PROJECT ARABuilding the Lego of Smartphones

OVERVIEW PROJECT ARA is the codename for an initiative by Google that aims to

develop an open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones.

The platform will include a structural frame that holds smartphone modules of the owner's choice, such as a display, keyboard or an extra battery.

It would allow users to swap out malfunctioning modules or upgrade individual modules as innovations emerge.

The first model of the modular phone is scheduled to be released in

January 2015.

What is it ?Who is doing ?

The project was originally headed by the Advanced Technologies and Projects team within Motorola Mobility while it was a subsidiary of Google.

Project Ara was developed and is led by Paul Eremenko .

The concept is a simple one –– you buy a basic model Ara phone and all the bits can be pulled off and swapped as you see fit.

You'll be able to buy the modules through Google's dedicated store just like Google Play for apps.

The modules can be anything like memory, display panels, physical keyboards, sensors and scanners, ports, modems and wireless modules, and much, much more.

Paul Eremenko

How It Works ?

Project Ara has mainly two core components:

Endoskeletons Module

Endoskeletons• Endoskeleton consists of network

circuits and interfaces for modules. • Electro-permanent magnets used to

attach modules. • Emerging standard “UniPro” for

communication. • Endoskeleton has slots of varying

sizes.• Made from aluminium. • Comes in three sizes: mini; medium;

jumbo.• Water and dust-proof.

Modules• Modules can be anything that users can

think of battery, speaker, camera etc

• They can be developed by anyone; 3D-printed on demand, used, replaced and even re-sold ensuring your phone is completely made for each user.

• Module development is open-source and there is a toolkit provided to help developers understand the hierarchy of functions and how components can be integrated.

• Independent & interchangeable and can be swapped between different phones.

Technologies in Project Ara

There will be three technologies that will make Project Ara work : UniPro Capacitive M-PHY Electropermanent Magnets

UniPro UniPro is a high speed internet protocol that project ARA uses to allow its

modules to speak to each other. They share a common low level language for communicating and

building a network. Project ARA is tapping into the latest UniPRO 1.6 SPEC which offer high -

bandwidth, and low power connections between the modules. The UniPro Protocol has been in development for several years as a way

to build a standard for mobile phone accessories – think of it like USB protocol, but optimized for mobile.

Capacitive M-PHY Even though modules know ho to connect to each other, they need a

way to physically connect to the Endo. They do this through a new technology Capacitive M-PHY.

A physical layer spec which is developed by MIPI alliance and made to works with UniPro.

For project ARA, M-PHY is a capacitive interface, which means that the points won’t be worn down over time from swapping modules in and out of the phone.

M-PHY is requiring less pins and providing more bandwidth per pin with improved power efficiency.

Electropermanent Magnets Electropermanent magnets are used for affixing the modules in place

in the ‘ENDO’.

Normal Electromagnets magnetize depending on if current is running through them that would be a battery drain but Electropermanent magnets only use current to flip magnetization on and off.

It is able to retain its magnetized state without draining additional power.

The hardware components will be held in place by electro-permanent magnets – meaning that users will be able to lock or unlock them from the endoskeleton using an app on the phone.

ELECTROPERMANENT MAGNET

Advantages Phone is very cheap, may be around $50.

You only buy the features that you want.

Your phone could last indefinitely.

Repairs are easier and cheaper.

You could buy two versions of your phone.

Modules can have multiple functions.

Large pool of modules from which required one can be selected.

Support specialization.

Longer battery.

Disadvantages Size and weight of the phone

Testing issues might be there

Design

It will be bigger and heavier than the standard phone

Unavailability of required modules initially

Certain combinations won’t work

The connections are bound to cause problem

It won’t be optimised

Future ScopeAccording to Time’s report, Ara will come in three size variants at first; “mini, medium and jumbo”, which will cover all currently popular sizes from compact to phablet.

Advanced 3D-printing techniques will allow users to create their own personalised textures for each module, or embed an image into the plastic substrate of the module itself.

The project will be leaning on third party developers to create and invent different modules for the Ara phone (MDK), with Google producing only the "Endo", or hardware frame. There will be demand for module developers.

First Ara model will cost around $50. Project Ara will definitely be the next, and could well be the most important.

REFERENCESo http://www.projectara.com

o http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/15/5615880/building-blocks-how-project-ara-is-reinventing-the-smartphone

o http://www.stuff.tv/features/google-project-ara-last-smartphone

o http://time.com/10115/google-project-ara-modular-smartphone/

o http://www.modularphonesforum.com/news/history-of-project-ara-and-modular-phones-market-pilot-in-puerto-rico-359/

For more information on Project Ara :-Either GoogleOr, AskOr, Bing

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