WanderDash Family — Decision Log

Running log of every keep/swap/drop decision with citation. Decisions apply to the six-tier ambient family (Desk Clock / Nightstand / Entryway 7" / Kitchen 10" / Kiosk 13" / Portable) unless tier-specified.

---

Scope reconciliation (2026-04-24)

Decision: expand WanderDash from two-SKU (27" Kiosk + 27" Smart Screen) to an eight-SKU family, with the new six ambient tiers as the primary catalog presence.
Source: user direction 2026-04-24 — "wanderdash_family = ambient smart screens/kiosks for wall mount + desk + kitchen + nightstand + entryway + portable." The 27" pair still belongs to the family (Pro tier) but was oversized as the default anchor; real addressable market for "identity-aware ambient display" lives in the $89-$399 band where Echo Show / Nest Hub / Lenovo Smart Clock / Fire tablet-kiosk compete.
Implication: prior WANDERDASH-FAMILY-SPEC.md is retained unchanged as the 27" Pro tier spec. Six-tier family documented in this artifact set. A future Stage-0 pass will merge the two specs into a single 8-tier document — deferred to 2026-Q4 when the 27" pair reaches its own Stage-0 validation.

---

Stage 0 — Feature-parity sweep (2026-04-24)

Decision: six-tier ambient family covers the full "always-on surface" market from $89 bedside clock to $449 Mission Partner counter kiosk
Source: _COMPETITIVE-AUDIT-2026-04-24.md — honest scorecard vs Echo Show 8/15, Nest Hub, Nest Hub Max, Fire HD 8/10 in Show Mode, Lenovo Smart Clock 2, HomeAssistant Companion on iPad, DakBoard, Hubitat C-8 with touchscreen add-on
Feature superset covered: time/weather/calendar, photo frame, HA dashboard, Matter controller, video calls (optional, tiers with camera), intercom, voice assistant, sensor display, energy monitoring, door module tie-in (Entryway), recipe/timer (Kitchen), sleep tracking display (Nightstand), covert mode, panic, identity-aware defaults
Flags: see _COMPETITIVE-AUDIT-2026-04-24.md (14 LEADS / 6 MATCHES / 5 LAGS)

---

Stage 1 — Intake + freeze (2026-04-24)

Device IDs assigned: WV-DASH-DESK, -NIGHT, -ENTRY-7, -KITCHEN-10, -KIOSK-13, -PORT
Revision frozen at v1.0-candidate
Ship targets locked: 2027-Q3 (Desk/Nightstand) → 2028-Q2 (Portable) per Manifest
Blueprint digital_desk_clock_blueprint_ref/ treated as evidence only; its ESP32-S3 + IPS 7" + IR + RS485 architecture informed but did not define the Desk Clock tier (we rejected the 7" media display on a desk-clock footprint as over-scope for $89-$129; kept the ESP32-S3 + BME280 + I²S voice + capacitive-touch pattern)

---

Stage 2 — Component selection (2026-04-24)

Compute choices per tier

Tier	SoC	Why
Desk Clock	ESP32-S3 WROOM-1 (8MB PSRAM)	$5 BOM; always-on; sips 200mW idle; enough for e-paper + small AMOLED + voice wake + MQTT
Nightstand	ESP32-S3 OR Rockchip RK3566 (configurator axis)	ESP32-S3 default for $149 Mission Partner tier; RK3566 upgrade for Nightstand+ (video-call capable)
Entryway 7"	Rockchip RK3566 quad-A55 4GB LPDDR4 + 32GB eMMC	Runs HAOS or Android 13; drives 7" IPS + door-module BLE + video stream from WanderBell
Kitchen 10"	RK3566 4GB/32GB (upgrade to RK3588S at Pro tier)	Same platform as Entryway; splash-resistant touch overlay; recipe rendering + video-call-grade
Kiosk 13"	RK3588S octa-core 8GB/64GB	Full 1080p dashboard + 2× HA dashboards simultaneously + local voice + NFC intake + always-on
Portable Tablet	RK3588S 8GB/128GB + 7400 mAh Li-ion pouch	Dashboard + video call + 8hr battery + detachable/handheld; MIL-STD-810 optional

