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Ask HN: Any hardware startups here?

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Re: Ask HN: Any hardware startups here?

#721
post #64

Tillitis AB Our first product is the TKey - a new kind of USB security key - which we have been selling since May. TKey is very likely the most open source USB security key in the world, as well as the first one to feature unconditional measured boot, which we use as a method for key derivation. Tillitis AB is a sister company of Mullvad VPN AB and Glasklar Teknik AB.

How does this compare with Librem Key?

Note: This reply is primarily copied from another comment I made comparing the TKey to another key.

I'm sure kfreds can provide a far more in-depth answer, but unlike the Librem Key, which (seems to) stores information locally that is then accessed and passed along to a device, there is no way of storing an application (or any other data) on a TKey. Rather, a device app must be loaded onto the TKey every time you plug it in.

Since each TKey device contains a Unique Device Secret, alongside it generating a hash of the application binary, and accepting an optional user-provided seed, it can derive key material unique to each application. If the exact same application and user-seed are provided each time, the application will return the same result.

This is, for example, how one can use the TKey for signing files and SSH. The generated public/private key pair will always be the same, without requiring any data to be stored.

Going back to your question, some of the differences include that: The TKey allows you to program and use your own applications, the TKey is fully open source (both HW and FW), there are no limits on the number of services the TKey can be used for, and the TKey uses USB C (meaning one can for example use it with a smartphone).

Note: This is a pretty basic description of the TKey, there's far more to it, but it should explain some of the difference!

//Disclosure: I currently work at Tillitis.

Re: Ask HN: Any hardware startups here?

#722
post #52

We make tiny Linux servers packed with real devops tools (but also sporting a somewhat-easy-ish-to-use UI) for home-hosting and self-teaching: https://pibox.io - works great with Jellyfin!

MAJOR two thumbs up on this one - the pibox is a very cool product, great for learning, easy to deploy on, and powerful enough for smaller tasks. the Kubesail folks are responsive (both in email and on their Discord server). Couldn't be happier!

Re: Ask HN: Any hardware startups here?

#723

We are building high resolution panoramic cameras which are easy to use and do not require additional PC in the car and can be operated. Also we've got a highest panoramic resolution camera (Viking) with six 6k x 4k modules shooting incredible dynamic range. https://www.mosaic51.com/cameras/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5cmaa1QGr0 (shit, YT compression is heavy on this one)

Are these products available to buy and what is the actual price?

Yep. All products you see on the site you can actually. With Viking camera it is a bit more complicated process, but yes, you can order it too.

It is necessarily to go through sales@mosaic51.com

Here are case studies from our clients: https://www.mosaic51.com/case-studies/ Here is the video from one of our clients: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1rK4N82UEE

Here is the videos and examples on our YT channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mosaic360cameras/videos

Re: Ask HN: Any hardware startups here?

#724

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Through your work have you heard about anyone working on something of a more permanent replacement? I hear a lot—relatively speaking—about insulin regulation, but in my case the issues are enzymatic. Susceptible to pancreatitis (hopefully all it is). Any word on the street? At any rate, keep it up!

Something like an implant? Unfortunately I think we're probably (and this is a wild guess) 50+ years away from being able to fully replace all the hepatic & metabolic functions of a human pancreas in some kind of implantable. They're incredibly efficient, and also horrifically complex, and if you mess up the balance they keep, it's pretty much a death sentence (see: pancreatic cancer). Controlling glucose is far easi…

I'm doing well, so no worries!

I had no idea those two functions were so different in scope. Nature is a never-ending source of amazement for me. Thanks for the info!

Re: Ask HN: Any hardware startups here?

#725

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was working in medical devices for sometime. I remember Medtronic doing artificial Pancreas. How is yours different?

Theirs is ambulatory, i.e. for people to wear in their daily lives (mostly T1 and insulin-dependent T2). We're targeting a market that currently doesn't exist -- hospitalized patients, specifically people in critical care and people with diabetes on the general care floors. Similar terminology but very different markets! Their latest AID (automated insulin delivery) system is killer, btw, some of the best results I'v…

Ah ok. I have worked on medical devices in hospital environments i.e the recent Roche Glucometers similar to Cobas.

>Their latest AID (automated insulin delivery) system is killer, btw, some of the best results I've ever seen for ambulatory!

Yes, their medical devices are really good and also very interesting especially their pacemaker implants and also DBS implants for Parkinsons disease.

There was another fantastic device called VAD pumps by Thoratec for which I worked on a PoC. What a crazy tech that is. Thoratec got acquired by St. Jude and finally by Abbott.

Re: Ask HN: Any hardware startups here?

#726

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Mom tested" might not be the best thing to say if you want moms to buy your product

Someone further down the thread had a similar negative response to that phrase and suggested maybe "parent tested" as a substitute? Thanks for the feedback!

Yeah, "parent tested" is good.
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