Live Q&A: Questions and Answers - Design Topics -
Fuwo - 03-19-2016
Hello everyone,
well, as Neil did it already in the first round of Q&A, I will attend the Q&A rounds and note the question and their answers.
I will try to attend the early and the late rounds of all Q&A’s, so I can get you a picture of the whole Q&A.
A little disclaimer here: The Q&A are more like a little presentation/ discussion, with further explanations to the questions. Therefore I need to “distill” the question so I can present it in the following list.
So it’s not quoted, and there could be smaller mistakes.
I advise anyone, who has technical question, to attend the Q&A’s or get in touch with the blocks team directly.
Also thanks to a_guy for bringing up some corrections.
Today’s topic of Q&A: Design Topics (19th March)
Q: Why a circle screen?
A: The small circle screens right now offers the best display technology, also orientated at the traditional round watches for the first model.
Q: Will the screen edge be touch sensitive (for example like the iPod wheel)?
A: The edge itself will not be sensitive but they work that the screen will be sensitive to the edge so you have the maximum range to use.
Q: What will be the modules made of? What the key point to decide?
A: The material need to be durable and light. Metal would be (in comparison) heavy.
The Modules will be made of durable plastic.
Q: What was the hottest part to/of the design?
A: There was the question, where the watch should be modular, where should be the connections, how to connect/to disconnect?
Quoted from the
Blocks Twitter feed:
Quote:Designing the connectors was the hardest part followed by the clasp
Q: How does the clasp work?
A: It will be like a silicon strap, will pushed to a holding spike from underneath. (For example like the Apple Watch)
Q: Is there already a new material chosen for the premium finish?
A: Blocks was in contact with compal, and they offered some options:
A ceramic finish (would be hard to do, would need to be a much thicker layer), different wooden materials and a carbon fibre, which is right now the most appealing option for the Blocks team.
Metallic coatings would block signals like GPS or NFC, so at least their module cases would need to be made of plastic or other non-metallic materials. And the old plan of NVCM is off the deck too, there is a dissatisfying lack of quality.
Q: How you ensure the ergonomics?
A: As more smaller modules the wristband would have, as more comfy it would be worn. Right now its, as the modules are already relatively small, nearly as ergonomic as a normal watch.
Q: How many modules would be needed for the wristband?
A: The usual wrist size is 18 cm in circumference, its planned to be 5 modules for the average 18cm wrist. The extra Battery Module will take 2 of these, so if eBm used, it will be 4 modules.
Q: IP68, shells not a thing anymore?
A: The Problem is, that the shells need some space. With shells there would be + ~1mm top and sides for an extra layer for waterproofing and an additional ~1mm for the shell itself. It could have been done, but the modules would be thicker and wider.
A "nice to know" fact about the IP68:
The Watchface itself and the modules itself as single units are IP68.
But the connection between the modules/Watchface is not IP68.
So the Watch as a whole does not meet the requirements for the IP68 certificate,
the single parts does, so the Watch itself is safe.
Q: What is the design philosophy?
A: We orientated at the quantum mechanics, where the quantum can have two states at the same time. So things can fulfill several meanings in the same time like fulfill a technical job AND at the same time be a wrist band. Also we continuity used an angle you will find anywhere at the watch.
Quoted from the
Blocks Twitter feed:
Quote:Our design philosophy is Quantum Design, pieces existing as themselves while being about to work together.
Q: Could you release the cat files for 3d printing? For dev stands, get a feeling for it, dev spacer/blank modules, etc.?
A: Not sure if functional print would be possible, there are some tiny parts in the modules like th connector springs etc., it might be possible to send cats of the whole model to certain users per mail.
Q: What are the current measurements of the modules?
A: 28mm width, 6mm thick, the "arc angle" (which is the angle between the two ends of the module) will be 80° (Thanks a_guy for the arc angle)
Q: What kind of durability tests has the new connector gone through?
A. Industry standards, which means a stress test with 6kg/60NM. As its standard it will be as stable as the usual watches. Also the lock pins are metallic.
Q: Why didn’t you start with the camera module? Are there problems?
A: The camera module is one of the most challenging ones, as its need to pass a lot of data through the connector to the core. Also there is still the search for a sensor which is small enough to fit into a module. But, the camera module is on the timeline… it just take some time.
Q: Would it be possible to move the GPS into the Watchface?
A: Sure, this would be technically possible, but it would go against the basic idea of Blocks.
Not everyone would use the module and it also would made the Watchface thicker.
Side note: Blocks expecting first production samples at the 1st week of May, and a week after that there could be more pictures of the watch, the modules etc.
RE: Live Q&A: Questions and Answers - Design Topics -
a_guy - 03-19-2016
I wanted to do the debriefing but you did it already
About the length : We were not told the exact length but the "arc angle" which is the angle between the two ends of the module and is worth 80°
The team will be releasing technical drawings as soon as they have a final design and have "protected themselves" (patents), other than that the design will be "open source".
RE: Live Q&A: Questions and Answers - Design Topics -
Neil Shah - 03-21-2016
Thanks for this ! I somehow got busy and managed to miss this meeting !
RE: Live Q&A: Questions and Answers - Design Topics -
Snyper493 - 03-21-2016
This meeting... was at 4 or 5 AM for me on Saturday, I CAN'T MAKE THAT.....
RE: Live Q&A: Questions and Answers - Design Topics -
Alessandro G. - 03-24-2016
Well thanks a lot for posting this de-briefing! I'm just too damn busy lately, but I see that luckily you guys have been making all the right questions to the team!
RE: Live Q&A: Questions and Answers - Design Topics -
Kalpeshm - 03-24-2016
What processor will be used? Is it the new one snapdragon has made for smartwatches?
RE: Live Q&A: Questions and Answers - Design Topics -
Alessandro G. - 03-25-2016
(03-24-2016, 11:53 PM)Kalpeshm Wrote: What processor will be used? Is it the new one snapdragon has made for smartwatches?
Yep, that's it!