bGeigieZen: Ongoing Improvements, Sound Upgrades, and a More Open Future
Safecast is excited to share a few recent developments in the bGeigieZen Geiger counter ecosystem and give you a glimpse into some of the upgrades we are currently working on.
Sound, intuition, and user experience
One of the more intuitive changes is the sound upgrade for the bGeigieZen. Hearing radiation counts adds a new layer of accessibility and immediacy, which is among the drivers of this feature’s addition. While earlier versions of the bGeigieNano offered limited audible feedback, the early versions of the Zen did not have this feature. The latest Beta version of the bGeigeZen firmware has a software-controlled audio option with click sounds that are audible, reliable, efficient, and customizable for various use cases.
Whether you’re in the field collecting data or showing someone how radiation detection works, sound can now help make invisible data more tangible and relatable.
GPS improvements for the Zen
We are also making progress in improving GPS performance in Zen hardware. One of the most requested upgrades has been around GPS reliability during flights. Standard GPS modules often fail to deliver usable location data when airborne due to hardware limitations and legal restrictions on high-altitude or high-speed positioning.
Two members of our development team are actively working on this issue. We have seen promising early results from new configurations and firmware adjustments that allow the Zen to better capture and retain GPS signals in flight mode. There is still more work to be done, but we believe this will be a meaningful step forward for users who gather data during travel.
Open hardware, open future
We are happy to share information regarding our continued move toward fully open-source hardware and software. This is an ongoing project, but the goal is simple: to ensure that our tools are transparent, modifiable, and truly belong to the community. By removing dependencies on proprietary components and commercial licensing, we hope to encourage even broader collaboration and long-term sustainability.
We believe we are already seeing benefits from the efforts, including faster prototyping, easier integration, and streamlining processes for contributors who are helping improve hardware and firmware.
That said, some transition elements will take time, and we are committed to keeping you updated as we progress.
What is next?
As always, we are guided by our community’s needs and feedback. We would love to hear from you if you’re testing new features, building your own custom bGeigieZen, or want to help us tackle the next round of challenges.
If you have questions or feedback about these updates, please join the conversation in our forum or reach out to the development team directly via GitHub.
For more information about the bGeigieZen visit https://bgeigiezen.safecast.jp
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