Rejected alternatives (logged):

⚠ Allwinner H618 — considered for Entryway; rejected due to weaker mainline Linux support vs Rockchip (RK356x/RK358x have better HAOS + Android BSP maturity in 2026)
⚠ Raspberry Pi 5 — considered for Kiosk 13" to match WanderNode Hub platform; rejected because Pi 5 is over-spec'd + over-priced ($80 SBC) vs Rockchip SoM ($45 integrated) for a fixed-function display; reconsider at Stage 4 if Rockchip supply tightens
ARM Cortex-M7 + integrated GPU (Teensy 4.1 / STM32H7) — considered for Desk Clock e-paper variant; rejected in favor of ESP32-S3 for WiFi/BLE/PSRAM volume pricing

Display choices per tier

Tier	Panel	Nits	sRGB	Viewing angle	Always-on posture
Desk Clock	2.9" e-paper (Waveshare 2.9" tri-color) + optional 1.5" AMOLED 240×240 accent OR 4" IPS 480×480	e-paper = persistent / AMOLED 600 nit / IPS 350 nit	e-paper N/A / AMOLED 100% / IPS ~72%	all	e-paper native always-on; AMOLED pixel-shift + dim; IPS backlight dim to 5% at night
Nightstand	5.5" IPS 720×1280 portrait	250 nit max / 0.5 nit min (the key spec — actual dark-room-friendly dimming)	~72%	178°	always-on at 0.5 nit; full backlight-off during REM window if paired with WanderBand
Entryway 7"	7" IPS 1024×600 + bonded touch	500 nit	~72%	178°	always-on 24/7 duty; pixel-shift (slight pan of dashboard every 60s)
Kitchen 10"	10.1" IPS 1280×800 + capacitive touch + splash-resistant IK04 cover glass	500 nit	~72%	178°	always-on during waking hours; off 11pm-6am default
Kiosk 13"	13.3" IPS 1920×1080 + PCAP 10-pt touch + AR-coated cover glass	400 nit	~72-85%	170°	always-on 24/7 in deployments
Portable	10.1" IPS 1920×1200 + PCAP touch	350 nit	~72%	170°	on-demand; battery-driven

Discipline commitment: We publish actual nit (typical + peak), actual sRGB coverage (measured from panel datasheet), and actual viewing angle (IEC 61966-2-1 test or panel-vendor spec). No marketing terms like "vivid color" or "crisp display." If we don't have the measurement, the line reads "⚠ needs validation" in spec.

Touch layer

Desk Clock / Nightstand: none (capacitive touch pads on chassis only — wake, snooze, mode-change)
Entryway / Kitchen / Kiosk / Portable: PCAP 10-point, G+FF or G+G stack, OCA-bonded default, air-gap fallback for cost tier

Ambient sensors (platform — every tier)

TSL2591 light sensor (auto-brightness)
SHT40 temp/humidity (for dashboard display + HA integration)
BME280 barometric pressure (weather trend)
HLK-LD2410C 24 GHz mmWave presence (wake-on-approach) — Entryway/Kitchen/Kiosk/Portable
PIR sensor (simpler, cheaper) — Desk Clock / Nightstand only
Far-field I²S mic array (INMP441 ×2 or ×4 depending on tier) — with hardware kill switch
IR receiver (TSOP38238) — Desk Clock + Nightstand (for standard TV remotes — accessibility)

Camera (optional — configurator axis)

Entryway / Kitchen / Kiosk / Portable: OV5640 5MP USB camera with physical privacy slider + hardware kill switch (platform — every camera ships with it; software toggle is secondary)
Nightstand: none (privacy posture — camera in bedroom is opt-in-deliberate; separate WanderCam SKU)
Desk Clock: none

Speaker + amp

All tiers: MAX98357A I²S amp + 3W 4Ω speaker (Desk/Nightstand) or 5W 4Ω (Entryway+)
Kiosk 13" / Portable: stereo 2× 5W with back-cavity damping

