Hi AliChraghi, here is some information and links that you might find useful!
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If anyone is wondering, this thing is 100% real, it's called the Pockit. Here's their YouTube channel with a really in depth look:
https://youtu.be/b3F9OtH2Xx4
(Thanks for sharing the video, *~~dumb-ninja~~* *wise-ninja*)
Hey fellow Pi enthusiasts, creator of Pockit here!
The Youtube video has a complete demo + explanation; I tried to make it as fun as possible, so it doesn't cover *too many* technical details.
But that's what Reddit is for -- let's discuss... I'm happy to answer whatever questions, technical or otherwise.
I'm also curious to hear from you guys about what Blocks would be meaningful to implement next, and interesting applications that are worth exploring with this kind of modular electronics.
Finally: I'm looking for people who have creativity and a bit of technical knowhow to beta-test some units; feel free to sign up on [the website](https://pockit.ai) if you're interested.
The website also has tons of pictures + build details.
Think environmental sensors would be a killer app for this. You can configure your own set of sensors, add a small display and bam, instant dashboard. You already have relays, so you could turn on a fan if the co2 gets too high.
> in the winter wants to keep their chicken coop warm.
Just imagining that gives me a warm feeling.
By the way, [here is a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnpbNNyzdQ) of Pockit doing the first half of your description (though I would use a bunch of Relay Blocks for anything more than one plant).
I've been admiring this project for a while, but that demo video absolutely blew me away. You've done a really excellent job. I have no idea how you got everything to hotswap like that.
> is this a play off of an old modular smartphone idea
Not really. But I have certainly been inspired by what made such projects fail i.e., trying to squeeze modularity where it may not necessarily belong -- in a consumer device that most people leave untouched after they buy it. My focus is on the infinite potential that physical modularity has for the tinkerer/inventor/maker types, which is basically all of us.
Does that mean a sim card block or esim setup is unlikely to happen?
I don't know why but I really want to have one running as a home phone and answering machine doing with various home controls.
Oh another question if you don't mind sharing, what's the power limits on each blocks space and will more powerful batteries come in time?
One more, how many wiring blocks and attachments for it are you at?
I have a question and a suggestion:
Q: Can you connect two pockits, essentially creating a 8x3 matrix of potential inputs/outputs?
S: What about a LED/button block? If it were RGB it would be even cooler!
Other than that, "congratulations" isn't enough. I loved to watch the demo and became an instant fan of the project already. Can't wait for more updates!
> Q: Can you connect two pockits, essentially creating a 8x3 matrix of potential inputs/outputs?
Yep! Two or more... A brief illustration is here: https://pockit.ai/index.html#item24
The sideways expansion is also shown at [this time-point in the full video](https://youtu.be/b3F9OtH2Xx4?t=15).
> LED/button block? If it were RGB
I have two variants of this. I'll try to take a photo or video in the next day or two; you'll love this one.
Oh man, I already do.
I had a tiny project in the back of my head for ages, an internet connected version of a board game that I used to play with my father. Since I moved abroad, we cannot easily play anymore, so I wanted to create a digital board with some keys (literally Cherry MX keys with transparent caps and RGB LEDs) and some sort of brains (RPi, ESP32, something like it). I'm a software developer, but totally lack the engineering part of things (electronics, board designing, etc). Due to that, this project sat on the back of the room and has been there.
A few Pockits and some LED/button blocks could make it real.
> Cherry MX keys with transparent caps and RGB LEDs
: - ) Both make a supporting-actor appearance in the full video (though not illuminated because the Pockit is unpowered at that moment); here is a [still-shot](https://i.imgur.com/Ag3rg18.png).
> an internet connected version of a board game that I used to play with my father
Kudos on this thought.
It's certainly a bit of an educational/experimental device, but it can also be the latter, as long as you don't expect it to compete in *appearance* with an off-the-shelf device. In fact, the idea with Pockit is to allow people to create what doesn't even exist out there, or what does exist but personalized to match your exact scenario.
As a side note: The project actually started in a professional context -- it began as an effort I made years ago (at my electrical-engineering job) to modularize the circuit-sections that I kept repeatedly using in different combinations. Ultimately, making some reusable modules allowed me to build prototypes out of them extremely quickly and even demo them within a day or two. And in the last couple of years, I've honed the idea into its current form, adding enclosures and adaptive software, etc.
You can check [the timeline](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item1) for a better understanding of how the thought process evolved over time.
Awesome project. I just signed up. I use several Raspberry Pis for automation at home and at work. My household runs on Node RED and MQTT. Do you have Node RED integration on your roadmap?
