__NOTE:__
Project is more or less finished. If you want to get in contact with me, it would be best to PM me. Also, there is a .step file on page 12 if your 3d printer can't do meshes.
Hello everybody and welcome!
Info
The Andraxis project is 3d-printable mount/clamp/dock/holder thing that, when paired with the awesome Android Sixaxis controller tool, will allow you to turn your Android phone into a real mobile game platform.
The project can be bought from www.shapeways.com, I will be doing my best to keep its cost under $30 USD.
This project is going to be funded entirely by donations. That means on the Shapeways shop, I am not going to get a single penny of profit from each one sold. This ALSO means if I don't get any donations, I won't be able to improve on the design. The total cost for each revision I make for myself, living in Japan, is going to be $30 + $20 shipping. If you want to help me out, any amount of money will help. Just click on the "donate" button to the left, or send some money to my paypal account: [email protected]
What you will need:
Two standard 3mm screws. These are the same screws you can find in your PC case. One is to fasten the dock around the sixaxis controller, the other is used to lock the telescoping arm into position.
Some rubber tack or foam tape. Or if your cellphone has a silicone case, that might do just fine as well. Essentially, you need something that will give it extra traction to reduce the risk of slippage.
The Android Sixaxis controller tool, or some way for your phone to read the input from your sixaxis controller (can't Android 4.0 do that natively now?).
A sixaxis controller. If this project takes off, I might make different versions for other 3rd party controllers as long as they work on the software front. If you have a 3rd party controller you want to work with, give me its dimensions and as long as it doesn't require a drastic redesign I'll see what I can do.
Post-production:
The material used his highly porous and has a rough, gritty texture. The white, undyed material yellows somewhat when exposed to ultraviolet light (read: sunlight). Because of the porous and gritty texture, it also traps dirt and grime very easily. Pretty much, don't expect it to stay pristine and clean without any post-production methods. I hear varnish works well, but there's a whole section devoted to post-production at the Shapeways forum. I haven't experimented with the pre-dyed material yet, maybe it will fare better without any post-production.
Additionally, a number of the tighter interactions will need to be worked a few times to smooth them out. Examples being the locking clasp for the arm hinge and the sliding mechanism for the telescoping arm.
UPDT 11/8/2012
Looking at the competition (Gameclip, Icontrolpad 2), I would say my project is no longer "first there". So unless I come up with an awesome revision idea, there will probably be no more updates to the project.
As I originally planned from the start, along with the ending of this project, I will also be releasing the source so anybody who wishes to make their own modifications can do so themselves (or if they simply want to study it, though I'm terrible at notating stuff, sorry).
The file format is a .3dm file, this is a Rhino3d NURBS modeling filetype. If you can't use Rhino3d, you could still get the .stl file from the Shapeways website.
UPDT 5/23/2012
Due to a large number of pieces getting lost in the printing process, the project is now all one piece, with the arm boom attached to the main body by a small pip. A razor is required to get everything to fit together perfectly.
Just to clarify, Shapeways have been incredible with printing and sending replacements when they lose pieces, but it's inconvenient for everybody involved so I changed the design to minimize these complications.
Revision history:
Note: "Blind" means I haven't received that particular version yet, so I cannot comment on first-hand experience.
Revision 3
- Blind, but no major design changes so it should be fully functional.
URL: http://shpws.me/73sc
MODIFICATIONS:
- Connected the separate arm to the body by a small pip. If getting it clean is too time consuming or difficult, I could work with orientation; my initial intention is to make things easier on the Shapeways crew by making sure Andraxis doesn't take up much printer space when they're printing them.
- Added a little stand in the back. I pretty much eyeballed the dimensions so it's not guaranteed to work, but it should be fairly easy to remove if you have the right tools and it's not doing it's job and just annoying you.
- Shortened the bottom graspers. In my own experience having them extend over the face buttons sometimes meant they got in the way when playing games. Shouldn't be a problem any more, and with how sturdy the grippers are when given foam tape or a silicone case, I'm not worried about decreased gripping power.
