> Primarily out of frustration. The dominant players in XR keep promoting their hardware as “computers”, when really they’re an iPad for your face. The most you can do is browse the web, play games, and consume content. They’re overweight and over constrained.
Also if anyone is looking for a full-sized portable keyboard, I suggest https://www.protoarc.com/products/xk01-tri-fold-bluetooth-ke... which is my primary keyboard when I'm working remotely on my tablet. It is "pocket-sized" for certain definitions of "pocket".
johnwalkr · 37m ago
That's really cool. I don't think you should support another keyboard, there may be better ones from a certain POV but I don't think there's a better one that's not significantly thicker and any keyboard options will quickly multiply complexity with any SBC/computing options. You will go down a rabbit hole if you start taking requests here. I think steamdeck internals plus rpi5 plus latest framework internals with no other configs is ambitious but not too ambitious.
My hobby is miniaturizing everything. If I were to fork this project (and I would love to after about 10 other projects are complete), I would think about selecting one good dongle, "shucking" it any other needed things, integrating them, and then finding the minimum volume to fit my preferred travel controller[1] and preferred travel mouse[2]. Then, I would consider customizing the housings of those things to be even slimmer without customizing any electronics except for maybe making sure everything gets charged while stowed. I would also consider minor mods to the keyboard to get rid of the bulk of the usbc cable. Pogo pins plus some 3D printing should do the trick.
I’m glad you say that because I actually think the Magic Keyboard is good. Obviously if I made a product version I’d need to source an original keyboard, but I’d try to stick to something similar.
Originally I was going to use my HHKB studio, but opted for the Magic Keyboard for the slimmer design and the fact that there’s at least one in every school, office, or other institution across the US.
MichaelThatsIt · 4h ago
This is a project that had been eating away at me for a bit, sitting in the back of my mind.
It's a computer that fit's perfectly underneath an Apple Magic Keyboard, and has a compartment to store peripherals like a dongle or small mouse. It has no display, instead opting for XR display glasses.
The internals are the main board, cooler, and battery from a Steam Deck OLED. I bought the parts separately rather than gutting a perfectly good one.
The link is to the CAD files. I decided to open source it as I explore building a better one.
Feel free to jump straight to that, here's the origin story for anyone interested:
I started using the XREAL glasses a few months ago. they're great, easily my favorite "XR" product. It's built around the one killer app of XR, a virtual display. shedding all non-essential hardware into a small, lightweight package.
but I hate the redundancy. Whatever device I'm using it with, the built in screen goes unused. In parallel, I've also found myself extremely disappointed in each product calling itself a "spatial computer" despite being nothing but an overweight iPad for your face.
I wanted a real computer designed to be used with these glasses, and in the smallest package I could possibly achieve.
So I grabbed an actual iPad, downloaded Shapr3D and got to work. My iteration process involved jumping back and forth between my iPad and a 3D printer. I went through roughly 15 failed iterations getting the screw mounts, airflow, and ergonomics just right.
The final result is what I believe to be a true spatial computer. I've been daily driving and I'm pretty happy with the experience. It's currently running Ubuntu 24, but I may switch back to Steam OS, given it's better optimized for the hardware.
ezschemi · 1h ago
Thank you very much for sharing the files and your experience!
I just got my first XR glasses, Xreal One Pro, and had your link bookmarked to do something similar. I am very impressed with these glasses.
Looking through ifixit I can't find the Steam Deck's mainboard. Where did you find it?
MichaelThatsIt · 1h ago
Ebay! But fear not! I’m working on a version based on the Radxa Rock 5B which is more readily available and has more kick than a pi 5.
Also doing the research on productizing the whole thing and sourcing a custom board.
ezschemi · 58m ago
I see. Need to check Ebay then.
I am interested in a productized version - but only with x64 boards like the Steam Deck or one of the Framework mainboards. I don't want to deal with 3D printing and all that. The latter are larger than the Steam Deck, though. No battery for me though: I would use it after work, when I am near an outlet anyway.
starkparker · 2h ago
This project mentions a Framework-based version as a future idea. A similar Framework 13 build popped up in r/framework a few months ago:
Ay love it. There’s quite a few similar ideas on r/cyberdeck. I just wasn’t satisfied with their look. I wanted something very clean. Something that blends in and could theoretically be used on a plane without drawing too much attention, but still nice to look at.
That guy commented in the Reddit thread I posted and I’m hoping to collab with him on the framework version if he’s down.
fitsumbelay · 13m ago
very cool project
not long ago there was a post by a user also using glasses -- 85% sure they're the same ones -- but the goal was to replace a laptop display a fuller size one. I like that this project replaces the laptop with a SBC. I spent a decade and a half wishing that SBC would be a Raspberry Pi but ... welp, better late than never
MichaelThatsIt · 4m ago
You and me both, buddy. Instead I’m calling up SoM companies and seeing what they can build me for cheap.
stavros · 39m ago
I was thinking of entirely removing the screen on my Framework, and using the Xreal Air instead. This is a really cool build, and it's inspired me to give the screenectomy a shot! I just hope I don't break anything.
