have read a couple of exchange you have had with Rafatuita and I have basically noticed that, because of a lack of interest, Metawear were not to support such feature at the moment. My question is, is there any change?

Laura

pannfed,

No there is no change on that. 

Once you need to power a small screen, you have now drastically changed the category of products you are making and it is likely that MetaWear is no longer a fit. You generally need a lot of MCU power just to "render" the graphics on that screen. Most products will have an MCU dedicated to sending graphics and commands to an LCD/LED/OLED screen and another MCU doing communications and other computations. Otherwise screen products will have a more powerful ARM core in their design that can handle multitasking well and generally won't have to do a lot of non-screen related computation (think fitness tracker type products).

Additionally, a lot of these screens are fairly high voltage so you will need a pump/boost circuit that quickly adds cost and shrinks the battery life of the product (we didn't want to deal with this on MetaWear).

My advice would be to look at a few tear-downs of products similar to what you are making and see what they use.

Cubit failed not necessarily because of the fact that it has a screen; it was actually because everyone wanted a slightly different screen size and type. So at the end of the day we would have to make a board that allows developers to put many different types of LED/LCD/OLED/EINK mini screens on it and that is not an easy task.

Perhaps if there is more interest in the future we might attempt another CUBIT but it is unlikely at this time.