Why Pogo Pins Are Taking Over
it's been real USB but it's time to pass the torch meet the Pogo pins a modern and versatile way to power devices and transfer data drawing inspiration from the same spring-loaded toys many of us have fond memories of from the late '90s these spring-loaded conductors mimic the design of the pogo stick hence the name but unlike those childhood toys that left us sustaining minor injuries these Pogo pins sustain our devices instead delivering a broad range of power currents and Speedy data transfer capability but besides sounding like the next big thing and making me reconsider my overflowing cable drawer don't judge me what can these things actually do that USB can't for starters they feature anti-trip wires with a magsafe style connector so you won't be dragging your device across the room if someone snags the cord we've all been there they're also dust and waterproof ever drop your phone at the beach with Pogo pin sand is no longer a death sentence for your device then there's Auto orientation thanks to the magnetic alignment it's a snap to connect without the hassle of flipping the cable back and forth plus they offer far more mating Cycles meaning they can handle way more connects and disconnects than your average USB making them perfect for heavy usage and let's be honest they're just plain fun after covering emerging Indie Tech products on this channel for years now I've developed a bit of a knack for spotting new trends in Challenger Technologies early on long before they are picked up by big Tech to dive deeper I took my journalistic credentials and spoke with one of the senior Electronics engineers at Seed Studio we discussed why they chose Pogo pins for their new t1e Laura mesh node which gave me a valuable look into the equation from the manufacturer's perspective next I decided to get Hands-On I ordered some Pogo pin parts from temu to build a fully hands-free charging dock for my drone testing if I could get it to mate and charge without ever plugging in a cable I mean it works for the Roomba right so should work for my DJI mini by the end of this video you're going to be a pogo pin Pro for over 20 years USB has been the go-to standard for transferring both power and data to our devices it's been reliable no doubt but beyond a minor color change in 2008 with the introduction of USB 3.0 and hey I like royal blue as much as the next guy the form factor has barely evolved sure we've seen some speed upgrades along the way like back in 2000 USB 2.0 came along boosting data transfer speed leads to 480 megab per second then in 2008 we got USB 3.0 and that really kicked things up to 5 GB per second beyond the speed boost the USB form factor hasn't changed much in how we use it this is where it gets interesting Jeff Bezos who knows a thing or two about building successful products often emphasizes the importance of a day one mindset a focus on continuous innovation in his view day two marks the start of stagnation leading to irrelevance painful Decline and eventually death and that's why for Bezos it's always day one in other words staying stuck in the past even if it's worked for a long time is the first step towards becoming obsolete and that's where USB starts to show its limitations for starters there's the fragility aspect we've all dealt with USB ports that wear down over time or get loose leading to connectivity issues then there's that orientation problem how many times have you tried to plug in a USB device only to flip it because you had it upside down it's a classic frustration not to mention dust and debris USB ports are vulnerable to dirt especially if you're working Outdoors or in harsh environments a single grain of sand can completely unmake you fighting to get your device connected that brings us to the issue of outdoor use USB wasn't really designed for rugged environments it's prone to wear and tear when exposed to the elements making it less reliable for off-grid or outdoor applications so what are Pogo pins and why are they starting to replace traditional connectors like USB simply put Pogo pin connectors are spring-loaded probes designed to create electrical connections between components you've likely seen them in action without realizing it everything from fitness trackers to smartw watches like Garmin uses them each Pogo pin is made of high quality materials like brass barrels and plungers ensuring they last a long time and can withstand tens of thousands of mating Cycles without losing efficacy because of their spring-loaded design they maintain constant pressure between the connected surfaces which makes them highly reliable and adaptable to various shapes sizes and orientations this gives them a real Edge in terms of durability and performance over standard connectors unlike USB which is vulnerable to issues like fragility dust debris and even water damage Pogo pins are often waterproof and can perform in harsh environments that that's why they're increasingly popular in devices like fitness trackers and smartphones that are used Outdoors another key Advantage is their versatility in