Revision 2
- BLIND, though I didn't make any drastic changes to the design so it should work just fine.
- Shapeways link
REV. 2 DESIGN MODIFICATIONS:
- Added a screw hole to the side of the telescoping arm. This should allow it to be more pocketable, without having a big screw sticking out and making its pocket profile larger.
Revision 1 - Updated! 02/24/2012
- Received and fully functional!
- Shop url
REV. 1 OUTSTANDING ISSUES:
- The 2mm size correction from rev. 0 worked perfectly for the length of the project, but the thickness was not needed so now there is an extra 2mm of thickness. This can easily be corrected by foam tape or blue tack for now, doing so still makes it nice and tight. Will take 1mm off the thickness (going slowly to avoid having another non-working model).
- The 0.2mm correction for the sleeve was not enough. That or the dying process I experimented with trying out made the extending arm "swell" a bit. This is probably the biggest concern for rev.1 and is something you should consider if you don't want to wait for rev. 2. A good 30 minutes of sanding and "working" the telescoping mechanism should make it somewhat serviceable, but its still way too tight to expect it to work well for smaller phones. Will change it to a 0.5mm total correction.
- The support walls to the extended lower gripping prongs were mistakenly made a little thin. Its not a huge concern but since the prongs protrude out so much I want to make them as robust as possible. Will change from 1mm to 1.5mm. For those curious, the lower gripping prongs are now a total of 79mm wide. From my testing this has proven to be more than sufficient to hold the cellphone in place.
- The screw hole on the front clasp was made a little too deep. Its still perfectly serviceable (and able to hold it shut despite having two layers of foam tape padding the spaces between the controller and the project), but fixing this will make the clasp even more robust.
- The project information engraved on Rev. 1 is difficult to read. Will switch it to an emboss as what Rev. 0 was.
Other notes
- The screw holes are now a little tight. Unfortunately, a difference of 0.25mm is in the range of "random variance by the 3d printing process" so I don't think I would accomplish much by re-sizing it by 0.125mm. Its not a concern for the clasp screw hole because people aren't going to be unscrewing it all that often, but it might make the locking mechanism a bit of a pain to utilize. I'll keep it the size it is for now and observe if the screw hole gets easier to work with time.
Revision 0
- RECEIVED. Youtube video.
- Non-public.
REV. 0 OUTSTANDING ISSUES:
- The telescoping arm is too tight and its a real pain to insert into the sleeve. Added 0.2mm of clearance.
- The smaller screw hole is too small for any screws. On the other hand, the larger screw hole fits standard 3mm screws perfectly (they're the ones you would find on your PC case, for example). Removed the small screw hole, and resized the larger one by making it 0.25mm smaller to give it extra grip.
- The curves from the analog sticks are not high enough, and the face plate doesn't fit very well.
- Additionally, the hole for the Playstation button is too high. The face plate has been adjusted accordingly.
- The lower gripping prongs are too close-set and they don't extend out long enough. Adjusted from extending 6mm out, to 10mm. Widened the grip on each of the lower prongs from 10mm to 25mm.
- The clasp in the front is not needed. Replaced it with a screw hole.
- Despite having given extra space generously, the whole fit of the holder is way too tight around the controller. Added 2mm of clearance on all dimensions.
Other notes:
- The snap-in mechanism for the telescoping arm is a little stiff, but it works perfectly after its been worked a few times.
- The holder is designed to be used with rubber tack for extra traction (or a silicone phone case). The phone slipped out of the holster at the end of the video because I haven't gone to the store to get some tack just yet.
____
Disclaimer:
As you might expect, I take no responsibility if your cellphone drops out and cracks, or if the latest blind revision for some reason doesn't work (if you get missing parts, if the joint fuses, or if there are any other problems that are obviously the result of the printing technology, contact Shapeways and they should straighten things out). As long as I am able to, I intend to address any design issues that may come out, but especially in the early stages of this project you shouldn't expect a 100% working product.
BIG THANKS to:
xda user moviecut for sending a donation before I even had a working version to show!
Okay I'll post here from now, so far great.
