The DoomScroller, a smartphone tripod for the COVID-19 pandemic

prusaprinters

<h3>Presenting</h3><p>The DoomScroller, a smartphone tripod for the COVID pandemic.</p><p>There are many tripods designed for smartphones, but this one is designed specifically for extended scrolling at home during the COVID pandemic, e.g., in bed, on the couch, on a recliner, on a table. Perfect for Netflix, FaceTime, and social media. Designed with accessibility in mind.</p><h3>What is doomscrolling?</h3><p>Doomscrolling or Doomsurfing is the act of spending an excessive amount of screen time devoted to the absorption of negative news.</p><p>I took a harm reduction approach. People are probably going to be doom scrolling anyways, so you may as well try to keep yourself safe while you're at it. No need to hurt your hands, neck, or eyes if you don't have to.</p><h3>Origin</h3><p>During one of several COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, I started to feel some strain in my hands and neck from scrolling all of the social media timelines on my smartphone. There was nowhere to go, nobody to visit, vaccines still being developed, all a person could do during the winter months was to escape into their smartphone for work and personal reasons.</p><p>There were already some fine mounting and tripod projects on Thingiverse, so I remixed them.</p><p><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4694593">https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4694593</a><br><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2194278">https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2194278</a><br><a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4739696">https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4739696</a></p><h3>Printing Instructions</h3><ol><li>Pick a length for your DoomScroller's legs, either 150 mm (file 1a) or 220 mm (file 1b). I'm 5'10" (178 cm) tall, and I prefer the 220 mm legs myself.</li><li>Pick a mounting style. iPhone 12 and 13 users may want to use the MagFace (7a), and most users will need the Frame (7b).</li><li>Files are listed from bottom to top of the DoomScroller. Printing a plate with the 150 mm legs and Frame mount with my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3D-Printer-Prusa/s?k=3D+Printer+Prusa&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=thingiverse09-20&amp;linkId=28c787aef7c5a20cf2004b821dd161bf&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl">Prusa</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/3D-Printer-Prusa/s?k=3D+Printer+Prusa&amp;linkCode=ll2&amp;tag=thingiverse09-20&amp;linkId=28c787aef7c5a20cf2004b821dd161bf&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl">i3 MK3S</a>, it takes about 8 hours at 0.300 mm layer height.</li></ol><h3>Non-3D-Printed Parts Required</h3><ul><li>Three (3) of M3x8 mm socket head cap screws</li><li>Three (3) of M3 hex nuts</li><li>Three (3) of M5x20mm hex bolt</li><li>Three (3) of M5 hex nuts</li></ul><h3>Colour Schemes</h3><p>You can do whatever you want here, truly, but here are some ideas based on my prototypes. See uploaded photos of colour experiments with an older design.</p><h4>Two-Tone</h4><ul><li>Dominant colours: Legs (1ab), Hip (2), Neck (3), Ball Joint split (5), MagFace (7a) or Frame base (7b), Frame lock (7b).</li><li>Accent colours: Knob (4), Ball Joint screw (6), and Frame screw (7b).</li></ul><h4>Logos</h4><p>e.g., companies, sports teams, flags</p><p>Consider how many colours are used and how much area each one takes in the overall image. Usually there will be one or two dominant colours, and then some accent colours. You can even get different colours for the screws and nuts.</p><ul><li>Dominant colours: Legs, Neck, Hip, Frame Base, Frame Lock.</li><li>Accent colours: Hip, Knob, Ball Joint Screw, Frame Screw, metal screws.</li></ul><p>See the example photo of the Edmonton Oilers' McDavid jersey with an older prototype I made for a friend. I got lucky with this logo because of the oil derrick structure and orange oil drop look created by the ball joint.</p><p>Print one and give it away to someone in need!</p><h3>Updates</h3><p>2022-04-21: Uploaded for “Smartphone and Tablet Stand” contest.</p><p>2022-04-22: Replaced images with higher res versions. Edited some aspects of description. Uploaded additional photos colour variations of previous prototypes.</p>