The BeagleBox: a dirt cheap, tough-as-nails field computer

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Fieldwork is grueling. You're exposed to the elements, facing relentless wind, pouring rain, and stinging salt spray, often on a small boat drifting far out into the Atlantic. Your gear and you take a pounding. But you're there because crucial science needs to be conducted.But your equipment is controlled via computer, and data entry demands a computer, which means your precious laptop must accompany you. For graduate students and early-career scientists, this can be a difficult decision. I've witnessed the calculations unfold as my colleagues prepare for the field--Do I take my one and only computer into the field and risk damaging it, or do I leave it and force myself to sample without its aid? That is, if they're fortunate enough to have alternative methods available. For some gear, there's no choice but to bring a computer.This equation is surprisingly getting worse. Our sensors, sampling devices, and scanners are becoming increasingly affordable and lightweight. Rather than purchasing a $20,000 piece of equipment, you can obtain a $20 chip, but there's a trade-off, and the trade-off is that chip-based systems rely on external processing power; they require a general computer, and that means your laptop will be coming with you.I dislike taking my laptop out onto the water. Losing it would be frustrating and time-consuming. It's tough, but it's far from invincible. And it's certainly not cheap.So I drew upon the wealth of Maker experience I've accumulated over the last few years and built a new one, using a single-board computer, some extra peripherals, and a 3D printer. And I stuffed the whole thing into a Pelican case. Say hello to the BeagleBox, a dirt-cheap, tough-as-nails field computer for about $200.Full details can be found here: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18661Support this and other projects through my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Andrew_Thaler