TechNIK's Cyberdeck

Description

Unfortunately, I didn't find out about the Cyberdeck Contest until July 10th, but I started drawing the case right away. Since I've been thinking about this thing for months, I've fortunately already got almost all the hardware together.

The Cyberdeck housing is designed in such a way that all components are screwed to the housing from the inside with sufficient space reserves. This means that holders for components can be changed later, and also the IO panels are both very easy to adapt and replace.

Due to the compact design, I decided to use a trackball instead of a mini trackpad, since I also want to remain flexible with the SBC, the trackpad is connected to the SBC via USB. This required a Arduino PRO micro which also takes the controller function for the side wheel.

It's my first project with fusion 360.

Details

Special features

side wheel with button for cursor keys and enter (useful in the terminal)
very easily customizable IO and back panel (because I'm someone whose projects are never really finished)
two wifi adapters (USB and Raspberry builtin)
two bluetooth adapters (USB and Raspberry builtin)
zigbee adapter (to debug zigbee networks)
internal SD or microSD memory
three external usb ports
external SD and microSDcard reader
external 5 gpio connectors, 5V, 3.3V, ground (so that raspberry tinkering can be tested quickly with a breadboard)
can be used as a full desktop

Design in general

retro look
sturdy
compact
easy assembly (without glue)
easy access to the internal components
customizable without having to reprint the case
no screws visible from the outside
dimensions 253x253x104mm

Rear panel

(can be slided into the case and is held in position by the bottom cover)

raspberry microSD access
"usb c" charging port
external WiFi antenna

IO panel

(can be slided into the case and is held in position by the bottom cover)

three USB Ports
8pin gpio (5v, 3.3v, ground, gpio's)
RJ45 LAN

Peripherals

trackball and mouse buttons
knob (for cursor keys and enter)
full mechanical keyboard

Other properties

good raspberry cooling (so that it is not throttled)
stereo speakers
capacitive touch screen
power and act LED

Painting color

primary color: RAL1015
Secondary Color: RAL7016

future plans

usb micro b and a wide range charging port (5-30V with banana jack (rear panel)
HDMI output (IO panel)
Battery (the UPS board which can be seen in the CAD drawings turned out to be a flop (aliexpress 52pi UPS plus)

Files

check_throttled_state.sh

simple bash script which checks continuous CPU throttled state and show GPU/CPU Temperature of a raspberry 4

Bourne Shell Script - 537.00 bytes - 08/16/2023 at 17:21

Download

1.0_peripherals_firmware.zip

x-zip-compressed - 1.86 kB - 08/11/2023 at 19:34

Download

drawing.pdf

Adobe Portable Document Format - 129.57 kB - 08/10/2023 at 14:51

Preview

GPIO_label.svg

svg+xml - 16.56 kB - 08/06/2023 at 09:37

Preview

case STL's.zip

x-zip-compressed - 3.50 MB - 08/04/2023 at 18:25

Download

Components

1 × Raspberry Pi 4 4GB sbc

1 × Waveshare 7.9Inch HDMI LCD display

1 × 52Pi rpi 4 coolertower aliexpress

1 × Arduino PRO micro or any other arduino which is usable as USB HID Device

1 × ICSH044A trackball breakoutboard aliexpress or sparkfunn trackball breakoutboard

Project Logs

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Does it run DOOM without throttling?
Nik Reitmann • 08/16/2023 at 18:28 • 0 comments

Whether DOOM runs on a Raspberry Pi 4 is almost a boring question, but it is enough to show how well the cooling and the power supply for the devices in the case are.
Last project log entry: Demo videos
Nik Reitmann • 08/13/2023 at 15:08 • 0 comments

As can be seen in the demo videos, Raspbian does not run as efficiently as kali linux. I will probably use kali linux despite the many packages that need to be updated.

