Our crowdfunding campaign at Crowd Supply for ANAVI Dev Mic successfully wrapped up on September 26th, and we couldn’t be more grateful! Thank you! Over 30 backers from eight countries supported this open-source hardware project for a computer microphone powered by the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller.
ANAVI Dev Mic is a compact, affordable, exceptionally adaptable open-source microphone. The printed circuit board has been designed with KiCad and feetures Seeed Studio XIAO module with the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller and an omnidirectional digital microphone that work together to ensure high-quality sound capture and processing.
The production of the printed circuit boards and component assembly is now complete, and we’ve also finished the laser-cut acrylic enclosures. Packaging materials, including cardboard boxes and stickers, are ready to go. In the coming weeks, we’ll complete packaging and transfer everything to the warehouse. From there, Crowd Supply’s fulfillment service will ship the ANAVI Dev Mic kits to all our backers.
Thank you again for your tremendous support, feedback, and contributions to our GitHub repositories. More updates are coming soon—stay tuned!
The ANAVI Dev Mic is a small, open-source microphone kit designed for hobbyists and developers. It’s easy to assemble on your own, even with minimal tools. While you can complete the assembly using just your hands, a screwdriver will make the process quicker.
Components
When you open the ANAVI Dev Mic kit, you’ll find the following parts:
Black PCB with gold plating and white markings
Acrylic top cover
Acrylic bottom cover
Four 10 mm screws (M2.5)
Eight M2.5 nuts
NOTE: The kit does not include a USB-C cable. You can use one you already have or buy one separately.
Step 1: Remove Protective Layer
The acrylic covers are laser-cut and come with a protective film on both sides. Carefully peel off this film to reveal the clear acrylic.
Step 2: Attach the Top Cover
Take the PCB and the top acrylic cover, which has a circular cutout for the microphone. Align the cover with the corresponding circle on the PCB. Insert a screw into each of the four mounting holes and secure them with the nuts provided.
Step 3: Install the Bottom Cover
Next, place the bottom acrylic cover over the side of the PCB where the XIAO RP2040 module is located. Secure the cover by tightening it with the remaining four nuts.
Step 4: Connect and Use
With these simple steps completed, your microphone is ready to go. Just plug ANAVI Dev Mic into your computer using a USB-C cable, and you’re good to go!
The Open Source Hardware Association (OSHWA) officially certified our new gadget ANAVI Handle in April. ANAVI Handle is a small USB-C adapter with XIAO RP2040 that allows you to use Wii Nunchuk-compatible controllers as USB HID peripherals on your personal computer. You can configure ANAVI Handle to adapt the controller as a joystick, keyboard or a mouse.
OSHWA, a prominent U.S.-based non-profit, manages the Certified Projects Directory and annually hosts the prestigious Open Hardware Summit. Their certification program ensures that a project’s interpretation of “open source hardware” aligns with the community’s standards, promoting transparency and accessibility.
Each certified hardware version is identified by a unique identification number (UID) that includes a country code and a numerical sequence. On April 19th, ANAVI Handle version 1.0 was certified with the UID BG000134. This UID, displayed through the OSHW Certification Mark, simplifies navigation and information access for interested parties. The “BG” prefix indicates that the ANAVI Handle is from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, a city renowned as Bulgaria’s second-largest and Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city, with over 6000 years of history.
Our projects, including the ANAVI Handle, are distinguished by our unwavering commitment to complete openness. Every aspect of our design and functionality is made accessible to all, reflecting the true spirit of the open-source community. From the KiCad-designed printed circuit board to the highly-configurable firmware powered by CircuitPython, we exclusively use free and open-source software.
The ANAVI Handle is an open-source hardware USB adapter for the Nintendo Wiimote connector. Its open-source firmware transforms the Nunchuk controller into a USB mouse, keyboard, or joystick. If you missed out on the crowdfunding phase, don’t worry—you can still snag a kit from Crowd Supply.