shape and aspect ratios unlike USB ports which have a fixed rectangular form Pogo pins can be designed in a variety of shapes adapting to the specific needs of the device whether you need a circular array a low profile rectangular design or something completely custom Pogo pins offer unmatched flexib ility this opens up more possibilities for designers to create sleeker more compact products without being locked into bulky standard siiz ports but the real beauty of pogo pins lies in their versatility they're used in custom cable assemblies and can be customized for specific needs whether it's high currents specialized shapes or being embedded in compact devices without adding bulk their design can even integrate magnetic assemblies allowing for magnetized connection connections that make devices easier to connect and disconnect think about Apple's mag safe you can easily snap the charger into place or rip it away without damaging the connector this not only protects the device but also makes it easier to use even for a child Pogo pins also come with some pretty impressive advantages like high mating life cycles meaning they can handle thousands of connections without degrading some models can even withstand up to 10,000 Cycles Which is far beyond what most USB ports can manage they can be surface mounted SMD or installed through the device body using a through hole or solder cup depending on the application and because of their compact size they're perfect for today's consumer electronics where space is a premium whether it's fitness trackers SmartWatches or even DIY projects like using them on an Arduino SBI Port Pogo pins offer more flexibility and reliability without increasing the size or cost of your build on top of that Pogo pins are often goldplated which protects them from oxidation and helps prevent galvanic corrosion ensuring better conductivity compared to traditional connectors this makes them ideal for outdoor applications where they're exposed to the elements no more worrying about water or dust messing with your connectors in fact they're even used in high-end rugged devices that need to perform in extreme conditions in short Pogo pins are compact durable magnetized and highly customizable all while offering High mating cycles and waterproof capabilities that are increasingly becoming essential in modern consumer electronics and if you're looking to experiment with Pogo pins yourself top manufacturers like Harin pin and Koda pin offer a wide variety to fit your specific needs the global demand for PoGo pin connectors is rapidly growing as shown by this chart why because more Cutting Edge Tech is adopted them for their durability flexibility and high mating Cycles take the hmd fusion a NextGen modular phone where Pogo pins allow for Snap-on Hardware upgrades and repairs without replacing the entire device this trend is expanding Beyond phones Pogo pins are now found in everything from smart watches to rugged outdoor Tech thanks to their compact size and waterproof capabilities as manufacturers like Harwin and Kota push Innovation Pogo pins are coming essential for modern devices that prioritize durability and ease of use with this rise it's clear that Pogo pins are set to replace bulky USB ports in many future Technologies now I recently got my hands on the T1000 e a GPS Laura meh tastic node with impressive battery life built for use in tough conditions like skiing hiking and boating what makes this device stand out isn't just its ruggedness but the Innovative use of pogo pins for charging and connectivity and I had had the chance to interview the senior electronics engineer behind this project and he shared some key insights into why they chose Pogo pins for the T1000 e he explained that one of the biggest design priorities was ensuring the device could handle charging while remaining waterproof and dustproof traditional connectors like USB just wouldn't cut it Pogo pins offered a solution that maintained a completely sealed design while delivering reliable power but integrating Pogo pins wasn't without its challenges since the t1e is so compact they had to carefully design the PCB layout to make space for both the Pogo pins and the Magnetic system that helps align the charger this wasn't easy but after several iterations they managed to fit everything perfectly let's dive into the nitty-gritty details of these Pogo pins used in the t1e first the materials the pin shaft and pin tube are made from leadfree brass with a lead content of less than 100 PPM while the spring is crafted from sus 304 stainless steel and sus 304 stainless steel is a widely used alloy known for its excellent corrosion resistance and durability making it ideal for Harsh environment its high levels of chromium and nickel give it superior protection against rust and add strength this combination makes sus 304 a go-to material for outdoor applications ensuring long- lasting performance in rugged conditions then there's the plating both the pin shaft and the pin tube are coated with nickel 50 to 120 micro in thick followed by a thin layer of gold plating about 