Hey Folks,
Haven’t been here for a while so if this has been discussed I'm sorry in advance.
I'm curious what are the plans for axo in the future as there hasn't been much development lately or new updates to be more precise.
Does anyone know more, perhaps @johannes?
Thanks!
Guess it doesn't look very good at the moment, Johannes Taelman stopped communicating back in 2019 after the non-functional 2.0 firmware was released and there are no boards available anymore, probably due to chip supply problems. There were rumors about a new board in December '21, but I wouldn't be too optimistic this will ever show up.
Personally I don't get the decline of the project given the insane use value and low price of the Axoloti Core. Maybe if there had been a standard enclosure (like I proposed here), it could have been a success. Few people on "gearspace" and "mod wiggler" know this exists, yet it could be the answer for at least half of their "what should I buy to do x"-questions. That potential is still there IMO.
I don't get the project's decline given the insane use value and low price of the Axoloti Core.
I couldn't agree more! It's insane how much is this little thing capable of.
I am just sad to watch this turn of events. I would love to contribute anyhow I can (product design work or money) to help get it unstuck. Even crowdfunding or whatever. But of course, that is kind of hard without Johannes 
I believe that the Axoloti suffered from a lack of promotion, and that's not to blame anyone for it. All the time I sit there and admire that this began as a one-person project.
Since the project is open source there's still so much utility in it, whether it's directly involved with Axoloti or not. Hopefully, the chip shortage will be over at a certain point and we can get a little Axo revival whether that means another Axoloti, or something similar to the Akso.
When I'm good enough at coding I want to try to do something with the firmware that will bring more people to the project on a larger scale. Not sure what that is yet.
Even if boards won't be available again, what remains is the patcher + firmware which, as a software platform, is very cool. The ability to write/port over audio code in bare C, but with enough scaffolding in place that you don't have to worry about anything else, is quite unique.
Perhaps the easiest way to keep Axoloti alive going forward (not that it's dead, as far as I'm concerned 
) would be to port this software to some other hardware platform:
- PC: compile patches to standalone executables, VST plugins, something which interfaces with jack on linux... Seems to work well for FAUST
- Raspberry pi: seems to be working very well for Monome Norns. Axoloti Shield for rpi could be released, similar to the norns shield.
- As an alternative firmware for other Cortex-M4 based audio hardware, such as the LXR-02
I have been designing a hardware port in form of a eurorack/effects pedal module.
The biggest challenge right now is to get the MCU chip at a reasonable price (parts shortage due to pandemic).
Wow, this looks amazing! If you ever need help with visual/ui/product design, don't hesitate to let me know!
I think that the emergence of Raspberry Pi based synths like the Zynthian has diluted the market for Axoloti. Even though Zynthian is basically a Raspberry Pi based plugin host, with the addition of a touchscreen and knobs, and the ability to edit LV2 plugins directly on the unit itself, it takes on a bit of a life of its own.
I don't think there's any of the plugins with a graphic user inteface that compares to the Axoloti patcher, but one can run Pure Data on it, which has a similar graphical patching enrivonment, even if I feel it's a steeper learning curve than the Axoloti.
Axoloti was well known, this is all very niche though. There might be some cannibalisation between open source projects, but not so much as to identify it as cause for axoloti hiatus. The reasons are pretty clear stated above (edit: by others in this thread). According to some insiders, the next board is on its way, pending the global shortage.
Regarding the chip situation, hope for recovery is pretty slim. @then aka Brian Crabtree posted a pretty damning thread over at lines forum:
It is well worth a read, as some other manufacturers chime in to the discussion.
@sebiiksbcs nice project 
I guess manufacturers/makers could have never predicted parts availability could become such a problem, plus so many projects were using the exact same STM32 models (looking at you, F103C8/CB) simply because there are cheap and easily available development boards and an existing code base that saves time by not having to port and adjust things.
The STM32F427 the Axoloti uses has actually been one of the less popular/in demand ones, and might have only become rare since manufacturers switched to it from similar, out-of-stock MCU models?
But there is always the possibility to transfer to another MCU or platform and this would take time and dedication. GD32F450 might be an option though it's questionable how much of it is a blatant clone and I'm not sure I want to support Xi DaDa's empire more than I have to.
