The Hedgehog Gaming Mouse and Controller!

🚀 Project Update: Progress and Challenges 🚀
13 days ago – Thu, Apr 04, 2024 at 09:15:11 PM

Hello Backers,

We're reaching out with a pivotal update on our project's journey. Your unwavering support and patience have been our guiding lights as we navigate through obstacles, and we're grateful for every ounce of it.

👍 Thumb Button Update: Our journey with the thumb button has been a rollercoaster of revisions and discussions. Now, after a series of back-and-forths, we've landed on a new design (Revision G) based on valuable feedback from the tool maker and factory. Though it necessitates a new mold, we're confident it's the solution we've been seeking. The mold is currently in production and expected to be ready in approximately 24 days.

✨ Exciting Developments: Despite the setback, there's a silver lining. We've successfully 3D printed test parts based on the new design, and they've exceeded our expectations. This gives us the green light to proceed with a 200-piece build as soon as the mold is ready. Moreover, we've already ordered all materials for the larger production runs so they will follow the 200-piece build, provided we don't find anything major in the 200-pieces pilot build.  Also we've started preparations for the left-hand mold making process which is set to begin immediately after the 200-piece right-hand build is accepted.

🎉 Base Pad Issue Resolved: We're thrilled to announce that the base pad issue has been successfully resolved! Thanks to our team's dedication and your unwavering support, we've overcome this hurdle and can now move forward without impediments.

👉 Next Steps: With one hurdle cleared and the thumb button solution well on its way, we're gearing up for a leap forward. Once the new thumb button mold is in our hands, we'll waste no time initiating the 200-piece build. Simultaneously, preparations for larger production runs and the left-hand mold will continue unabated.

🙏 Gratitude: Your belief in our project and your understanding during these trials mean everything to us. Your support fuels our determination to surmount any obstacle and deliver a product that exceeds expectations.

Stay tuned for further updates as we press on toward realizing our vision. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for being an integral part of this incredible journey!

Warm regards,

Branden

Hedgehog Gaming, Inc.

March Manufacturing Update: On the Brink of Shipping!
about 1 month ago – Fri, Mar 08, 2024 at 09:00:53 PM

Hey there, awesome backers!

I know it's been a little longer than usual since our last update, but I've been holding off to bring you the most comprehensive news possible. With Chinese New Year in the mix, a two-week-ago update would've been pretty light on content.

We're on the brink of a major milestone: getting these units out the door! I've been pushing the factory hard to aim for shipping right-hand units by the end of this month, and they're giving me every indication that it's achievable. Our electronics are solid, software and firmware are in great shape (with some bonus features still in the works), and our parts are looking fantastic, aside from a couple of pesky manufacturing issues.

First, the base pad warping issue. After some intensive work, the factory is close enough to a solution that they don’t feel it’s holding up production.

Now, onto the thumb button snag. We initially went with a design using adhesives to attach the thumb button caps to the part that presses the circuit board buttons. Despite making changes, the issue resurfaced during our last pilot run. So, we're switching gears and reverting to a backup plan: overmolding. This process involves molding one or more parts and then putting those parts into a new, different mold to inject a different material that fuses together with the old part. It's a solid solution to ensure button consistency.

In the past month, we've also made some exciting progress. The addition of two hall effect sensors has significantly improved our product's location sensing.

Additionally, those pesky parts that ended up stuck in customs? We successfully appealed the seizure, thanks to an excellent law firm we enlisted to fight our case. They used their legal expertise to navigate the situation and get the parts released back to us.

Thank you endlessly for your patience and unwavering support. We're almost there, and it's all thanks to you!

Best regards,

Branden

Hedgehog Gaming, Inc.

End of January Manufacturing, Software, and Hardware Updates
3 months ago – Fri, Jan 26, 2024 at 10:08:46 PM

Dear Backers,

We trust you had a fantastic holiday season. We're thrilled to bring you some exciting updates on the progress of our project.

Software and Firmware:

As we approach the final stages, we've intensified efforts on the software and firmware fronts. The manufacturing phase has been our primary focus, but we've reached a stage where our Software/Firmware team is working diligently to iron out minor bugs and introduce additional features that will elevate the overall user experience.

Last month one of you inquired about the software and usability so I thought it would be best to make a 5-minute video of the software uses and a couple of features.  It also gave me the opportunity to show off the T0 prototype (the first plastics off the mold).

https://vimeo.com/906542412 

Electrical Hardware:

During our recent push, we identified an area for improvement in our methodology for pinpointing the mouse's location on the base pad. We initially used a single hall effect sensor, but recognizing its limitations, we pivoted to a more robust approach involving three hall effect sensors for precise triangulation. Prototyping has yielded great results, and the circuit board is expected to arrive early next week. This adjustment has no impact on our delivery schedule.

Manufacturing:

Our overseas partners have evaluated the parts, and they are en route to us, set to arrive early next week. While the initial evaluations were promising, we are still encountering a challenge with the warpage on the base plate due to plastic cooling and shrinking. We’ve done extensive testing using materials like ABS, POM, and PA 6, and we are exploring alternatives, such as adding additives to the existing POM material to mitigate warpage. So far ABS has shown promise but we are concerned about its long-term durability in this application so we will do more testing in the US to see if it’s a suitable material for us to use here.  We are cautiously optimistic that these adjustments won't affect our late February build and early March shipping timeline.