83 micro in thick this helps prevent oxidation keeping the connection strong and reliable even after thousands of uses from an electrical performance standpoint these Pogo pins are rated for 12 volts and up to 1 ampere of current with a contact resistance of less than 50 milliohms that means you get efficient power delivery without losing energy to resistance important for keeping the T1000 battery life optimized Pogo pins typically have a lower contact resistance usually less than 50 mohms compared to an iPhone's USB port which can be 100 mli ohms or higher this means Pogo pins are more efficient at transferring power leading to faster more reliable charging and less energy loss especially in rugged conditions on the mechanical side these pins are designed for a working stroke of 7 mm and the spring Force at that position is 70 G plus orus 15 G this ensures a solid consist distant connection every time you charge and with a lifespan of at least 10,000 Cycles these pins are built to last to ensure reliability and harsh environments the pins underwent a 48-hour salt spray test to simulate extreme conditions and verify their resistance to corrosion the product also complies with rohs and hsf standards for those unfamiliar RS or the Restriction of hazardous substances ensures that harmful materials like lead or Mercury are minimized in electronic components this means the t1e is environmentally friendly and safe to use meanwhile hsf stands for hazardous substance free which similarly ensures the materials used in the Pogo pins are free from dangerous chemicals that could impact health or the environment the end result is a charging Solution that's durable waterproof and cost effective all while keeping the devices thin and light for anyone working with DIY Tech projects or rugged outdoor gear po pins provide the perfect balance of reliability and practicality and just for fun here I'm going to show that uh the Pogo pin connections are not just for power but they're also for data and actually this little guy right here uses it in order to flash its firmware in this case mesh tastic so if I plug it in here and then go ahead and connect the Pogo pins I should be able to select my device we want the t1e there it goes uh we're on a Nordic chipset so seed tracker T1000 e we can select the latest firmware and then we're going to put it into dfu mode and then we're going to download the OS save it to my documents folder and then to flash the OS we just have to drag that file onto the device so that's the OS right there and the device is going to be this guy right here so let's go ahead and do that okay I think it worked so to prove it out we just put 259 936 onto the device so now we should be able to connect to it so let's try that real quick we're going to do USB serial see if we can't get a connection going we can and we can see that the version is there so we just flashed the firmware and we did it through the Pogo pin connection but I wanted to see if I could take this new found Tech and apply it to something around the office to make my life a little easier the first thing that caught my eye my DJI mini drone now normally to charge this thing you have to turn it off bring it over to a charging port and plug in the USBC connector it's simple enough but I started thinking could we take it a step further for the sake of science what if at least theoretically the Drone could use magnets to create a hands-free connection kind of like an air-to-air refueling but for electric drones the only catch is I'm not allowed to touch the connectors with my hands that's where the magnets come in these little guys should make it possible for the Drone to snap onto the charging pad automatically without me needing to plug in any cables kind of like how Tesla envisions self-driving cars automatically parking and charging I'm trying to automate this drone charging process handsfree so I hopped on to temu to see what spare parts I could find to make this happen and as always temu is a interesting place got to love temu finds I'm not even sure what I'm looking at here but I am in intrigued eventually I stumbled across these magnetic charging heads male and female types perfect for my experiment so just for fun I was looking at the user manual here and you can see it's a pretty rough translation the magnet is fragile do not use it violently item comes with a small magnet children need to use it properly in the custody of adults close enough all right I have to say I'm actually pretty impressed with these temu finds they're a great deal assuming of course that China isn't siphoning off my data through them but thanks to my ubiquity router I can monitor all the network traffic which gives me a solid layer of protection against any potential threats I even went full bore and blocked all of China at one point but there ended up being a few manufacturers whose sites were hosted in China and I wanted to access so I ended up lifting that restriction I do want to show you all what I'm using in the way of home network management so I used to have a standard TPL link uh wireless