I’ve always liked the idea of the Star Trek "Tricorder" one device too rule them all!, that tells you what’s really happening around you. The problem is, everything out there now is either just a collection of sensors with pretty graphs, or a phone app pretending to do more than it can. (yay its bad...) 

The Innovation?
Nobody’s made something that actually tells you, simply and directly, what you need to know to stay safe or spot something weird.

So, I set a few ground rules for my design from the start:

• Rugged and field-ready: It has to survive drops, dirt, and actual outdoor use. No delicate displays. 

• All the "right" sensors: I want real environmental sensors, radiation, CO2, VOCS, temp, humidity, light, sound, magnetic fields.

• One thing i realized is most people don’t know if “1200ppm CO₂” is bad or not. The device has to translate that into plain English warnings, with beeps!.

• Onboard AI: A Google Coral Mini lets me run custom-trained models directly on the device, so it can flag dangers or anomalies without needing a phone or cloud connection. (I think this is important if in a cave or approaching a UFO?)

• Open hardware: I’m putting all files and build details out there. If it works, anyone should be able to make or improve it. Please do! I'm a terrible programmer... though a pretty decent hardware engineer...

• Big battery is a must: You should be able to use this all day, without worrying about charging. (no mental stress that is, it getting you though a day of rigorous science) 

The Case:

My first pass was just a rough 3D model—thick walls, plenty of space, making it handheld friendly. I made sure the display would be easy to read outside (so it is a monochrome OLED), buttons big enough for gloves, and everything sealed tight but easy to service.

The screen is protected buy the design as is the sensor "vent" and power switch. 

What I will try to do next:

Create a sensor PCB layout and hook up to the coral, then loading up the Coral Mini with the first version of the AI model. (this step may take some time) All files, code, and build steps will be posted here as I go. If you want to follow along or build your own, everything will be on the project page or GITHUB.

This is just the start. The goal isn’t to make a flashy gadget—just a tool I wish already existed. If you have ideas, or spot something I missed, let me know. I’ll take real feedback any day.