From Prototype to Product: Navigating Hardware Manufacturing with Violet Su

In this episode of the Agile Embedded Podcast, Luca speaks with Violet Su, Business Development Manager at Seed Studio, about the challenges and opportunities in hardware manufacturing. 

The conversation explores the realities of hardware development, from initial prototyping to mass production. Violet emphasizes the importance of getting products into users' hands quickly to gather feedback, even if they're not perfect. She highlights common pitfalls for newcomers to hardware manufacturing, including underestimating costs, certification requirements, and supply chain complexities. The discussion also covers the growing influence of AI in hardware development and how emerging connectivity technologies are shaping the future of embedded systems.

Key Topics

• [01:30] Introduction to Seed Studio and its focus on open source hardware and AI
• [03:15] Changes in hardware development landscape over the past decade
• [06:45] Common challenges for hardware startups and innovators
• [12:30] The importance of early feedback and iterative development
• [16:20] Success story: OpenUC2 microscopy project collaboration
• [23:40] Indicators of a successful hardware project
• [28:15] Insights from Embedded World 2024 conference
• [33:10] Future trends in hardware beyond AI

Notable Quotes

"You might be able to design one and it really works when you have a sample or 10 samples, but when we talk about products, there are a lot of nuances that we really need to think about." — Violet Su

"You can fail faster so that you can succeed faster. We couldn't make a perfect project and we shouldn't expect to make a perfect product." — Violet Su

"When they give you the complaints early on, you will be very thankful, and they know you listened as well." — Violet Su

"The projects that might take off either really solve the pain of some people, or get people excited because it's something new." — Violet Su

"There's nothing better than getting customer complaints early on, so you don't get them later on." — Luca Ingianni

Resources Mentioned

• Seed Studio - Company providing open source hardware and AI solutions
• OpenUC2 - Open source modular microscopy project mentioned as a success story

Connect With Us

• Reach out to Violet Su at violet@seed.cc to discuss potential hardware collaborations with Seed Studio
• Visit seedstudio.com to explore their range of AI hardware and customization services
• Connect with Violet Su on LinkedIn for updates on hardware manufacturing trends

You can find Jeff at https://jeffgable.com.
You can find Luca at https://luca.engineer.

Want to join the agile Embedded Slack? Click here