router very vanilla type router not a whole lot of bells and whistles but um a couple months ago I upgraded to this guy right here and you can see it doesn't look like a typical router this is the UniFi Express by ubiquity and it's just a whole another level when it comes to home network management uh the privacy and security uh features are far more enhanced you can do things like you can block certain countries you can see all your network traffics all the different host names um so you know when you're getting devices from manufacturers that you don't have a whole lot of you know loyalty or you know rapport with you can uh be confident that they're not sending data off to different servers that you wouldn't expect and you can just do a whole lot of practical management things like you can set up a guest Network and you can do that fancy thing that hotels do where you you know uh guests can connect to that Network and it'll pop up a browser and it'll give them that welcome page and you can give them a guest username and password uh you can do a lot of that cool stuff uh with one of these and so this just helps keep my network secure highly highly highly recommend it either way always stay alert when you're adding new devices to your network it's good practice to know what's talking to what when introducing new appliances and being cognizant of how they might potentially be used against you the adapter comes with both a micro USB and us USBC head and it features an 11 pin connector its party trick is the 180° swivel head that swivel is perfect for my air-to-air drone recharging experiment and honestly it's surprising we don't see more creative charging designs like this here in the states one pain Point I've had before is charging my phone in the car when I plug it in it sits in the cup holder which bends the USBC cable and puts pressure on the port never ideal but with this swivel design I can right angle the cable which reduces that wear and tear which is pretty slick my plan is to pop the USBC head into the Drone leaving the magnetic swivel head exposed so that the Drone can just touch down and get a quick boost without any manual connection next up I've got a 60w USB 4 fast charger it's basically a standard USBC to Magnetic adapter but with a Twist what's interesting is the head is a circular conductive pin this is called a pogo pin ring connector ctor or rotational contact pin or slip ring and it enables the 360° rotational Freedom while passing a current to the device and on this channel we like our freedom it's another interesting example of creative charging Tech giving us more flexibility without worrying about cables bending or twisting out of place and with free shipping it's nice to not have to Shell out big money to bring my experiments to life finally I don't think putting the plug directly into the Drone is going to work work given the proximity to these blades so I got an 8 in USBC extension that I can dangle from the Drone to better facilitate the connection the end result is a drone with a protruding charging tail now let's prove that it can actually deliver okay so what I'm trying to do is to use the magnetic um USBC adapters to make um the charger for the Drone very easy to connect I should be able to just put the male and female pieces near each other and they should just snap into place so that is the idea um and you can see I'm not going to be able to get the USB up and kind of close to that end of the Drone um so I need some sort of extension and that's what I'm going to use for this and then right here I'm able to put that magnetic connector onto it so now I just need to connect everything and try to Pilot it to uh do an air air refueling okay so we have the charging station suspended in the air so hopefully the Drone can kind of come down and just snap into place and start charging we'll see for yes yes it worked [Music] all right so now if we want to so now if we want it to break [Music] away I got to give a quick shout out to DJI mini the number of times I've crashed this thing is just like I remember the first time I turned it on I immediately flew it into a wall and like I literally I I probably crash it about just about every time I use it um but it seems to bounce back um I think I've had to replace a couple blades but I don't know it's pretty rugged um so if you're ever interested in the getting a drone this little guy uh can handle quite a bit of uh destruction I'm excited to see how changing methods and connectors evolve in the coming years and new legislation like the eu's single charger rule could potentially limit the adoption of new connector modalities however since it currently only applies to phones and enforces specific current limits it might not be enough to guarantee USBC dominance as connectors continue to innovate and evolve have you ever worked on a project where Pogo pins could have made your life easier feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments below I'd love to hear about those experiences and don't forget to check out the next killer Tech video right here
2024-11-10 09:29
