Copilot: Generative AI for Hardware Design
Copilot is your new AI design assistant. Copilot lives in your Flux projects, answers complex questions, and helps you move faster by wiring up your schematics.
Overview
Copilot is a Flux-trained large language model (LLM) that lives inside your project and can provide direct feedback to help you design faster, safer, and more complex PCBs
Copilot understands the full context of your project, including your list of components, their connections, and related part datasheets. This allows Copilot to respond with highly relevant information to help you select parts, provide feedback, and take action on your schematics to help you move faster.
We’re exploring the very edge of AI's capabilities in hardware design, and we want to do it with our community. This tutorial explores some of the guidelines and best practices we’ve found during the initial testing phase, but we’d love to see what other use cases you find. Join the Copilot channel in our Slack community and let’s explore the future of PCB design.
Getting Started with Copilot
Copilot uses conversational AI. To start a conversation with Copilot, tag it by adding @copilot in either a comment or the chat menu. Once tagged in a thread, it will continue to respond to new replies.
Flux Copilot not only advises but, with your approval, can wire components together! This is a huge step towards fully generative AI, reducing the time and complexity often associated with component connections.
AI-Assisted Workflows with Copilot
Below are some workflows, and examples we've found that can be significantly improved with Copilot, but there's always more to discover. Join our Slack community and share how Copilot is making you a better designer.
Browse Through Datasheets in Seconds
Copilot understands datasheets and reference them in its responses. This means you get more accurate responses when asking Copilot questions about specific parts. Copilot will also cite its sources if you need more information about a topic.
Keep this in mind if you want to make sure Copilot is using your component's datasheet to answer:
Make sure you explicitly mention the component you're targeting
- You can target a component by its designator (
@copilot how do I configure an interrupt on a pin on U4?) or by its MPN (@copilot how do I configure an interrupt on a pin on the ESP32-S3)
- You can target a component by its designator (
The target component needs to have a property called "Datasheet URL" with a link to a PDF datasheet.
For now, you can only target one component per prompt. For example, "
@copilot What’s the voltage range for VDDIO on U4 and U6?" will not parse U4 and U6 datasheets.If the above criteria are not met, Copilot will still provide a good response based on the global pool of information.
You will know that Copilot is accessing your component's datasheet when it responds "Reading datasheet"
Example 1 - Find out pin voltage range
Instead of browsing through hundreds of datasheet pages, ask copilot about specific pin information
@copilot What is the voltage range for vddio on u4?
Example 2 - Check component requirements
Instead of browsing through hundreds of datasheet pages, ask copilot about your component's requirements
@copilot what are the clock requirements for U4?
Search Flux Documentation
Let's be real, reading through documentation isn't anyone's favorite task. That's why we've taught Copilot, our AI assistant, to do it for you. Instead of searching through docs, just ask Copilot what you want to know. It's faster, easier, and ready to help.
You will know that Copilot is accessing Flux documentation when it responds "Reading Flux documentation"
Example 1 - Adding parts to the library
Learn how to add components to the Flux Library
@copilot how do I add a part to the library?
Faster Design Iteration
With Copilot, you can quickly generate new design ideas, explore different design options, and iterate on your designs faster. You can also ask Copilot for the complete list of components (bill of materials) you will need to create such designs.
Example 1 - List Components
Get the list of components needed to achieve a specific use case:
@copilot I'm designing a PCB for a medical device that measures heart rate and temperature. Can you give me the list of components I will need?
Example 2 - How do I Connect an IC?
Have Copilot wire up your schematics for you.
@copilot how do I connect the flash memory to the RP2040?
Reduce Design Errors
Copilot can help reduce design errors by suggesting corrections and improvements as it is being developed. It can also identify potential issues with the design and suggest improvements before they become problems, reducing the risk of costly manufacturing errors down the line.
Example 1 - Resistor Value Selection
Ask Copilot to calculate design parameters and make part selections based on other component requirements in the circuit.
@copilot can you do resistor selection for current limiting LED1 while being driven by U1?
Example 2 - Is a Pin Connected Properly?
Ask for a design review. Works for whole circuits or specific areas.
@copilot is the CS pin connected properly?
Design Optimization
Copilot can help PCB designers optimize their designs for performance, efficiency, and reliability. By providing specific information about project goals, constraints, and specifications, Copilot can suggest design improvements and help make tradeoffs between different design parameters.
Example 1 - Optimize Circuits
Get an expert’s opinion on how to optimize your design for specific parameters.
@copilot how would I optimize this circuit for desense?
Example 2 - Find Alternative Parts
Find part alternatives aiming for lower cost, parts in stock, or from specific manufacturers.
@copilot Can you suggest component substitutions that meet the same specs but are more cost-effective?
Example 3 - Configure OpAmps
Ask how to use specific parts in your circuit to accomplish certain goals.
@copilot how do I configure U3 as a unity gain buffer
Best Practices
Like with any other tool, mastering Copilot takes some practice. To get the most relevant and valuable suggestions, make sure you follow these best practices:
- Provide clear and specific information: Copilot works by analyzing the information you provide in the question within the context of your project. Therefore, providing clear and detailed information about your project goals, constraints, and specifications is essential. Avoid asking overly broad or vague questions, as they may produce less relevant or helpful suggestions.
- Explore multiple suggestions: When asking for feedback regarding specific parts or alternatives, Copilot may provide more than one suggestion. Take the time to explore all the suggestions and evaluate each for its suitability in your project requirements.
- Provide feedback and refine your questions: Copilot's suggestions can be refined by providing feedback on their usefulness and relevance to your project. For example, give the answer a thumbs up if it was helpful. Use this feedback to refine the prompt and provide additional information to Copilot to help it better understand your design requirements.
Here's an example of a prompt that includes all three elements:
I'm designing a PCB for a home automation system that needs to control lights, temperature, and security cameras. The PCB should be compact and low-power to fit inside a small enclosure. I'm using an ATmega328P microcontroller and need to support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The PCB must comply with FCC regulations and operate within a temperature range of 0-40°C. What components would I need?
By including all of this information in your prompt, Copilot can generate more targeted and accurate responses. It can also help you explore different design options and trade-offs to find the best solution.
Ready to try Copilot for yourself? Fork this example project to see what Copilot can do!