Electronic product start up help!

[ACJones]

Let me first state that this is my first time being on this site, or any forum at all for that matter, so if i did something wrong, like post this in a bad category or something, i apologize.
For the past month i had been working on a big project, well at least big in my terms because i was putting hours into it daily. it was based on an innovative idea that i had for a new type of mobile device. I didnt know much of the technical aspects about how the insides worked, but it didnt seem impossible to make, and my idea was awesome, so i decided to work with it.(so awesome that when i did a patent search, microsoft had just had a patent filed for a phone similar to my idea, but not too close.)
I had everthing figured out; i made a 3-D model of it using google sketchup just to get an idea of what it'd be like, i made a wooden model to see how itd feel in the hand, i researched how other phones worked and found multiple businesses that sold the parts(microchips, casing, screen, etc.) and i even found a business that makes custom circuit boards.
Everything was going good, i made a development play-by-play to give me an idea of what to do in what order and who to call, when i suddenly realized that i would need my own operating system. I have no experience in any programming language, and no contacts that do. i would need a team, and there was no one around and no one to hire, there just arent services like that i dont think.

So that was the end of that idea, i still have all my papers for that idea just incase i figure something out later.
You guys probably think that im a retard and that i dont belong on a 'smart people forum' now for even thinking i could make and development a mobile device by myself, and thats understandable. But that was just a little background to let you know where im going now and why. i honestly couldve just left all that out most likely and it wouldnt matter about my question.

my question is this: Is it possible, without having to spend large amounts of money(<$10,000) and work with big companys, to develop any electronic device with a touchscreen interface that requires an Operating System to work? because im working on another device and want to know if i should even dwelve into another electronic idea..

For an idea of how complex the electronic device is, think of it as just an expensive touch screen tv remote, no internet connection required.

Thank you in advance for the responses and hospitality!

Alexander Jones

[SnerpGoodWord]

You could potentially develop a prototype that was not in form factor for that price if you had electronic skills, which if I understand your post you don't. Having someone else do it would probably cost at least $100,000 assuming an off-the-shelf OS like Android or embeded Linux could be used. If you have to code up your own OS (or more likely, heavily modify one), that's well into 7 or 8 figures. Likewise if a custom chip that doesn't already exist is required.

Getting the prototype into form factor and looking good requires mechanical engineering and manufacturing capabilities that are not cheap - certainly not $10,000.

It's certainly worth considering whether an existing piece of hardware with modified software could do what you want, because doing hardware is expensive even if all the silicon you need already exists.

As a more general comment, I think any firm trying to create an electronic device needs at least one founder who's generally competent at that sort of work - someone who knows how to lay out a board, roll an ASIC, write firmware, deal with manufacturers etc. Even if you end up contracting out most of the work, you need someone competent to oversee the contractors and sanity check the whole thing.

[ACJones]

Very true SnerpGoodWord, i did think about the point that i should have alot of knowledge surrounding something like this if i wanted to fully be capable of doing it, but tried to ignore it and get as far as i could with it! Any ideas what i should do with the idea? im going to go and put it in microsofts community suggestion box.. maybe theyll think its cool too lol

[ACJones]

[QUOTE=SnerpGoodWord;1001677]It's certainly worth considering whether an existing piece of hardware with modified software could do what you want, because doing hardware is expensive even if all the silicon you need already exists.QUOTE]

itd have to be an entirely new piece of hardware.. the idea was removable and changeable modules.. like 6 empty block slots on the back of a phone for various uses; different cameras could be added, nice speakers, extra battery packs, extra storage space, flashlight, microphone etc. and what i thought was so great about the idea is that 3rd party developers would be able to make their own add-ons and the community would be able to contribute to it, almost like how the app store for apple got so big. And itd be a customizable phone; if you liked music you could have your phone ordered to come with 2 speaker blocks, 2 memory blocks and the default camera and flash; if you liked your phone for pictures it could come with a 10 megapixel camera, a nice flash block, and a 4 block back screen to for a self facing cam. and if you were tired of charging your phone all the time, just get default camera, default flash and 4 battery blocks.

[SnerpGoodWord]

I like the idea. From a manufacturing point of view though it would be UGLY - probably custom ASIC work, custom mechanical work for the pluggable modules, custom software to run them. Possibly a custom electrical bus to connect them. Truth be told, it might be beyond even what a phone manufacturer would want to tackle.

I would patent it, then shop it. I think it's good enough you might get some interest.

[hervens]

You don't necessarily have to write your own operating systems. You could use java virtual machines, like BlackBerry, android, and nokias, or linux, like on the symbian.

Than, all that would be left to do is to create the applications for the device.

For instance, BlackBerry calls its operating system BlackBerry os. But what's really happening under the hood is that BlackBerry OS is just a big application, or set of programs that runs over java virtual machine.

[ACJones]

im learning alot about how all this stuff works just from these comments.. thanks for all the help and information. im going to educate myself a little more and then try to tackle something like this again at a later time, maybe take some classes next semester in a similar field or something! thanks again

[itybiz com]

I'd definitely look in to Android because it's an open source operating system. In fact a lot of household appliances are beginning to use them.

If you truly believe in your idea you should invest a bit of money by protecting it with a patent. There are several options online and they should have information packets available for download.

Once you have consulted someone and gotten your idea protected, then you can start to look around at manufacturers.

