Motivation
There are no open source high hashrate miners and we set out to change that with this project. The Bitcoin mining industry has been dominated by Bitmain and their closed proprietary hardware and Bitcoiners by and large have accepted this despite the open nature of the protocol and the applications built on it. Up until the Bitaxe project, there were no open source options at all. This project takes what the Bitaxe started to the next level, bringing the total Wattage to ~100W. A small but important step in the direction of open-source options. The Ember One project is only the first iteration of many that will evolve over time increasing in power and hashrate. Ember One is creating a standardized hashboard form factor which will have ASIC chips from different manufacturers in each series. Components for the Ember One have been chosen to give end users the most flexibility and ease of use. For example, the input voltage ranges from 12-24 vdc and the control board communicates via USB to the hashboards. Users will have the options of running one hashboard or several hashboards, they can choose which ASIC chips they want, and all the pieces will be interchangeable.
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Scope:
One Project Manager position and up to two engineer positions to fulfill the mission of The 256 Foundation, “Dismantle the proprietary mining empire to make Bitcoin and freedom tech accessible to anyone”. This grant proposal aims to secure funding for:
- A project manager to oversee and ensure mission adherence, timeliness, and execution.
- Up to two engineers to develop the Ember One hashboard.
- Ember One technical details: a modular ~100W 2-4 Terahash open-source Bitcoin miner hashboard built with the Bitmain S19 J-Pro series ASIC chips including hardware component selection, PCB design, and thermal design.
- Supporting documentation with hashboard interface specification.
- This project is fully open-source GPL licensed.
- Excluded from this proposal are the firmware architecture & implementation, enclosure design, manufacturing support, sales, distribution, marketing, and customer technical support.
In summary, the Ember One grant delivers an open-source, discrete, and customizable ~100 Watt Bitcoin miner hashboard in six months with a project manager and up to two engineers. This project will be a springboard for a complete mining system built with ASIC chips from other manufacturers. The open design makes integrating it in a variety of ways possible. The small but mighty platform provides the essential tools for broad open development. Remaining anonymous while using Bitcoin’s public blockchain is a crucial aspect to ensuring the potential for financial freedom; and Bitcoin mining is arguably the best way to acquire bitcoin for these ends. Not only does the Ember One equip users with a powerful tool for financial freedom but it also takes direct aim at altering the centralized and closed-source trajectory that the Bitcoin mining ecosystem has taken.
Deliverables:
The deliverables from this grant are the successful execution of the project more so than tangible goods. Successful execution of this grant project means the delivery of a validated design for a modular ~100W hashboard is produced within the allotted timeline and for the available budget, resulting in an open-source project that aligns with The 256 Foundation mission and benefits the public at large.
Timeline:
The timeline for this grant proposal is six months with the opportunity to extend the grant at the conclusion of each six month period, pending negotiations.
Materials:
Materials for this project’s prototype are included in the budget. Potential materials for the project may include but are not limited to ASIC chips, miscellaneous components, and various tools or software.
Team Members:
This proposal is for one project manager and up to two engineers.
Budget:
For security reasons, exact dollar amounts are kept confidential. This project budget covers fair-market compensation for one project manager as well as the materials, travel expenses, and living expenses for up to two engineers for six months. Funds are disbursed monthly in six equal amounts. Within 30-days prior to the expiration of this proposal, a renewal opportunity will open and be subject to review and negotiation.