MacRobert Award

1998 Finalist

Psion Computers plc for the Series 5 handheld computer

Psion took a radical approach to the industrial design of the Series 5 in order to develop a product that truly met user requirements designers worked alongside engineers right from the beginning of the project. Emphasis was placed on designing a keyboard for the handheld computer that was as near to a standard laptop keyboard as possible. The result was that the Series 5 is now generally accepted as the only 'touch-typable' palmtop product.

The design also incorporates a touch-sensitive screen that allows users to access tool bars and navigate around the system using their finger or specially designed stylus. The decision to have a touch-sensitive screen introduced other design considerations: Psion needed to provide a steady writing surface so that information could be input on-screen when the device was held in the hand or resting on a desk. A novel mechanism was developed that allowed the keyboard and screen to pivot forward on opening this shifted the centre of gravity nearer the front and stopped the device from tipping over when pressure was put on the screen.

The Series 5 is powered by only two standard AA batteries which give around 35 hours of use. The key to the success of the design is Psion's own operating system, the EPOC. This was developed entirely in-house specifically for mobile computing applications and its built-in agenda, word processor, database and spreadsheet applications are compatible with leading PC applications from Microsoft, Lotus and Corel. One unique feature of this system is that after the initial 'boot-up' of the machine, the operating system will run forever without needing to be restarted. This means that as soon as you take the Series 5 out of your pocket, it is ready for use.

 

 

Updated July 2012

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