The final version of the GTViewer Server Box is now finished! Since the prototype, we have gone through a couple of case designs and power configurations. The intermediate case provided a power/reset button, but it did not seem like it would be survive actual use. This off-the-shelf case was really meant to sit on a desk and not go to the field. The final case is custom laser-cut acrylic that both looks nice and is much more durable. It also houses an integrated power controller that provides true headless operation (no keyboard, monitor, or mouse required). The evolution of the hardware is shown below:
All of the features provided by the prototype are still available in the final design. The box runs a special version of the GTViewer Data Server and GTShare, and it does not need a network connection of any kind. It provides WiFi access to the GTViewer datasets contained on its removable USB drive allowing applications like GTViewer, GTViewer for iOS, and GTViewer for Android to download or update their GTViewer datasets without accessing the internet or corporate intranet (they just need to be in WiFi range of the box). The GTViewer Server Box is shown below powered by an external cell phone battery pack:
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