| CLAIMS I claim, 1. A personal computing device in a shape of a rectangular cuboid having expansion sockets on each of the side faces for attaching/mounting sensors and electro-mechanical devices. 2. A personal computing device in a shape of a rectangular cuboid having dual nature expansion sockets on each of the side faces for connecting personal computer peripherals and/or attaching/mounting sensors and electromechanical devices. 3. A dual nature expansion socket having a connection port in the center surrounded by four jacks forming a socket for attaching/mounting sensors and electro-mechanical devices. 4. The ornamental design for a physical computing personal computing device, as herein described and illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings. |
PHYSICAL COMPUTING PERSONAL COMPUTER
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a physical computing personal computing device for facilitating physical computing using personal computer hardware and software with attachable sensors and electro-mechanical devices.
BACKGROUND ART
There have been a lot of personal computing form factors over the years such as Desktop Computers, Laptops or Notebooks, Home Theater PCs, Tablet PCs, Ultra-Mobile PCs, Pocket PCs, Netbooks and Net-tops. However, none of them are capable of facilitating physical computing i.e. sensing and responding to the analog world with the help of sensors and electro-mechanical devices. This excludes people from using personal computers to interact with the real world with the help of sensors and translate the real world analog input to a software system, and/or control electro-mechanical devices such as motors, servos, lighting, robotic arms or other physical hardware.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In the view of the above, this invention relates to a physical computing personal computing device for facilitating physical computing using personal computer hardware and software with attachable sensors and electro-mechanical devices. The device is in a shape of a rectangular cuboid (rectangular box) and has a touchscreen display along with a webcam, a microphone, stereo speakers and buttons on the front face, a dual nature expansion socket on each of the four side faces for connecting personal computer peripherals like webcams, keyboards, mice, game controllers etc. and/or attaching/mounting sensors and electromechanical devices such as motors, servos, lighting, robotic arms or other physical hardware, and display lights and jacks (connectors) on one side face. The dual nature expansion socket has a USB port in the center surrounded by four jacks (connectors) forming a socket for attaching/mounting sensors and electro-mechanical devices.
A non-limiting example of using the physical computing personal computing device with personal computer peripherals and attachable sensors and electromechanical devices to do physical computing is described herein.
The physical computing personal computing device is rotated and fitted on a differential drive in a manner where the right face of the device is at the top and front face of the device looking forwards and back face of the device is totally covered by the differential drive. The side faces of the device are only partially covered by the differential drive so as to enable the use of the expansion sockets. On the expansion socket of the right face of the device, which is at the top now, an ultrasonic distance sensor is attached. On the top face, which is now on the left, a game controller is connected and on the bottom face, which is now at the right, a robotic arm is mounted. The differential drive is connected to the left face of the device which is now at the bottom.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is the front face of the physical computing personal computing device. It has a touchscreen display along with a webcam, a microphone, stereo speakers and buttons.
Figure 2 is the top face of the device. It has a dual nature expansion socket having a USB port (Figure 2-2) in the center surrounded by four jacks (Figure 2-1) forming a socket for attaching/mounting sensors and electro-mechanical devices.
Figure 3 is the bottom face of the device which also has a dual nature expansion socket.
Figure 4 is the right face of the device which has a dual nature expansion socket and display lights and jacks. Figure 5 is the left face of the device which has a dual nature expansion socket.
Figure 6 is the back face of the device.
Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the front, bottom and left faces of the physical computing personal computing device.
Figure 8 is the side view when the physical computing personal computing device (Figure 8-1) is rotated and fitted on a differential drive (Figure 8-2).
Figure 9 is the front view when the physical computing personal computing device (Figure 9-2) is rotated and fitted on a differential drive (Figure 9-5). On the expansion socket on the right face of the device, which is at the top now, an ultrasonic distance sensor (Figure 9-1) is attached. On the top face, which is now on the left, a game controller (Figure 9-3) is connected and on the bottom face, which is now at the right, a robotic arm (Figure 9-4) is mounted.
The features shown in broken lines in the Figures 1 to 7 are for illustrating the structure and form no part of the claimed design.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION
The physical computing personal computing device is in a shape of a rectangular cuboid (rectangular box) and has a touchscreen display along with a webcam, a microphone, stereo speakers and buttons on the front face (Figure 1), a dual nature expansion socket on each of the four side faces (Figures 2, 3, 4, 5) for connecting personal computer peripherals like webcams, keyboards, mice, game controllers etc. and/or attaching/mounting sensors and electro-mechanical devices such as motors, servos, lighting, robotic arms or other physical hardware, and display lights and jacks (connectors) on one side face (Figure 4). The dual nature expansion socket has a USB port (Figure 2-2) in the center surrounded by four jacks (Figure 2-1) (connectors) forming a socket for attaching/mounting sensors and electro-mechanical devices.
A non-limiting example of using the physical computing personal computing device with personal computer peripherals and attachable sensors and electromechanical devices to do physical computing is now described. The physical computing personal computing device (Figure 8-1, 9-2) is rotated and fitted on a differential drive (Figure 8-2, 9-5) in a manner where the right face of the device is at the top and front face of the device looking forwards and back face of the device is totally covered by the differential drive. The side faces of the device are only partially covered by the differential drive so as to enable the use of the expansion sockets. On the expansion socket of the right face of the device, which is at the top now, an ultrasonic distance sensor (Figure 9-1) is attached. On the top face, which is now on the left, a game controller (Figure 9-3) is connected and on the bottom face, which is now at the right, a robotic arm (Figure 9-4) is mounted. The differential drive is connected to the left face of the device which is now at the bottom.