Chassis

Desk Clock: injection-molded PC/ABS + replaceable face plate (wood / fabric / printed variants)
Nightstand: fabric-wrapped rigid foam + back-panel plastic
Entryway: brushed aluminum frame + PC back (wall-mount integrated)
Kitchen: sealed aluminum frame + silicone gasket + IP44 splash rating
Kiosk: aluminum frame + CNC stand OR VESA wall mount
Portable: PC/ABS + silicone bumper + integrated handle; MIL-STD-810 optional uprade

Mounts (platform items)

VESA 75×75 for Entryway/Kitchen/Kiosk
VESA 100×100 for Kiosk (shared with WanderDash Pro 27")
Detachable desk stand for Desk Clock / Nightstand / Kiosk
Wall-cleat for Entryway (flush mount)
Handle + shoulder strap loop for Portable

---

Stage 2b — Configurator axes (2026-04-24)

14-17 axes per tier depending on tier (Desk Clock has fewest; Kiosk 13" has most). Axes include: display option (Desk tier), cover color, cover material, SoC upgrade, storage, camera Y/N, door-module Y/N (Entryway), battery size (Portable), mount (wall/desk/handle), Mission Partner pricing gate, Ambassador signature tier, extended warranty. See CONFIGURATOR.md.

---

Stage 3 — Compatibility review (2026-04-24)

Resolved:

RK3566 + HAOS confirmed via community BSP (Armbian-HA image) — works on Radxa Zero 3W / Rock 3A reference SoMs
RK3588S + Android 13 + HA Companion app confirmed (Radxa Rock 5B reference)
ESP32-S3 + MQTT + Home Assistant via native esphome integration — mature, zero-ambiguity path
Display panel interface: MIPI-DSI 4-lane for RK3566/3588; parallel RGB for ESP32-S3 small panels
mmWave + mic + speaker + IR + WiFi coexistence: all in separate bands or time-multiplexed; no issues
PCAP touch controller: GT911 (Goodix) for 7-10"; GT9271 for 13"

Deferred:

Cover glass bonding vendor selection → Stage 4 sourcing
Exact MIPI-DSI timing verification per panel vendor → Stage 9 bring-up
Portable battery + charging circuit + ship-mode design → Stage 5 DFM

---

Stage 4 — Sourcing (2026-04-24, framework)

Same pattern as WanderNode Hub + WanderBand: distributor RFQs needed for display panels + SoMs, but every component class is industry-standard + multi-source. Framework solid. See SOURCING.csv.

Key supply risks:

Rockchip RK3588S: single-source silicon (no direct alternate); mitigation is 12-month inventory + platform-level swap to MediaTek Genio 700 if RK3588 EOLs (both run Android/Linux; swap = new SoM + BSP port, ~$50k engineering)
Waveshare e-paper: single supplier for most tri-color e-paper in US; alternate Pervasive Displays
Display panels: BOE / Innolux / AU Optronics all multi-source; fine

---

Stage 5 — DFM/DFA/DFT (2026-04-24)

Desk Clock mainboard: 4-layer, 60×40mm, 35 SMT components. $3-5/board at 1k.
Nightstand: 4-layer, 80×60mm, 50 SMT. $5-7/board.
Entryway/Kitchen: 6-layer, 100×80mm, SoM-based integration board, 80 SMT. $9-13/board.
Kiosk 13" / Portable: 6-layer, 150×100mm, SoM-based, 120 SMT. $14-20/board.
Display bonding: OCA-bonded cover glass is the critical DFT step. Yield target 90%+ at DVT. See DFM-DFA-DFT.md §Display bonding.
Ambassador assembly: 20-30 min Desk/Nightstand, 35-50 min Entryway/Kitchen, 55-80 min Kiosk/Portable.
Touch panel calibration is per-unit (GT911 / GT9271 auto-calibrate on boot but we do a manual verification pass).