Photo of rev1: http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3389/andraxis.jpg
Will revise v101 this weekend.
When I get my hands on it, I'll test the "SIXAXIS App" on the NOTE with the Datel Turbo Fire 2.
If everything working fine, I'll take accurate* measurements of it for you and we'll PM.
If I'm satisfied with it, I will buy and post one of those to you to. Talk to you later
Okay Rev0 has been great, but it *needs* a design change.
Basically it needs a better way of latching the phone to the cradle [MAJOR], and a comfy fir of the cradle to the controller [MINOR].
#1) What I had in mind, after the plastic is made, the inner-sides of the cradle that make contact to the phone needs to be stickied with a "breathing foam" AKA SCOTCH TAPE!!
This can be had at any arts & craft stores, most newsagents and also at hardware (tool) stores. I usually see them in cheap Chinese stores and local retailers.
Scotch Tape:
http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00QBiaTJtEIhqo/Scoth-Tape.jpg
That increases grip to the device, adds more presure for snuggly fit.
#2) Securing the phone in to a "base".
The easiest way to do this is to have a backplate and a frontplate. The backplate we already have, and that is the adjustable arm.
The frontplate is easily accomplished by giving the base a 5mm frame towards the front of the device. This prevents it from falling forwards. This frame needs to be duplicated on the top side of the cradle (the adjustable arm).
Regular: http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2761/sixaxis.png
Base: http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/7282/sixaxis2.png
The reason for this is because the cradle needs a "base". What I mean by that, is that the phone needs to rest on this peice of plastic. So far the device's top and bottom movement are restricted.
#3) The biggest challenge is that all Android phones come with different thickness, so how thick does the base need to be ??
But I've been on a Google-rampage and found out all the sizes. Basically the thickest Android devices are ~11mm. But just to be sure we need to assume 12mm. For the base:
Naked phone = 12mm (tight/snugly fit depending on phone).
Naked phone + scotch tape (on both inner sides) = 12mm (very tight fit)
Naked phone + scotch tape (on both inner sides) = 14mm (snugly fit).
Silicon cased phone (no scotch) = 14mm
Silicon cased phone + scotch tape (on both inner sides) = 17mm (snugly fit).
Now the front and back movements are restricted too.
#4) Securing the phone further.
So the phone won't fall back, front, up or down....but it can still slide left and right.
Solution: place a rigid block on one-end to secure. It doesn't matter which of the two sides, as illustration I've put the right side. I've done this by adding the block to both the base (bottom) and the adjustable arm (top). Its basically 15mm of vertical plastic (that needs scotch tape). The device still *can* slip to one angle; but the position of the device, tightening of the arm and grip of the scotch tape will prevent that.
Rigid Block-er: http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/3097/sixaxis3.png
Why not both sides?
To prevent fragmentation, so that nearly all android phones/MIDs can slot inside this cradle.
#5) The Adjusting Arm.
Now that we know the general layout/features lets contemplate on one of the most (structurally) important aspects of the cradle, the adjusting arm.
The current rev0 does the job, but it does it poorly. We need it to be strong enough to last 12+ months of wear and tear and prevent phone falling.
I think a suitable means would be to have a " rail system " which you see on most Universal Phone Holders. Its basically two plastic bits slotting into each other like a zipper, examples:
Front: http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/939/adjarm1.jpg
Back: http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/4254/adjarm2.jpg
Neat: http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6430/adjarm3.jpg
Since one arm (the base) is stable/unmoving, it basically means there is only ONE moving part. This means that piece can be made larger, thicker, and sturdier... meaning it will be even more DURABLE than those Universal Phone Holders.
#6) Finishing touches.
Now I've experimented with the SGS and the SGNOTE and the most ideal angle I found was ~ 45'
-So the base needs to holster the phone on a 45' angle against the controller, this allows your index fingers room for the R + L buttons but also points the display direct to you.
-And the " PS " button needs to be exposed so it can be pushed readily, but the " Pause " and " Start " buttons can be covered up.
