Data Storage Implant - WIP
Alright. So, I've been busy lately and as a result progress had been held up a bit, but several (like 4 or 5) days ago my wireless flash drive showed up. I ordered the 32 GB model for my initial testing and first time dismantling it (in case I damaged it and needed to order another) when I get to actually making one to implant it'll be the 200 GB model (or larger, keep reading). Yesterday I did some initial functionality tests, and finished this morning, basically I wanted to know everything about how it worked under normal circumstances. For the average person, it functions like a flash drive when plugged into a computer's USB port and has a little power button on the side that turns the built in wifi network on and off, when on, you can connect to it via anything and access contents via the iOS app or a built in website. You can also change settings like the auto-off timer and the network name and password.
For the more technical people, the wifi network access doesn't turn off when you plug it into a powered USB port or a computer's USB port (you can charge it with a simple wall adapter like you'd use for your phone if you wanted). However, while plugged in, if you turn it off with the power button or it turns off on it's own due to the timer running out, you can't turn it back on without unplugging it. When plugged in to a computer in the "off" mode, it appears to actually boot up the internal computer chip and serve the contents of the storage through that, so the computer doesn't actually have direct access like a normal flash drive. I didn't attempt to send a Formatting instruction to it, but I assume that the internal computer would refuse to format the storage chip if I had attempted to do so. Perhaps I'll try sometime. Multiple devices (up to 3 is advertised, I only tried 2 so I don't know how that claim holds up, I assume it is accurate and that you can't go over as it would simply refuse to connect additional devices) can be connected simultaneously and can communicate with each other while on the network (which I tested by utilizing BitTorrent Sync to share files over the network). The internal "shut off" timer appears to count from last time files or the website was accessed as my BitTorrent transfer was cut off roughly when the timer should have run out, I am a little confused about it though as the status light didn't actually change from the steady blinking it does when "on". It has one button, hold it for a moment to turn it on, hold it for a longer moment to turn it off. The status light stays on while it's booting up, which takes about 5 seconds. It blinks about twice in three seconds (mental count, not terribly accurate) at a steady rate when on. Blinks thrice rapidly when you hold the button to turn it off and then it turns off. The status LED turns orange when plugged in and charging, though it does still blink white if it's in the "on" state. If you turn it off while plugged in, it will take a moment and then boot up again in what I'll call "USB only" mode, where the wifi is off, but a device connected to the USB port could still access the contents through the internal computer chip. During the brief time it's off between shut down and auto boot up, the light is completely off. Also, it is possible that the LED is actually two, one orange and one white, but I think it's just a single multicolored light based on what it physically looks like. Only downside so far, aside from the slightly confusing auto-off function (which can just be disabled, and I have mine disabled now) is that the iOS app appears to be the only way to view the total available or consumed storage space and the only way to view the internal battery power level. (More on my fixes for those issues later.)
Today, just before I started writing this, I took it apart. Found a few things...
(I'll add pictures in a few hours and give some additional details)
The battery is 380 mAh and is stated to last 3 hours. I assume that's 3 hours with 1 device constantly accessing data wirelessly, we'll say streaming a video using the iOS app as an example, and no other devices connected. Assuming I go through with conveying this to be implantable, I'll likely consider downsizing the battery, or getting a physically smaller one of the same capacity if possible, as it seems rather large in my opinion.
The LED is REALLY bright in my opinion, when all the casing is removed and the LED is exposed, so I don't think there'll be any issue with seeing it through skin when we get to that point.
The internal "storage chip" is actually a MicroSD card held in place by two little metal clasps (that don't appear to be designed to be undone once clasped. Fortunately that means that I should be able to get just 32 GB ones (or possibly the elusive 16 GB model) and just swap out the SD card for a large one, up to 200 GB. Possibly bigger, which I will test, but there may be a hardware or software limitation preventing more than a 200 GB card from being used. Phones, up until a few months ago, were still commonly limited to 200 GB cards, I'll be honest, don't know what that limitation is caused by so I don't know if it can be worked around or not, but I'll get a bigger card and test that with this at some point.
Sans battery, the whole thing is thinner than the USB port that plugs into a computer for charging so if the Qi charger isn't too thick, and biocoating isn't too thick, I think the whole thing can be made thin enough to not bulge too much under the skin. With the battery it's about 150% the thickness of the USB port.
The wifi tech and internal computer chip appear to be housed inside a small metal Cover that is soldered on multiple sides to the silicon board, I will eventually remove said cover (or try to anyways) in an attempt to find out if the parts could be rearranged or made thinner.
While in the case, during my testing it never got very warm, I'm attributing that to the case, as I've had Standard flash drives get much warmer under normal circumstances. I haven't done any testing since removing it from the case except to confirm that it powered on and off normally (thus I'm assuming I haven't yet damaged anything and it still functions normally).
Pictures with comments on the pictures will follow in a few hours.
