bUniProbe – Open Source Wireless Multi-Protocol Hardware Debugger Tool

Hardware debugging tools often force engineers to juggle multiple USB adapters for SPI, I²C, UART, CAN, and GPIO analysis, as well as oscilloscopes or logic analyzers for signal analysis. The upcoming bUniProbe by Bitmerse aims to solve this issue by integrating all these capabilities into a compact, wireless, and open-source platform with a browser-based interface.

The device integrates various digital and analog interfaces for developers to communicate with peripherals, monitor signals, and control hardware in real time without installing any drivers or software. Instead, you can connect the device over Wi-Fi and interact it through a built-in web UI, making the tool platform-independent and suitable for collaborative environments.

The bUniProbe wireless multi-protocol hardware debugger by Bitmerse.

bUniProbe specifications:

• Wireless Connectivity: Wi-Fi (hosts a local web interface and REST API)
• Supported Protocols & Interfaces:
  • SPI (Controller/Peripheral): Up to 30 Mbps
  • I2C (Controller/Peripheral): Standard-mode (100 kHz) and Fast-mode (400 kHz)
  • UART: Up to 921,600 bps with hardware flow control
  • CAN / CAN FD: Supports CAN Flexible Data-Rate for modern automotive/industrial systems
• Analog & Digital I/O:
  • ADC: 4x channels, 12-bit resolution @ 10 KSPS
  • DAC: 2x channels, 10-bit resolution (0 to 5V variable output)
  • GPIO: 6x dedicated pins for general-purpose I/O
• Signal Conditioning & Logic:
  • Software-configurable 3.3V and 5V logic levels
  • Dynamic control over per-GPIO hardware pull-up and pull-down resistors
• Dimensions: 80 x 80 x 15 mm (with enclosure)

The internal PCB of the bUniProbe hardware debugger

The device gets connected to your Wi-Fi router, and its built-in web interface can be accessed via a browser to send and receive data through dedicated panels. There is also a built-in waveform viewer for real-time monitoring of both digital and analog signals. Since it connects over Wi-Fi, the webpage can be accessed from multiple devices simultaneously, making collaborative debugging easier than with typical USB-based tools. The platform also exposes REST APIs, allowing developers to automate tests or build custom tools using Python or any language that supports HTTP requests.

The browser-based user interface for the bUniProbe, showing the I2C communication and configuration panel

Bitmerse states that the bUniProbe will be fully open-source hardware, and the company plans to release both the firmware and the hardware design files under a permissive license on GitHub once the hardware ships to backers.

The bUniProbe Open Source Hardware Debugger Tool is currently listed as “Coming Soon” on Crowd Supply. Pricing has not yet been announced, but interested users can register their email address on the project page to be notified when the crowdfunding campaign goes live.

Images used courtesy of Crowd Supply