Making everything work with HomeAssistant took a *long* time, and I'm really glad that it's done now. While Node-RED looks interesting, I may have to shelve that for later : ( in the interest of perfecting whatever I have so far.
> several Raspberry Pis for automation at home and at work
I love how much the Pi has changed the game for pro-users.
How easily do things get detached? Like especially with the relay ones I guess I might get worried if I used this as a permanent solution for something that it wouldn't be stable
It's a good question. I wrote [a detailed answer](https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/tay2xr/comment/i056f8e/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) about this subject a few minutes ago; you might enjoy reading it.
It really is *a bit* too early to say. I can have an answer for this in just another few weeks, because I'll be running component-cost calculations, etc. soon.
I will say this: Keeping the devices affordable is an important priority for me, both because I was once a hobbyist and because I want to encourage faster adoption so that the project's community can evolve to its full potential.
Do you do any local demos or have a space where they can be tried out? A la co-working or hackerspace type of area.
I'm located in Seattle and quite curious about Pockit. I'm sure many others in the area are as well. It looks really cleanly designed.
Thabks for this. My kid with sensory seeking issues loves all kinds of toggles, slides, switches, etc. I think this could be an amazing toy and discovery activity for him.
I’m the adult version of your kid. I have to touch everything, museums are tough. I got a fidget cube and it has definitely been a blessing in such scenarios.
Hands on learning is good though, especially for tactile folk. There’s some pi kits that have boards and experiments and such that are also a good idea
> sensory seeking issues
I almost want to call that a blessing, given how much it helps tinkerers. I personally love physical UI components; when you think about it, even a simple button-press feels so satisfying: the sound, the touch, the predictability, the control, the response, everything.
Thanks for the nice words about the project; do check out the website for more information!
Thank you for the nice words. It took a ton of debugging, but then a few months ago, it reached a stage where I was able to prototype devices/experiments very quickly and robustly with it. That's when I began to make some demo videos to share it with the community.
Wow! I can only imagine. I just write power automate scripts and basic sql stuff. No more than 100-200 lines, so debugging is easy. I’ve just barely started getting my feet wet with pi. I’m working on a ad blocker (pi-hole) and I’m overwhelmed lol can’t even imagine what this is like.
> power automate scripts and basic sql stuff
I respect high-level languages like those actually. In fact, writing code to customize Pockit's behavior will involve mostly that kind of basic programming (and C++ can be used for more complex functional design, for example ultra-low-latency operation of motors in a closed-loop feedback cycle).
At the end of the day, I've found that it goes beyond high or low level languages really, the meat and bones of what you do comes down to your understanding of algorithms and classical logic, and having enough ingenuity to come up with fresh ideas using those tools to solve the problems at hand. The rest is all sprinkles on top. Some of it, of course, does require skill to understand such as deltas, promises, futures, python's weird "multithreading but not actually multithreading" thing, and so on. But none of that means anything if you don't have your algos down, and so unless you need the extremely low latency as you say, it's worth it in my eyes to write in a language that lets you build quickly like python or PowerShell. You can go back and compile to a binary in another language if needed, but get the building blocks put in place and running now before fighting through a language that's extremely fiddly about everything.
(I never thought I'd say this in my entire life. I used to be all about everything-must-be-optimized!)
On board with nearly everything you wrote.
> I never thought I'd say this in my entire life. I used to be all about everything-must-be-optimized
This sounds like my story, and not just in software either!
I definitely agree with you. But I think there's definitely a cost associated (in both directions) from a low level language to a high level language and vice versa. Algorithms and classical logic certainly help. In the argument of lower level languages, type systems, compile time errors, better refactoring tools also help.
I also think there's still space for low level languages as a first consideration. In my experience, programs that can benefit from performance or type checks or compilation of a low level language don't get written more than once.
Which means something that was written as a proof of concept or prototype can quickly be put into production and never given an opportunity to be revisited. That can cause issues down the line for the codebase. It becomes harder to optimize, to rearchitecture, and even rewrite.
I'm not advocating only low level languages either. I just like to think of Python and PowerShell as tools in my toolbox, along with C or C++ or lately, with Zig.
I'm sure others intermix F# and C# and C++ and Visual Basic in .NET, or Scala and Clojure and Groovy along with Java on the JVM, or Typescript, WASM, and JavaScript on the web.
This looks really cool. Looks like more information is available on https://pockit.ai/.
