Modular Analog/Digital Hybrid Computing Platform
"LEGO for continuous-time computation."
Philbrick is a universal substrate for modular analog computation that enables emergent complexity from simple continuous-time primitives.
Build systems where:
- Simple primitives (sum, integrate, nonlinearity, events) compose into infinite complexity
- Analog and digital coexist seamlessly through clean abstractions
- Modules are substrate-agnostic - op-amps, DSP chips, neural accelerators, or future exotic tech
- Computation becomes composition - emergent behavior from modular building blocks
- Musicians & Guitarists - Modular pedals with infinite reconfigurability
- Synth Users - Eurorack-adjacent but cleaner, more modern
- Makers & Hackers - Accessible dev boards ($5-10), open ecosystem
- ML Researchers - Analog inference accelerators, neuromorphic substrates
- Educators - Teaching analog + digital + DSP from one platform
- Scientists - Research substrate for continuous-time computation
"The universe is analog. Digital is a hack."
We're building a platform where continuous-time dynamics meet modular composition - bridging the gap between pure analog elegance and digital precision.
Started as "modular guitar pedals" Evolved into a universal substrate for analog computation Destined to become the Arduino of continuous-time systems
Named after George A. Philbrick (1913-1974), who invented commercial modular analog computing blocks in 1952.
Philbrick created:
- The first plug-in operational amplifier modules (K2-W op-amp)
- Standardized form factors for analog computation
- Modular systems decades before Moog
- The philosophy that electronics should be compositional blocks, not fixed circuits
We are literally reviving his vision for modern makers, musicians, and researchers.
Everything in signal processing reduces to four core operations:
Linear combination, mixing, gain staging, feed-forward networks
Dynamics over time, filters, envelopes, oscillators, physical modeling
Squashing, clipping, distortion, activation functions, character
Sampling, triggers, discrete transitions, gates, clocks
Just as DNA uses 4 bases (A, C, G, T) to create all life, Philbrick uses 4 primitives to create all signal processing.
Everything else emerges through composition.
Existing Solutions:
- Eurorack - Analog-only, cable-heavy, 1000s of redundant modules
- Guitar Pedals - Fixed-function, non-modular
- DSP Platforms - Digital-only, latency issues
- Neuromorphic Chips - Research-only, inaccessible
Philbrick:
- ✅ First professional-grade modular analog computation platform
- ✅ Seamless analog/digital hybrid with automatic latency management
- ✅ Substrate-agnostic modules (analog, digital, neural, hybrid)
- ✅ Software ↔ Hardware bridge with Morphogen
- ✅ Accessible but sophisticated ($5-10 dev boards, open ecosystem)
- ✅ Historical legitimacy (Philbrick → Moog → Us)
| Layer | Domain | Patron | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Physical substrate | Lee de Forest | Amplification (triode, 1906) |
| 1 | Stability & feedback | Harold Black | Negative feedback (1927) |
| 2 | Modular blocks | George A. Philbrick | Modular analog computing (1952) |
| 3 | Logic & routing | Claude Shannon | Information theory (1948) |
| 4 | Expression | Robert Moog | Voltage-controlled modularity (1964) |
| 5 | Orchestration | Alan Turing | Universal computation (1936) |
| 6 | Aesthetics | Rupert Neve | Musical electronics |
Creates "computational mythology" rooted in real history.
- 48V system backbone (for large installations with many modules)
- 12-24V dev board input (USB-C or barrel jack for prototyping)
- On-module regulation to ±15V analog, +5V, +3.3V
- Separate analog/digital ground domains with star topology
- 10-pin universal connector (2x5, 0.1" pitch header)
- Pinout: +15V, -15V, GND, INPUT_A, INPUT_B, OUTPUT, SENSE, ENABLE, I2C_SDA, I2C_SCL
- Proper analog/digital isolation from day one
- Supports pure analog, pure digital, and hybrid modules
- Standard IDC ribbon cable compatible (~$0.10-0.20 per connector)
- Automatic latency measurement along signal chains
- Controller embeds timestamps in packets
- Modules report processing time
- System prevents unsafe feedback loops
- Mode switching (eco/live/HQ) based on budget
- USB descriptor-inspired protocol
- Plug-and-play discovery
- Modules declare vendor, type, modes, latency, capabilities
- Controller builds routing graph automatically
- RP2040 MCU (dual Cortex-M0+, ~$1)
- 16-bit ADC (ADS1115, 6 channels) + 12-bit DAC (MCP4728, 4 channels)
- ±15V power for operators, power regulation, USB-C connectivity
- Total BOM ~$48 (qty 10, complete dev board with 6 operator channels)
- See Dev Board Documentation
- Makes analog computing accessible to software people and makers
User Input (guitar pickup)
↓
[Analog Buffer] - pure analog, 0.01ms
↓
[ML Body Model] - hybrid (analog I/O, neural inference), 3ms
↓
[Analog Color] - transformer saturation, 0.02ms
↓
[DSP Reverb] - digital, 8ms
↓
Main Output
Total Latency: ~11ms (acceptable for non-feedback path)
Some modules analog, some digital, some neural. User doesn't care. System manages it automatically.
Philbrick (hardware) and Morphogen (software) are sister projects - two reflections of the same deep architecture in different media.
| Aspect | Morphogen (Software) | Philbrick (Hardware) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Digital simulation of continuous phenomena | Physical embodiment of continuous dynamics |
| Primitives | Streams, fields, transforms | Sum, integrate, nonlinearity, events |
| Safety | Type system (domain/rate/units) | Pin contracts (voltage/impedance) |
| Execution | Multirate deterministic scheduler | Latency-aware routing fabric |
| Philosophy | Computation = composition | Computation = composition |
They are the software and hardware halves of one vision.
