This project is in the very early stages of development. I have been wanting to build one of these for a long while now, but I never really had a reason to start one. That reason came recently in the form of "Who needs a reason? Just do it because you want to."

With that being said, I have begun to do research on multiple different aspects that are to be incorporated into the cyberdeck. I have decided that, at least for now, I am not going to limit myself on either the amount of money spent or the amount of time used for this project. Obviously there are going to be reasonable limits to this project, but I wanted to see what I am capable of creating.

The different aspects are:

• Computer - The computer is the basis for the entire project. I am looking into both Single-Board Computers (SBC's) and Mini-PC's as possible candidates for the cyberdeck. I have found multiple of each that would fit the project well, but I don't think I am going to be able to choose a specific one until I know exactly what the functionality is going to be. 
• Form Factor - The form factor is the physical basis of the project. It will determine different things like the available space for hardware, durability and mobility. Many people choose to either 3D print theirs or to find ready-made cases to simply attach everything to. I think the obvious choice for this cyberdeck is to use a pelican case, but I wanted to be sure before making any purchases.
• Communications Array - One of the main goals of this cyberdeck is to make sure that stable communications are always available regardless if the system has to provide its own. With that in mind, I am researching the most effective method(s) to bring this about. I am hoping to be able to interface with different radio protocols (after proper licensing) as well as the more standard ones like Wi-Fi or GPS. 
• External Device Connectivity - I wanted the cyberdeck to be able to interact with the world around it to further help its user. Because of this, having the ability to take measurements or to control smaller mechanical devices. Research is ongoing to determine the different protocols (i.e. UART, I2C) that are needed for such devices. Whatever is needed here is going to play a big role in choosing the final computer for the cyberdeck as some computers make this considerably easier than others.