Hardware Hacking Projects for Geeks

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Part II: Advanced Hacks, Tools, and Techniques

Project Demo

You’ve put together all of the hardware and loaded your favorite operating

system with a few applications. Now it is time to test things out.

Begin by making sure that everything works outside of your carrying case.

Ensure that any wires that carry battery power are covered. Charge the

batteries and power on the system in this open configuration. Run it until

the batteries are dead to ensure that everything works. Check the DC/DC

converter and the CPU to see how warm they get. You may need to provide

ventilation for these items, and they are likely to draw the most power in

the system.

After you’ve tested out the system in the open configuration, carefully pack

it into the carrying case and run it for one full battery charge. If you plan to

use the system in a damp or rainy environment, be especially careful with

how you package it. You may need to encase the boards in a waterproof

bag.

Your system should now be ready to use wherever you go!

Wearable System Examples

You may want to look at other wearable systems built at various universities

and by individuals. Check out the projects listed below.

http://www.cs.uoregon.edu/research/wearables/

http://hwr.nici.kun.nl/pen-computing/wearables.html

http://wearables.essex.ac.uk/

http://www.eyetap.org/

http://www.xybernaut.com/newxybernaut/home.htm

http://www.media.mit.edu/wearables/

http://wearables.net/wc/

http://www.tekgear.ca/

http://www.electronsoup.com/

http://www.man-machine.com/

http://wearables.blu.org/

http://www.charmed.com/

http://www.tiqit.com/

http://www.via-pc.com/

http://www.handsfreemobile.com/

http://www.wearcomp.org/

Text-Based WWW

Interface

If you want to stay in a strictly text-

based interface and access the Web,

you may want to use a text-based

browser called Lynx. The site http://

www.trill-home.com/lynx.html has

information on where to get a copy.

There are executables and source

code for most computer operating

systems. The Lynx browser can also

be a basis for an audio-based inter-

face.

Project Demo

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