[SnerpGoodWord]

One thought about this from a technical standpoint - if the electrical connection between the phone's CPU and the peripherals was electrically USB (mechanically you'd want a different connector) it would increase the ability to use an off-the-shelf phone chipset since they all have USB support. Plus you could use at least partially off the shelf drivers since USB is widely supported. Plus since phones are designed to charge from the USB port that might simplify the wiring to put batteries there. The alternative would be something like APB (Arm Peripheral Bus) but I think going USB would turn a daunting project into merely complicated.

[ACJones]

Originally Posted by SnerpGoodWord

One thought about this from a technical standpoint - if the electrical connection between the phone's CPU and the peripherals was electrically USB (mechanically you'd want a different connector) it would increase the ability to use an off-the-shelf phone chipset since they all have USB support. Plus you could use at least partially off the shelf drivers since USB is widely supported. Plus since phones are designed to charge from the USB port that might simplify the wiring to put batteries there. The alternative would be something like APB (Arm Peripheral Bus) but I think going USB would turn a daunting project into merely complicated.

That makes alot of sense.. where did you learn about this stuff? schooling? experience? would this be considered to be mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering or just a little bit of each? im going to see how much a patent would cost and then in a couple of years or so try to tackle this again if it still interests me like it does. Thanks again

[ACJones]

Originally Posted by itybiz com

I'd definitely look in to Android because it's an open source operating system. In fact a lot of household appliances are beginning to use them.

If you truly believe in your idea you should invest a bit of money by protecting it with a patent. There are several options online and they should have information packets available for download.

Once you have consulted someone and gotten your idea protected, then you can start to look around at manufacturers.

im going to look into a patent, and do some more research on the android OS, i still have alot to learn so ill work on that for the time being. I like that itybiz website btw

[itybiz com]

Originally Posted by ACJones

I like that itybiz website btw

Thank you! It definitely needs a lot of work, but I know there's a lot of people out there struggling financially that are terrified of the idea of starting a business. I know from experience that a lot of businesses can be started very easily and inexpensively and all people need is to see a few steps that are involved and read about others like them who've started a business.

My mother is a perfect example. She makes outstanding gift bags for my daughter's birthdays. She's also out of work and I'm trying to get her to start a business. Her frame of mind is that it'll take thousands of dollars to get started and she couldn't handle the rejection if it didn't take off. I'm trying to show her that all she needs are some photos of past ones she's done and some clever signs on community boards and online classifieds. From there she can get the ball rolling and doesn't even need to buy supplies until her first orders come in.

I believe every single person should have an itybiz - something on the side that makes even a little extra money. The world economies would be in MUCH better shape.

I'm hoping to put up interviews of accomplishments, so please keep in touch. You're a perfect example of someone working on the side for a better life for yourself and others!

Steve

[Aminka Ozmun]

Originally Posted by itybiz com

I believe every single person should have an itybiz - something on the side that makes even a little extra money. The world economies would be in MUCH better shape.

I'm hoping to put up interviews of accomplishments, so please keep in touch. You're a perfect example of someone working on the side for a better life for yourself and others!

Steve

What an interesting thread, and I'm glad it's lead me to your site! I'll be checking up on your progress. May I offer a suggestion? I'm a child of immigrants and it's funny but a lot of us that grew up here in America often do not seem to have the same entrepreneurial spirit that our parents do and it's really interesting why not.

I'm not sure why not, exactly, but I do know that many people with very little formal education are somehow able to come here and create businesses and it's kind of astonishing to think about -- even though I've seen it first-hand!

So maybe that's an angle you'd like to cover, too. And another thing is how these same entrepreneurial folks are really all set on their kids entering the traditional professions -- expressly not becoming small-time local entrepreneurs!

Anyway, just some ideas. Interesting thread, and an interesting premise for a site!

[SnerpGoodWord]

Originally Posted by ACJones

That makes alot of sense.. where did you learn about this stuff? schooling? experience? would this be considered to be mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering or just a little bit of each? im going to see how much a patent would cost and then in a couple of years or so try to tackle this again if it still interests me like it does. Thanks again

At a high level, it would be somewhere between engineering management and electrical engineering. My degrees are in computer science but my career is a mix of firmware engineering, electrical engineering, and occasionally engineering management. I'm a generalist.

If you were actually going to build this thing, you would need several specialists:

- mechanical engineering to do the case, module design, connector design, maufacturability etc.
- electrical engineering (analog) to do board layout, power budget and power chip
- firmware engineering to do whatever OS customization is needed
- if you decided you had to roll a custom ASIC because off the shelf wouldn't work, you'd need the whole ecosystem for that - Verilog/VHDL design, verification, layout, fabrication, packaging, test. Those are electrical engineer sub-specialties except for packaging which could be either EE or ME and fabrication which is really its own world.

[itybiz com]

Originally Posted by Aminka Ozmun

I do know that many people with very little formal education are somehow able to come here and create businesses and it's kind of astonishing to think about

Thank you! I really don't want to take over this thread as we're looking to help offer suggestions on getting this prototype in stores!

I will say that here in Canada immigrants make up a huge portion of entrepreneurs. One of the main reasons is their ability and willingness to take risks. They've come to the country and worked their way up in one generation and know they can do it again if they fail. Those who've been here longer seem to gravitate towards safer career jobs.

I'll definitely look into it, thanks!