---

Stage 6 — Thermal/EMC (2026-04-24)

Fanless all tiers (silent ambient displays are non-negotiable; fan = not ambient)
Backlight drive circuit is the primary EMI source (PWM at 1-5 kHz + LED strings at 12-24V)
Passive cooling: aluminum back plate (Entryway+) acts as heatsink; SoC thermal pad to chassis
Always-on burn-in mitigation: pixel-shift for AMOLED (1px every 60s in random direction) + full-screen color-refresh once per 24hr
FCC Part 15 B Class B assumed (consumer-grade unintentional radiator); verify at DVT

---

Stage 7 — Compliance (2026-04-24)

FCC Part 15 B: all tiers, $3-5k per tier or shared across family ($8-12k)
FCC Part 15 C modular passthrough (WiFi/BLE/mmWave): ESP32-S3 is FCC-certified as module; Rockchip SoMs need host test but reference designs are mostly pre-qualified
CE + UKCA markings: all tiers, $3-5k family-shared
Matter 1.3+ controller (shared CSA membership with WanderNode Hub)
DisplayPort / HDMI cert: only required if we expose a DP/HDMI OUTPUT port; we use MIPI-DSI internally so not required for most tiers. Kiosk 13" optional HDMI-in for second-device scenarios → cert required on that SKU.
Energy Star: optional, $1-2k per tier, mostly declaratory
RoHS / REACH / WEEE / Prop 65: all tiers, declaratory
Battery cert (Portable only): UN38.3 + IEC 62133 + UL 1642, ~$15-25k (shared with Router Ultra + Band ecosystem)
IP44 (Kitchen 10"): ~$2-3k test

Total v1.0 family cert budget: ~$45-75k (ex-Portable battery), $60-100k including Portable.

---

Stage 8 — Canonical BOM + GUIDE + STLs (2026-04-24)

Platform BOMs per tier written (BOM-platform.csv)
Modules BOM with configurator axes referenced (BOM-modules.csv)
14 STL files planned (frames, back panels, face plates, stands, baffles, wall-cleats, handle, shoulder-strap loop)
GUIDE.md covers assembly + setup + daily use + view modes (family dashboard / energy / weather / ambient-art / security / covert) + door-module tie-in + survivor-aware covert-mode UX

---

Stage 9 — HW↔FW binding (2026-04-24)

Desk Clock / Nightstand (ESP32-S3 variants): ESPHome + WanderOS-Dash-Micro (Arduino-IDE or ESP-IDF) — MQTT native + HA autoconfig
Entryway / Kitchen / Kiosk / Portable (RK3566/3588S): HAOS Linux variant (Armbian-HAOS) OR Android 13 with HA Companion app (configurator choice — defaults to HAOS for deeper integration, Android for users who want Netflix/Spotify/Zoom alongside)
WanderOS-Dash overlay layered above both — identity-aware defaults, covert-mode, WanderVerse device integrations

---

Stage 10 — Gate review + service flow (2026-04-24)

EVT: 20-25 units per tier, 90% test yield required
DVT: 100 units per tier, 95% yield, full cert runs
PVT: 500+ units, 98% yield, first customer ship
See GATE.md + SERVICE-FLOW.md

---

Critical cross-cutting decisions

Covert-mode is first-class, not an afterthought

Decision: "Covert Home Screen" is a top-level UI mode on every tier, toggleable by: duress PIN, WanderBand panic, WanderNode signal, time-of-day rule, geofence, or manual chassis tap-pattern.
When active: display shows neutral content (clock + weather + generic photo frame) — no household schedule, no medication reminders, no "Ramin is due in 20 min" calendar entry, no dashboard revealing HA/Matter devices, no WanderVerse branding (optional — a "neutral skin" replaces WanderVerse marks entirely).
Audience: survivors with protective orders, trans folks in hostile states, undocumented community members facing ICE visits, anyone with a custody dispute or stalker.
Source: Michael 2026-04-23 direction; covert-mode advisor review required before EVT (see Open Items #7).
Implication: this is not a marketing gloss — the feature REQUIRES architectural decisions (no identifying WanderVerse marks on default chassis; optional skin-swap; duress-PIN infrastructure borrowed from WanderBand).

Always-on 24/7 requires burn-in mitigation discipline

Decision: all OLED-tier displays ship with mandatory pixel-shift (default 1px every 60s) + color-refresh cycle (once per 24hr). IPS tiers ship with backlight dim schedule.
Source: WanderBand Pro/Ultra AMOLED experience; generic always-on-display mitigation literature. ⚠ needs validation for 24/7 duty cycle.
Implication: all "always-on" claims are qualified — actual pixel lifetime at 24/7 is the WARRANTY-level commitment. We target 5-year display life at 24/7 (vs phone's typical 3-year at 12/7).

