DVT almost done!

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Last month we completed some milestones, nailing the little details and overall made good progress. Currently, we are mid-way through DVT (Design validation test). In this phase we are working towards a finished, retail ready product. We need to make sure all the colours are spot on, and that the UwU both feels and looks great to use, and that it is a finished product from device to packaging. 

Once the DVT has been finished, we can plan for a PVT (Production validation test), closely followed by the MP (Mass production, this is when we will make your UwU).

Let’s sum up what has happened the last month:

Firmware basics are complete

The basic firmware has been completed and the UwU. It’s at a level that we consider “Wooting” quality. Simon has some tricks up his sleeve, and is currently overhauling the RGB part of the firmware. This should allow us to mix and layer various RGB effects at the same time. More info and a demo in the next update :)

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Pre-EMI and ESD tests complete.

‍No issues here, and we should get all the compliance certificates (CE, FCC, RoHS etc.) that are required by local laws.

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The UwU

The colour of the three silicone buttons on the stealth editions were incorrect. These were more of a green brownish than the stealth grey we envisioned. These will now be colour matched with the stealth keycaps (these came out great!)

We ran into a similar colour issue with the shell of the RGB and opaque versions. We are looking for a specific off-white, retro white colour. It’s difficult to get this colour exactly how we want, but we are closing in and are awaiting a 3rd (and hopefully final) sample.

We also received the first Tooling (mold) injected sample, the results are great - All previous UwU samples are made with a CNC machine, and are less polished overall in comparison to a mold).

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Travel case

After some early samples, we weren’t satisfied with the quality. The interior material felt cheap and uninteresting. We’ve upgraded this to a velvet finish for a more premium feeling. The net that holds your cable or small parts was previously a tad loose with large openings. This has been adjusted as well.
The clamping system that is supposed to keep the UwU in place, just didn’t. The margins have been tightened, and it’s now a nice snug fit, keeping the UwU nice and safe inside.
Lastly, the colours for the regular and stealth version were off -  we’ve had 3 rounds of samples, and we are currently closing in on the final colours. We hope to receive these next week.

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The cable

The cables we received were too stiff and did not follow our specifications. We have decreased the stiffness, so that it is now more flexible and pleasant to use. The original cable was supposed to have a length of roughly 1m. After some testing, this felt a bit short for most setups, so we’ve increased the length to 1,5m.

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The collectable keycaps

The second round of samples we received are very good (it’s a night and day difference with the first round) The designs are vibrant, crisp and overall feel great. Some designs need some additional but minimal tweaking - for example, the nose of Spazza was barely visible, so this will need some additional contrast. But overall, this is very close to what we like to see as an end result.

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We would like to have closed off this update with a date for Mass production. However we think it’s better to wait until we have finished the DVT phase (end June). Based on the outcome of the DVT, we will have a better idea of what the date for MP will be. 

If you have any questions, feedback or remarks, be sure to let us know!

Cya in the next one.

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