-The plastic should wrap around the controller tightly but not choke it, so the dimensions need to accurated as best as possible (Note: most Sixaxis controllers will have same dimensions, very little variance)
-Varnish needs to be applied to keep the plastic strong, but a (better) alternative would be black paint as it will also make the plastic colour match the Sixaxis and most (black) phones.
As you can see, the Official PlayStation 3 Keyboard slots over the controller like the current method. However it fits much tighter/cleaner/superior to yours because it shapes around the contours. The rev2 needs to mimick this.
Snugly Wrap: http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/6828/sixaxis4.png
I design things on Paper + Pen, have no experience whatsoever with 3D Object Tools.
But I wanted to try, so here's draft 1 (first attempt) at Andraxis / PlayDroid:
-I don't have an accurate measuring apparatus, so things are as accurate as my ruler
Things missing:
-The joint arm at the front for the cradle to be screwed in
-The adjustable (rear) arm not created yet
-Proper implementation of things (group the holes to the box, group the base, and group the adjustable arm)
Problems:
-How to visualize/create the adjustable arm like those Universal Phone Holders
Anyways here's the link:
https://tinkercad.com/things/2pqYnbHJpFl
P.S. What did you design your build on, Tinkercad?
I think we should try to use the same 3D Tool, so that its easy for you to edit what I do and me to you....so that we can get the best + accurate structure!
Thanks for your continued interest.
As I mentioned in the first post, it is not designed to hold the phone "naked", either the phone needs to have a silicone case, or rubber tack needs to be applied. Foam tape looks like it could do the job as well, but I think rubber tack would offer much better traction and be much more flexible (rev. 1 has a groove in the telescoping arm where you could apply a bit of tack to add some grip to the back of the phone, for example).
As for ways of adding more grip, I feel eventually I will extend the bottom gripping prongs all the way across the controller, at least until it hits the triangle button (at its current state extending past that would partially cover it up). It will probably slowly evolve into that though as I need to make sure I observe the contours of the controller, and judging by how badly rev. 0 fits I can't rely on measurement alone.
I was thinking of adding a pair of horizontal telescoping arms as well. I think I could get it to fit without interfering with any of the core design mechanics.
The device's angle is set at 45 degrees. It feels right, though maybe a more obtuse angle would be preferable to some. Once I get a working model I'll think more on this.
One constraint I have to be constantly aware of is cost; the 3d printing service charges by volume, so adding too many features, or making the features too robust (like the Nokia example you posted) could easily bring the price to the $40-50 range.
With that said, the material is incredibly strong and wall thickness of 3mm is more than enough to withstand any kind of abuse. I broke off the bottom portion of the front clasp to get a better idea of what measurements need to be extended, and it actually took a few tries before it gave.
As for the PlayDroid, all I really need are measurements and I will adjust the fit of the Andraxis. The whole thing is modeled in Rhino3d, which is basically a NURBS modeling program that shares a lot of design concepts with AutoCAD, so its pretty well suited for this sort of stuff. Anyway, I'll just grab the .stl from Tinkercard and work from there.
gilrad said:
Thanks for your continued interest.
It is not designed to hold the phone "naked", I think rubber tack would offer much better traction.
I was thinking of adding a pair of horizontal telescoping arms as well. I think I could get it to fit without interfering with any of the core design mechanics.
One constraint is cost.
The device's angle is set at 45 degrees. It feels right, though maybe a more obtuse angle would be preferable to some. Once I get a working model I'll think more on this. As for ways of adding more grip, I feel eventually I will extend the bottom gripping prongs all the way across the controller, at least until it hits the triangle button (at its current state extending past that would partially cover it up). It will probably slowly evolve into that though as I need to make sure I observe the contours of the controller, and judging by how badly rev. 0 fits I can't rely on measurement alone.
As for the PlayDroid, all I really need are measurements and I will adjust the fit of the Andraxis. The whole thing is modeled in Rhino3d, which is basically a NURBS modeling program that shares a lot of design concepts with AutoCAD, so its pretty well suited for this sort of stuff. Anyway, I'll just grab the .stl from Tinkercard and work from there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By the rubber tack, are you referring to " Blu-Tacks " ?
