Show HN: Flux Copilot – Generative AI for hardware design

A few weeks ago I was going yo start learning how to use PCB design software.

Flux seemed really cool and I gave it a try but couldn't get going well enough to continue. Here are my impressions:

## Key features and my impressions (as of 4/29/23):

- Interaction

    - Browser based

        - Buggy in Firefox, don't try it (simulation failed to converge)

    - Versioning (ala git)

    - Collaboration 

        - Multiple people can work on a circuit at once

        - can also give a link to share a circuit with limited permissions

    - AI assistant

        - Appears to have no specific knowledge of Flux? When I asked it question about running the code it didn't know I was asking about Flux even.

    - Has a large library of parts?

    - UI is a little clunky for common task like rotating elements but it gets the job done

    - does not support plotting

    - can't find a way to parametrize a simulation

    - Can affect appearance of schematic or PCB model: e.g.: the LED In the schematic or 3D model will light up / be dark depending on the state determined by the simulation. (this doesn't help me get my work doe but it is cool/pretty)

    - Can press a button on the schematic and see its effects via the sim 

    - I haven't used it much, and their \*example\* was non-functional (?!)

    - Linked directly to the schematic so if you change a part there it changes on the PCB

    - Has a very nice looking 3D mode/view of the circuit

Software making hardware making software. How long till someone wires it all up to a chat bot and lets it loose? We're reaching the point where it's feasible to create, more or less, autonomous AI entities. It's doable today, if you have the money and are so inclined, and it gets cheaper everyday.

So far I got it to hallucinate me a formula, which gave me half the frequency I asked for on a 555 circuit. Also, I got it to connect the data lines on a usb C port to a micro, but it only connected A7(D-) and B6(D+), which doesn't seem ideal. Also, it forgot about termination resistors, which, like, for usb 2.0, stuff will probably work without them, but not ideal.

This tool seems like a nice way to recommend parts, but I don't think I'd trust it with much of the actual design.

From what I have seen from AI so far. The only place I can see this level of AI being really useful, would be a place like digikey. Like, as an alternative to parametric search.

For all my Stargate fans out there, this is how you get replicators

I added a test[1] to OpenAI Evals that showed that GPT-4 doesn't have an awful lot of understanding of most component datasheets in the training set. It only got ~16% of my questions correct - and all questions could be answered by a domain expert with access to the datasheet.

Example question: You are to answer each given question with a single number, with no extra characters or units. Round every answer to one significant figure. A IRF540N transistor has an R_DS(ON) of what, in Ohms, at V_GS=10v?

Answer: 0.04

[1]: https://github.com/Hello1024/evals/blob/4e9bbce1390ce427acb1...

Founder here:

Super excited to make another big step today to democratize electronics design!

Hit me with your questions

I would think this might have a future as a local plugin, but there is more to laying out a complex board than routing so I see “in browser” and see science project not tool for business.

ai can build its own body now

So pretty much AI now can do anything except that “conscious” link between them. So an AI can write the software for drone autopilot for example ..(missing link).. and design the hardware for that drone ..(missing link).. and simulate all that ..(missing link).. to fly that drone autonomously ..(missing link).. to fulfill the objectives.

Unless something new fill these links properly, guess us human kinds are still needed :)

Isn't Copilot a protected name in this context?