Multipurpose Gumstix Computer
Hardware:
Gumstix Connex 400xm-bt (Includes Bluetooth Radio)
Gumstix WifiStix-CF (Includes .11g/b and a CF-Card Slot)
Gumstix GPSstix (Includes GPS, LCD, Audio In/Out, USB Client)
The Gumstix Computer itself (the 400xm-bt) is very small... I would liken it to the size
of a stick of gum. Each gumstix mainboard comes with two connectors for expansion boards
one on the top and one on the bottom. In my configuration the Wifistix-CF is on top and
The GPSstix is on bottom. Power is supplied on the GPSstix due to physical layout but the
WifiStix-CF board also has a power connector. The whole thing could fit inside of a pack
of cigarettes without any of the antennas (there are 3, one for each radio).
Enclosure:
Looking for a good enclosure for any project is tough. There just aren't many options
for the hobbiest. I chose to build mine out of the plastic case that the WifiStix-CF board
came in. I cut holes for the audio, power, and usb on the front of the bottom panel. The Wifi antenna is a rubber duck right angle style and I cut a larger hole on the back letting the antenna run the length of the back side. It should be noted that this rubber duck shouldn't be rotated since it is fixed on the wire running to the wifi radio. The last three holes were mainly on the top panel. The hole for the GPS antenna was on the front, while the bluetooth antenna and cf slot were on the back. The Bluetooth antenna is at an unfortunate angle on the mainboard and runs perpendicular to the board. It can't be rotated to a better angle due to the cf card slot on one side and the wifi radio on the other. The bluetooth's antenna goes through a hole on the wifistix board and attaches to the mainboard.
I used two standoffs from radioshack to secure the top and bottom panels and finally the GPS antenna is mounted on the top. It is unfortunate that the GPS antenna could not be mounted in a better way.
Software:
Power:
