Hello to everyone here.
This is my first thread in this forum, I had been here every now and then but I never see myself in a position to actually "make" something physical for I lack many skills require to pull it off.
Somehow, ever since I watch Star Trek 15 years ago, I have always wanted my own Tricorder and for some reason, I have decided to "try" to create it.
At this point in time, I have no knowledge of Resin Casting and only an elementary knowledge of Micro-Controller Programming.
The original wip is here:
Bracercom :: Work in Progress :: Project Tricorder
but I will be posting my progress so far here to share the joy of this creation [let's hope it will be completed ;p]
16 July 2010:
Just drawing some ideas, thinking about how the top external interface should look like and how the Tricorder should stand.
I am also thinking about placing the battery compartment in the lower part of the Tricorder just so that I’ll have more space for the electronics on top.
This is important to me as I will be using conventional sized electronic components instead of Surface Mounted Components.
17 August 2010:
Spend sometime drawing out the “line angles” of my Tricorder.
Logically, I should have carried out this step in the computer as the computer is GREAT at drawing straight lines.
However it’s my personal opinion that with my intention to create the perfect Tricorder “figure”, my mind and hand will derive my Tricorder’s final aesthetic combinations that the computer could not, or even if it could come close, there will still be no “heart” in it.
18 August 2010:
It’s been a long day today...my eyes barely open as I sat in the train that is bringing me home.
Forced myself to draw something along this Tricorder project before I totally doze off, hoping that in the mist of my inability to think, my brain might just be direct enough to show me what I really want.
This is not the final design, as a matter of fact; I am not going to even begin the inner details until I am absolutely certain about the overall shape and proportion [the relative part to every other part of the Tricorder].
I don’t want to think about battery size, I don’t want to think about circuit board spaces, I don’t want to think about a lot of things right now.
All I care about is the overall aesthetic ratio/proportion of my Tricorder; everything else can kiss my ass until I got the shape that I instinctively like.
[P.S: Now that I think back on this phase, I think this is a complete lie.
I am very aware that I only have so much space to play with thickness wise.]
21 August 2010:
Right at the very beginning, I wanted my Tricorder to be able to stand upright.
The logic is simple, too simple:
Let’s face it, because I will be using conventional electronic components, I don’t really have much room to play with when it comes to “slimness”.
This automatically translates to the fact that my Tricorder’s thickness will probably match those from the Star Trek 1984’s era TNG show.
So...what’s the ****ing point of all those thickness if it can’t even stand upright ?
Hence I proceed to make sure it will stand upright and that the bottom slate should be around 160 degree from close position when opened.
The resulting Dimple from these two intentions lead to a gap right at the bottom intersection that just so happen to allow the hinge to settle in nicely, perfect !
I am also getting increasingly angry at myself when I am planning the panel design of the Tricorder, I am suppose to incorporate only LEDs, but my mind keeps on thinking in terms of actual screens.
I guess in all aspect, blinking LEDs are pretty 1990’s sci-fi era just like blinking bulbs are in the 1970’s.
In today’s world, blinkies like these are simple too “loud” to be fashionable, everything is going discreet and small.
But the contradiction is, the reason I like the Star Trek TNG~Voyager Tricorder is because it IS so ****ing loud and obnoxious, it’s like it’s screaming “LOOK AT ME!!! LOOK AT ME!!!”
Ha ha ha
23 August 2010:
With the general shape and plane angles in place, I proceed to model the simplified structure in 3D to get it ready for the next step: actual size prototyping test.
26 August 2010:
I’ve extrapolated the folding planes from the rudimentary 3D model and created a number of basic paper mock up of the device in various sizes to help me gauge the eventual size of this device.
It’s nice to know that they indeed stand upright as I have intended.
As small as I want this device to be, I must reach a compromise between the spaces that the conventional batteries/electronic components requires and how comfortable I am holding it.
Arh, some things look good on the drawing board but sucks in real life.
Three problems surfaced as soon as I start “playing” with the mock ups:
This is my first thread in this forum, I had been here every now and then but I never see myself in a position to actually "make" something physical for I lack many skills require to pull it off.
