The Ephergent
/ɪˈfɜːdʒənt/ · adjective + noun
Something that arises from and disappears into its moment. A combination of ephemeral and emergent.
The word doesn't exist in any dictionary — and that's exactly the point.
Why tangible technology
Software is cheap to copy and free to distribute. Physical objects have weight. They occupy space. They demand attention to make and care to use. There's something irreplaceable about an object that responds to your touch rather than a tap on glass.
Every Ephergent product is designed to sit on a desk — not on a wall, not on a shelf, not hidden away. It's designed to be glanced at during work, touched during breaks, noticed in peripheral vision. Ambient technology that rewards presence without demanding it.
No apps. No accounts. No cloud. Power it on, interact with a knob or a touch pad, and it does its thing. The source files are open. The firmware is yours to modify. If you know CircuitPython, you know how to make it your own.
Design language
Apple restraint
Nothing unnecessary. Every element earns its place.
IKEA function
Beautiful things at real-world prices. No luxury markup.
Cyberpunk honesty
The seams show. The electronics are visible. It's made by a person.
The maker
Hi. I'm Jeremy Schroeder. I'm a software engineer, 3D printing enthusiast, and the person who designs, prints, assembles, and ships every Ephergent product. I work from a home workshop in Colorado with a fleet of FDM printers and a soldering iron that's older than most of my software dependencies.
I write about the build process, design decisions, and the occasional rabbit hole at jeremyschroeder.net. Everything I make gets a build story.
Ephergent is a brand of Before Greatness LLC, a Colorado-based creative technology company. For business inquiries, contact info@beforegreatness.com.