Although we haven't commenced the 200 piece build yet due to the focus on fixing the warpage issue, we have all the necessary parts and materials ready. The order for the right-hand build is in progress, with plans to initiate the larger build immediately after the smaller one is approved.

Electrical Components:

In a proactive measure last year, we secured enough electrical components for 2100 units to mitigate potential supply chain challenges. Unfortunately, a recent customs issue has delayed our shipments that were sent out on 10/29/202. We're in the process of appealing the customs issue and hope for a swift resolution.

To minimize further delays, we've instructed the factory to order new parts, and we've sent full payment for all right-hand materials. While we currently see stock on most components, the switches are ordered directly from the factory, posing the only significant risk to lead time.

Despite these challenges, we remain committed to delivering an outstanding product. Your support and patience have been invaluable throughout this journey. We'll continue to keep you informed as we work through these final stages. 

Best,

Branden,

Hedgehog Gaming, Inc.

New Manufacturing Timeline After the Tooling Updates
4 months ago – Fri, Dec 22, 2023 at 08:29:36 PM

Dear Backers,

Greetings from the heart of our project! We're here with a quick update on the exciting developments since our last communication on December 8th.

Our dedicated tool maker, responsible for shaping the steel molds for our injected molded plastics, is making commendable progress. The adjustments to the right-hand mold are underway, with a projected completion date of January 5th. While three parts were more complex than expected, our tool maker has a solid plan in motion and is well on its way.

Now, let's talk timelines. We're gearing up to start the 200-piece build by January 15th, a pivotal moment that, as mentioned in previous updates, I'll be overseeing firsthand at the manufacturer's site. For the larger build of right-hand units, we anticipate the first shipments of Right-hand units to be on their way by the early weeks of March. This is a little longer lead time than normal because we are including our factory’s Chinese New Year break from February 3rd to the 18th.

Shifting our focus to the left-hand molds, their production has deliberately been held back due to the nature of these molds being a mirror image of the right-hand molds. Once the right-hand mold nuances are ironed out, the tool maker estimates a 30-day window (plus potential holidays) to complete the left-hand molds, aiming for completion by the end of February.

Come early March, we'll conduct a small 6-piece "T0" build to validate that the parts for the left-hand devices are behaving as expected when coming off the molds. By the end of March, we're looking to kick off the 200-piece build, paving the way for larger-scale production to fulfill your pledges.

We understand that delays can be frustrating, and we appreciate your patience. Our commitment to openness remains unwavering. Look out for our next update in late January, where we hope to share the exciting details of our visit to the factory.

Thank you for standing by us.

Happy Holidays and Warm regards,

-Branden

Hedgehog Gaming, Inc.

Kickstarter December 2023 Update: Progress and Minor Hurdles
4 months ago – Fri, Dec 08, 2023 at 09:56:17 PM

Hello backers,

We hope this update finds you well. In our last communication, we shared that we were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the plastics crucial for our in-depth form/fit/function evaluation. Well, they're here, and we've been hard at work putting the pieces together. As with any intricate project, we've encountered a few hiccups, but we're committed to transparency and keeping you in the loop.

Current Status: The good news first – the issues we've identified are minor, and the fixes are well underway. Here's a breakdown of what we've encountered with some of the parts below:

1. Scroll Wheel Performance: The scroll click didn't meet our expectations. We've addressed this through a mold modification, and the updated model has been approved. We've even printed out prototypes to validate the improvements.

2. Knuckle Buttons: The replaceable knuckle buttons were not staying in place as securely as we'd like. We've increased the part size to increase friction, ensuring these buttons stay put.

3. Spring-Loaded Base Tolerances: Tolerances in the spring-loaded base were not tight enough, causing more play than intended. We've successfully tightened these tolerances with the factory's cooperation.

4. Button Interferences: Some button interferences with the pinky buttons were noted. We've resolved these by repositioning switches on the circuit board and making slight adjustments to one plastic part.

5. Magnet Holder Tightness: The magnet holder in the base was a tad tight, but we've adjusted the mold tolerances to address this issue.

6. Thumb Button Improvements: We identified concerns with the formation of some thumb buttons and addressed them by altering to mold to make it add material.

7. Mold Removal Warping: A few parts were slightly warped during the mold removal process. This is part of the manufacturing process, and they're implementing changes to minimize this effect.

8. Gaps between mouse buttons different: There were inconsistent gaps caused by the pointer finger migrating towards the middle finger button and away from the outside portion of the mouse.   We were able to fix this issue by adding a bit of material to the pointer button to hold it in place.

Moving Forward: The fixes have been successfully applied to the parts by hand, and we're excited about how the mouse is performing and feeling overall. While these tweaks have caused a slight delay, we believe it's minimal and necessary for delivering a product that meets our standards.

Next Steps: We're currently working closely with the factory to get an updated detailed schedule. Rest assured, we'll share this schedule with you in the next week or two. Your continued support and patience mean the world to us, and we're optimistic that this will be the last of the delays.

Thank you for being with us on this journey. We'll be back soon with more updates!

Best, 

Branden - Hedgehog Gaming