Excellent analysis, I would add that one thing yarn does have is the availability in virtually any color and texture, as well as producing a light weight case.
I have thought of hard cases, but did not concieve of making them, just finding a case that hapenend to fit and hacking it a bit. The main benefit of my cases currently are bump/scratch protection and choice of color. Also, it is very easy to convey instructions and make copyleft plans. ( a plus for qi-hardware) You also need almost no tools to make a case of this type. Thanks for keeping me on my toes. ----- Original Message ----- From: Werner Almesberger Sent: 02/05/11 11:40 AM To: English Qi Hardware mailing list - support, developers, use cases and fun Subject: Re: New Case in Development Ron K. Jeffries wrote: > Maybe somebody needs to design a Nano case > for the manly man. I'm thinking ALIGATOR hide > or fine cowhide from, say Argentina, [...] The choice of material is indeed one of the aspects where I think Jane's work could be improved. (The other would be suitability for production in larger volumes.) As far as I can tell, the current designs have the following properties, apart from a decorative function: - they hide the device from view (and may reduce UV exposure) - they provide some light mechanical protection (bumps, scratches, etc.) - they (probably ?) prevent the device from accidently opening - they may absorb spills and dust - they provide a means of attachment, for transportation I would expect that the coarse fabric could catch foreign objects, e.g., sand, and increase the time and/or intensity the NanoNote is exposed to them. I'm not sure about electrostatic properties of the yarn. In the worse case, it could help to build up charges. I'm also not sure about the amount of protection offered when damage cannot be completely avoided, e.g., by preventing damage from spreading beyond the point where repair/degraded use is still possible. There's also the issue of containing parts that have broken off. A coarse fabric may actually be quite good at this. A denser material, such as a finer fabric, a soft plastic, leather, etc., would completely deny foreign objects access through the case/pouch/sleeve material, and foreign objects that have entered through the intended openings would not get entangled and could be easily shaken/blown/brushed away. A material tolerant to liquids would offer complete protection against spills that don't reach the intended openings. Furthermore, it would resist alteration (the usual coffee cup or wine glass scenario) and many staining liquids could simply be rinsed off. A hard case would offer increased protection against pressure and shear forces (but may in turn increase their magnitude, simply by adding to the overall volume.) It may also further limit access for liquids. Of course, one also has to consider how far one really wants to take this, in particular considering the (usually) relatively low cost of replacing a NanoNote that has been mutilated by external forces. Another aspect is that a coarse fabric may "catch" when sliding over a rough surface or across a ragged edge, while a material with a smoother surface would not. Also, one size may not fit all. An enclosure what would elicit cheers at a Greenpeace meeting may not impress an aligator hunter, let alone the average geek struggling with daily survival in the urbane jungle :) - Werner _______________________________________________ Qi Hardware Discussion List Mail to list (members only): [email protected] Subscribe or Unsubscribe: http://lists.en.qi-hardware.com/mailman/listinfo/discussion
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