After months of diligent research and development, we’re thrilled to unveil the launch of the crowdfunding campaign for the ANAVI Handle at Crowd Supply. This open source USB adapter bridges the popular wired Wii Nunchuk controller to personal computers, integrating open-source hardware with free and open-source software.
Designed using KiCad, the printed circuit board is gold-plated. The main component is Seeed Studio XIAO module with Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroler. The firmware of ANAVI Handle, driven by CircuitPython, guarantees effortless functionality, featuring versatile modes for joystick, mouse, or keyboard use.
The crowdfunding target for the ANAVI Handle is intentionally humble, marked at a mere $1. Your backing will help production in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, EU, tapping into our trusted supply network. Join us by placing an order and breathing life into this wholly open-source endeavor!
As we step into 2024, we extend our warmest wishes to all makers and engineers passionately involved in open-source software and hardware ecosystem. May the coming year be filled with groundbreaking projects, collaborative efforts, and success in all your endeavors!
2023 in Review
2023 was a significant turning point for the tech industry. It marked rise of AI and also the end of the global chip shortage, providing relief to both small and large manufacturers and paving the way for new cutting-edge devices. Among the highlights of 2023 was the very anticipated release of Raspberry Pi 5 single board computer.
In 2023, our open source hardware lineup expanded with a couple of new mechanical keyboards ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows. Both are OSHWA certified and support QMK and KMK. We have dedicated considerable efforts to streamline the production of our existing products, ensuring that we maintain competitive retail prices while meeting the growing demand for years to come. Despite rising production costs, we have maintained our prices without any increases.
2024 Roadmap
Looking ahead to 2024, we’re thrilled to unveil a range of exciting products. The ANAVI Miracle uHAT takes center stage, allowing users to conduct a symphony of color with this open source add-on board for Raspberry Pi single board computers. Featuring compatibility with addressable RGB LED strips like WS2812B, mini I2C OLED display, and sensors, it opens up a world of possibilities for dynamic and interactive projects. We hope to launch a crowdfunding campaign for ANAVI Miracle uHAT at Crowd Supply in Q1 2024.
But that’s not all. Our lineup for 2024 also includes plans for USB adapter board designed for Wii Nunchuk compatible joysticks, providing a seamless gaming experience. Additionally, we’re working on a USB microphone, IoT development boards and a CO2 sensor—innovations that align with our commitment to developing practical and meaningful open-source hardware solutions. Stay tuned for more surprises, including potential additions to our collection of mechanical keyboards, as we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of DIY electronics. Here’s to another year of collaboration, creativity, and limitless innovation in the open-source hardware community!
Every kit features environmentally conscious simple packaging encased in recyclable cardboard boxes. These boxes are made from recycled materials and are readily recyclable once more, fostering a circular economy. Opting for this kind of packaging is in harmony with our sustainability objectives and a dedication to a more environmentally-friendly and conscientious approach to packaging materials.
We want to express our profound gratitude for all backers of our open-source hardware offerings! If you missed the crowdfunding period you can still purchase a compact mechanical keyboard from Crowd Supply. In the coming months we will make ANAVI Arrows and ANAVI Macro Pad 12 available through our other distributors. Anticipate a consistent flow of technical enhancements. We trust that your new equipment will bring you both enjoyment and a boost in your productivity!
Within the realm of computer keyboards, a remarkable open-source firmware called KMK has surfaced, captivating enthusiasts from all corners. KMK possesses a potent capability to revolutionize mechanical keyboards into personalized instruments, enabling users to venture into uncharted territories of customization and productivity.
CircuitPython is an open-source programming language that runs on microcontrollers used in various embedded applications, including mechanical keyboards like ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows from our crowdfunding campaign at Crowd Supply. Built upon the foundations of Python, CircuitPython is specifically crafted to cater to the requirements of resource-limited embedded devices housing microcontrollers. One of the standout merits of CircuitPython lies in its user-friendly nature and effortless adaptability, particularly beneficial for newcomers who may not possess extensive coding expertise.
