We are Rootkit Labs.

Embedded system consultants & open-source security hardware developers.

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What We Do

We Build Hardware, visit our Shop!

Realtime Firmware

  • Realtime operating systems, Zephyr, FreeRTOS, etc...
  • Strong understanding of debugging practices.
  • Edge and cloud based ML systems.
  • Prefer open source tooling: gcc, gdb, make.
  • High and low speed bus interfaces.

Electrical Engineering

  • Design, simulate, layout and test PCBs.
  • Power systems, motors, batteries, PMICs.
  • Antenna design, impedance matching, RF characterizing.
  • Complex mixed signal design.
  • High speed designs: DDR3, MIPI, USB, SDIO.

Embedded Linux

  • Design around custom builds or off the shelf modules.
  • Buildroot, Yocto and OpenWRT.
  • Custom Kernel driver implementation and troubleshooting.
  • Userspace software development.

Robotics

  • Design and construction of robots and accessories.
  • Robot Operating Systems (ROS).
  • Implementation of SLAM algorithms.
  • Control system design.
  • Blockchain

    • Smart contracts.
    • Distributed data systems.
    • Merkle trees, hashing function, encryption.

    Security Hardware and Enclaves

    • Hardware separation of application and critical data.
    • Hardware pen testing: side channel attacks, power line analyses, RF analyses.
    • Randomness and entropy.

    What We Build

    Here is some of our work.

    Linux Business Card

    Custom Linux SBC

    Project Link

    This business card runs Linux! With a strong focus on embedded security, it uses an Allwinner F1C100s microprocessor and ATECC608A cryptography IC for true RNG and key generation. It can be used as a secure enclave to protect keys, passwords or data. Did I mention it's also a business card!

    Wifi Wart - Open Source Files

    Custom Linux SBC, mains electronics

    Project Link

    Pictured above is an AC wall adapter with a monster inside. The USB port will charge a phone like a standard wall adapter. However, there are two wifi routers hidden below connected to a processer capable of running Linux.

    Wifi SBC - Open Source Files

    Custom Linux SBC

    Project Link

    This circuit board is an embedded Linux system purpose-built for wifi security testing and evaluation. It boasts an ARM Cortex A7 with 1Gb of DDRL3L RAM. The operating system is compiled using Buildroot and is capable of hosting all the usual Linux security tools.

    Ovrdrive - Open Source Files

    Embedded Design

    Project Link

    Ovrdrive is an open-hardware USB flash drive with an inconspicuous enclosure and a hidden security feature tucked away inside it. If you plug the device in normally, it will appear blank, but if you quickly plug it in three times in a row, you will be able to read and write data. We built Ovrdrive for journalists working in hostile environments, security researchers, and anyone interested in open hardware.

    FSR

    Embedded Systems

    Project Link

    Pictured above is an embedded system for a client who needs a force-sensitive resistor (FSR) array on a flex PCB to use with a robotic gripper. It boasts an STM32F1 running freeRTOS and libopencm3. It samples data from the sensors and sends the data back to the host ROS PC using rosserial.

    UPS - Open Source Files

    Embedded Design / Power Systems

    Project Link

    The Protectli UPS is an uninterruptible power supply reimagined with an emphasis on hardware hacking. It is paired with features like a webserver, Network UPS Tools, relays, GPIOs and more.

    Hydroponic Controller

    Embedded Systems / IOT

    Project Link

    This PCB is an embedded system designed to control a hydroponics system. It hosts an STM32F4, esp8266 wifi controller, FETs, switching power management ICs (PMICs) and a stepper motor driver. On the firmware side, it uses FreeRTOS and libopencm3.

    BirdEar

    Embedded ML

    Project Link

    BirdEar is an embedded ML platform designed to classify species of birds using acoustic data in the wild. It uses TensorFlow lite for microcontrollers to implement a neural net on an STM32F7. It contains all the analog circuitry to filter the input and adjust the amplitude. A lower power device that only wakes up the microphone detects audio; since it's a bare-metal system, wakeup time is fast and sleep power is low. It logged data to an SD card using fatfs.

    Page Up

    Low Power Embedded Design

    Project Link

    Page Up is a wireless pager designed for calling servers at restaurants. It hosts an embedded design that lasts years on two AA cells. It uses a 2.4Ghz radio to send the data back to a linux SBC which then moved it to the cloud. The data was consumed by Android apps running on the servers phones. We did not design the app.

    Logic Crusher - Open Source Files

    Embedded + Analog Design

    Project Link

    Logic Crusher is a Eurorack module used to sample and playback audio in a modulated form. Is uses a STM32 DSP core to implement filters and modulators on audio signals.

    What we Like

    Our Blog

    Contact Us

    Lets get in touch and make something.

    Rootkit Labs is proudly located in Basel, Switzerland. When we're not working on groundbreaking technology, we spend our time in the mountains skiing, mountain biking and rock climbing. Regardless of your organization's location, we are confident we can make our relationship work, do not hesitate to reach out! We are currently discounting projects relating to fighting BC's wildfires, reducing carbon emissions, improving the condition of indigenous peoples' and fighting the opioid epidemic.

    Where To Find Us

    Hegenheimerstrasse 30
    Basel, 4055
    Switzerland

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