Just got my Artemis watch today and watched the tutorial series and tried out one of the projects. I’m a beginner with any coding and am using block code, which I have a decent handle on.
I was a bit surprised that loading a sketch onto Artemis replaced the firmware of the watch, but it makes sense knowing that this is similar to a micro:bit which I have also played around with.
That said, I had been hoping that I’d be able to load/add new creations while retaining the functioning of the watch, as opposed to loading a new creation and then re-loading the firmware to make it a smartwatch again.
Is this possible via the block code, or is it something I’d need to work in python for… or is it not possible at all? Did I accidentally skip a tutorial video that talked about this? I couldn’t find any information about opening up the firmware to tinker, rather than just create something to replace it.
Thanks for any guidance!
CircuitBlocks is designed as a beginner-friendly interface, with basic functionalities available for users to test out and learn the ropes. Modifying the stock firmware requires a bit more technical knowledge, since it is written in C++ and isn’t quite as beginner-friendly.
However, since the firmware is completely open-source, you are free to modify it and upload it to your device however you see fit! You can access the repository here: GitHub - CircuitMess/GC_Artemis-Firmware · GitHub
When you check out the link, your best starting point will be the instructions provided in the README file. It will guide you through setting everything up. While you are browsing, you will also notice that our GitHub contains the open-source firmware for all of our other devices as well!
A quick note on hardware limitations: Please keep in mind that the stock device firmware and the MicroPython interpreter cannot be loaded on the device simultaneously.
The biggest constraint for doing so is the flash memory size. We design our products with the appropriate flash memory capacity to comfortably fit the stock firmware, along with all the other necessary media assets (sounds, animations, images, etc.). Having MicroPython pre-installed at the same time wouldn’t be possible, since we don’t have the flash memory capacity to hold both simultaneously. Therefore, it is necessary to swap these pieces of software in and out of the device’s memory depending on what you are working on.
If you encounter any issues with setting up your coding environment for the firmware, please feel free to reach out. We are always happy to help!
Customer Support Team