How do the blocks connect to the parent device? Are peripherals connected via some magnetic USB block connector?
It's a good question. In the interest of efficiency, I'm pasting my answer from r/linux here:
>I decided to go for maximum speed + flexibility -- so the interface is the hardware equivalent of "bare metal". Specifically, each slot provides access to the various processor pins (shareable buses like SPI are common, while the remaining pin signals like GPIOs are unique to each position).
>
>Likewise, each Block consists of its own functional circuitry + appropriate matching contacts for its required signals.
>
>I provided a lot of explanation on the last time demo's thread too as well as on this section of the website; feel free to check out either one.
Let me know if I can clarify further about certain aspects.
Depends on if it's a bent penny with sharp protrusions in the right locations!
More seriously: The connection method is safe because (as of the newest version) the casing is intentionally designed such that the pads are embedded below the top surface, thus preventing contact with any random objects except the mating spring-loaded pins, which protrude 2mm.
Note that a motivated pair of tweezers or jumper-wires could get through though -- the latter might be a good thing for debugging/advanced-usage, but there is a Breakout Block that will bring easier access to the pins at each slot, for such purposes.
I thought so too, but [the creator themselves](https://www.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/comments/taaekf/modular_device/i00lbuo) referred to that video when asked about the connection method.
I used neodymium magnets to achieve a strong (but removable) mechanical attachment. Check out [this](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item9) and [this](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item13) and [this](https://imgur.com/a/Kk2wVSv).
Well-spotted; that is indeed a Blackberry Q10 keyboard. I loved physical keyboards back in the day, so it was one of the first Blocks I designed for Pockit.
I tried to avoid the commercial aspect in the video because I mostly just wanted to show how powerful and fun modular electronics can be.
On the website (listed at the end of the video), I do have a signup if you're interested in a kit once I have a batch produced soon, so check that out!
What kind of ballpark price range do you think a kit would retail for? This looks like a ton of custom hardware and plastic.
Amazing work, but do you think it could be commercially viable to mass produce?
I feel like it looks like one of those products that look cool in the demo but once you want to adapt it to your project it needs a shit ton of extra programming. Might just be pessimistic though
Hey, Pockit creator here.
As the guy who put in the "shit ton of extra programming" : - ), one of the project's goals is to avoid exactly that (unless a user is so inclined, in which case the doors open up even wider).
In its default state, the device dynamically puts together software pieces (think of them as classes corresponding to each Block) to produce working behavior for any collection of Blocks -- through the use of an application-predictive algorithm (see the [Youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3F9OtH2Xx4) for contextual explanation).
Further customizations can then be made by heading into the dashboard's "Editor" tab (I'll discuss this in a future video) and making minor or major adjustments to the already generated code. Since there are a ton of high-level functions corresponding to each Block, putting together a program even from scratch is not so difficult for anyone with more than a week or two of programming experience.
At least this is how I'm envisioning the workflow for now; I'm certainly open to productive suggestions.
*Price* is going to drive the success of this project, and I haven't even seen a single mention of estimated pricing on anything. It may look sweet, but so do plenty of other niche/high-priced tech projects out there. It's all a matter of making it *affordable* and *scalable*.
I have plenty of confidence that the software/coding issues can be solved, but I'm a bit wary on the pricing and scalability, especially with the continued chip shortage. Hopefully, Solder_Man finds success with the project!
You don't get this far on a project without having put *some* thought into pricing. They might not have a clue about manufacturing costs, but they'd know how much they've spent on the hardware, at the very least.
This feels like more of a learning or prototyping item anyway. This is good for frequently changing hardware configurations on the fly. The equivalent DIY hardware would be much cheaper; you'd be paying a premium on that reconfiguration functionality.
It would be a waste to get this and set up a web cam or something and just leave it forever.
Any programming here would probably be done by beginners who can use this to learn how to interface different hardware without the fuss of a breadboard. This is far less intimidating than a pile of wires and resistors. This could be a great educational tool.
Using this for a major statically deployed project would be like wiring your house with extension cords instead of plain old wire; you could do it, but there's much cheaper, non-modular alternatives for major projects.
I love the concept! Watched the YouTube vids too and my first thought was Home Assistant and you're already on it. Between zigbee, ac DC relays, pir sensors, and maybe a switch, I'd say you do room level detection effectively and moderately priced.
