Кибердек RA01
Кибердек RA01 is a custom-made wearable computer, inspired by classic cyberpunk science fiction.
HistoryCyberdecks are fictional devices, common for the cyberpunk genre. It seems to me that the source of inspiration for the original concept were 8-bit home computers, and keytars.Many of the cassette-based home computers shared their signature form-factor, meant to be plugged into a separate display. In science fiction however, computers were pictured as consoles—decks—giving the user access to cyberspace. Deckers, wearing their gear around city streets, became a common concept, especially in games. Back in school I did a lot of matrix runs, trying to save some nuyen for a new  Fuchi Cyber-7 deck, sold in the Puyallup Barrens: |  |
My background
I'm a digital artist, and sometimes I create interactive installations, and device art. I also enjoy hobby electronics, and occasionally do simple projects. These projects vary from video game console modding and servicing, to repairs, hardware hacking, or creating custom controllers for my graphics.Inspiration
 | It clicked when D10D3 had released his Ono Sendai Cyberspace 7. I believe I first saw it around 2 years ago, and I wasn't the only one who got hooked. Since then cyberdecks have become a scene, with people from all over the world sharing their custom builds and exchanging ideas. I had a lot of ideas, too, but in the spring of 2021 I realized that instead of creating concepts, I would rather create something that actually works. By that time I only had a spare Raspberry Pi 4, and a keyboard. In three month's time I've finished the project and now I am sitting here writing this text. |
My goal
Such a hardware may unlock new unexpected dimensions of creative freedom. You see, inspiration is a very fragile thing, being exposed even to tiniest occasions in life: such as a vacation trip, or a room rearrangement. So even though this device doesn't feel very practical as a tool, at first glance, it still may find its place in my life, and stimulate my creativity, or inspire me for new challenges. I also simply enjoy crafting: bringing my vision to life, and getting something which hasn’t existed before.
– Alan Kay
Another case is that I never enjoyed using Pi because of the mess it creates on my desk. Plugging a multitude of thick cables into a small and lightweight PCB is very impractical, and enclosing everything into one unit felt like a good opportunity for finally putting RPi into some good use.
Last but not least, I find limitations very beneficial, and a distraction free space of the Cyberdeck could limit me like nothing else.
- Try creating some typography on this thing
- Create interactive content
- UI
- Gameplay loop / logic prototypes
- Write stories, or interactive fiction
- Use it as a logic node for A/V installations:
- Micro server
- Projector controller
- Do more Python
Design choices
- Long screen
- Handle is a must
- No moving parts
- No CAD, no 3D printing ("...cobbled together the way things are in the dystopic future [...] only scrap parts" – Alta)
- No multitouch, or touchpads
Parts
I was shopping for parts on a local classified ads website, picking items at the parcel machine nearby. Some of the items were imported from Aliexpress or Amazon. I didn't have my list of items set in stone, and was improvising a lot.
CaseI was going to put the case together using random old electronic cases and parts lying around, when I stumbled across an old C64C case, sold at a cost of two iced frappuccinos.I've measured everything, and have figured out that the case was a perfect fit. I never misuse original vintage hardware or parts, and I feel sorry for savaging the case. But grabbing one from Pixelwizard (who sells housings made with original Commodore molds) wasn't an option for me, since they were much more expensive, and out of stock. I had also planned on installing rack handles (like on a Sony PVM), to protect the screen from impacts, but misordered one 3U instead of two 1Us. It turned out to be cooler, so I consider it as a  happy accident | GripI made a cardboard mockup for the handle insert before cutting the case out. I used an empty marker shell as a rod, and put a bicycle grip on it. I glued the marker's cap to the case with cyanoacrylate cement, while the shell itself is tight fit from the other side. The handle had a snug fit, but was also removable.  |
Strap
One of my main goals was to make this build practical, yet aesthetically pleasant. In wearable builds like this figuring out straps is usually difficult. I didn't want to bolt a car seatbelt to the case, or attach a guitar loop, or compromise the looks in any other similar fashion. But I did want to have a techwear Cyberdeck, with an adjustable strap. | I've used one from my O2I4O4 TIGERSHARD-B camouflage bag, made by AOKU™. AOKU is my favourite techwear brand, producing a lot of cool gear (including bags, MOLLE attachments and EDC accessories). I'm assuming that such straps may soon become available at aokuware.com as a separate item. |
| For the mounts, I had two 54m Picatinny Rails installed (military standard rail interface system). And while I did try mounting a rifle scope onto it just for giggle, the main idea is to loop the strap through two low profile tactical RSA. These Rear Sling Attachments have a quick-detach feature, so the strap could be quickly removed for a normal desktop use. They are also magnetically locked at 90° angles, which provides me with more adjustability options while wearing the device. This mil-spec touch makes the deck very practical, yet it looks like it was pulled right from an arsenal wall. |  |
PSU
 | I've figured out that most autonomous RPi setups are capable of sailing on 18650 cells smoothly. My requirements were: pass-through charging support, smart power management and multiple outputs. The 52Pi PSU has decent specs. Unfortunately I've bricked my first unit due to firmware update failure, while the second one was working OK on my test bench, but now keeps letting me down, underpowering the system. (If any of you have an idea what may be causing the issue, please let me know). |
Keyboard, Mouse and I/O
Keyboard is Vortex Core 40%, with blank keycaps. I searched a keyboard layout editor site to create a list of keycaps sizes used, and ended up grabbing these items: A, B. (Speaking of keyboards, I feel I want to share these three random links here: Chyrosran22 typing on a 40% keyboard; Foone re-creating Bubblegum Crisis layout; and me arranging different old computers cursor button cluster into a periodic table.)For a mouse I used an Arduino Micro, a set of buttons and an analogue thumbstick from Sony PSP. Originally I had planned to use arcade Sanwa buttons, and a mouse wheel, but the idea was dropped due to the lack of space. For I/O I had a card reader, an external USB 3.0, HDMI and Ethernet ports.
