====== Blog and News ======


===== August 30, 2026: Launch Imminent! =====

==== New App Development Changes ====

Code-L, our application developer, has been busy updating The Tail Company app during this time.

  * Over-The-Air (OTA) update support has been rewritten, and now supports linking OTA files to hardware versions, and having a minimum app version.
  * Also, Android Wear support is currently being worked on. Unfortunately, while the app framework supports cross-platform development for Android and iPhone, no such cross-platform support exists yet for cross-platform watch development, so Apple Watch support will have to be a separate effort. And watch development is itself a completely different thing than doing development for the phones.
  * Lastly, internal state management for the app has been completely overhauled, everything that holds state is now a singleton class with a state variable.
  * New product support is already included.
  * New look and feel!


==== New Firmware Development Changes ====

Development of TailControl, our product firmware platform, has not stood still. The addition of a new product (more on that later) required some pretty significant code refactoring to support new hardware and a new movement subsystem. That resulted in better-organized code and significantly improved internals.

But as the new product development progressed, it became clear that managing the problems created by being pinned to an older Arduino and ESP-IDF would not just create problems in the future, as support libraries moved forward with their own development, it was creating issues with timer management and other incompatibilities surfaced by the new product hardware being folded in. So this kicked off a search for a solution that allows us to keep the existing PlatformIO tooling, but also keeps pace with the Espressif ecosystem. (p)eople (i)nitiated (o)ptimized (arduino), pioarduino, fit the bill nicely. But jumping forward into a new major version meant a good amount of refactoring as well to accommodate API changes. In the end, the effort should pay off with better codebase maintainability and reliability.

  * Migrated from the PlatformIO Espressif 32 development platform to pioarduino. This moves us from the Espressif IoT Development Framework (ESP-IDF) v4.4.7 and Arduino v2.0.17 core to ESP-IDF v5.5.2.260206 and Arduino v3.3.7. This gives us access to latest Arduino Core and ESP-IDF, support for newer Espressif hardware, and active maintenance and updates for the development platform.
  * Migrated EarGear 2 to the new channel-based I2S driver. The new driver has better resource management, enhanced power management, simplified duplex communication, and finer control over I2S channel states.
  * Removed dependency on the JLed library and replaced it with a small custom class built directly on Arduino v3's native API that is initialized later in the system setup, rather than immediately.
  * Experimental support for RGB lighting on most products.
  * Many bugfixes.


==== Ever wondered how firmware actually gets developed before a product ships? ====

Meet the DesqTail - my desktop development platform, and the secret weapon behind our firmware workflow.

{{ :en:video5116316049750361112.mp4 |}}

The concept is borrowed from aerospace engineering, where it's known as an "iron bird": a ground-based test rig used to prototype and integrate aircraft systems during the development of new designs. An iron bird is essentially a complete aircraft stripped down to its bones - no fuselage, no superstructure, no seating, none of the non-flight-critical hardware. What remains is every system that actually flies the aircraft, installed and wired up so engineers can test each one individually, and more importantly, in concert with every other system aboard.

The philosophy is powerful: simulate reality as closely as possible, without the cost and risk of doing it in the air.

I apply that same philosophy to firmware development through full Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing. Rather than writing code and hoping it behaves correctly when it finally lands on production hardware, the DesqTail puts real hardware on my desk - running real firmware, in real time. Every product platform we build can be exercised right here, in a controlled environment, before a single unit ships.

The advantages compound quickly:

  * Speed - No waiting for test hardware to be assembled or shipped. Iteration cycles shrink from days to minutes.
  * Cost - Catching a firmware bug on the desktop is orders of magnitude cheaper than catching it in the field.
  * Confidence - Full HIL means the firmware isn't being tested in isolation or simulation. It's talking to the actual peripherals, sensors, and interfaces it will live with in production.

What makes the workflow particularly effective is the immediate feedback loop. While the physical model sits right in front of me - behaving exactly as it would in a deployed unit - I can simultaneously observe live diagnostic output inside the IDE. If something misbehaves, I see it in hardware and in code at the same moment. There's no guesswork about whether a bug is in the firmware logic, the hardware interface, or somewhere in between.

It's the iron bird principle, scaled down to a workbench - and it changes everything about how reliable firmware gets made.


==== New Product News ====

There's a new Tail Company product - [[https://thetailcompany.com/paws-with-claws/|Paws with Claws]]! Those of you on the Dev Telegram channel have probably heard me refer to it as "Sekret Project":

{{ :en:whitepaw.mp4 |}}

I've had the pleasure of working closely with Master Tailer on this, and I'm directly involved in the entire product design and development - something I hadn't had the opportunity to do until now.