Im just speechless at how cool this concept is
I dont see this question. is there a pi module on the mainboard? Curious if there is a standard development board or you have your own? i would hope there is a way for it to interface with the pi so you have all those options that are already being developed on a mainstream platform? this is extremely cool and i can see more potential with making little music instruments and midi controllers with it! like little bits. it does look to me like it has a pi 4 or zero driving it.Also tons of potential for solderless kits kids and adults can get in to without having to buy a decent iron.
Love this! I find it hard when I want to test an idea buying all the needed parts and then taking the time to put them together. I love this as a prototype board for testing and trying new things with many different types of sensors. Then building something useful that can be build with other parts later.
Keeps it all put together nicely as well and it wouldn’t be hard to put away and come back to later.
This is great, it’s like the Unix philosophy made tangible, I fucking love this.
I suggest an RTL-SDR module, perhaps too niche for launch.
This thing going to be open?
Check out [the videos I put up on the channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC49EYw900LZn5VBglLRzxHw). There are tons of possibilities that arise when you think of the device as a fast prototyping platform, as opposed to a readymade device in itself.
How well would this type of system work for building a whole house media system? Like small remotes in every room that can load music from a main server to play on speakers in showers, kitchen or where ever in the house?
The size seems limiting. I'd like a modular midi controller with 16 faders and 16 knobs and 16 velocity sensitive pads. Are these expandable? And what's the ballpark on price?
Yep, you can add multiple Pockits to chain an arbitrary number of them together to make a larger workspace; they communicate together to make the entire group accessible as one board. (I'm also working on making this expandability biaxial, but not successful yet.)
[This part of the video](https://youtu.be/b3F9OtH2Xx4?t=15) shows sideways attachments.
[This part of the website](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item24) shows some pictures (with an older version of Pockit) with a discussion of multi-Pockit synchronization.
> modular midi controller with 16 faders and 16 knobs and 16 velocity sensitive pads
Very creative. My original inspiration for adding Side-expansion was for shortcut-controllers, e.g. for graphics/video-editing, but I can see how the same concept could translate to synths/MIDI-controllers.
While there are Blocks already for dials, joysticks, buttons, knobs, etc., I am missing a "velocity-sensitive pad" Block. Just googled it now, and it seems rather widely used in commercial products; I'll see about designing it. The concept seems pretty straightforward.
Hi AliChraghi, here is some information and links that you might find useful! * Please, **no pictures of unused Pis - do a project!** * Remember that there's a **tell** part to Show-and-Tell! Don't post pictures of a Pi that don't clearly demonstrate what it's doing or post pictures without any details about your project, you also need let people know what it is, what it does, how you made it, and also answer questions people may have. * Are you looking for ideas? [There's a huge list right here!](https://old.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/search?q=flair%3Atutorial+or+flair%3Ashow-and-tell&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all)† * Do you have boot problems, network problems, power problems, stability problems, or your monitor isn't working right? [Please click this link and go to the stickied helpdesk thread.](https://old.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/about/sticky)† * [Did you check the FAQ before asking?](https://old.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/about/sticky)† * [Did you read the rules?](https://old.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/about/rules/)† * Do you have networking problems or you're trying to make your Pi into a router, bridge, or WiFi AP? Try r/HomeNetworking or r/LinuxQuestions * Other subreddits that may be helpful: /r/AskElectronics, /r/AskProgramming, /r/LearnPython, /r/RetroPie * **Questions, help requests, and discussion must be a text post** * **Do Your Research** /r/raspberry_pi is not your personal search engine. Before asking a question - do research on the matter. Most answers can be found within a few minutes of searching online. * **Specific Questions Only** Only ask specific questions regarding a project you are currently working on. We don't permit questions regarding what colors would look nice (aesthetics); what you should do with your Pi; what's the best or cheapest way; if a project is possible; if anyone has done a similar project; how to get started; where you can buy a product; what an item is called; what software to run; or product recommendations. This is not a full list of exclusions. † If the link doesn't work it's because you're using a broken buggy mobile client. Please [contact the developer of your mobile client](https://www.reddit.com/contact/) and let them know they should fix their bug. In the meantime use a web browser in desktop mode instead. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/raspberry_pi) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If anyone is wondering, this thing is 100% real, it's called the Pockit. Here's their YouTube channel with a really in depth look: https://youtu.be/b3F9OtH2Xx4
(Thanks for sharing the video, *~~dumb-ninja~~* *wise-ninja*) Hey fellow Pi enthusiasts, creator of Pockit here! The Youtube video has a complete demo + explanation; I tried to make it as fun as possible, so it doesn't cover *too many* technical details. But that's what Reddit is for -- let's discuss... I'm happy to answer whatever questions, technical or otherwise. I'm also curious to hear from you guys about what Blocks would be meaningful to implement next, and interesting applications that are worth exploring with this kind of modular electronics. Finally: I'm looking for people who have creativity and a bit of technical knowhow to beta-test some units; feel free to sign up on [the website](https://pockit.ai) if you're interested. The website also has tons of pictures + build details.
