Sunday Robotics' ProBUDDY Kits Aim to Make Prototyping Neater — Not to Mention More Portable
Pairing magnetic bases with easy-mount accessories, the ProBUDDY system makes prototypes tidier — and mountable at any angle.
Sunday Robotics has launched a crowdfunding campaign for what it claims is the solution to desk-mess during prototyping: The ProBUDDY kits, which let you build your projects on portable magnetic base plates — then easily tear them down again.
"You will work on electronics projects," asks Sunday Robotics' Yusuf Koksal. "Then that means you will be working with breadboards, electronics modules, and cables. When connected together they will float [around your desk] or be glued, and, well… It gets messy and stressful."
Anyone nodding in agreement with Koksal's claims will find the company's proposed solution interesting: The ProBUDDY Kit, a combination of base plate and parts holders which aims to hold everything in place during prototype yet make it easy to disassemble when you're done.
"We created ProBUDDY Kits for [ourselves] in the first place," says Koksal. "We really needed a solution! We have a small Sunday Robotics office and our desk space was limited. Now, with the help of our ProBUDDY Kits, we can work on and properly store and demonstrate 6-10 projects at the same time on a small desk space! Still using them all the time, everyday."
The kits are produced in three sizes, corresponding to the ISO standards for paper sizes: A5, A4, and A3. Accessories vary by kit, but include Small and Tall ProBUDDY parts holders with removable spring-loaded tops, a range of special-purposes holders, crocodile-headed "third hand" helpers, lifter pins to angle the base plates for more comfort, and DIN rails for mounting — plus a rack system for storing multiple base plates with or without parts attached.
The company has plans beyond the base kits, too: Sunday Robotics has already launched a site for 3D-printable ProBUDDY accessories including stands for radio-controlled car wheels, cable fixers, carrying handles, a Raspberry Pi Pico mount, tool holders, battery holders, and more — and has teased the ProBUDDY Probe System and Analyzers, designed to ease debugging and hardware analysis.
The company is looking to fund mass production via a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, with rewards starting at $29 for an entry-level kit with A5 base plate and rising to $499 for "Kit of the Kings," including multiple base plates and a wide number of accessories. Delivery on all hardware is expected to take place in August this year.