Blue Tack: http://www.instructables.com/image/FJ9FKEFG7DY84RU/Prepare-the-Blue-tack-base.jpg
You might be right that it *can* offer better grip, but I think you'll find that's not really the case. Since these Tacks (despite which manufacturer) gets hardened and old, they lose their tendency to stick. So they only become a "hard creamy filling" . I think Scotch Tape should do a better job because it offers a " textured grip " (not as much as a fresh Blu-Tack) but it lasts, and it creates a physical pressure/sponge grip (superior to hard creamy fillings) to keep the device properly stabilized.
But in the end, it DOES NOT MATTER. These are aftermarket things that people will choose for themselves, as with the varnish / black paint point.
If the phone is to be sleeved in a case, then the BASE needs to be roughly 17 mm wide. 17mm is very large/thick but it will work.
To put it in perspective, an ATRIX 4G (11mm) + Silicon case (3 mm) + Tack/Scotch Tape (3 mm) = 17mm.
Do you know how to make a telescoping arm on the 3D modeller?
I do not, but if you were to show me I might be able to help.
I think that's the best way to move forward... but as I said before we should have ONLY ONE MOVING PART. It makes things much more simple AND durable. So basically just the one telescoping/adjustable one that moves vertically to clench the phone.
I don't think horizontal telescoping arm is necessary. After adding Tack/Scotch and fitting it tightly I doubt it will move sideways. Having a barrier on one end looks like it will do the trick nicely. Besides it makes it more simple and cheaper to print
It is costly printing with this company. I think we should look at finding another Printing Firm, maybe someone local? I have a feeling we need to do 5 - 12 prints until things are perfect. And for the start we need to print with the cheapest plastic available.
And once we have the "perfect mold" I think we can print them with a better plastic for cheaper as wholesale. Nothing too big, just like 200 units or so (which would sell fast), and sell them to people who want it ...basically saving them money and also covering the initial cost of printing.
P.S. I still haven't got the Datel TF2, when I do I'll check if it works on the Sixaxis App. If it does I will PM you for your address so I can post one to you, I think you could measure it more accurately than I.
P.S 2)
I just got 7 GB's free storage on DropBox, PM me soon if you want some instructions for it
Made some progress, draft 2:
https://tinkercad.com/things/2pqYnbHJpFl
But I'm stuck at a roadblock. I need to figure out how to implement the "telescoping zipper" for the adjustable arm for rev3.
I downloaded the Rhino3D program, but failed to make the object. Its just way too complicated for me. But I did test that the .stl from TinkerCAD works so I guess you can just keep downloading the revisions and adjusting it with your program of choice.
I'll stick with TinkerCAD hopefully manage some success with this project I don't want to let anyone down.
To do:
Once I do draft 3 I will print it up, find all faults and fix them up.
In the same time, I will thin down some surfaces as well as thicken up others.
The last piece of the puzzle would be to accomplish the telescoping arm with a thicker layer to make it durable (unlike some crappy phone holders).
After that hopefully the 4th draft is *perfect enough* for everyday use, and ready to be printed for everyone/mass.
Hey,
Yeah, when I mentioned rubber tack, I meant blue tack. I think, even though it might lose it's properties over time, the fact that it can conform to any shape is valuable, especially for devices with curved edges like the Galaxy phones.
Probably about a month away from getting the next revision, not being able to add funds to my PayPal account is really slowing things down.
Before I make a print, I will probably do a ninja revision and extend the base of the grip all the way to the triangle button, and add a part that rests on the shoulder button bump. The whole thing will be attached by a thin strip though, so if my measurements are way off it can still be broken off and the rest of the device will hopefully be useable.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App
Cool.
Can you do me a favour and upload a copy of your .stl to TinkerCAD ?
Its a great tool to visualize the holster, and I might be able to make some changes/polish things up. Basically I want to contribute more than just a donation
P.S. You can PM it if you like
hi gilrad! thanks for your work, i think i will buy this thing! when will the next revision be available? or should i buy rev1? is it working with the galaxy note and the galaxy s2?