Taskbar TOP: Kali Linux
Taskbar BOTTOM: Raspbian
Perfect the brightness of the LEDs
Nik Reitmann • 08/11/2023 at 15:29 • 0 comments

At the beginning I took two 500ohm resistors, the red LED was much too bright and the orange hardly recognizable. Now the orange LED has a series resistance of 50 Ω and the red 1 kΩ.
orange is the ACT LED of the raspberry and red is POWER (just like the LEDs on the Raspberry pi board)
Installing OS, configure ACT LED and Powerbutton
Nik Reitmann • 08/10/2023 at 14:16 • 0 comments

Since I have external access to the raspberry microSD, I don't have to make a final decision on an OS. I am currently testing whether raspbian (32bit) meets all my requirements. I have already created a kali linux microSD and adapted the OS installation to the cyberdeck, kali linux only has the disadvantage for me that it contains a lot of packages which all have to be updated...

Power LED now works correctly

cool-retro-term (is the name of the apt package) ;-)

The most important thing I have to configure with a new OS is the display
Assembly complete
Nik Reitmann • 08/06/2023 at 18:43 • 0 comments
Code the "peripherals Arduino"
Nik Reitmann • 08/02/2023 at 21:07 • 0 comments

I noticed that it's not that easy to write the firmware for the trackball myself, my version was pretty sticky, but it worked. However, that was enough for me to understand the function. Then I have to look for a clever library on the internet, but unfortunately I didn't find any library, but the following brilliant demo code:

https://github.com/LSChyi/blackberry-mini-trackball

The trackball works super smooth now. The rotary encoder with the button and the two mouse buttons were then written fairly quickly.

I will upload the arduino code, all STL's of the case, bash scripts etc. here at the end of the project (hopefully before the cyberdeck contest deadline).

serial output from finished arduino code

demo of the peripherals arduino
prepare electronics
Nik Reitmann • 08/01/2023 at 19:13 • 0 comments

raspberry wiring harness

peripheral wiring harness

prepare power and act LED

finished LED part

mousebuttons

mousebuttons (other view)

powerbutton
Painting successful
Nik Reitmann • 07/31/2023 at 20:46 • 0 comments
Painting failed
Nik Reitmann • 07/31/2023 at 12:35 • 0 comments

When coloring the case, everything that could go wrong went wrong. I bought a weird PU spray that splattered so particles and didn't cover at all (not even the gray primer). So sand and prime again.
prime: all good
Too much color because it didn't cover. Pretty sure my fault too, I'm just bad at painting.

so sand again (this "heavily used" look would look cool too)
All parts printed and the visibile parts sanded
Nik Reitmann • 07/29/2023 at 13:46 • 0 comments

All printed parts

All parts (without cables)

View all 13 project logs

Build Instructions

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Get all parts

Print

Case printed in two parts, the rest can be printed in one piece. All printed with a Bambu X1C, a 0.6mm nozzle, in PETG with a layer height of 0.18mm.

The printing time for all parts was approx. 20 hours.

IO Panels are customizable (blank panels are foundable in files in this project).
The case is also available as [full] and as [splitted] in the files.

Parts

Mostly AliExpress, see "components" in this Project.

Post processing

Glued with epoxy resin and sanded with 320 grit sandpaper. Then primed several times, sanded wet with 600 grit sandpaper and painted with two coats.

Raspberry cables

Discussions

Noah LaRoy wrote 11/08/2025 at 01:50

I'm just now getting around to building my Cyberdeck based off of this but the Vortex keyboard is out of stock. Any recommendations on what to use instead?

Are you sure? yes | no

John Maxon wrote 05/17/2024 at 10:12

Ok this is beyond awesome. I am going to set one up myself when I get done with my job.

Are you sure? yes | no

Shteef-Ner wrote 03/04/2024 at 09:19

Hi, amazing work, I love it. I'm going to have a go and building one. I may have missed it in your description, but what is the purpose of the tp-link device, is the PI's own wifi not sufficient or is it to minimise RF noise near the amplifier?