We've iterated rapidly through a number of different designs quickly. Each new iteration really jumped the design forward and added new features, which was really exciting. We're going into the start of the Kickstarter strong: firmware is feature-complete, and app support is ready. Many prototypes have been built to test out ideas, and we're working on fine-tuning the look and feel This simplifies things down to bulk part orders and The Tail Company can concentrate totally on fulfillment, the design being complete.

We're really excited about this, and hopefully you will be too!

Tail Co has also added [[https://thetailcompany.com/product/hypermotion-tails/|Hypermotion Tails]], an affordable, non-electronic moving tail option designed for cosplay, furry events, and alternative fashion. Hypermotion tails are made from a flexible silicone core. So they keep wagging forever!

And don't forget [[https://thetailcompany.com/product/floor-dragger-tails/|Floor Dragger Tails]], for the largest of non-electronic tails that make a statement that can't be ignored.


==== Keep up With The Tail Co ====

Make sure to avail yourself of the many Tail Company resources, from the Telegram [[https://t.me/joinchat/VCdXxqKgRv2yrDNC|Tail Co Friends]], [[https://t.me/+5XsaunrTpIc4OWI8|Tail Co Dev Chat]], and [[https://t.me/+E8fERfvkcEI1MTAy|App Translators]]; the [[https://docs.thetailcompany.com/|Technical Wiki]]; or join the cosplay community with [[https://coshub.com/|CosHub]] and the [[https://discord.gg/R2qutAmSXg|CosHub Discord Community]]!

RAWR!

Your Friendly Lurking Horror,\\
**Dark Grue**


===== March 1, 2025: TailControl Love Is in The Air! =====

{{ :en:tailcontrol20250208.jpg?400 |}}


==== Welcome Tailer Community ====

Welcome back to another blog edition! First up, is some new branding:
"TailCoNTROL" is now "TailControl", and the [[https://docs.thetailcompany.com/doku.php?id=en:dev:tailcontrol-command-protocol|documentation]]
and references have been updated to reflect it. My typographical artistry was
just too far ahead of it's time, clearly...

Also, EarGear, is now a Registered Trademark! This joins the Crumpet the Fox
logo, and MiTail and is a big step forward for the business to establish its
name and branding, especially as a business trading internationally.


==== Even-more Unified Firmware ====

The first blog posting was the announcement of the unified firmware system,
that brought all the tail hardware-based products (MiTail, FlutterWings, and
MiTail Mini) under the same banner. But one product had yet to be brought into
the fold, and that's the EarGear.

I can finally announce that EarGear is now under TailControl... control!

This means the ears will benefit from TailControl's advanced move system, move
easing, and other features and bugfixes. I've also worked behind the scenes in
the code to continue to organize and improve the code organization and
stability, which all the products will benefit from.


==== New Moves ====

The ears now have new moves, and are much more energetic and lifelike now. Ear
twitches are much more twitch-like. Previously, all ear moves took the same
amount of time to execute: 1000 ms, or 500 ms, depending on whether "be
excited" was selected. Obviously, this didn't allow much flexibility in move
design. With the TailControl EarGear firmware, the fully-parameterized move
system is now available, and the ear move set has been redesigned to take
advantage of that new flexibility.


==== Conference Mode ====

In the previous blog posting, I talked briefly about the Midwest FurFest 2023
BLE spam attack and plans to address issues around those sorts of problems.
[[https://docs.thetailcompany.com/doku.php?id=en:dev:tailcontrol-command-protocol#conference_mode|Conference Mode]]
is now implemented in both TailControl and The Tail Company app. This mode
establishes a BLE Bond and protects your Tail Co device from unauthorized
connections, replay attacks, and encrypts over-the-air communications.
Practically speaking, this means that only you will be able to connect and
command your Tail Company devices, and it will prevent anyone else from
interfering in your tailing experience.

It comes coupled with a factory reset function
([[https://docs.thetailcompany.com/doku.php?id=en:dev:tailcontrol-command-protocol#Unbinding / Factory Reset|described in the Unbinding section of the protocol reference]]),
to reset the device back to factory settings, in case the bond gets lost and
can't be reset - or any other persistent setting causes issues. Back to
factory-fresh, with the press of a button!

Conference Mode is not quite available to try out now, but we'll continue to adjust and
develop this feature in response to customer feedback to make it more
user-friendly and functional.


