WanderVerse
WanderShade · spec sheet

The full file.

Everything our engineering, sourcing, and compliance work produced for this product. Nothing here is marketing — it's the actual document we'd hand a contract manufacturer.

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WanderShade — Family Architecture Spec (v1.0-candidate)

Product family: WanderShade — smart roller-shade motor with Matter + Thread, optional solar trickle. Replaces SwitchBot Curtain + IKEA Fyrtur in a single quiet, identity-aware motor head. Revision: v1.0-candidate Date: 2026-04-25 SOP: v2.4

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1. Why this exists

Smart shade motors are the most-installed consumer-electronics window-covering category and the one with the worst reliability record. SwitchBot Curtain + IKEA Fyrtur dominate the under-$100 segment with a category that wakes the household at 6 AM with whining gear noise, dies on battery within 9 months without sun, and broadcasts its raise/lower schedule to a vendor cloud. Lutron Serena and Hunter Douglas PowerView address the high end with $400–$900 motorized shades that require a hub, a bridge, and a recurring app subscription to do what a wall switch does.

The category needs a third option: a motor head that is quiet at night, runs on local Matter + Thread without a vendor cloud, sips power from a small solar panel for the half of homes that get any direct light, and respects identity-aware operation for survivors who do not want their schedule logged.

WanderShade is the WanderVerse smart shade motor. It is DC-motor + optical encoder + Matter-over-Thread, with a Pro tier that adds Maxeon C60 5 W solar + LiFePO4 cell (reused from WanderAway Ultra) and a heavier-duty 50 lb shade load capability. Both tiers ship with covert privacy mode (close-all on duress tap), no schedule telemetry leaving the device, and panic-close instant.

The product thesis is concrete: a shade motor a survivor of stalker-pattern monitoring can install without their schedule leaving the home, that the no-touch-cloud LGBTQ+ household can run on a 5 W panel facing south, and that Ambassador-assembles into the matte-anodized motor housing with a saffron pull-cord nub.

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2. Product family overview

TierDevice IDForm factorHero featureRetailShip target
**WanderShade Lite**`WV-SHADE-LITE`38 mm motor head + roller adapterBattery-only DC motor, 30 lb shade load, Matter + Thread, Honeywell HOA0901 optical encoder, ESP32-S3 host, identity-aware covert mode**$129**2027-Q2
**WanderShade Solar**`WV-SHADE-SOLAR`Same head + 5 W solar trickle + LiFePO4 cellLite + Maxeon C60 5 W solar + TI BQ25798 MPPT charger + LiFePO4 18650 cell + 50 lb shade load capability + tropical / high-cycle duty**$199**2027-Q3

Hero image alignment

The hero render shows a 38 mm-diameter cylindrical motor head with matte anodized charcoal aluminum housing, with:

Visual identity preserved across the family: matte anodized charcoal aluminum motor head (matches WanderDash mounting bracket + Security Trio bezel charcoal accents), saffron pull-cord nub + saffron status LED + saffron pinstripe (family-wide), roller adapter polymer cream (matches WanderCO chassis cream).

The motor head is identical between Lite and Solar — Solar adds the panel + LiFePO4 cell + MPPT charger on the interior PCBA, with the only exterior delta being the small charging-input port on the head's top face and the panel itself. This is intentional: ambassadors should be able to upgrade Lite → Solar via a board-swap send-back without the household removing the shade.

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3. The four hard problems this category fails at

3.1 Quiet at night

SwitchBot Curtain is rated at ~45 dB at 1 m during operation — louder than ambient bedroom at 22:00–06:00. IKEA Fyrtur is similar. Lutron Serena is the only consumer device in the category with quiet operation, at $400+. Quiet is a design decision, not a price decision. WanderShade uses:

Spec target: ≤30 dBA at 1 m during operation (target ambient bedroom @ 22:00). Verified at EVT in anechoic chamber.

3.2 Solar trickle that actually works

Most "solar shade motors" ship a 1 W panel that requires direct south-facing sun for 4 hours a day to net-positive. WanderShade Solar uses a Maxeon C60 5 W cell (reused from WanderAway Ultra) + TI BQ25798 MPPT charger (reused) + LiFePO4 18650 cell (reused) — solar-input architecture rated at ≥40% efficiency in indirect / partial-shade conditions.

Energy budget (Solar tier):

Lite tier: battery-only LiFePO4 18650 (smaller-capacity 1200 mAh = 3.84 Wh) + 5W USB-C charging port + recharge-every-3-months at typical 2-cycle/day usage. Customer plugs in to a USB-C charger when companion app says "battery at 20% — please charge."

3.3 Local-first, no schedule telemetry

The default smart-shade-motor cloud architecture sends every raise/lower event + every schedule entry to a vendor cloud (SwitchBot, IKEA, Lutron). This is an identity-vulnerable design pattern:

WanderShade ships Matter-over-Thread local-first — no schedule telemetry leaves the device. The Thread credential network handles all routing through the household's Thread border router (typically a HomePod, Apple TV 4K, Google Nest Hub Max, Amazon Echo 4th gen, or WanderNode Hub). The schedule lives on the WanderShade itself + on the Matter controller (e.g., Apple Home, which synchronizes to iCloud Keychain end-to-end-encrypted, never to a SwitchBot/IKEA cloud).

