EI2030: Summer Update

--- date: "2020-07-27" title: "EI2030: Summer Update" tags: Blog --- # EI2030 Summer Update - TODO: Include EI2030 banner picture from site It's been some time since our last update at EI2030. We've been making progress in building an e-ink laptop that's open hardware and software, attending the FOSS North 2021 Conference, starting working with Lancer, and participating in the 2021 Hackaday Prize. ## FOSS North 2021 Conference - TODO: Insert picture of FOSS North - TODO: Add links the slides and video We attended the FOSS North 2021 conference, "Building an Open-source E-Ink Laptop." The talk focused on introducing EI2030, its structure, discussing the challenges of building an open-source e-ink laptop, addressing its challenges, the project's status, and next steps. The event served as an opportunity and space to share all the work done at EI2030. Thank you to the FOSS North team for the invitation and for organizing the event. Check out the slides and video from the conference. ## From Hardware to Software ### Archer Prototype - TODO: Include pictures of Archer prototype, ones from slides? - TODO: Ask ZephRay for input on elaborating lessons learned from Archer. Archer is the name of our open-hardware and software e-ink laptop. We are learning a lot from building our prototype: * The complexity involved in making a laptop. * The sourcing of parts. * Getting in contact with manufacturers. * The constant iteration and design. I was able to meet with Wenting Zhang and see the laptop in all its beauty. Of course, we also had the whole table filled with multiple eink devices. From the lessons learned from Archer, we are shifting our focus to Lancer. Reference: https://hackmd.io/ioSlPNnDTo-qaCksl4zlNg (link to) https://twitter.com/zephray_wenting/status/1401686460546359300 https://github.com/EI2030/Archer https://github.com/EI2030/Caster ### Lancer Prototype - TODO: Mock-up of Lancer, possibly a picture? - TODO: Ask ZephRay for support to include additional details of Lancer and use cases. Lancer is the name of our open hardware and software eink tablet. We learned from Archer that while we could create a working prototype, the manufacturing, production, and scaling of the parts necessary to build the computer are complex to source and add a layer of complexity for launching an open hardware device. We still intend to produce and create an open-hardware and open-source laptop. In the meantime, our focus is being redirected to Lancer. We've decided to reduce the complexity and focus on building a tablet, building relationships, and a quality device. By focusing on a tablet form factor, the design and manufacturing of the chassis are simplified. We can allow users to bring their preferences when it comes to using a keyboard and mouse. We hope to re-use some of the work and development of our Archer and Caster prototypes. Lancer will allow us to create an iterate on software made for e-ink first devices. We hope that building a community around Lancer will further improve the landscape for future eink devices. We hope to satisfy users accustomed to a traditional desktop environment and users who may want a catering e-ink first experience with a select number of applications and use cases. Why we are switching? - manufacture / chassis - software / linux desktop - amlogic processor nxp vs amlogic documentation / support vs providing chip to suppliers, not enough documentation Specifications: - SoC: Amlogic S922X (4x Cortex-A73 @ 2.2 GHz + 2x Cortex-A53 @ 2.0 GHz) (Will have RISC-V option with StarFive JH7110 SoC when it become available) - RAM: 4GB DDR4 - SSD: User-replaceable M.2 SSD - Network: 802.11ac + BT4.0 - Screen: 10.1" DES E-paper display - Battery: 2x User-replaceable LiFePO4 18650 battery - Ports: - USB 2.0 Type-A Host x2 - USB 2.0 Type-C UFP with Power Delivery x1 - 3.5 mm Headphone Jack - 3.5 mm Line-In Jack - MicroHDMI 2.0 Output - MicroHDMI 1.4 Input https://hackaday.io/project/180864-lancer-e-ink-linux-tablet https://github.com/EI2030/Lancer ## PineNote https://www.pine64.org/2021/08/15/introducing-the-pinenote/ ## Focusing on Software ## EI2030 Website - TODO: Include link and picture of the new re-design of the website - TODO: Shouout to the people who've worked on the website - TODO: Discuss the current implementation of the website - TODO: Looking for web developers to continue working on the website - Redesign of website begun, focus on reflecting the focus of the group in its design - Simple, focused, readable - Exploration on "what would a website designed for e-ink be like?" # Working Groups ## Driving E Ink Displays (ZephRay) - TODO: Update from ZephRay ## Laptop and Tablet Chassis (Brodie) - TODO: Get in contact with Brodie to get an update on the laptop chassis and the tablet chassis ## Non-emissive Displays (Anjan / ZephRay) - TODO: Update from Anjan and Zephray about displays / DES ## Psychology & UX (Tom / Rob) and Anjan <3 - WAITING: For write-up from Psych/UX team As most of us spend an inordinate amount of time staring at screens, the health