Hi HN! We built Blue, a voice assistant that can use any app on your phone via a tiny USB-C hardware “hand” we call Bud. Here’s how we went from concept to 100 working units in 55 days for YC Demo Day.

About me: I’m a robotics and product design engineer focused on building thoughtful tools for the world. I hold dozens of patents in hardware and manufacturing, and I care deeply about how things are made and who they’re made for.

For over a decade, I’ve worked across robotics, wearables, and consumer electronics. As one of the first engineers on the Apple Vision Pro, I took it from concept to mass production.

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pedalpete 4 days ago | parent | next [-]

Very well done! Congrats.

I'm also in the wearables space, though neurotech/sleeptech.

I'm assuming you did 3d printed enclosures, so really board design and was the longest process.

What I think is really clever about your design is passthrough USB-C and then not needing your own battery. So essentially you've got a micro, probably with it's own memory?

So elegant.

Others are saying you must have had your Taiwan contacts beforehand, but even without that, two weeks for board manufacturing isn't unrealistic I'd think, even for a noob, and lucky for you the board design should have been pretty simple.

Can I ask what your experience going through YC as a consumer hardware founder was like?

If you're curious about what we're building, we're enhancing the restorative function of sleep, without altering sleep time. Check out https://affectablesleep.com

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M_farhan_h 4 days ago | parent [-]

I have been a consumer HW founder for years, and I applied to YC eleven times, and just got in this time with Blue.

I think for consumer, if you can really simplify the product and solve the absolute basic version, the costs should be low enough to validate the idea. YC will value your skills to create this simple version, and that you are able to actually execute and create something that could be real.

The missing link was really showing I could take a prototype and mass produce it (even at a small scale). That was what this whole exercise was about.

One additional note that comes to mind, building really great partnerships is essential for hardware to work.

	▲	pedalpete 4 days ago \| parent [-]
		I've been a consumer founder for 8 years (I think) and have been in deep-tech for about 14, and neurotech/hardware for the last 5. I applied to YC 16 times!!! My previous start-up was acquired Our technology is in use in clinical trials. We've begun pre-sales, and are in selection of contract manufacturer. I only decided to apply for the next round last night. Would it be ok if I ask to get your opinion on a few of the application questions? When we get to that point? Probably not for a few weeks. We're fortunate that our hardware engineer and industrial engineer both have extensive experience in manufacturing.

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ddalex 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Super nice work ! I'm impressed.

But it seems like a terrible hack - using the phone through the limited interface designed for humans instead of actually using the proper APIs. Not to say that any effort from Apple to improve Siri will just render this product obsolete instantly.

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Liftyee 3 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Incredible work! To reach an initial production run in 8 weeks is phenomenal. It sometimes takes me half as long just to make a prototype.

Could you identify any specific decisions/guidelines early in your career that led to your success today? I'm currently studying engineering (will likely specialize electronic/embedded) and am always looking for ways to improve.

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stingrae 3 days ago | parent | prev [-]

This is very cool. Will Apple allow this app to be deployed on the app store?