The Short Version
I’m Rob Ivanov, a software engineer and Fractional CTO based in Sofia, Bulgaria.
I’ve spent the last 20+ years building complex web systems, integrations, and automation for startups across Europe and the US. StepSprite is my side project born out of a very simple personal frustration: my Apple Watch ignored my hard work.
The Story
Like many of you, the shift to remote work changed my life. I spend my days solving technical problems for clients, often sitting for 8–10 hours a day.
To stay healthy, I bought a Walking Pad. It was a game-changer—I could walk 5km while reviewing code or taking calls. But I quickly noticed a glaring issue:
My Activity Rings were empty.
Because my hands were resting on my keyboard, my Apple Watch (and every other wrist tracker I tried) thought I was sitting in a chair. I was doing the work, but getting zero credit in my health data.
I Tried the "Hacks" First
I tried everything the internet suggested:
- I put my phone in my sock. (It was uncomfortable and I missed important notifications).
- I bought an ankle strap for my watch. (It was tedious to swap back and forth, and I lost heart rate tracking).
- I looked for existing foot pods. (They were either expensive running tools for sprinters or cheap toys that didn't sync with Apple Health).
So I Built the Solution
I didn't want a "hack." I wanted a tool that respected my workflow.
I applied the same engineering rigor I use for my Fractional CTO clients to build StepSprite. I chose the Nordic nRF52840 chip for its reliability, wrote a custom firmware optimized for the specific "low-impact shuffle" of desk walking, and built a native iOS app that talks directly to HealthKit.
Why "Dev Kit"?
I am selling StepSprite as an Open Hardware Development Kit because I believe in transparency.
- No Black Boxes: The hardware is standard, reliable, and repairable.
- No Spying: I don't want your location data. I don't want your email for a newsletter. I just want to count steps.
- By a Dev, For Devs: It’s a tool for people who appreciate clean code and hardware that just works.
Who is Behind This?
StepSprite is run by my company here in Bulgaria. When you email support, you are talking to me. When your order ships, I am the one printing the label at the Speedy/DPD office in Sofia.
If you want to verify I'm a real person, you can check my professional work at Worbee.com or see my personal projects at Rob.top.
Thank you for supporting independent European engineering.
— Rob
Want updates without spam? Pre-order the Dev Kit.