For the more technical people, the wifi network access doesn't turn off when you plug it into a powered USB port or a computer's USB port (you can charge it with a simple wall adapter like you'd use for your phone if you wanted). However, while plugged in, if you turn it off with the power button or it turns off on it's own due to the timer running out, you can't turn it back on without unplugging it. When plugged in to a computer in the "off" mode, it appears to actually boot up the internal computer chip and serve the contents of the storage through that, so the computer doesn't actually have direct access like a normal flash drive. I didn't attempt to send a Formatting instruction to it, but I assume that the internal computer would refuse to format the storage chip if I had attempted to do so. Perhaps I'll try sometime. Multiple devices (up to 3 is advertised, I only tried 2 so I don't know how that claim holds up, I assume it is accurate and that you can't go over as it would simply refuse to connect additional devices) can be connected simultaneously and can communicate with each other while on the network (which I tested by utilizing BitTorrent Sync to share files over the network). The internal "shut off" timer appears to count from last time files or the website was accessed as my BitTorrent transfer was cut off roughly when the timer should have run out, I am a little confused about it though as the status light didn't actually change from the steady blinking it does when "on". It has one button, hold it for a moment to turn it on, hold it for a longer moment to turn it off. The status light stays on while it's booting up, which takes about 5 seconds. It blinks about twice in three seconds (mental count, not terribly accurate) at a steady rate when on. Blinks thrice rapidly when you hold the button to turn it off and then it turns off. The status LED turns orange when plugged in and charging, though it does still blink white if it's in the "on" state. If you turn it off while plugged in, it will take a moment and then boot up again in what I'll call "USB only" mode, where the wifi is off, but a device connected to the USB port could still access the contents through the internal computer chip. During the brief time it's off between shut down and auto boot up, the light is completely off. Also, it is possible that the LED is actually two, one orange and one white, but I think it's just a single multicolored light based on what it physically looks like. Only downside so far, aside from the slightly confusing auto-off function (which can just be disabled, and I have mine disabled now) is that the iOS app appears to be the only way to view the total available or consumed storage space and the only way to view the internal battery power level. (More on my fixes for those issues later.)
Today, just before I started writing this, I took it apart. Found a few things...
(I'll add pictures in a few hours and give some additional details)
The battery is 380 mAh and is stated to last 3 hours. I assume that's 3 hours with 1 device constantly accessing data wirelessly, we'll say streaming a video using the iOS app as an example, and no other devices connected. Assuming I go through with conveying this to be implantable, I'll likely consider downsizing the battery, or getting a physically smaller one of the same capacity if possible, as it seems rather large in my opinion.
The LED is REALLY bright in my opinion, when all the casing is removed and the LED is exposed, so I don't think there'll be any issue with seeing it through skin when we get to that point.
The internal "storage chip" is actually a MicroSD card held in place by two little metal clasps (that don't appear to be designed to be undone once clasped. Fortunately that means that I should be able to get just 32 GB ones (or possibly the elusive 16 GB model) and just swap out the SD card for a large one, up to 200 GB. Possibly bigger, which I will test, but there may be a hardware or software limitation preventing more than a 200 GB card from being used. Phones, up until a few months ago, were still commonly limited to 200 GB cards, I'll be honest, don't know what that limitation is caused by so I don't know if it can be worked around or not, but I'll get a bigger card and test that with this at some point.
Sans battery, the whole thing is thinner than the USB port that plugs into a computer for charging so if the Qi charger isn't too thick, and biocoating isn't too thick, I think the whole thing can be made thin enough to not bulge too much under the skin. With the battery it's about 150% the thickness of the USB port.
The wifi tech and internal computer chip appear to be housed inside a small metal Cover that is soldered on multiple sides to the silicon board, I will eventually remove said cover (or try to anyways) in an attempt to find out if the parts could be rearranged or made thinner.
While in the case, during my testing it never got very warm, I'm attributing that to the case, as I've had Standard flash drives get much warmer under normal circumstances. I haven't done any testing since removing it from the case except to confirm that it powered on and off normally (thus I'm assuming I haven't yet damaged anything and it still functions normally).
Pictures with comments on the pictures will follow in a few hours.
Comments
As for the total free/used storage space, well, keep rough track of how big your files are and you'll be fine. I do think there was something buried in the settings that allowed you to see that from the website, I'll check. No brilliant solution to that problem at the moment.
Also, want to add that since it does just store everything on a MicroSD card, you can always just take it apart and plop the card into a phone or computer or whatever to access the contents should the internal computer or something fail, so the data loss worry is, well... not really a worry at the moment.
Have you considered a Reed switch to turn the wifi on and off? That way you can conserve battery when you are not using it.
Is the big battery on the board and could you move it off to elongate the device while cutting down size or is the gain from doing that so minimal that it will make no difference?
I will probably do some testing with the 32 GB devices for a few days, using them, charging them, etc... after biocoating just to ensure that the biocoating didn't mess anything up. And I'll test my final device for functionality prior to implanting.