==== App Updates ====

The Tail Company App continues to get new features and updates, and has seen
several releases in this time. Be sure to check out the new version, if you
haven't already!


==== New Products ====

There's a new accessory for tails that's recently come out for those who want
to hang their tails vertically: [[https://thetailcompany.com/product/the-verticalizer/|The Verticalizer]].
This is an optional adapter that fits between the tail and the D-clip on your belt
and gives you a new option to wear your tail!

In celebration of the new ear firmware, there's a new EarGear product! Complementing the
[[https://thetailcompany.com/product/eargear-cosplay-ears-creators-edition/|EG Creators Edition]],
The Tail Company is adding the [[https://thetailcompany.com/product/eargear-headphones-edition/|EarGear Headphones Edition]]
to the EarGear lineup! Ears... on your headphones! 'nuff said!

The Tail Company is always on the move - just like our products! New stuff is
already in the pipeline in different stages: prototype all the way up to
coming out soon, there's stuff to look forward to!


==== What's Next? ====

Firmware development never stops. There are still new features being explored,
and new products that are upcoming or being considered. Firmware development
will continue to bring more value to existing and future customers of The Tail
Company!

Watch for the wag!

Your Friendly Lurking Horror,
Dark Grue


===== May 3, 2024: Dawn of the TailCoNTROL! =====

{{ :en:img_20230703_154415_158.jpg?400 |}}


==== Welcome Tailer Community ====

Hello! This is somewhat of a unique newsletter, as I’m extremely excited to be guest writing to tell you about new developments and upcoming features coming to all the Tail Co app-controlled products – especially for those who haven’t had the opportunity to hear about them through the Telegram groups where they get actively discussed.

By way of introduction, I am David “Dark Grue” Hesprich, and I’ve been involved since joining the original Ear Gear Kickstarter that was launched in July of 2019. I joined the Telegram group for backers, happened to have some manufacturing design info at my fingertips that was of use to Master Tailer… and it was all downhill from there! 😆  Since that time, I’ve been helping with the Telegram groups to provide support (and hopefully humorous entertainment), established the repair depot for Tail Co products for the Americas, maintain the product firmware and technical documentation, and just provide all sorts of consulting support to the business. It’s been a great time for me in terms of opportunity, and I really enjoy working with Master Tailer and the Tailer community.


==== Unified Firmware ====

The big news from me for this newsletter is the announcement of the new unified firmware system for the entire Tail Co app-controlled product line, TailCoNTROL! The first release of this firmware will be for MiTail, FlutterWings, and MiTail Mini, and has greatly expanded the move control and design features.

One of the very first firmware development projects I was involved in for The Tail Company was adding servo easing to the movement of MiTail. Servo easing is a technique used to improve the smoothness of the movement of servo motors. It is achieved by using a mathematical algorithm to adjust the acceleration and deceleration of the servo motor as it moves between two positions. This helps create a smoother, more natural motion and can help reduce motor noise and wear. I’ve gotten a lot of feedback personally from customers that noticed when that change went out to production, and they have really noticed the difference.

Now, both the internal move definitions as well as user-defined moves have been greatly expanded in fine-grain control. Previously, servo easing was global, now it can be set per-servo, per-step. The servos also run independently. Previously, servo moves on both servos ran the same duration – which was entirely appropriate for the tail, but became less desirable for products like the FlutterWings where independent moves can produce really life-like effects.

The move system is also now on the servo easing library’s interrupt handling service instead of being serviced by a program loop. It makes for a much cleaner move system code, and should be much more efficient in using the microprocessor resources on the products, which leaves more time for them to do other things.

Lastly, the unified firmware allows us to roll out features and fixes across the entire product line quickly and consistently. As one might imagine, maintaining multiple disparate codebases is a nightmare and this brings all the products under the same umbrella. A better code maintenance situation for the Tail Co, and a much more consistent experience for the customers.

What about the EarGear 2? Well, TailCoNTROL is coming to ears as well! A proof-of-concept to move Ear Gear 2 to the unified firmware has been completed, and will be the next major firmware release project, bringing all the current features of the rest of the product line to the ears, as well as a much-needed update to the ear move system (including the servo easing.) But wait, theres more… ConFURence Mode.


==== Firmware Future: Code Security and ConFURence Mode ====

The entire team, whether it’s Tail Co staff or community volunteers, seeks to make the best animatronics we can. And the quality of the firmware is indispensable to that. Faulty firmware can mar the customer experience, or in the worst case, put a tail out of commission, and to that end, we’re performing functional and security testing to make sure that the firmware is quality, and will work as expected, as well as characterize risks and hazards to drive development priorities.

