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Blog SlimPi: making the smallest & slimest laptop
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  • Author Author: Former Member
  • Date Created: 3 May 2016 4:14 PM Date Created
  • Views 760 views
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  • Comments 0 comments
  • raspberrypi.
  • laptop
  • slim
  • raspberry_pi_projects
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SlimPi: making the smallest & slimest laptop

Former Member
Former Member
3 May 2016

Hi everyone,

 

So, I'm a cheapskate/poor student with more ideas than resources, and no formation in electronics whatsoever.

 

The main idea is to have a laptop which is small, cheap and fitted to take notes and give presentations. With a huge autonomy (6-8 hours)

 

To do so, I'll use:

 

Raspberry Pi 3

7" Touchscreen Display

Driver board RA8875

Macbook keyboard (slim and I like the layout)

Battery(-ies)??? + Powerboost 1,000 charger

 

Dimensions (I focus on the hardware, so the sizes are approximations):

It should be pocket size, so the 7" display will be the general size of it, more or less 165x102mm. Hence, the keyboard (which I want to be "normal" size, it's impossible to take efficiently notes for 6 hours with a mini-keyboard) should be cut in two parts.

Folded, it will be more or less 35mm:

5 mm for the display

5 mm for the keyboard (folded: 10 mm)

20 mm for the bottom (whut? The raspberry is 21 mm dumbass. Yep, but I will remove some useless part like the CPU the Ethernet connection, replace the two-high USB by simple USB plugs)

 

Here's the basic representation of it:

image

To close it, the right part of the keyboard falls on the left part, then the screen lowers on everything (as any laptop)

First problem: can I cut a keyboard as such and remake the connections so the right keys actually work?

 

The second problem is toward the keyboard itself. I know from this video that it's working, but I have no idea how to connect it to the raspberry.

 

The last problem is the autonomy. With a 2,500 mAh battery, this configuration will last less than 2 hours, and I want 6 hours, so more or less 7,500 mAh (10,00 will be a good dream) and keep it slim... So, LiPos?

Is there anyway to plug 4 of them in parallel (exactly the same model 2,500 mAh from Adafruit), connect all of it (with a power distribution bus???) to the powerboost and avoid any explosions or damages?

 

Or does it make more sens to buy a tablet battery (like this) and use it safely (with the powerboost?)?

 

The bottom part will have a 8° angle (logitech keyboards have this angle and I find it perfect to write), meaning the top will be larger than the bottom, so I guess I could put 6 lithium ion batteries by salvaging this 6,6k mAh and this 4,6k and put them together? Or perhaps even better to salvage the official powerbank?

 

Or are you dead of laughing because I don't make any sens image

image

To summarize in simple questions:

- how can I connect a laptop keyboard to the raspberry?

- Can I cut a keyboard in two pieces?

- how can I provide 7k-10k mAh in the slimiest fashion?

 

I will keep you update on my project, hope you will enjoy my misadventures! image

 

Thank you!

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