Are you sure? yes | no

michael.meincke wrote 11/15/2023 at 12:34

Hi Nik. Thanks for the great design! Just (nearly) finished building it myself. The only problem I have is with the audio. I used a small PAM8403 based amplifier, which causes extreme distortion. you can literally hear the Pi and the Wifi working ;-) What kind of amplifier did you use? I was not able to find anything using the description here in the componets list...

Are you sure? yes | no

Nik Reitmann wrote 11/15/2023 at 13:30

Hi Michael, cool if you get acoustic feedback for the components, that could also be a feature of a cyberdeck ;-).

I think the cables should be better insulated, or you can use an amplifier with a jack or cinch audio connection (then you can use a pre-soldered and well-insulated audio cable). The same amplifier but with audio jack connection as stated in the parts would be:

https://www.fruugoschweiz.com/2x3w-pam8403-20ch-aux-mini-digital-dual-channel-audio-verstarker-3w-3w-diy-lauträumer-usb-5v-small-s/p-211872511- 451735419?language=de&ac=ProductCasterAPI&asc=pmax&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC-16ksUyIp8aFSFtlOXNGnyoNhtIUF-IYSBmDUEJtdy_htw_z4m6hRoCjTEQAvD_BwE

PS: I would be happy to see a photo of your build :-) (maybe on printables: https://www.printables.com/model/551922-techniks-cyberdeck)

Are you sure? yes | no

michael.meincke wrote 11/15/2023 at 14:56

Hey Nik, thanks for the fast feedback. Yeah, it’s not a bug, it’s a feature :-)

I read somewhere that class D amplifiers like the 8403 are very prone to noise - they amplify well, but everything…

I will check with a different one and will use a shielded cable.

I will also post photos soon

Are you sure? yes | no

Trevor Flowers wrote 11/01/2023 at 22:38

Kudos on the overall design and feel of the deck. To me, it looks like a comfy and hyper-useful tool for thinking and also for playing.

Are you sure? yes | no

sup wrote 10/24/2023 at 08:38

very fat

how many weeks this device work on one charge?

Are you sure? yes | no

Branston probably wrote 10/17/2023 at 07:54

I love this !

Are you sure? yes | no

swilliamson5590 wrote 10/10/2023 at 20:04

Really appreciate the time and effort that went into this. Very well designed and put together. Will definitely be printing my own after I order the components.

Are you sure? yes | no

Human Controller wrote 08/29/2023 at 20:18

The beauty of the case is amazing, which makes it hard to believe that it was printed with a 3D printer. I think it was hard to make this one.

Are you sure? yes | no

Nik Reitmann wrote 08/30/2023 at 16:20

Thank you. With enough sanding work, every 3D print becomes a beauty :-)

Are you sure? yes | no

RobsonCouto wrote 08/14/2023 at 22:36

Nik, this is looking incredible! Rooting for you on the contest! Amazing work in such a short time!

Are you sure? yes | no

Nik Reitmann wrote 08/15/2023 at 07:31

Thank you. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time either, otherwise I would have concentrated even more on the software part. Your deck also looks incredibly good, there are a lot of nice decks in the contest.

Are you sure? yes | no

Nik Reitmann wrote 08/13/2023 at 15:23

Thank you very much, it would also be a pity for your cyberdeck if it broke during the apocalypse :-P Really a very nice and cyberpunky build

Are you sure? yes | no

mkdxdx wrote 08/13/2023 at 15:12

That is one slick build worth keeping workbench clean for!

Are you sure? yes | no

TechNIK's Cyberdeck

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Description

Details

Special features

Design in general

Rear panel

IO panel

Peripherals

Other properties

Painting color

future plans

Files

check_throttled_state.sh

1.0_peripherals_firmware.zip

drawing.pdf

GPIO_label.svg

case STL's.zip

Components

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