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Design Process - Evolution!

A project log for The BYTE

A hands free universal interface

oneohmoneohm 08/26/2020 at 22:400 Comments

Rather than attempt to describe each step of the design process and the decision tree that has led to the design today, I dug through the pile of old parts and selected a few to create visual demonstration in the form of a timeline.

Many look nearly identical, but each one represents a minor design change.

In the upper left you will find the original alpha prototype that started it all (now stripped of its enclosure for the sake of progress). From left to right you can see the rough chronological evolution of each part.

Towards the center you can track the progression of an ill fated feature. A five button navigation switch originally resided on the back of the sensor board, but sadly went extinct when the central screw was introduced. Fortunately its intended functionality was able to be preserved with some firmware changes.

In the far right column are the latest parts, ready to be assembled into the next complete prototype.

Along the top is some trial and error testing (mostly error...) for directly laser etching the PCBs. It is tricky business to cleanly remove copper and leave the underlying fiberglass unharmed, but worth it in the end as this was the key to rapidly improving the design.

Directly laser etching the PCBs removes days or weeks of lead time between each revision - These small boards can be etched and ready to test in less than two minutes!

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