The source code of KMK is readily available on GitHub, released under the GPLv3 license. The inception of KMK can be traced back to 2018. Notably, the KMK source code follows a coding style that employs the Python code formatter, known as Black, and embraces the usage of single quotes.
The hardware requirements for microcontrollers to run KMK are: a minimum of 256KB of flash storage, support HID over USB and/or Bluetooth, CircuitPython version 7.0 or newer. With its impressive hardware capabilities, the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller is a perfect fit for CircuitPython and KMK. Because of this we selected Seeed Studio’s XIAO module with RP2040 for ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows.
KMK offers many key features:
Key Mapping: Customize key assignments to suit individual preferences
Macros: Create and assign macros for automating tasks or executing commands
Layers: Define multiple virtual layers for accessing different functions or modes
LED Control: Customize backlighting and LED behavior
Rotary Encoder: Rotary encoders for various functions like volume control or scrolling.
Mini OLED Display: Compatibility with mini OLED displays, allowing users to display custom information or visuals on their keyboards
A standout feature of the ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows is their seamless switch swapping capability, allowing you to tailor your typing experience on the go! With utmost ease and no need for soldering, thanks to the convenient hot-swappable sockets integrated into the printed circuit board, anyone can effortlessly remove a switch from its socket and replace it with another compatible switch.
This revolutionary feature provides several benefits to keyboard enthusiasts and users who like to customize their typing experience. It allows for easy experimentation with different switch types, enabling users to find the switch that suits their preferences best. It also simplifies switch replacement, making it more convenient to replace a faulty switch or try out different switches without needing specialized soldering equipment or skills.
Basically the whole key is like a sandwich: hot-swappable socket, mechanical switch and a keycap. All kits with ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows include Gateron red mechanical switches. However thanks to the hot-swappable sockets you can experiment with various options of clicky, tactile and linear Cherry MX compatible mechanical switches from different brands with various tech specs and colors: red, blue, brown, green, silver, etc.
The printed circuit boards of ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows are designed with Kailh hot-swap sockets on the back. These sockets are for surface-mount technology (SMT) assembly. To provide backlight on the front of the printed circuit boards there is a separate LED under each mechanical switch. We decided to make both of these keyboards with north-facing switches, aka the LED on each key is on the top (north) part of the switch. Furthermore, there are WS2812B addressable LEDs on the back. All these LEDs combined with the translucent keycaps included in the kit create awesome light effects when the keyboard is turned on. The open source firmware KMK allows fine tuning of the lights.
Although, as you can see in the video it is possible to hand-solder the sockets, this is appropriate only for a prototype. For manufacturing the keyboards ordered from the crowdfunding campaign we have hired a trusted local factory and they will do a professional lead-free assembly of all components. Using these hot-swappable sockets and SMT LEDs there is no need of manual hand soldering of any mechanical switches. This significantly simplifies and speeds up the manufacturing process. The end result is better quality and lower price.
Our crowdfunding campaign has a very modest goal of just $1. It will help us make the keyboards in my hometown Plovdiv, Bulgaria, EU thanks to the trusted supply chain we have established throughout the years. Order ANAVI Macro Pad 12 or ANAVI Arrows to get a cool mechanical keyboard and help us bring these entirely open source hardware projects to life!
Both ANAVI Macro Pad 12 and ANAVI Arrows feature high-quality gold-plated circuit boards designed with the free and open source software KiCad. These compact keyboards are driven by the Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040 with Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, ensuring top-notch performance. Equipped with a USB-C connector and a charming mini yellow-blue OLED display, they combine functionality with visual appeal. Thanks to the popular open-source KMK firmware written in CircuitPython, personalizing keyboard layouts and macros becomes a breeze.
Import your typing experience with our bright and shiny compact mechanical keyboards, made in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, EU. Support our crowdfunding campaign and help us bring these unique and high-quality open source keyboards to life.