Hello,
You can buy rev.1 right now if you don't want to wait, but I haven't received it yet (I expect it to arrive around the 20th), so I can't guarantee it will work without a hitch.
It was designed to accommodate the Galaxy Note as the largest dimensions, and the iPhone as the smallest dimensions.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App
I just received the Datel Turbo Fire 2 controller.
I've confirmed it works on the PS3 and the PC as a SIXAXIS remote. I'll test it with the SIXAXIS App (have to buy it first) and then find the dimensions then I'll post them here.
I've contacted a couple factories in China via email about making plastics. One has refused to service (demands an order of at least 200,000) and another says he can't do the task. I'm waiting for response from the others. If they agree, I'll be ordering a small batch from them (a dozen) when I've done tweeking it (rev4 ?). I'll be comparing the quality to the print service like Shapeways. If its acceptable, then I said I would negotiate a price for a larger order but I haven't discussed the size of the order (I'm thinking about 200 units for $10 each, they'll probably demand over 50,000 for $20 each). This was the same problem we faced with the OpenPandora and iControlPad.
Anyways, Did you see my previous post before?
Can you upload your .stl to TinkerCAD so its easy for me to modify/visualize.
Dude, don't bother looking for a way to get these produced with a Chinese plastics company unless you're willing to get a startup company loan, then devise a way to sell tens of thousands of units. There will be a large up-front fee coupled with a minimum order and month-long lead times. If these projects are getting plastic molded, it will be because an established company steps up and does the legwork.
Anyway, I don't want to release the stl until much much later. When you have confirmed your controller works with the sixaxis pair tool, I'll work on adapting my current model to it's dimensions.
Sent from my GT-N7000 using XDA App
@Kangal: do you use the rev1? How is it? im short before ordering. just want to make shure, that everything is working alright.
@gilrad: donation is on the way!
moviecut said:
@Kangal: do you use the rev1? How is it? im short before ordering. just want to make shure, that everything is working alright.
@gilrad: donation is on the way!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the interest.
I haven't printed my rev1, I think its on-par with Gilrad's rev0.
Just wait for rev1 from Gilrad and it'll be much more decent. The last thing I want to do is rush it and have one of the arms snap (because it has no support) and have it drop someone's expensive phone. But I'm planning on morphing my design and Gilrad's design together sometime soon (I just need a free but easy to use 3D tool).
After that I'm going to differentiate and make a new version that supports the Datel TF2, a much better controller than SIXAXIS.....although I've still yet to test that thoroughly
I've been super busy these past 2 weeks (work from 7am to 10pm, 6 days a week plus living away from home) which is why I haven't made much progress.
Good news everyone!
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Revision 1 just arrived and I can confirm that it is the first fully functional working model. There are of course some caveats, check the changelog on the first post. I'll get a video of it in action when I can convince one of my friends to bring a video recorder (since my best recorder is on the phone that I will use to demo the project). Until then, enjoy these snapshots I took:
I've been keeping an eye on this and it looks brilliant! I think I could wait for Rev 2, but on the shop, in black, it's costing me about $50 - £35, which is a bit pricey...Is there anything you can do to reduce the cost or is it down to the store? Also, when do you think you'll have rev 2 done? I don't mean to be a pest, I'm going on holiday 29th March and would love to have it by then!
Awesome! This is just what is needed. I can't stand playing games on the touchscreen.
I just made the modifications for rev.2 and uploaded the model. Its now available.
As for shipping, well its really unfortunate but its out of my control. Its the only shipping option the 3d printing service offers right now, despite nearly every international customer begging them to allow for something cheaper. I guess if there is anything you could do, you could go to their forums and ***** about the expensive shipping costs
And for those worried about it not holding on to the cellphone very well, I can confirm that with foam tape used as traction on the gripping prongs and "filler material" to make the rest of it snug around the controller, it is quite firm. It has even passed the "passerby bump" test, where I "accidentally" bump into some random stranger on the street
Hi, I´m interested in your Project and want to buy it... What would it cost???
I´m from Germany, so sorry for my poor english