Mode 3 (WanderNode Hub native dashboard) is primary use

Decision: WanderDash defaults to being a dashboard for WanderNode Hub when both are present. The Hub runs HA + WanderOS-Hub; Dash is the always-on frontend rendering it.
Source: product direction — WanderDash without WanderNode is fine (Mode 1 + 2); WanderDash WITH WanderNode is the intended "this feels like a product" experience.
Implication: pairing UX is critical — should be one-scan QR pair, no manual HA entity setup. Engineering target: 60-second pair from factory reset to "Hub's dashboard showing on screen."

Display quality discipline (no marketing terms)

Decision: every tier spec publishes measured sRGB coverage %, measured nits (typical + peak), measured viewing angle at 10% contrast loss. Spec pages read like iFixit or displaymate reports, not Apple marketing.
Source: WanderBand honest-spec-audit discipline applied to displays.
Implication: some tiers currently carry "⚠ needs validation" on viewing angle + sRGB — those become blockers before DVT cert runs.

Identity-aware defaults flow from WanderOS profile

Decision: WanderDash inherits identity-aware settings from the user's WanderOS profile (stored on WanderNode Hub or WanderBand). First-boot pairing imports profile. No dialog-asking-trans-users-to-disclose on setup.
Source: WanderVerse platform standard; WanderBand / WanderNode precedent.
Implication: profile import requires that WanderBand or WanderNode Hub has it; standalone first-use defaults to the most privacy-maximized setting (covert-able, minimal telemetry, no facial recognition opt-in).

Door-module integration (Entryway tier)

Decision: Entryway 7" has a plug-in Door Module connector (2-pin I²C + power, 4-pin wire) to attach to a door frame + integrate with WanderLock / Yale / Wyze smart locks via WanderNode Hub, plus a panic-button door-frame extension.
Source: existing WanderDash door-controls project (vault note project_wanderdash_door_controls).
Implication: adds BOM + DFM complexity but makes Entryway a genuine category (versus "just a 7" tablet on the wall").

Portable tier battery design choice

Decision: 7400 mAh Li-ion pouch (2S2P 3700 mAh cells = 7.4V nominal) + USB-C PD input + battery module is USER-REMOVABLE (T10 Torx back panel, swap in 2 min). Warranty preserved on DIY swap because the cells are a commodity pack with BMS.
Source: right-to-repair discipline; MacBook / Framework Laptop pattern.
Implication: battery cert (UN38.3) applies; swappable pack is a separate SKU in the parts catalog for $45.

Rejected: microphone array by default on Nightstand

Decision: Nightstand ships WITHOUT a microphone by default; user can add via USB-C or via WanderBand pairing for voice wake.
Source: bedroom privacy posture — cannot be overridden by default; user must opt in deliberately (same as camera).
Implication: Nightstand is a viewing device primarily; voice features require WanderBand or Entryway/Kitchen to also be in the house.

Rejected: built-in cellular

Decision: no tier ships with cellular modem. Mobility (Portable) is WiFi + tethered-phone only.
Rationale: display products live in rooms; cellular adds $135 BOM + cert cost for a use case (mobile dashboard away from home) that WanderBand already covers.
Implication: Portable tier is a home-roaming device, not a road-warrior device.

Dual-mode architecture per WanderVerse standard

Decision: every WanderDash SKU works:
Mode 1 (standalone) — clock/weather/calendar/photo-frame, no WanderVerse or HA required, Matter controller native (commissions any Matter device directly to the Dash), HomeKit bridge via iOS Companion
Mode 2 (industry-integrated) — full HAOS dashboard, Apple HomeKit bridge, Google Home integration, Samsung SmartThings, Grafana/InfluxDB pre-installed, DakBoard-layout app for migrators
Mode 3 (WanderVerse-native) — paired with WanderNode Hub, identity-aware defaults, covert-mode, ecosystem integration
Source: ../_STANDALONE-AND-PLATFORM-INTEGRATION.md

Why this way.