Modular Laptops
From SmartPlanet.com, via SlashDot:
Students from Stanford and Finland’s Aalto University have developed a prototype laptop that can be disassembled in less than three minutes without the use of any tools. Once it’s taken apart, the laptop’s materials can easily be recycled. SmartPlanet talks to the inventors about their design concept and gets a hands-on demo of the process.
The video above shows how this laptop with a very modular design can be quickly disassembled without the use of tools. If you’ve ever taken apart a laptop, you know the pain and frustration that comes from trying to find and keep track of the nigh infinite number and variety of screws that hold these things together. As these students demonstrate, it just does not have to be this way. Interestingly, there may not be much of a need for a modular designed laptop as long as the components themselves were sufficiently modular. This is the kind of thing I’ve come to expect to be uploaded to Thingiverse.
Just imagine printing a custom laptop case, slapping in some totally modular parts, and rocking out on your new laptop 3 minutes later.
| Tagged with | aalto, computer, design, e-waste, ewaste, laptop, modular, modularity, slashdot, smartplanet, stanford | 4 comments |
4 Comments so far
tre3
Modularity can serve to the detriment of design – including, but not limited to, performance, cost, reliability.
For the same reason, the road of upgrade paths is terminal for every product. This is why design for end of life is important.
Scott Watkins
I’ve been wanting something like this for years. My biggest question is what motherboard are they using?
A compact motherboard like that is really all that’s needed to make this dream a reality.
Matt LaBerge
It looks to me like they were using a logic board from a 13″ MacBook.
Chris T.
The biggest reason why manufacturers won’t accept the idea is simple. Easy to take apart and replace means less need for customers to send their machines in for repairs. That means less money for those that make these repairs and will not require users to buy a new laptop very often, simply swapping out the parts. It all comes down to corporate gain.