The following rough plan may not make it past phase 1. And to be honest at this stage, it's more of a "wouldn't it be cool if" idea that might just be an excuse to play with and learn more about this technology rather than launch a final product. Either way it should be fun to have a go.
Phase 1: Desk Prototype
Goal: Prove the core interaction loop end to end.
Build two breadboarded prototypes using Heltec V4 boards and forked MeshCore firmware. Validate the structured prompt model, direct and group messaging, alerts, NFC tap-to-pair, and basic GPS place logic. No enclosure work — this phase is entirely about whether the software UX concept holds up before you can actually hold it.
Key questions:
Does the structured prompt model feel fast and natural, or does it need rethinking before any further hardware investment?
Is the jog wheel or the ANO scroll wheel the right primary input?
Does screen-off-by-default reinforce the deliberately limited philosophy, or does it frustrate?
Is NFC tap-to-pair viable, or do short pairing codes need to carry the weight?
Challenges: MeshCore V4 support is days old and may need stabilisation. Forking the firmware to replace the application layer while preserving mesh transport is non-trivial. The structured prompt taxonomy is central to the product but not yet fully designed.
Duration: 4–8 weeks. Budget: £3k–£10k. Hardware spend to date: ~£594.
Gate: Does the core UX work? Proceed, pivot the interaction design, or park.
Phase 2: Wearable and Repeater Prototype
Goal: Prove the physical product shape, repeater approach, and battery/range assumptions.
Build field-ready wearable prototypes in 3D-printed enclosures and first repeater prototypes with robust power and mounting. Test form factor, antenna architecture (internal patch vs external nub vs compressed helical), battery life against a 24-hour target, and mesh behaviour with 4–10 wearables and 2–3 repeaters in an outdoor environment. Develop a basic smartphone companion app for setup, group configuration, and firmware updates.
Key questions:
What antenna architecture delivers acceptable range inside a wearable enclosure?
Can the product realistically hit 24+ hours with GPS duty cycling and screen-off-by-default?
Does the repeater placement strategy provide useful coverage at a real site?
Sealed battery or replaceable? USB-C or Qi?
Challenges: Moving from dev board to custom PCB. Getting useful 868MHz antenna performance inside a small plastic case. Enclosure durability for festival conditions — dust, rain, drops, body heat. Companion app development for iOS and Android.
Duration: 8–16 weeks. Budget: £10k–£35k.
Gate: Is this a viable product? Proceed to pilot, fundamentally redesign, or park.
Phase 3: Pilot Deployment
Goal: Prove the product works at event scale and test the operational model.
Deploy a test group of 10–50 wearables and 3–10 repeaters at a real burn event. This is the first time the product operates outside direct supervision. Build charging infrastructure, user onboarding flows, fleet management tooling, and rental-mode firmware with timed lockouts and post-event unlock purchase.
Key questions:
Does the mesh hold up at event density — 30–50 simultaneous devices in a crowded, noisy, multipath RF environment?
Can non-technical users onboard themselves in under 30 seconds?
Do people actually use structured prompts, or do they want freeform text?
What's the return rate, damage rate, and operational cost per event?
Is there genuine pull demand, or is this a solution looking for a problem?
Challenges: Running event logistics at scale — charging, configuring, distributing, and collecting 50 devices. Regulatory compliance: duty cycle limits, power limits, and Ofcom requirements are not optional. Convincing an event organiser to host experimental radio infrastructure. Making the rental economics work if 20% of units don't come back.
Duration: 3–6 months. Budget: £15k–£60k.
Gate: Is this a business? Proceed to production, iterate further, or park.
Phase 4: Production and Launch
Goal: Take the product to market.
Move through EVT, DVT, and PVT hardware iterations. Achieve CE/UKCA certification under Radio Equipment Regulations 2017. Optimise BOM cost to support £99 retail pricing. Launch via Kickstarter or pre-order with a simple direct-to-consumer friend-pack offer, alongside a B2B rental model for festival partners.
Key questions:
Can the product pass compliance certification for a radio device with GNSS?
Can BOM cost reach £25–£35 at volume?
Is the product viable across regulatory domains (UK 868MHz, US 915MHz)?
Does the Kickstarter model de-risk the first production run?
Challenges: CE/UKCA certification is slow (3–6 months) and expensive (£5k–£20k). Manufacturing at volume is a fundamentally different discipline from prototyping. A 1,000-unit production run requires ~£30k in inventory before the first sale. The companion app and fleet management tools need to be production-grade.
Duration: 6–12 months. Budget: £25k–£100k+.
Gate: Can we ship and scale?