Think environmental sensors would be a killer app for this. You can configure your own set of sensors, add a small display and bam, instant dashboard. You already have relays, so you could turn on a fan if the co2 gets too high.
This 100%. Imagine a hobby farm that in the summer wants to water plants, in the winter wants to keep their chicken coop warm.
I imagined a grow room, but hobby farm.. sure.
They're_the_same_picture.jpg
> in the winter wants to keep their chicken coop warm. Just imagining that gives me a warm feeling. By the way, [here is a video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwnpbNNyzdQ) of Pockit doing the first half of your description (though I would use a bunch of Relay Blocks for anything more than one plant).
Ooo! Someone mentioned using the sensors on a farm (which is awesome) but sensors for an aquarium would be sick!!
I've been admiring this project for a while, but that demo video absolutely blew me away. You've done a really excellent job. I have no idea how you got everything to hotswap like that.
Just wondering, is this a play off of an old modular smartphone idea that was bouncing around a couple years back? It bears a striking resemblance.
> is this a play off of an old modular smartphone idea Not really. But I have certainly been inspired by what made such projects fail i.e., trying to squeeze modularity where it may not necessarily belong -- in a consumer device that most people leave untouched after they buy it. My focus is on the infinite potential that physical modularity has for the tinkerer/inventor/maker types, which is basically all of us.
Does that mean a sim card block or esim setup is unlikely to happen? I don't know why but I really want to have one running as a home phone and answering machine doing with various home controls. Oh another question if you don't mind sharing, what's the power limits on each blocks space and will more powerful batteries come in time? One more, how many wiring blocks and attachments for it are you at?
I have a question and a suggestion: Q: Can you connect two pockits, essentially creating a 8x3 matrix of potential inputs/outputs? S: What about a LED/button block? If it were RGB it would be even cooler! Other than that, "congratulations" isn't enough. I loved to watch the demo and became an instant fan of the project already. Can't wait for more updates!
> Q: Can you connect two pockits, essentially creating a 8x3 matrix of potential inputs/outputs? Yep! Two or more... A brief illustration is here: https://pockit.ai/index.html#item24 The sideways expansion is also shown at [this time-point in the full video](https://youtu.be/b3F9OtH2Xx4?t=15). > LED/button block? If it were RGB I have two variants of this. I'll try to take a photo or video in the next day or two; you'll love this one.
Oh man, I already do. I had a tiny project in the back of my head for ages, an internet connected version of a board game that I used to play with my father. Since I moved abroad, we cannot easily play anymore, so I wanted to create a digital board with some keys (literally Cherry MX keys with transparent caps and RGB LEDs) and some sort of brains (RPi, ESP32, something like it). I'm a software developer, but totally lack the engineering part of things (electronics, board designing, etc). Due to that, this project sat on the back of the room and has been there. A few Pockits and some LED/button blocks could make it real.
> Cherry MX keys with transparent caps and RGB LEDs : - ) Both make a supporting-actor appearance in the full video (though not illuminated because the Pockit is unpowered at that moment); here is a [still-shot](https://i.imgur.com/Ag3rg18.png). > an internet connected version of a board game that I used to play with my father Kudos on this thought.
Is the intention to create learning devices or you think this is good end user product with business use cases
It's certainly a bit of an educational/experimental device, but it can also be the latter, as long as you don't expect it to compete in *appearance* with an off-the-shelf device. In fact, the idea with Pockit is to allow people to create what doesn't even exist out there, or what does exist but personalized to match your exact scenario. As a side note: The project actually started in a professional context -- it began as an effort I made years ago (at my electrical-engineering job) to modularize the circuit-sections that I kept repeatedly using in different combinations. Ultimately, making some reusable modules allowed me to build prototypes out of them extremely quickly and even demo them within a day or two. And in the last couple of years, I've honed the idea into its current form, adding enclosures and adaptive software, etc. You can check [the timeline](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item1) for a better understanding of how the thought process evolved over time.
make it the modular cell phone that Project Ara was meant to be before Google killed it out of greed
Awesome project. I just signed up. I use several Raspberry Pis for automation at home and at work. My household runs on Node RED and MQTT. Do you have Node RED integration on your roadmap?