DisplayDisplay is a USB-powered Mini HDMI Ultrawide IPS panel with metal enclosure. It has a 1920x480 resolution. I ordered my first unit from the Wisecoco shop on Aliexpress, but it turned out to be faulty. I got my replacement from the different shop, which I'm linking here.I connected the display using an HDMI ribbon cable (an "FPV kit"). My advice to you is to purchase a complete kit from one vendor. (Because I had a spare Micro HDMI to HDMI kit lying around, and when I purchase Mini HDMI PCB replacement for it, it didn't work.) |  |
Audio
The MonkMakes speaker is powered by GPIO, and the volume is controlled by a rotary encoder. A knob was salvaged from my modded Akai LPD-8 controller. The first song I played was “Chase The Dream” from the "Bubblegum Crisis" (1987).Software
A short checklist of everything that has been done on a software level      |
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Typography
| I like certain analogue qualities of the late-Soviet typography, with letters sometimes having graphic vibration, caused by merging of its wonky yet futuristic shapes with a warm hand-drawn feeling. Logotype font is a homage to Polivoks synthesizer (1982) which resonates with me, and with the look of my device. A few random examples: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. |  |
Assembly
 | I had a piece of particle board lying around, and I figured out that laying the components out, and attaching them to the board was very helpful. It’s like a live flowchart, making it very easy to debug the wip system, while being able to carry the whole thing around. |
Cancelled
A few things were dropped off:
|  |
Body work
Once everything was living and breathing, I started to put things together. I was using sheets of 6mm ABS plastic to form a handle insert, add front panel, and a structural support. I also made a platform for mounting the display and the keyboard. Components were secured with screws, threaded inserts and standoffs, or custom plastic latches. After securing the cables I gave the unit a good shake test.I had two types of plastic to work with:
- C64C case and its former part were glued together with Revell Contacta polystyrene cement
- ABS plastic was glued with ABS slurry (50ml acetone + 4g ABS fragments for "juice" / 8g for "glue" / 20g for "slurry")
- С64C case and ABS were held together with Cyanoacrylate cement (aka superglue with baking soda)
 | During the process I used exacto knife, dremel tool, pliers, side cutters, and a regular saw. The finished shell was treated with a 120 grit sandpaper, and double-sided nail file sticks. Then I applied putty, sanded the shell with 240 grit sandpaper, and painted it with 3 coats of primer, matte black paint, and matte clear coat. And so, on 29th of June 2021, 00:33 CET my new RA01 was complete. |
Cost
The cyberdeck project roughly cost me about as much as a
late-gen console. This includes unused parts and components, as well as investments in new tools, and materials. I was also prioritizing quicker (i.e. more expensive) delivery. So the cost can be optimized by careful planning. But on the other hand, don’t be afraid to invest into your own project to come up with something special.
Future improvements
RA01 is a proof of concept. Todo list:- Fix PSU issues (or replace with different model)
- Add Hold toggle switch to disable all buttons (incl. power)
- Wire original C64C LED to PSU's power indicator (resistor is missing now)
- Add separate Power off switch for the display
- Reinforce the case
- Repaint the case using scratch-resistant clear coat
- Expose GPIO pins
- Fix software bugs
Other decks
If you're interested in the topic, you can check reddit, cyberdeck.cafe website, and deck-tagged posts on hackaday.com, to keep up with the scene. As well as:- PiKeeb, which is a cool ongoing project
- Lisperati1000, an open-source deck by Conrad Barski, using the same keyboard and display
- DevTerm, a commercially available deck with plenty of features (incl. thermal printer)
- A prepper's deck concept built inside of a Pelican case