Somehow, ever since I watch Star Trek 15 years ago, I have always wanted my own Tricorder and for some reason, I have decided to "try" to create it.
At this point in time, I have no knowledge of Resin Casting and only an elementary knowledge of Micro-Controller Programming.
The original wip is here:
Bracercom :: Work in Progress :: Project Tricorder
but I will be posting my progress so far here to share the joy of this creation [let's hope it will be completed ;p]
16 July 2010:
Just drawing some ideas, thinking about how the top external interface should look like and how the Tricorder should stand.
I am also thinking about placing the battery compartment in the lower part of the Tricorder just so that I’ll have more space for the electronics on top.
This is important to me as I will be using conventional sized electronic components instead of Surface Mounted Components.
17 August 2010:
Spend sometime drawing out the “line angles” of my Tricorder.
Logically, I should have carried out this step in the computer as the computer is GREAT at drawing straight lines.
However it’s my personal opinion that with my intention to create the perfect Tricorder “figure”, my mind and hand will derive my Tricorder’s final aesthetic combinations that the computer could not, or even if it could come close, there will still be no “heart” in it.
18 August 2010:
It’s been a long day today...my eyes barely open as I sat in the train that is bringing me home.
Forced myself to draw something along this Tricorder project before I totally doze off, hoping that in the mist of my inability to think, my brain might just be direct enough to show me what I really want.
This is not the final design, as a matter of fact; I am not going to even begin the inner details until I am absolutely certain about the overall shape and proportion [the relative part to every other part of the Tricorder].
I don’t want to think about battery size, I don’t want to think about circuit board spaces, I don’t want to think about a lot of things right now.
All I care about is the overall aesthetic ratio/proportion of my Tricorder; everything else can kiss my ass until I got the shape that I instinctively like.
[P.S: Now that I think back on this phase, I think this is a complete lie.
I am very aware that I only have so much space to play with thickness wise.]
21 August 2010:
Right at the very beginning, I wanted my Tricorder to be able to stand upright.
The logic is simple, too simple:
Let’s face it, because I will be using conventional electronic components, I don’t really have much room to play with when it comes to “slimness”.
This automatically translates to the fact that my Tricorder’s thickness will probably match those from the Star Trek 1984’s era TNG show.
So...what’s the ****ing point of all those thickness if it can’t even stand upright ?
Hence I proceed to make sure it will stand upright and that the bottom slate should be around 160 degree from close position when opened.
The resulting Dimple from these two intentions lead to a gap right at the bottom intersection that just so happen to allow the hinge to settle in nicely, perfect !
I am also getting increasingly angry at myself when I am planning the panel design of the Tricorder, I am suppose to incorporate only LEDs, but my mind keeps on thinking in terms of actual screens.
I guess in all aspect, blinking LEDs are pretty 1990’s sci-fi era just like blinking bulbs are in the 1970’s.
In today’s world, blinkies like these are simple too “loud” to be fashionable, everything is going discreet and small.
But the contradiction is, the reason I like the Star Trek TNG~Voyager Tricorder is because it IS so ****ing loud and obnoxious, it’s like it’s screaming “LOOK AT ME!!! LOOK AT ME!!!”
Ha ha ha
23 August 2010:
With the general shape and plane angles in place, I proceed to model the simplified structure in 3D to get it ready for the next step: actual size prototyping test.
26 August 2010:
I’ve extrapolated the folding planes from the rudimentary 3D model and created a number of basic paper mock up of the device in various sizes to help me gauge the eventual size of this device.
It’s nice to know that they indeed stand upright as I have intended.
As small as I want this device to be, I must reach a compromise between the spaces that the conventional batteries/electronic components requires and how comfortable I am holding it.
Arh, some things look good on the drawing board but sucks in real life.
Three problems surfaced as soon as I start “playing” with the mock ups:
- The bottom slate is too angled for my hand to “press the buttons” comfortably.
- The top angled panel is too steep for my eyes using the main screen as the base viewing angle.
- The current height of the main screen is a dumb idea because I have failed to take the size of conventional hinges into consideration.