Start Here:
- Vision & Philosophy - The big picture and why this matters
- Architecture Overview - Technical design and seven layers
- The Four Primitives - Core operations explained
Dev Board Design (Complete):
- Dev Board Overview - Start here for hardware
- Reading Guide - What to read and when
- Specifications - Requirements and subsystems
- Block Diagram - System architecture
- Components & BOM - Parts list with costs
Additional Documentation:
- The Pantheon - Tooling and ecosystem vision
- Morphogen Bridge - Software/hardware integration
- 📖 Full Documentation - All documentation organized by topic
- 🗺️ Roadmap - Development timeline and current status
- 🔧 Dev Board Docs - Hardware design (complete)
- 🧠 Vision Docs - Philosophy and long-term goals
- ⚡ Operator Primitives - Core building blocks
- Define final pin standard (10-pin universal standard adopted)
- Dev board design documentation complete (specs, block diagram, BOM)
- Dev board schematics (KiCad) - NEXT STEP
- Build 4 primitive modules (sum, integrate, nonlinearity, trigger)
- Implement basic latency protocol
- Demonstrate composition: simple modules → complex behavior
See ROADMAP.md for detailed timeline and weekly breakdown.
- Release dev board as open hardware
- Publish module descriptor spec
- Build 10-12 reference modules
- Create firmware templates
- Developer documentation
- First third-party modules
- Map Morphogen operators → hardware primitives
- Prototype Morphogen → firmware compilation
- Bidirectional testing (Morphogen validates hardware)
- Shared descriptor language
- Analog-neural inference chips
- ML body modeling modules
- High-fidelity hybrid modules
- Performance controllers
- Educational curriculum
- Research partnerships (neuromorphic, analog ML)
- Commercial ecosystem
- Industry standard adoption
Every layer of Philbrick honors a pioneer:
- Lee de Forest (1873-1961) - Invented the triode vacuum tube, enabling electronic amplification
- Harold Black (1898-1983) - Invented negative feedback, stabilizing analog systems
- George A. Philbrick (1913-1974) - Invented modular analog computing blocks
- Claude Shannon (1916-2001) - Created information theory, digital logic design
- Alan Turing (1912-1954) - Founded computation theory, created universal machines
- Robert Moog (1934-2005) - Pioneered voltage-controlled modular synthesis
- Rupert Neve (1926-2021) - Defined musical analog electronics
We stand on their shoulders. This is their legacy, continued.
Just as DNA uses 4 bases to create all life, Philbrick uses 4 operations to create all signal processing.
A "module" can be anything that obeys the interface:
- Pure analog (op-amps, transistors)
- Pure digital (DSP, FPGA)
- Analog neural (crossbar arrays)
- Hybrid (analog + digital)
- Future: biological, optical, quantum-inspired
The abstraction makes them interchangeable.
Software (Morphogen) and hardware (Philbrick) implement the same vision in different substrates. They will eventually compile to each other.
Morphogenesis perfectly describes what we do: 4 primitives → infinite complexity through composition.
We're not inventing from scratch - we're reviving Philbrick's profound vision with modern technology.
- Substrate Agnostic - Modules can be any technology that obeys the interface
- Deterministic Latency - Every signal path has known, measurable delay
- Safe Composition - System prevents unsafe feedback loops automatically
- Progressive Complexity - Start simple (analog), add sophistication as needed
- Open Ecosystem - Third parties can build modules easily
- Unified Time - Shared clock/timestamp enables global coordination
- Self-Describing - Modules advertise capabilities like USB devices
We welcome contributions! See CONTRIBUTING.md for:
- How to contribute hardware designs
- Firmware development guidelines
- Documentation standards
- Community expectations
- Hardware Design - Reference module schematics
- Firmware - Module firmware implementations
- Documentation - Guides, tutorials, examples
- Testing - Validation procedures
- Education - Curriculum development
- Research - Analog ML, neuromorphic computing
Hardware: CERN Open Hardware License v2 - Strongly Reciprocal Firmware/Software: MIT License
We believe in open hardware and open source. Build on our work, but share improvements back with the community.
- Discussions: GitHub Discussions
- Issues: GitHub Issues
- Project Showcase: community/showcase/
- Third-Party Modules: community/third-party-modules/
- Morphogen - Sister project, digital simulation platform
- Eurorack - Modular synthesis standard (analog-only inspiration)
- Neuromorphic Computing - Research field for brain-inspired analog compute
- Analog ML Accelerators - Mythic AI, IBM RRAM, etc.
"We're building the first modular analog/digital hybrid computing platform - a universal substrate where guitar pedals, neural accelerators, DSP blocks, and analog circuits seamlessly compose into emergent systems. It's Eurorack meets Morphogen meets Philbrick, with modern tech and accessible dev boards."
"LEGO for continuous-time computation."
"Modular analog computing platform where simple primitives compose into complex continuous-time systems."
Current Phase: Design & Documentation (v0.1.0-alpha)
Key Areas for Input:
- 10-pin connector selection (JST-PH, Molex, or custom)
- Protocol specification review
- Reference module designs
- Dev board BOM optimization
- Morphogen integration strategy
George A. Philbrick - For inventing modular analog computing in 1952 and showing us the way.
The Pantheon - de Forest, Black, Shannon, Turing, Moog, Neve - for creating the foundations we build on.
The Community - For believing in the vision of accessible, modular, continuous-time computation.
"The universe computes in analog. We model it in Morphogen. We embody it in Philbrick. This is the full circle."
Philbrick - Modular Analog/Digital Hybrid Computing Platform Version: 0.1.0-alpha License: CERN-OHL-S (hardware) + MIT (software) Status: Design Phase Named After: George A. Philbrick (1913-1974)