EDIT: (And of course I'd also test any devices I sell prior to selling, if I end up doing that.)
My next few steps will involve...
Removing the shield cover, just for fun, to see what's behind it, end products will have it still soldered in place.
Experimenting with larger SD cards, including a 256 GB one, to determine if the 200 GB maximum capacity is limited by the rest of the device or just that they never bothered to make a higher capacity version.
Qi Charger. Which I'll probably add using a DIY kit designed for adding to phones, end results may go with slightly more custom Qi charger assemblies, depending on the size I can achieve.
Once the Qi charger is completely functional, (which is necessary I think for the final product) I will do some experimenting with TEG charging (which is optional, but I think it'd be nice to have if possible).
What the heck kind of idea is that? You have a very peculiar mind there...
How does surrounding it with raw meat sound? Like chicken breast or ground beef? I know that sounds odd, but I'm starting to think it's worth doing some sort of range test prior to implanting it anyways. Though, I figure if there would be any reduction in range it would be minor, else we'd know about it by know. Heck, holding my phone close to my body or in my pocket would likely have a similar effect (less so, of course) on my phone's range.
Here's what I'll do, I'll do some range testing and compare it with specialized wifi routers (of which I have a few from major and minor brands) to see how the range holds up. If it ends up being similar to the typical 50-100 feet (depending on walls and such) I'll assume it'll be fine over the 15 feet or so I expect would be typical for implanted use. Of course, the walls in a building typically have high voltage electrical wires and things running through them that likely interfere more than any part of the body would. Still, I see the concern.
I need to get my hands on one or more small magnets (preferably actual implantable ones) to test range and magnetic interference for the reed switch. Since that will be a somewhat mandatory control method in order to use the finished device. Also, not to self... need to get around to getting one implanted...
To accommodate the lack of a battery level viewing method without an iOS device, I'd like to incorporate a second reed switch (the two will likely be on the opposite ends of the device so they're easy to locate and trigger when under the skin) to check battery level via a second (in addition to the already built in one) LED. In order to do more than just determine if the battery has any charge at all (that is, check approximate battery charge percentage), I may end up attempting to incorporate an arduino chip (because it'd probably end up more space efficient than any sort of constructed-by-me charge-checker circuit). Will likely leave the feature out altogether and just do a simple LED to determine if there is any charge in the battery and if the battery is actively charging should the arduino take too much space. I feel something is necessary to diagnose why you may have a difficulty or issue connecting when you think it's turned on. Like it isn't turning on. Could help determine if the battery is low, or if you're simply not triggering the reed switch properly.
Also, in response to recent discussion about standardizing certain "safe" implant parts, I do intend to do some sort of experimenting with 3D printed (likely aluminum) shells to contain the battery. This is as a safety precaution in the event the battery malfunctions, heats up, leaks, melts, combusts, etc... while inside a body. The aluminum would hopefully contain any leaked acid long enough to have the implant removed. Unfortunately I have no good ideas for determining if such a leak has occurred.
Feedback desired:
What sort of battery life (per charge) is acceptable for this sort of thing? Obviously if you wanted to stream a movie or something, 150 minutes would be a nice minimum to have, but battery size is also a concern (I want a as-little-bulge-as-possible implant). I figure if you don't ever need to do something like steam a movie, and you use the device primarily for mobile device backup or excess photo storage while on the go, and you only do things like copy a movie from the device to your phone or whatever to watch the whole thing without needing the device to be constantly on, shorter battery life is reasonable. What do you think? What sort of uses would you have. I know when I go on vacation (particularly site seeing vacation) I tend to like to document everything. Taking literally hundreds of pictures a day is common, and with camera resolution increasing just as fast as phone storage space, I'm often running out of room, and being able to offload pictures to something that I have with me but don't need to remember to carry with me all the time is a high priority use for me. Particularly in foreign countries where wifi isn't so common and cellular data is more expensive (thus rendering the internet a poor backup location).
PS I can edit things on my phone just fine. What sort of phone are you using?
@lolsmcfee "All day" isn't very specific I'm afraid, will it last all day, constantly streaming data, no where near that. Will it be able to be on all day so you could connect to it and stream data if you wanted to, probably close to it. Though it'd be "all day" similar to watches a year ago, that is. It'd be like, "all day" could be all of a work day while you're out. So roughly 8 hours. I'll do some testing, but I fully expect the TEG will take a full 36-48 hours to completely charge the battery. Depends on the size of the battery, and exactly how much power the generator makes. Which I'll test soon, gotta order more parts before I can do much else.
@TheGreyKnight Alright. Didn't know that. To be fair, never looked at or used one. A chemical sensor that is.
I'd focus on the wireless charging first so as to run testing, then incorporate the fail-safe features as mentioned above. At that point you'll have a functional proof of concept for a first-get device.
any updates? Did your parts arrive already?