Hardware Design and Firmware CompleteToday I finished the main design and coding for LiPad!The PCB design is complete, including the layout, components, and connections. I have finished designing the hardware side of the project and the files are ready for the next stage.The firmware is also complete. I finished writing the KMK/CircuitPython code, including:Keyboard matrix setupKey layersRotary encoder supportEncoder button controlsRGB LED animationsIdle lighting behaviourThe software and hardware are now connected together, and the project is at a point where it is ready for testing once the board is built.One thing I forgot to do was record a timelapse of the process. I originally planned to capture the full design and coding journey, but I got focused on building the project and completely forgot to start recording. The classic developer mistake: remembering the documentation after the interesting part is already finished.Even without the timelapse, the project files, code, and design work are all available in the repository so the progress can still be followed.

It works

DEVNOTE #6

Official Collaboration: A.C.E + Sidera Nacio

A.C.E is now officially collaborating with Sidera Nacio.

After discussing both projects, we decided to combine ideas, skills, and technology to help both ecosystems grow.

ABOUT SIDERA NACIO

sideranacio.org

Sidera Nacio is an emerging civic community exploring how a nation can be intentionally designed, from its government and constitution to its technology, culture, and future territory.

The main focus of Sidera Nacio:

• Equality
• Freedom
• Freedom of invention
• Innovation and building new ideas

COLLABORATION

A.C.E and Sidera Nacio will work together on:

• AI systems
• Software development
• Communication tools
• Technology infrastructure
• Automation

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Sidera Nacio uses:

• Node.js backend
• PostgreSQL database
• API services
• Docker deployment

Future plans include exploring ways A.C.E can integrate with the Sidera Nacio ecosystem.

A.C.E UPDATE

Current A.C.E progress:

• Website completed:
  https://ace-website-pied-xi.vercel.app/

• First boot screen developed

• GUI development started

• Exploring an all-in-one AI device concept

FUTURE VISION

The collaboration between A.C.E and Sidera Nacio will focus on creating new technology through:

• AI
• Hardware
• Software
• Innovation
• Community-driven development

This marks the start of an official partnership between both projects.

website will be updated soon

Developer Note #5First Boot Screen & Website UpdateThe first boot screen for A.C.E has been completed and is now part of the project progress. The A.C.E website is also live and can be viewed here:https://ace-website-pied-xi.vercel.app/For more in-depth developer notes, project history, and technical documentation, visit the official GitHub repository and documentation:https://github.com/coolboy17289/A.C.E-v3Development Tracking IssueDuring this development period, Hackatime did not correctly track all of my coding time. I have been working on A.C.E for much longer than the recorded time shows, so the Hackatime statistics do not represent the full amount of development work completed.

Developer Note #5 I deleted all of my previous code because I felt like it was not good enough, so I am restarting the project from scratch.One of my biggest struggles right now is that Hackatime is not recording my coding time properly. I have been coding almost continuously since 7:00 AM this morning, and it is currently 1:00 PM, but the tracked time does not match the amount of work I have actually done.

Developer Note #4: First Look at the Display WebsiteThe first version of the display website is now taking shape. The navigation bar has been completed and is fully built using HTML, JavaScript, and CSS with Tailwind CSS for styling.This marks the first step toward creating the website interface, focusing on a clean and responsive design that can be expanded with more features in the future.The navigation system provides the foundation for the rest of the website, allowing future pages and components to be added more easily while keeping the design consistent.

Developer Notes #3: Removing TypeScript and Moving Towards RustAfter spending more time working with TypeScript, I have decided to remove it from the project and move towards a simpler and more suitable development setup.The main reason for this change is that TypeScript became a major source of frustration during development. While it offers useful features such as type safety and improved tooling for larger applications, the extra configuration, complexity, and debugging overhead started slowing down progress rather than helping the project move forward.For this project, the main goal is to focus on building features, improving performance, and creating a reliable system that can run efficiently on the target hardware. Removing TypeScript will reduce unnecessary complexity and allow faster development while keeping the codebase easier to understand and maintain.The current codebase has been updated by removing the previous TypeScript folder and beginning a rewrite using Rust. Rust was chosen because it provides better performance, memory safety, and lower-level control, which fits the requirements of this project, especially since it is designed to run on a Raspberry Pi with GPIO connections.The Raspberry Pi folder is included because this project is designed around Raspberry Pi hardware features and requires communication with GPIO components. The structure allows the software side of the project to interact with the physical hardware it is built to control.This change does not mean TypeScript is a bad technology. It is still a powerful choice for many web and application projects. However, for this specific project, the added complexity was not worth the development slowdown, and a lower-level language like Rust is a better fit for the goals of the system.Future developer notes will document the migration process, Rust implementation, hardware integration, challenges encountered, and improvements made as development continues.

Developer Notes #2: Major Errors and Debugging Challenges During the latest stage of development, I encountered two major errors that have become significant blockers. After spending time investigating the issues, testing possible solutions, and reviewing the code, I have not yet been able to determine the exact cause.These errors have slowed development progress, but they have also provided useful opportunities to learn more about the system and identify areas that may need improvement. Debugging complex problems is a normal part of software development, even if it sometimes feels like the code has decided to fight back for no logical reason.At this stage, I may use additional debugging tools, including Claude Code, to help analyse the issues and speed up the troubleshooting process. The goal is not just to find a quick fix, but to understand the underlying cause and make sure the solution is reliable.Further updates will be added once more information is discovered, including the root cause of the errors, the debugging process, and the final fixes implemented.

Developer Notes #1: First Error Encountered

This is the first entry in the developer notes for this project. During the early stages of development, the first major error was encountered and is currently being documented.

While writing this post, I discovered that I had also encountered a second error from a different project. Although this issue is unrelated, it will also be tracked and documented separately to keep a clear record of development problems, debugging steps, and solutions.

These notes will serve as a timeline of issues, experiments, fixes, and lessons learned throughout the development process. More detailed information about each error, including the cause, testing process, attempted fixes, and final solutions, will be added as the investigations progress.

Future developer notes will continue documenting important changes, challenges, discoveries, and improvements made during development.

I’m done finally
website-v3-ashen.vercel.app

the buttons to the software I use most often.

my gradients are finally working.

NAV Bar update:
nave bar is almost done
and the background gradient is finally visible

Updete:
full re code

Main css finaly working

Building the UI:
Getting Ready for More CSS