Startup set to brick $800 kids robot is trying to open source it first

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/12/800-kids-robot-due-for-bricking-sees-potential-open-source-second-life/

by rntn • 2 years ago

40 6 2 years ago

fragmede• 2 years ago

Domain name and wire protocol. What's that worth in bankruptcy proceedings? I've never had to shut down a company before, could a gofundme buy the existing domain and source code?

HowardStark• 2 years ago

I think moving OTA updates for embedded devices to project-specific key management rather than relying on web roots of trust should become the norm.

Since your firmware images should themselves be signed and relying on some physical fusing of the key hashes + have some ratchet system, this leaves a web root-of-trust as a liability.

With the setup described above, you could deliver the OTAs signed by some key material that could more easily and/or effectively be made public.

Ancalagon• 2 years ago

I think almost every toy robotics company I can think of in recent years has gone out of business. The only consistently successful line of toy robots are the Lego technic kits…

bearcobra• 2 years ago

Even Lego has struggled to keep making Mindstorm sets unfortunately

Onavo• 2 years ago

Why? STEM education is exploding around the world, demand should be spiking.

Woodi• 2 years ago

How stupid it is... All you need is your personal code exec space - in home, on premise or in datacenter you choose to pay ! Working as "personal home pages" was imagined to work.

But nooooooo... Telcos do not give peoples good internet for decades. Then "your own ip" in home is beyaund luxury... But free storage space from Apple and Microsoft is free! LOL Then people thing FB is a "web page" ! :>> And then computers are outdates and everyone need to dedicate one hand to carry replacement. But then you learn that "smart" technology is outdated becouse it predates IBM PC and you realy realy shouldent send SMS ! :>>

So there wasn't build a infrastructure that even kids can use ! :>>

Telcos actions could be understood, obviously :)

But peoples in service, mainly spying, should have more care for not destroying plain citizens life infra.

And elected people ? No constructive words.

Startup set to brick $800 kids robot is trying to open source it first

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