impact of doing so is becoming more and more relevant. As a group, much of the interest in eink as a screen technology is rooted in combatting some of that -- eink promising an experience more akin to paper that, hopefully, is less visually fatiguing. Within the Psych & UX group, we have focused on understanding exactly what this means from both a physical health perspective and a psychological perspective. Through exploring existing research not only on the impact of screen usage (and the aspects thereof) on visual fatigue, but also the connections that visual fatigue and readability can have on mental fatigue, focus, and productivity. Our goal is to develop a clear understanding of how using eink rather than transmissive or emissive displays may affect health and productivity. To do so, we will continue reviewing research and have begun designing more direct, rigorous studies that we hope to carry out in the future. The experience of eink isn't, however, limited just to the display technology. Readability, visual strain, and mental fatigue, not to mention the success of such a device, all also can be directly impacted by the UX and UI designed. Eink has very clear limitations as a technology when compared to traditional display technology -- in the Psych & UX group we have started exploring what this means for the interface of such a device. As our goal is to create a device that serves more than the well-known eink use cases (e-reader, note taker), we have started exploring how an interface might work if it were designed from the ground-up for eink. Our focus is to create an interface and design around interaction patterns that are supported by the technology, rather than fighting it. We will continue exploring interaction and interface paradigms with the goal of creating both designs for core use cases and UI as well as guidelines for extending the UI and UX to further use-cases. As a group, we have also aligned on a long-term purpose that we will strive towards furthering in our research and our UX explorations: calm computing. A counter to the always-on, distracted nature of most current devices, calm computing is rooted in focus and intentionality. We believe that an eink device and a software layer matched to it are a perfect vessel for a more focused, calm computing environment (and that in full sunlight). ## Software & Applications - TODO: Start recruiting process for software developers for software & application _unstructured input psych and ux_ Things explored: 1. Exploring the psychological and health impact of different screen types, focusing on: - differences in visual fatigue between emissive and non-emissive screens (i.e. is an iPad more tiring to stare at than a kindle over a full days work) - Whether the above is related to focus and productivity (i.e. If the iPad is more tiring, does this significantly impede the users ability to focus and be productive) - Outcome so far? - Investigated existing research. Begun designing more rigorous studies, hoping to run them later in the year 2. Designing for e-ink. Exploring what an interface would look like if designed from the ground up for e-ink - With a goal to extend beyond the common use cases (e-reader, note taken), how might an interface work if designed specifically for EPD (questioning input types, etc) - What common interaction paradigms work, which do not - Which use-cases could such a device support without leading to a poor UX - Outcome so far: - Designed UX of new website - Developing a UX vision: - Discussed use-cases; using outside and productivity suite - Begun conceptualising new interaction paradigm for optimising focus and "calm computing" (also - using outside) - Unsure if this is contentious or not. Seems rather aligned for most of the group, but at least one outlier is present. - Current (WIP) long-term vision for device UX - Focus on "native" support for key use-cases, present Linux(?) as an "app" for power users and extendability # Next Steps - TODO: Synthesize information from above - TODO: Create next steps for respective areas and working groups - TODO: Include Tweet embed _Alex's unstructured input_ - addressing using standard parts vs making custom parts, getting in contact with manufacturers, MOQ, how to make a prototype when it needs a custom part, chicken or the egg. - hitting the deadline for the wildcard challenge for 2021 hackday prize - worthwhile considering mentioning starting crowdsourcing campaign for early 2022? - taking inspiration from the pine64, remarkable and pebble communities for Lancer. Provide hardware and software that's open and build a community that iterates and improves it over time. - Thinking about my own network in the Boston area. CIC, events that happen in the Cambridge/Kendall area, research for events/people now, and also starting in September when things star to pick-up - Can mention that if you are in the Boston/Cambridge area and would like to talk to reach out - Re-starting open office hours that are open regardless if someone scheduled or not and post on Twitter.