MichaelThatsIt · 7m ago
Break everything! It’s how you learn to fix it. Just the other day I was in a full on panic having disassembled my toilet thinking a leak was “an easy fix.” It wasn’t, but I got it done.
ngamboa · 3h ago
I wonder if we're on the brink of a world where hardware development is as easy as software engineering. Projects like this make me think so.
MichaelThatsIt · 5m ago
If you asked me 3 weeks ago I’d think you’re crazy, but this was genuinely not that hard. Honestly I had never even touched CAD before this.
I think my next challenge is supply chain, sourcing a custom board, and figuring out unit economics for a product version.
I'm a fan of HMD programming in general so I love this project. But it should be noted that AOSP-based XR headsets can run pseudo Linux environments via termux + X: https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberDeck/comments/fc5sfr/oculus_qu...
Also if anyone is looking for a full-sized portable keyboard, I suggest https://www.protoarc.com/products/xk01-tri-fold-bluetooth-ke... which is my primary keyboard when I'm working remotely on my tablet. It is "pocket-sized" for certain definitions of "pocket".
My hobby is miniaturizing everything. If I were to fork this project (and I would love to after about 10 other projects are complete), I would think about selecting one good dongle, "shucking" it any other needed things, integrating them, and then finding the minimum volume to fit my preferred travel controller[1] and preferred travel mouse[2]. Then, I would consider customizing the housings of those things to be even slimmer without customizing any electronics except for maybe making sure everything gets charged while stowed. I would also consider minor mods to the keyboard to get rid of the bulk of the usbc cable. Pogo pins plus some 3D printing should do the trick.
[1]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55DO1HDeCHQ. No longer available new but this is the only good slim dual analog controller I have found.
[2]Still looking for a good one
Originally I was going to use my HHKB studio, but opted for the Magic Keyboard for the slimmer design and the fact that there’s at least one in every school, office, or other institution across the US.
It's a computer that fit's perfectly underneath an Apple Magic Keyboard, and has a compartment to store peripherals like a dongle or small mouse. It has no display, instead opting for XR display glasses.
The internals are the main board, cooler, and battery from a Steam Deck OLED. I bought the parts separately rather than gutting a perfectly good one.
The link is to the CAD files. I decided to open source it as I explore building a better one.
Feel free to jump straight to that, here's the origin story for anyone interested:
I started using the XREAL glasses a few months ago. they're great, easily my favorite "XR" product. It's built around the one killer app of XR, a virtual display. shedding all non-essential hardware into a small, lightweight package.
but I hate the redundancy. Whatever device I'm using it with, the built in screen goes unused. In parallel, I've also found myself extremely disappointed in each product calling itself a "spatial computer" despite being nothing but an overweight iPad for your face.
I wanted a real computer designed to be used with these glasses, and in the smallest package I could possibly achieve.
So I grabbed an actual iPad, downloaded Shapr3D and got to work. My iteration process involved jumping back and forth between my iPad and a 3D printer. I went through roughly 15 failed iterations getting the screw mounts, airflow, and ergonomics just right.
The final result is what I believe to be a true spatial computer. I've been daily driving and I'm pretty happy with the experience. It's currently running Ubuntu 24, but I may switch back to Steam OS, given it's better optimized for the hardware.
Also doing the research on productizing the whole thing and sourcing a custom board.
I am interested in a productized version - but only with x64 boards like the Steam Deck or one of the Framework mainboards. I don't want to deal with 3D printing and all that. The latter are larger than the Steam Deck, though. No battery for me though: I would use it after work, when I am near an outlet anyway.
- https://www.reddit.com/r/framework/comments/1jo7m8c/framewor...
Updated with a new mainboard from the Ryzen AI line:
- https://www.reddit.com/r/cyberDeck/comments/1kjknh4/vrxr_cyb...
GitHub repo with STLs and build details, with it running Linux and Stardust XR with non-spatial inputs on XREAL glasses:
- https://github.com/Pyro57000/fyer_deck
That guy commented in the Reddit thread I posted and I’m hoping to collab with him on the framework version if he’s down.
not long ago there was a post by a user also using glasses -- 85% sure they're the same ones -- but the goal was to replace a laptop display a fuller size one. I like that this project replaces the laptop with a SBC. I spent a decade and a half wishing that SBC would be a Raspberry Pi but ... welp, better late than never
I think my next challenge is supply chain, sourcing a custom board, and figuring out unit economics for a product version.