I really enjoy making things that are interactive. Whether it be a button, a knob, a light, something, anything that helps with the appearance that “this thing does something”. In many cases, I am powering the device with a simple 2032 coin battery. So if you have a datapad case, a goggle greeble, a comm greeblie, tracking fob etc. you have a number of items that could need a battery replacement.
That is what lead me down the path to developing this. I wanted a way to carry spare batteries in a way that looked “in-universe”. Seeing these items displayed on my desk gave me the idea to share the development process, and how this particular item changed until I got to a point that I was happy with it.
The first iteration was simple, and allowed for a high capacity. I could picture it in a bandolier, or tucked into a belt. The challenge with this design was enclosing the batteries. I tried using magnets to hold the two halves together, but I wasn’t happy with the result. I did really like the design on the ends.
This sat on my desk for a few months. I tried different hinges and attachments, and nothing really worked for the aethetic that I wanted. So I changed it altogether.
Going with a data spike design allowed me to keep the two halves together and resemble my original concept visually. I didn’t like the flat end at the top, so I added the end from the original. I also added some detail to the stem of the spike, which was a step in the right direction, but still need some more modifications.
Turning the end into it’s own twist on cap closed the gap on the head of the spike. Adding some more detail to the stem towards the top, and adding a hole to the bottom got me to the point where I was happy with both form and function.