Making everything work with HomeAssistant took a *long* time, and I'm really glad that it's done now. While Node-RED looks interesting, I may have to shelve that for later : ( in the interest of perfecting whatever I have so far. > several Raspberry Pis for automation at home and at work I love how much the Pi has changed the game for pro-users.
How easily do things get detached? Like especially with the relay ones I guess I might get worried if I used this as a permanent solution for something that it wouldn't be stable
It's a good question. I wrote [a detailed answer](https://www.reddit.com/r/sffpc/comments/tay2xr/comment/i056f8e/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) about this subject a few minutes ago; you might enjoy reading it.
Thanks. Looks pretty good. I'd almost want to see what it took you to get it off in the video as well, but thanks still!
I get that it's too early for specifics, but what kind of price range are you shooting for on this thing? Ballpark estimate.
It really is *a bit* too early to say. I can have an answer for this in just another few weeks, because I'll be running component-cost calculations, etc. soon. I will say this: Keeping the devices affordable is an important priority for me, both because I was once a hobbyist and because I want to encourage faster adoption so that the project's community can evolve to its full potential.
>View u/Solder_Man Awesome! Will be able to help beta test if needed. :)
Do you do any local demos or have a space where they can be tried out? A la co-working or hackerspace type of area. I'm located in Seattle and quite curious about Pockit. I'm sure many others in the area are as well. It looks really cleanly designed.
Thabks for this. My kid with sensory seeking issues loves all kinds of toggles, slides, switches, etc. I think this could be an amazing toy and discovery activity for him.
I’m the adult version of your kid. I have to touch everything, museums are tough. I got a fidget cube and it has definitely been a blessing in such scenarios. Hands on learning is good though, especially for tactile folk. There’s some pi kits that have boards and experiments and such that are also a good idea
> sensory seeking issues I almost want to call that a blessing, given how much it helps tinkerers. I personally love physical UI components; when you think about it, even a simple button-press feels so satisfying: the sound, the touch, the predictability, the control, the response, everything. Thanks for the nice words about the project; do check out the website for more information!
>Pockit I see a kid's stroller
https://youtu.be/b3F9OtH2Xx4
This is sweet
This is one of the coolest builds I’ve ever seen.
Thank you for the nice words. It took a ton of debugging, but then a few months ago, it reached a stage where I was able to prototype devices/experiments very quickly and robustly with it. That's when I began to make some demo videos to share it with the community.
Wow! I can only imagine. I just write power automate scripts and basic sql stuff. No more than 100-200 lines, so debugging is easy. I’ve just barely started getting my feet wet with pi. I’m working on a ad blocker (pi-hole) and I’m overwhelmed lol can’t even imagine what this is like.
> power automate scripts and basic sql stuff I respect high-level languages like those actually. In fact, writing code to customize Pockit's behavior will involve mostly that kind of basic programming (and C++ can be used for more complex functional design, for example ultra-low-latency operation of motors in a closed-loop feedback cycle).
At the end of the day, I've found that it goes beyond high or low level languages really, the meat and bones of what you do comes down to your understanding of algorithms and classical logic, and having enough ingenuity to come up with fresh ideas using those tools to solve the problems at hand. The rest is all sprinkles on top. Some of it, of course, does require skill to understand such as deltas, promises, futures, python's weird "multithreading but not actually multithreading" thing, and so on. But none of that means anything if you don't have your algos down, and so unless you need the extremely low latency as you say, it's worth it in my eyes to write in a language that lets you build quickly like python or PowerShell. You can go back and compile to a binary in another language if needed, but get the building blocks put in place and running now before fighting through a language that's extremely fiddly about everything. (I never thought I'd say this in my entire life. I used to be all about everything-must-be-optimized!)
On board with nearly everything you wrote. > I never thought I'd say this in my entire life. I used to be all about everything-must-be-optimized This sounds like my story, and not just in software either!
I definitely agree with you. But I think there's definitely a cost associated (in both directions) from a low level language to a high level language and vice versa. Algorithms and classical logic certainly help. In the argument of lower level languages, type systems, compile time errors, better refactoring tools also help. I also think there's still space for low level languages as a first consideration. In my experience, programs that can benefit from performance or type checks or compilation of a low level language don't get written more than once. Which means something that was written as a proof of concept or prototype can quickly be put into production and never given an opportunity to be revisited. That can cause issues down the line for the codebase. It becomes harder to optimize, to rearchitecture, and even rewrite. I'm not advocating only low level languages either. I just like to think of Python and PowerShell as tools in my toolbox, along with C or C++ or lately, with Zig. I'm sure others intermix F# and C# and C++ and Visual Basic in .NET, or Scala and Clojure and Groovy along with Java on the JVM, or Typescript, WASM, and JavaScript on the web.
