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, 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."
Kickstarter page:
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