There is generally no problem to remotely drive a legacy appliance using a USB device from Yoctopuce. It is actually quite simple: disassemble the appliance (without losing the screws), install the module in it (without forgetting to put a USB cable to the outside) and reassemble the appliance (using as many of the original screws as you can figure out). Given their average size of 20x45mm, Yoctopuce modules are generally small enough to fit anywhere.
Now, when you need to put several USB devices in an appliance, it is a different matter. Stuffing the devices themselves is usually OK, but then you need to add a USB hub as well, and all the cables with their big connectors...
So we decided to build a tiny USB hub for DIY applications. Since it has to be as small as possible, we have replaced the standard connectors by pads or pins. As of today, we expect it to provide 4 USB ports in only 20x42mm of space, and to feature optional support for external power. It will work like most of the common USB 2.0 hubs that you can find on the market, for any USB device.
Tiny USB hub, 40x20 mm
This hub has been designed so that you can directly mount Yoctopuce devices on it, in order to reduce the overall footprint and save the pain of cables between the hub and the modules. In extreme cases, it will even be possible to break some fixing tabs to save a few more millimeters.
Designed for an easy integration with Yoctopuce devices
For now, this hub is only a prototype, but it might well appear shortly on our on-line shop :-)
Not very sexy so far, but don’t worry: this is only a prototype...