Cerulean Submergence ForeSight

[ktrout153]

I'm a hardware developer who's been watching the open source movement with interest for many years. Recently, open source hardware is becoming more and more available. I've been wanting this movement to take hold with marine electronics but it's been slow. I'd like to change that.

I'm envisioning an open source marine electronics hardware community that provides open alternatives to the closed versions available by big companies. I'd like to offer hardware to those that can't make it themselves, yet keep things open for tinkerers and people who want to truly own their things.

I have a number of items in mind but to start the process, I've been developing something I'm calling ForeSight. It's an e-paper multifunction display for displaying data in the cockpit. Think of it as an e-paper version of a Garmin GMI20 or Raymarine i70s. It's a product that I've wanted for a long time but hasn't been available.

Here are some specs for ForeSight:

4.2" e-paper display with fast update
Wifi using an Arduino compatible ESP8266-12e
Data input from marine devices using two NMEA 0183 inputs (RS422)
Multiplex inputs to single NMEA 0183 output (RS422)
One CAN bus port (NMEA2000)
Ambient light sensor with RGB e-paper lighting
ARM processor via an Arduino compatible Teensy 3.2
Capacitive touch front panel controls
Supercap for clean power down
Low power, wide input (12-24v)
Input voltage sensing (battery sensing)
"Standard" instrument form factor (4.5" square)
Remote instrument control via network
Temp/humidity sensor and alarm buzzer planned for future revs

I currently have a working prototype that functions as a multifunction display, NMEA0183 multiplexer and NMEA to wifi bridge. It currently supports gps, heading, depth, wind and rudder data inputs in both a graphical layout and full screen modes. I'm working on network image transfer so that it could be used as a wireless display for your computer or Raspberry Pi

I'm working around an NDA with a manufacturer so I'm not ready to release the source but I expect that to happen within a few months.

I'm writing here to gauge interest in this project and to make contact with capable, like-minded people. Community feedback would definitely be good, bearing in mind feature creep can be bad.

Let me know if this is something you'd like to have and/or if you'd like to be involved.


Chris Lathan
Cerulean Submergence LLC

[Sailmonkey]

I love the idea!!!

I hate the blue lighting!!!

For clarification, this display can receive words via 0183 or 2000 and display the data in a layout of my choosing?

What is the anticipated sales price?

[ktrout153]

Glad you like it.

Don't like blue lighting? Easy! The backlights are RGB so they can be changed to whatever you do like. The prototype has a lot of light bleed-thru that's not good but I have plans to fix that.

Yes, the data can come in via wifi (currently UDP) and/or over wires. The data formats follow NMEA standards (0183/2000) but it isn't technically NMEA b/c I haven't paid their license fee. I'm using open software libraries to digest this data (tinygps++ and NMEA2000_teensy/flexCAN).

The firmware is very beta right now so the display is limited to formats that you see in the photos. But the tools are there to do much more with it. I'm a hardware guy that's just good enough with coding to make things work.

I think it's too early for a definite price but I'm trying to get it under $300.

Thanks for the input.

[Sailmonkey]

I think that with a 300 ish retail price and a user configurable display (layout,data,lighting,etc....) you've got yourself a winner!