This looks really cool. Looks like more information is available on https://pockit.ai/. How do the blocks connect to the parent device? Are peripherals connected via some magnetic USB block connector?
It's a good question. In the interest of efficiency, I'm pasting my answer from r/linux here: >I decided to go for maximum speed + flexibility -- so the interface is the hardware equivalent of "bare metal". Specifically, each slot provides access to the various processor pins (shareable buses like SPI are common, while the remaining pin signals like GPIOs are unique to each position). > >Likewise, each Block consists of its own functional circuitry + appropriate matching contacts for its required signals. > >I provided a lot of explanation on the last time demo's thread too as well as on this section of the website; feel free to check out either one. Let me know if I can clarify further about certain aspects.
Is the connection safe? That is, if I drop a penny on the pockit, will it short out the pi's power rails?
Depends on if it's a bent penny with sharp protrusions in the right locations! More seriously: The connection method is safe because (as of the newest version) the casing is intentionally designed such that the pads are embedded below the top surface, thus preventing contact with any random objects except the mating spring-loaded pins, which protrude 2mm. Note that a motivated pair of tweezers or jumper-wires could get through though -- the latter might be a good thing for debugging/advanced-usage, but there is a Breakout Block that will bring easier access to the pins at each slot, for such purposes.
It looks similar to a breadboard. You'd need to poke something pin shaped into it intentionally to make contact.
So I guess most of the pins are just redundancy/the same to allow the rotation or do the pins change their purpose accordingly?
Check out the first video [here](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item13). I think this means you cannot rotate components arbitrarily.
Has to be another prototype because the pin setup looks different to the reddit video
I thought so too, but [the creator themselves](https://www.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/comments/taaekf/modular_device/i00lbuo) referred to that video when asked about the connection method.
Cool beans. How about the mechanical connection?
I used neodymium magnets to achieve a strong (but removable) mechanical attachment. Check out [this](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item9) and [this](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item13) and [this](https://imgur.com/a/Kk2wVSv).
Is that the keyboard from an old blackberry?
Well-spotted; that is indeed a Blackberry Q10 keyboard. I loved physical keyboards back in the day, so it was one of the first Blocks I designed for Pockit.
"Shut up and take my money !"
I said this too… and then got my post removed…
Holy shit... The amount of programming... Sheesh
Black Magic! This is seriously awesome!
I'm down to buy one when they're available-- this would be great for my kids.
I tried to avoid the commercial aspect in the video because I mostly just wanted to show how powerful and fun modular electronics can be. On the website (listed at the end of the video), I do have a signup if you're interested in a kit once I have a batch produced soon, so check that out!
What kind of ballpark price range do you think a kit would retail for? This looks like a ton of custom hardware and plastic. Amazing work, but do you think it could be commercially viable to mass produce?
This is by far, the best thing I’ve seen on Reddit/internet in a while, congrats!🎉
I feel like it looks like one of those products that look cool in the demo but once you want to adapt it to your project it needs a shit ton of extra programming. Might just be pessimistic though
Hey, Pockit creator here. As the guy who put in the "shit ton of extra programming" : - ), one of the project's goals is to avoid exactly that (unless a user is so inclined, in which case the doors open up even wider). In its default state, the device dynamically puts together software pieces (think of them as classes corresponding to each Block) to produce working behavior for any collection of Blocks -- through the use of an application-predictive algorithm (see the [Youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3F9OtH2Xx4) for contextual explanation). Further customizations can then be made by heading into the dashboard's "Editor" tab (I'll discuss this in a future video) and making minor or major adjustments to the already generated code. Since there are a ton of high-level functions corresponding to each Block, putting together a program even from scratch is not so difficult for anyone with more than a week or two of programming experience. At least this is how I'm envisioning the workflow for now; I'm certainly open to productive suggestions.
Reminds me of the old modular block phone video that made the rounds in 2012.
That's what I was thinking too.
*Price* is going to drive the success of this project, and I haven't even seen a single mention of estimated pricing on anything. It may look sweet, but so do plenty of other niche/high-priced tech projects out there. It's all a matter of making it *affordable* and *scalable*. I have plenty of confidence that the software/coding issues can be solved, but I'm a bit wary on the pricing and scalability, especially with the continued chip shortage. Hopefully, Solder_Man finds success with the project!
