OLPA . Or a project long not done..

This hiatus has been a lot longer than I have hoped, but there's finally a new project at my desk. It's an OLPA (One Laptop/lunchbox Per Adult), named after the famous OLPC from some years back.

Ever since the OLPC project was announced I have wanted an homemade portable laptop/lunchbox type computer with OLPC like Screen, with black/white reflective reading for outdoors use. The same screen works as a regular color LCD when used indoors with the back light connected. Even thought this type of screen uses more power than E-paper,  it's  also is a lot faster to refresh so it's better suited to web surfing etc.

Currently I have tested the display, controller, Pi alongside wireless KB/Mouse and system is quite usable even though as fast as today's commercial laptops/tablets. Next part of the project will be making/purchasing suitable enclosure and installing these components to make basic system.

Reflective display + parts.

While deciding the enclosure there's also the aspect of making this portable computer system battery operating. I hope to get system running at least 3 to 5 hours on lithium battery, but 10 hours might be achievable without adding too much bulk or weight. Raspberry needs 5Volt feed and the screen+controller can run on almost anything between 5-24 Volts DC, so it would be quite easy to use one of those premade battery packs sold for laptop/phone users.

On future upgrades.. I allready have wifi -module that's supposed to be supported by Raspbian which I have not yet tested. Using wireless net will eat power, but on the other hand it eliminates the need for ethernet-cabling. Also alternative CPU board is under consideration. At the moment this system is based on Raspberry Pi, but Banana Pi looks like valid alternative since it offers overall better performance with less power use.

At the moment, there's not much point making any video of this. When(if?) I get this to packed and working ... perhaps.