If the user opts into WanderNode Hub (WanderVerse-native), the schedule lives on the Hub locally — never to WWP cloud unless the user explicitly opts into anonymous telemetry. Default state: zero data leaves the home.

3.4 Identity-aware operation (panic-close, covert mode)

Per Standard 0 (survivor / identity-aware modes):

Default state: all identity-aware features available; user opts in via companion app or pull-cord gesture. No identity-aware feature requires a subscription. Compare: Lutron Serena's "vacation mode" requires Lutron Connect Bridge ($150) + Lutron app + cloud account.

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4. Architecture

4.1 Family platform (shared across both tiers)

BlockPartNotes
Host MCUESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N16R816 MB flash + 8 MB PSRAM; reused from Security Trio + WanderAlert + WanderCO
Thread/Matter radioTI CC2652R7Thread 1.3 + Matter 1.3; reused from WanderAway Family
Optical encoderHoneywell HOA0901-051NEW for parts library — distinguishing WanderShade part; quadrature output
Motor driverTI DRV8235NEW for parts library; brushed-DC; 3.5 A continuous; current-sense + stall detect
MotorDC brushed 12 V 100 RPMNEW for parts library; 3:1 helical gearbox; vibration-isolated
Status LEDCree CLM3C-AKA saffronreused from Security Trio + WanderAlert + WanderCO
LED driverTI TPS92518reused (single-channel for saffron status only)
PMICTI TPS65086100reused from WanderAlert + WanderCO
Pull-cord switchCustom magnetic-Hall + saffron-anodized polymer nubNEW form factor; reuses Allegro A1324 Hall sensor
Secure elementNXP SE051reused; identity-aware role token + Thread credential storage
Flash NORMacronix MX25R 16 MB (via WROOM module)integrated

4.2 WanderShade Solar — additions

BlockPartNotes
Solar cellMaxeon C60 5 W (75 × 75 mm)reused from WanderAway Ultra
MPPT chargerTI BQ25798reused from WanderAway Ultra
LiFePO4 cellEVE LF18650 1500 mAhreused from WanderAway Ultra
Cell holderKeystone 1042-2reused from WanderCO
Charging-input portUSB-C 5 V (factory + emergency-recharge)reused (GCT USB4125)
Cable from panel to head1.8 m flat-profile twisted pair (28 AWG; matte gray UV-resistant TPU jacket)NEW
Panel swivel mountCustom CNC anodized aluminum + 3M VHB tape kitNEW

4.3 WanderShade Lite — additions

BlockPartNotes
Battery cellEVE LF18650 1200 mAhsmaller-capacity LiFePO4 (cost saving vs Solar)
Charging-input portUSB-C 5 Vfor periodic recharge

4.4 What WanderShade does NOT have

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5. Identity-aware operation (D-SHADE-007)

Per Standard 0:

5.1 Panic-close instant (hardware path)

5.2 Covert mode (silent operation)

5.3 Duress code (companion app gesture)

5.4 Schedule telemetry policy

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6. Coverage architecture (Matter + Thread integration)

CapabilityWanderShade LiteWanderShade Solar
Matter Window Covering cluster (open/close/level/tilt)greengreen
Thread border router participationgreen (router-eligible)green (router-eligible)
Apple Home pairinggreengreen
Google Home pairinggreengreen
Amazon Alexa pairinggreengreen
Samsung SmartThings pairinggreengreen
Home Assistant pairinggreen via Mattergreen via Matter
WanderNode Hub nativegreengreen
Local-first schedulegreengreen
Cloud-required for any core feature**NO****NO**

Coverage gate: WanderShade is a complete Matter Window Covering device in standalone mode — pairs with any Thread border router + Matter controller from day one, requires no WanderVerse-specific hub. Solar tier adds energy-harvesting independence; Lite tier requires periodic USB-C recharge. Both tiers are full Matter 1.3 + Thread 1.3 compliant.

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7. Quiet operation engineering (D-SHADE-002)

Per category-failure analysis in §3.1, quiet operation is the dominant differentiator vs SwitchBot / IKEA Fyrtur:

7.1 Drive-stage acoustics

7.2 Gearbox acoustics

7.3 Mechanical isolation

7.4 Verification spec

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8. Compliance summary (per `COMPLIANCE.md`)

