#aradev

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New Project Ara MDK released ahead of second developers conference

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

The Ara team has developed a new contactless connection system between modules and endoskeleton to save space, cost and to improve durability. The team also introduced a new software protocol called “Greybus”, which handles the communications between the endoskeleton and the modules. The Ara users will manage the functions of the modules with the Ara Manager app that will be introduced in future updates. This app will provide users all the detailed information on the modules attached to their device and will allow to swap them when they want. 

This MDK provides an overview of the new Ara Module Marketplace, an e-commerce portal that enables a two-sided market between module developers and consumers. Google will help module manufacturers with the sale, the payment processing and will verify that the modules are safe and that they respect all the technical specifications. A third party logistic provider will manage the storage, shipping and all trade issues. 

[studiopcg]

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[phonebloks]

Project Ara mHealth modules: Vestigen and BioEE group (UCSD)

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

mHealth (mobile health) applications include the use of mobile devices in collecting health data and real-time monitoring of a patients vital signs. This type of technology is especially useful in developing countries as it can help to fight epidemics or overcome the lack of hospital infrastructures.

Project Ara's low cost and its modular architecture can provide an ideal platform for mHealth. The BioEE group of the University of California, Vestigen and other companies ( Hearth, Laird) are developing innovative mHealth platforms.

A biosensor module will enable users to analyze various types of substances such as blood, water, food or soil without additional tools or chemical substances. Each test is performed by dropping the specific substance on a sterile microchip, inserting the chip into the Ara module and waiting a short time for the result.

In this way you can check your blood glucose levels, diagnose various diseases such as salmonella, malaria, HIV or analyze the quality of the water and foods. The information collected can be analyzed, stored and/or shared, for instance with a doctor. 

[phonebloks]

Highlights from Project Ara Developers conference 2015: Spiral 2 prototype 

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

The Google ATAP team kicked off their first event of the second Project Ara Developers Conference. The new Project Ara prototype, called Spiral 2, was definitely the star of the event, launching Android, supporting hot-swapping and 3G calls. 

The reference device use a 1280 x 720 display, a WiFi/Bluetooth module, a receiver module with light and proximity sensors, a 5 MP camera module, a 3G cellular module, a USB charger module, a 2×2 battery module, a speaker, and a processor module (Marvell PXA1928 and Tegra K1). Now there are 11 working modules but Google plan to have as many as thirty options available by the end of this year.

One of the most evident changes from the first prototype is the shift of the electro permanent magnets (EPM) from the modules to the Endo. In this way, developers will have more space inside the modules to use as they want. For those who don't remember, EPM are used to firmly hold the modules without using power.

The development team has also changed the production system of the Ara shell, updating the modules 3d printing system. Using dye-sublimation, modules will be able to be customized at high resolution and in full color. 

There were a presentation of innovation within the Ara software. The Ara Manager Application allows users complete control of their modules. It’s always running and will be launched like any other app. Through it, modules can be locked and unlocked for removal and users can access to module statistics, vendor info and usage guide. This app will help future Ara owners by highlighting issues and suggesting optimal slots to put a module in. 

Google's been working on theSpiral 2 prototype since last July and it’s getting more ambitious with the next. Eremenko says we can expect the Spiral 3 to "match or exceed the functionality of a state-of-the-art smartphone today". The design will be much more sophisticated than Spiral 2 with 1-day battery life, a high-end camera, support for 4G Lte connectivity with new antennas and contactless connection for modules. Google will introduce the last prototype sometime in Q2 of 2015 together with the new version of the MDK (0.5).

[phonebloks]

How, where and when will you be able to buy Project Ara.

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

The Ara sales process, as shown in the second developers conference, will be divided into three main parts: the Ara Marketplace, the Ara Configurator App and the Market Pilot.

The Marketplace, discussed in this news, is still in an embryonic stage and will be developed in collaboration with Globant.

Now we turn our attention to how you can configure your Ara device, a process that Jason Chua demoed at the conference, using an incomplete Ara Configurator App. It will feature a step-by-step process that will create a device specifically tailored to your likes. Chua explains that the Ara configurator may be able to connect to social networks, to analyze your feeds and recommend different modules based on your interests. This mobile app will also allow users to customize the looks of modules by adding custom images or colors to them. 

Google will test Project Ara, its use and the sales process, through a market pilot test program to be held in Puerto Rico sometime after Q2.

This country was chosen because more than 90 percent of households on the island uses a cellphone and 77 percent of Internet access occurs through mobile devices. Puerto Rico is also well-connected as logistic and trade hub. The Ara smartphones will be sold in partnership with local phone carriers from free-standing stores that look like food trucks.

