[Japan-help] USB Based Variable Power Supply For Small Projects

mike mike at etonnet.com
Sun May 20 06:08:28 UTC 2012


There is a consensus in the electronics community that a quality power
supply is crucial for computer engineering but most variable power supplies
plug in to a wall outlet and they are large and very inconvenient to carry
while traveling.

 

Mike Zhao, a systems architect and designer of the VariPower 500A device
explains how the device came about. "Many times while traveling, I have had
the need to debug my firmware on a circuit board. Unfortunately, I was not
carrying a power supply. So in turn, I had to wait until I reached my lab
before I could power my circuit board to test the new firmware. This new
innovative project, the USB Based Variable Power Supply, will solve this
issue effectively, affordably, and reliably."

 

VariPower-USB-500A is open source hardware, all hardware design files and
firmware source code are released under the GPL v2 license.

 

With 24 pledges on Kickstarter and over $800 potentially raised the first
day, this device appears to have caught the eye of their target audience.

 

Brad Hunter, also an inventor, designed the devices sticker and t-shirt that
is a pledge reward. Brad says this about the VariPower USB power supply,
"When Mike first asked me my opinion about the concept, I was floored that
there was not something in the market already. The premise is simple and the
function is needed. There is a whole community of students, hackers and
engineers that can benefit from this device. Devices like Arduino and
similar project boards will benefit greatly from a stable and easy to use
power supply."

 

The project is on Kickstarter.com and is officially called "USB Based
Variable Power Supply for Small Projects." Currently, Kickstarter.com is the
only way to get one of the devices. The basic device on Kickstarter requires
a $30 pledge.  To make a pledge and or get a unit, go to www.kickstarter.com
and search "variable power supply".

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/210251816/usb-based-variable-power-suppl
y-for-small-projects-0?ref=live

 

 

 

 

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