Devlog #1 — Initial Architecture and Packaging Study

🎉What I did this week:

• Defined system architecture for the cyberdeck (power, computer, input, output)
• Selected Raspberry Pi 4B as the main controller
• Created an initial system schematic/diagram to model subsystem interactions
• Performed a first packaging study in Onshape
• Verified that all core components fit within the proposed enclosure concept

🎚️Initial Schematic

Note: This is a system-level schematic used to understand how components in the cyberdeck interact with each other, paired with a packaging study to estimate spatial requirements. This is an early-stage design exploration.

The goal of this stage was to answer the question:

What parts will Stardeck consist of, and how do they interact with one another?

System Overview

The cyberdeck is composed of four primary subsystems:

• Power
• Computer
• Input
• Output

System Description

Power subsystem:

Provides energy to all other subsystems. This is the foundation of the system.

Computer subsystem:

The Raspberry Pi acts as the central controller, managing both input and output operations.

Input subsystem:

The keyboard is the primary input method. Additional input devices may be added later through USB expansion.

Output subsystem:

The display serves as the primary output device, showing system activity and user interface.

🪛Design Direction

After reviewing publicly available cyberdeck designs, I decided on a compact tablet-like form factor.

The current design consists of:

• A front-mounted display embedded into the case
• A Raspberry Pi and power bank mounted inside the enclosure behind the screen

This configuration is chosen to prioritize reaching a functional MVP quickly. Future iterations may introduce improvements such as a rotating or laptop-style hinged display.

🔬Packaging Study Findings

All dimensions are approximate and based on early-stage placeholder modeling. Units are in millimeters (length x width x height).

• Case:
  230 x 160 x 40
  Includes a cutout on the front face for the embedded display.

• Screen (initial placeholder):
  200 x 120 x 15

• Screen (final target, 7 inch):
  155 x 87 x 15

• Raspberry Pi 4B:
  90 x 60 x 25
  Slightly oversized in the model to account for cables, connectors, and mounting tolerance.

• Power bank:
  110 x 70 x 20
  Based on a typical 10,000 mAh USB battery. Final dimensions may change depending on selected model.

Key Finding:

The initial screen model was too large. The original estimate produced a diagonal of approximately 233 mm (about 9.2 inches), which did not match the intended 7 inch display size.

After correction, the 155 x 87 mm screen model aligns with a 7 inch diagonal and is now used as the baseline for enclosure design.

Current Conclusion

The current enclosure design appears sufficient to house all core components based on the current placeholder assembly in Onshape.

Remaining uncertainties primarily involve final battery selection and cable routing.

👣Next Steps

• Finalize selection of power bank
• Choose exact display model
• Begin KiCad schematic for wiring and power design
• Refine enclosure geometry in Onshape based on finalized components

God bless you,
Yodahe