Some may recall the incident at Midwest FurFest 2023. Many attendees reported severe business disruption with their Square payment readers, others described problems with Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids and heart rate monitoring tools. An attendee also tweeted that the Android device they used to control their insulin pump had been interfered with by a Bluetooth Low Energy spam attack and that had they not been able to recover their device, they would have needed emergency care. There’s no possible excuse for these kinds of attacks and misuse, as it quickly – and entirely predicably – went from anything remotely resembling a prank to assault. It’s sad, but it’s also a very poignant example of practical threat and risk analysis that I perform in my day job. Which brings us to ConFURence Mode (we're still workshopping the name).

The Bluetooth stack handling communications on the controller boards is a pretty popular open-source implementation and has shown to be extremely robust, but the Midwest FurFest attack has realized certain risks that we want to address in further enhancements to protect the gear against abuse. In an upcoming release, we’ll be adding more features to harden the unified firmware against hostile Bluetooth connections. It’s not physically possible to prevent broadband RF jamming or an otherwise crowded RF environment (although the spread-spectrum feature of Bluetooth itself helps mitigate that), but we can and will help prevent malicious attacks that can take the tail out of commission or grab control away from the owner. It’s unfortunate that it’s necessary, but it’s a significant way we continue to deliver value to customers past the point of purchase to ensure you enjoy your tail, ears, or wings!


==== Open-Source Tails, Ears and Wings ====

The Tail Company has always been supportive of open-source where it can be, and a significant part of recent changes has been to give greater access to application code and documentation resources:

The creation of the OpenTails Github repository (https://github.com/OpenTails), to kick off the umbrella branding for application coding and other projects that work with The Tail Company products.

On the documentation and reference side, we have The Tail Company Library (https://docs.thetailcompany.com/), which brings together all the product documentation, developer documentation (such as the command protocols for communicating with the firmware), and product videos. The documentation and video guides have been greatly expanded as well.

The new wiki also showcases a new effort, which is to make self-repair options available to customers. The Service Notes for MiTail (https://docs.thetailcompany.com/doku.php?id=en:manuals:service-notes-for-mitail) has been released along with the availability of replacement parts through The Tail Company. This gives customers another option to maintain their tail in addition to the already available repair services. It’s also an invaluable resource for advanced modders looking to extend the functionality of their tail!


==== Accessibility ====

Getting to the broadest possible audience is part of the goal of creating openness, and language support supplies another part of the overall strategy. The Android application’s language support has reached 16 languages as a result of our volunteer customer translators and the enthusiastic direction of our community translation lead. Similarly, key parts of the wiki are available in English and German, with Czech and Spanish pending.
Community Support

It’s important to mention where all this change is being driven from, and where the energy and effort is sourced – it’s the community of users! The Telegram user groups, which has expanded greatly to add both product development and translation support chats, is staffed entirely of volunteers from the community from all over the world. The new wiki was created by our community member, ToeiRei, who has done a great job reviewing code security and quality and also leads the application and wiki translation efforts. WolFi provides the merciless CrumpetBot, that keeps the Telegram user groups free of spammers and disruptions. Leinir is the Android Crumpet developer and community member who has donated countless amounts of time to features and supporting users. Code-L is developing his own app for iOS and Android which is also showing great promise. And lots of other people who support by participating: showing off their products, providing user-to-user support, feature feedback and testing, and more!
Our volunteer moderators, who help with user-to-user support on the Telegram groups, and help keep things civil and welcoming deserve a mention: Birdy the Scottish Gryphon, Devin Neko, Izwe, Leinir, Talon Meosic, ToeiRei, WolFi, and yurei Kitsune.

And I want to give a special thanks to a new category of volunteers that stepped up to assist with the TailCoNTROL testing: Andrew Heien, Code-L the Big Floof, Dex, nocoffei, and ToeiRei. Thank you for the help and the patience!

Many new features and improvements have been the result of customer feedback and involvement, and OTA updates mean it’s only a button-press update away for all Tail Co customers to enjoy.


==== In Closing... ====

I hope everyone’s excited about the new features that they’ve seen go into the products over time, and what’s coming to make the products you already enjoy even better! It’s been my privilege and pleasure to work with The Tail Company and the tailer community, and I look forward to continue to do so.

Your Friendly Lurking Horror,\\
**Dark Grue**