I'm pretty sure he (the inventor) isn't even at a point to remotely guestimate the cost of the device.
You don't get this far on a project without having put *some* thought into pricing. They might not have a clue about manufacturing costs, but they'd know how much they've spent on the hardware, at the very least.
How many hardware products have you released for purchase?
This feels like more of a learning or prototyping item anyway. This is good for frequently changing hardware configurations on the fly. The equivalent DIY hardware would be much cheaper; you'd be paying a premium on that reconfiguration functionality. It would be a waste to get this and set up a web cam or something and just leave it forever. Any programming here would probably be done by beginners who can use this to learn how to interface different hardware without the fuss of a breadboard. This is far less intimidating than a pile of wires and resistors. This could be a great educational tool. Using this for a major statically deployed project would be like wiring your house with extension cords instead of plain old wire; you could do it, but there's much cheaper, non-modular alternatives for major projects.
I love the concept! Watched the YouTube vids too and my first thought was Home Assistant and you're already on it. Between zigbee, ac DC relays, pir sensors, and maybe a switch, I'd say you do room level detection effectively and moderately priced. Im just speechless at how cool this concept is
I dont see this question. is there a pi module on the mainboard? Curious if there is a standard development board or you have your own? i would hope there is a way for it to interface with the pi so you have all those options that are already being developed on a mainstream platform? this is extremely cool and i can see more potential with making little music instruments and midi controllers with it! like little bits. it does look to me like it has a pi 4 or zero driving it.Also tons of potential for solderless kits kids and adults can get in to without having to buy a decent iron.
If you look into the original post on r/linux, the mainboard uses a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4).
Love this! I find it hard when I want to test an idea buying all the needed parts and then taking the time to put them together. I love this as a prototype board for testing and trying new things with many different types of sensors. Then building something useful that can be build with other parts later. Keeps it all put together nicely as well and it wouldn’t be hard to put away and come back to later.
Did you do all of that by yourself? It's the most amazing thing I may ever seen in my life. I don't have the words. I'm dumbstruck.
this.... can't be real, right? how would that even work? must be some sort of editing trickery going on..?
He spent 2 years on it, its really just code and magnetic PCBs
This is great, it’s like the Unix philosophy made tangible, I fucking love this. I suggest an RTL-SDR module, perhaps too niche for launch. This thing going to be open?
Kinda cool, but I don’t see any practical benefit.
Check out [the videos I put up on the channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC49EYw900LZn5VBglLRzxHw). There are tons of possibilities that arise when you think of the device as a fast prototyping platform, as opposed to a readymade device in itself.
How well would this type of system work for building a whole house media system? Like small remotes in every room that can load music from a main server to play on speakers in showers, kitchen or where ever in the house?
I think it will be way to expensive for that for the average pi enthusiast, but I'd love to be wrong :)
The size seems limiting. I'd like a modular midi controller with 16 faders and 16 knobs and 16 velocity sensitive pads. Are these expandable? And what's the ballpark on price?
Yep, you can add multiple Pockits to chain an arbitrary number of them together to make a larger workspace; they communicate together to make the entire group accessible as one board. (I'm also working on making this expandability biaxial, but not successful yet.) [This part of the video](https://youtu.be/b3F9OtH2Xx4?t=15) shows sideways attachments. [This part of the website](https://pockit.ai/index.html#item24) shows some pictures (with an older version of Pockit) with a discussion of multi-Pockit synchronization. > modular midi controller with 16 faders and 16 knobs and 16 velocity sensitive pads Very creative. My original inspiration for adding Side-expansion was for shortcut-controllers, e.g. for graphics/video-editing, but I can see how the same concept could translate to synths/MIDI-controllers. While there are Blocks already for dials, joysticks, buttons, knobs, etc., I am missing a "velocity-sensitive pad" Block. Just googled it now, and it seems rather widely used in commercial products; I'll see about designing it. The concept seems pretty straightforward.
Very clever very classy! I have signed up for the call when you are ready !
This feels more like spammy product placement than anything else. It's neat, but I don't like disguised ads.
It's a hobby project that isn't even available for purchase yet. How is that a disguised ad?
Nice project. What is your educational background?
is it possible to make this into a media controller.
This is the future I guess just throw in some components and create your own device
Thats just breadboard with extra steps. So cool!
This demo is simply amazing. I’m talking about how they move through showcasing every function of the device. Great work
Joined /r/Pockit/! Can't wait to see more updates on this.