CertStatusNotes
**FCC Part 15 Subpart B** (digital electronics Class B)greenresidential consumer
**FCC Part 15 Subpart C** (intentional radiator — Thread 2.4 GHz + WiFi via host)greenpassthrough via TI CC2652R7 + ESP32-S3 modular cert
**Matter 1.3 certification** (CSA Connectivity Standards Alliance)red blockercert + interop testing; ~$15-25k
**Thread 1.3 certification** (Thread Group)red blockerbundled with Matter cert; ~$8-12k
**IEC 60335-1** (household appliance safety — applies to motorized window-covering)red blockermotor safety + finger-pinch hazard + thermal safety; ~$8-12k
**UL / ANSI 325 (operators — door, gate, drapery, shutter, awning, window covering)**yellowapplies to motorized window covering >25 lb shade load; bundled with IEC 60335-1
**CSA C22.2 No. 0** general electrical safetygreenbundled
**CE / UKCA** + EN 60335-1 + EN 55032 + EN 55035 + EN 300 328greenbundled
**Bluetooth SIG** (BLE commissioning for Matter)greenincluded in Matter cert
**IP41** (drip-resistant; window-track install can see condensation)greenenclosure design accommodates
**RoHS / REACH**greendeclared
**UN 38.3 / IEC 62133 / UL 1642** (LiFePO4 cell shipping + safety)inheritedfrom EVE cell-family
**Cordless / Pull-cord safety (CPSC + ANSI/WCMA A100.1)**greenNO continuous looped cord — hardware tug/release only

Total cert v1: ~$45-65k. Matter + Thread cert dominates the cert burden; IEC 60335-1 is the additional life-safety lift that distinguishes this from a pure-electronics product.

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9. Manufacturing + service summary

Ambassador assembly (Standard 1)

Per-unit production tests

7-year-parts compliance (Standard 4)

Service plan (per `SERVICE-FLOW.md`)

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10. Revenue + social-impact integration

60/30/10 Community Pool flow (Standard 5)

Per canonical revenue split:

Donor-sponsored kits (HAVEN safehouse + Title-I housing)

Grant-fundable

Margin gate

Per task brief: margins must hit 50%+ at 5k volume.

Both tiers pass margin gate. See BOM-normalized.csv for full cost-rollup.

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11. Feature inventory (Stage 0 sweep)

Hardware features

Software features

Operational features

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12. Risk register

#RiskSeverityMitigation
1Matter + Thread cert delays beyond 2027-Q1redCSA enrollment 2026-Q3; reference unit ready EVT
2IEC 60335-1 motor safety cert delaysredPre-cert pre-scan in-house 2026-Q4; UL/Intertek booking 2027-Q1
3Acoustic spec ≤30 dBA missed at EVTredHelical gearbox + silicone isolation + DRV8235 sinusoidal current-shaping all targeting -8 to -12 dB margin
4Honeywell HOA0901 supply (single-source-class)yellowAlternate: Broadcom HEDS-9100 + Avago AEDR-8500 qualified at DVT
5TI DRV8235 supplyyellowAlternate: TI DRV8870 + Allegro A5957 qualified at DVT
6DC brushed motor brush-life shorter than 7-year parts standardyellowBrush-life rated 10,000 cycles @ 50 lb load = ~13.7 years at 2 cycles/day; Ambassador motor-swap kit covers edge cases
7Stall-detect false-positive in heavy shade fabricyellowDRV8235 current-sense calibration per fabric profile; user-configurable load profile in companion app
8Solar tier panel mount damages window casingyellow3M VHB tape-only mount; spec rated for residential casing; explicit removability instructions
9Pull-cord Hall-sensor false-trigger from external magnet (kid's magnet near window)yellowDual-Hall differential design (A1324 × 2 with 4 mm separation) — common-mode external field rejection
10Engineering hire timeline slipsredShared engineering pool with WanderAlert + WanderAway + WanderCO; pipeline started 2026-Q3

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13. Conflict register

Resolved per DECISIONS.md D-SHADE-001 through D-SHADE-010. Key conflicts:

No software conflicts with existing WanderVerse specs.

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14. Marketing language gate

Words we DO use:

Words we do NOT use:

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15. Ship discipline

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16. Ambassador + Community Pool integration

(verbatim from _TEMPLATES/_community-pool.md + _ambassador-signature.md + _seven-year-parts.md):

How the money flows

Every sale of a WanderShade SKU is divided three ways:

Ambassador signature mark

Every WanderShade unit carries a laser-engraved aluminum tag inside the motor-head service panel:

At refurbishment (motor-swap or cell-refresh), a second signature is added beneath the first. Provenance accumulates.

Seven-year parts

Every spare part for WanderShade is available for 7 years from ship date, via Ambassador network, at cost + 10%. Year 8: every manufacturing file is published.

What "parts" includes:

What "parts" does NOT include:

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This spec is the source of truth for the WanderShade family. Companion docs (DECISIONS.md, BOM-platform.csv, BOM-modules.csv, BOM-normalized.csv, CONFIGURATOR.md, COMPATIBILITY.md, SOURCING.csv, DFM-DFA-DFT.md, THERMAL-EMC.md, COMPLIANCE.md, GUIDE.md, HW-FW.md, SERVICE-FLOW.md, GATE.md, STL-OPEN-FILES/README.md, _VALIDATION-AND-SENSOR-EXPANSION.md, _COMPETITIVE-AUDIT-2026-04-25.md, _MANIFEST.md) elaborate; this spec governs.