Google is still perfecting the entire sales process to help potential customers to choose the most suitable Ara configuration and it’s considering the introduction of pre-assembled smartphones and various types of packaging.

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A first look at some Project Ara modules manufacturers?

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

The companies that will present their modules at the next developers conference were earlier announced on the official Project Ara website. Marvell will be one of the first, we have already talked about their Ap module. It's the brain of Project Ara as it houses the Soc (Cpu, Gpu and modem), Ram, memory, plus other components. Toshiba also will attend the event and we are curious to see their presentation.

Phison will also participate at the conference. Being a market leader in Nand Flash controllers and applications including memory chips, Usb, Sd and hard disk interfaces. We're exited to see what they'll bring. A screen module will probably be announced by Innolux, the world's third-largest display panel manufacturer. Innolux develops advanced technologies such as display with 4K-2K ultra-high resolution, glasses-free 3D Lcd panels, Amoled and touch-control solutions. Sunny Opotech, China's leading manufacturer of optical products, specialized in cell-phone Camera Modules, will also be presenting.

Attending the conference will be, among others, Drew Hall, a California University professor. Dr. Hall’s multi-disciplinary research explores the intersection of electronics, nanotechnology, and biology through the design of high performance CMOS biochips. 

The Vestigen module was postponed to the second event in Singapore to be held on January 21. Google will livestream both of its Ara Developer conferences on the official website.

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Overview of the first Project Ara modules manufacturers: Toshiba

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

At the Developers conference, Toshiba showed new and interesting modules and unveiled their plans for the future. The Japanese company is one of the most important partners of Project Ara as they will produce the main board of the Endo and the chip that will allow modules to communicate with the smartphone.  

Shardul Kazi, Senior VP of Toshiba America Electronics Component, announced 3 camera modules. The company has already built a fully functional 5 Mp camera but this is just the beginning. This prototype will be developed in the coming months together with other cameras. One particular will be 2 Mp and will be integrated in the “Media Bar” module in the front of the Ara phone, whilst a 13 Mp and a dual 5 Mp camera will be developed for the back. The modules will support an new image capture technology up to 900 fps , and up to 240 fps with a 1080i / 13 Mp resolution.

Kazi also announced that Toshiba will focus on building other types of modules, such as Wi-Fi modules, display modules, activity measuring modules, and other wireless communication modules. Some of them should be available in Q1 2016. The company will provide references design of their products to facilitate module makers developments.

The Japanese manager has also hypothetically imagined others form factor for the Endo. For example an “Activity meter” module could be removed from the Ara phone and placed into a wearable device. This might be built around a new type of Endo that allows modules to be attached to both smartwatch/fitness band and Google modular smartphone.

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Vestigen: a new Project Ara developer

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

Vestigen is a Slovak company specialized in biomedical technologies. The company will be announcing a new module for Project Ara at the next Ara Developers conference to be held on January 14.

Vestigen is rapidly growing and is composed of a team with experience from across three continents.

Through the company’s research a portable device has been developed, which, in combination with specific sensors, enable users to analyze various types of fluids such as blood, water or food. This analysis instrument is capable of testing specific liquids after dropping them on a sterile microchip without additional tools or chemical substances. The information collected can be transferred to a smartphone to be analyzed, stored and/or shared, for instance with a doctor.

Using this technology, the company has developed Nephrosense, a little device used to assess kidney function.

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Other news from the Second Ara Developers conference

by Giulio Minotti, Phonebloks

At the events of San Francisco and Singapore, the Google Atap team showed innovations such as the Spiral 2 prototype and new modules. The Spiral 2 Dev Board is one of the most interesting. The team has created this "Big Board" to enable prototyping and development of modules for the Ara platform.

Toshiba has used this Dev board to show their new camera module. 

During the developers conference, Google also revealed a pollution sensor module concept. Using a ion generator and a little fan, the Ara phone could turn into a portable air quality meter.  

The Ara team also announced that a discrete Gpu could, potentially, be added as a separate module, since the UniPro interconnects are fast enough to support this type of module.

George Grey, from Linaro , explained that the Ara phone will not use a distinct or separate version of Android. The functioning of the modules will be similar to the plug & play Usb devices. When an Ara user will add a new module, it will be automatically recognized, configured and the smartphone will install the required software.

IDT systems will develop the design aspect of Project Ara with Polycarbonate custom shells that will be swappable on all modules. IDT Systems is a leading systems provider focused on delivering complete 3D and 2D surface decoration solutions.