Does anyone know of a MCU platform whose features fit Axoloti? Maybe Renesas or Nordic have something new to offer? Is anyone familiar enough to be able to name some models?
I feel like both the strength and weakness of the Axolotl are its openness. You literally have to solder together and program your instrument or end up using it like a headless sound engine. Now while this is exactly the point of Axoloti (and actually easier to achieve than with a teensy or arduino), it is also why comparisons to Nord Modular or similar instruments are flawed.
Biggest problem for me has always been patch storage/switching/editing parameters on the fly. The Nord Modular could do it thanks to its "unified" patch menu. I always wished that Axoloti could get a menu like this... Why not anchor it deeper in the firmware and let it be able to browse your SD card and open patches (or even samples, midi files) without having to deal with that patch control object and making sure all patches have the same analog in, digital in, OLED objects so you can actually use them on your hardware. Didn't Johannes originally plan to create such sort menu?
I don't know the implication for the cost but both the Daisy and the Teensy 4.1 state explicitly on their sites that the supply chain is "stable". The Daisy uses the STM32H750 which is marketed by the company itself as a "low cost" chip.
The NXP mcus on Teensys are made in the US I believe which may account for their availability.
For the record I don't know almost anything about embedded programming much less the processes that determine cost and availability outside of the chip shortage itself. I just like chips a lot. ask me about my chip fab fire conspiracy theory lol
The real beauty of Axoloti is the Patcher, the hardware isn’t special in 2022.
The Daisy is pretty nice hardware, and Electrosmith has done pretty well with availability. But the software isn’t great for non-programmers.
The best thing that could happen for Axoloti would be for it to move onto Daisy hardware.
That's good news. The 750 indeed seems low cost, it has a meager amount of internal flash, which is why you have to (and it is what the Daisy people did) connect an external flash chip via (quad?) SPI.
Now if anyone knows how to realize this on Axoloti/Akso firmware (i.e. how to make it boot/read patches from external flash) please share. FWIW I'm sure it's not that hard if you know where to look but it would still require a major rewrite.
I am currently aiming to stay as compatible a possible, hardware-wise, which is why I am designing a F427 (original Axoloti) core board that is plugged into my Eurorack shell module. (Ideally the core could also be used standalone by connecting power and some pots and jacks).
In the future I'd look into upgrading to H723 or H743. Because this would also make us have to face Akso problems: AFAIK the firmware, objects, patcher haven't entirely been ported back then. I remember people having problems with many objects because at the end of the day STM32H7 does work a little different from F4. Correct me if I'm wrong!
I agree actually, but see my post above. Not a simple task for a bunch of spare-time programmers.
I agree with everything that's been said here and am hopeful, however, yes It's a hell of a lot of work, I like some of you here bought Akso and watched as it slowly caved in...
I believe that Nic had the very best of intentions but he ultimately became overwhelmed, and much the same as Johannes, disappeared (I'm making assumptions here I do not know the reasons why Johannes stopped communicating) but it's very clear that in order for this to work it has to be fuelled by more than just one person, porting it into an existing thriving(?) community seems to truly be the best way forward, Axo needs many hands if it is to be saved.
It's sad enough that boards aren't available, and there's no news on anything from anyone.
But now the forum is going down on a regular basis, and we could lose all the knowledge gathered here too.
It would be nice to have some kind of update, even if it's confirmation the project is dying or on hold.
I've been thinking recently that I would actually like a version of the patcher that runs patches on the laptop, maybe one that could create a vst instead of run a patch on the hardware. Though I realize that's easier said than done, and I'm not sure if there's anyone with the skills/time to do it. If it's even possible. It's certainly beyond me, but I could help with testing!
I've been looking at other platforms because of the situation, and have felt reluctant to try anything that's attached to hardware (much as I love that side of axo) just in case a similar thing happens and the hardware stops being available. Maybe I should just learn pure data and get back in the box.
More than anything I'd just like to know what's going on.
i think the major problem with akso was/is, that he (urklang) based the firmware/objects on a version between stable and the "upcoming" 2.0 release. this is why many objects were broken, references to tables in sub patches were not working etc.
Not saying that 1.0 was perfect, but it does pretty much everything I ever wanted... except natively save patches independently from the patcher. Lol literally just because of that I learned how to program so no complaints here.