We are pleased to announce that Dr. Wojciech Jastrzębski from SWPS University’s Faculty of Law and Communication in Wrocław is among the top ten finalists of the 2022 Hackaday Prize competition. His project was one of the best among the 118 entries in the Hack it Back Challenge, which aims to keep old hardware off landfills.
New life for a 1991 portable computer
Dr. Wojciech Jastrzębski, lecturer at the Faculty of Law and Communication in Wrocław, repaired and upgraded the world’s first portable computer with a TFT/color active matrix screen — a 1991 Toshiba T3200SXC. He kept the original motherboard and the case intact but added several modern features to his vintage laptop, such as wireless connectivity. He also equipped the device with internal speakers and a new, custom-designed power supply unit (PSU) which enables charging the computer via a powerbank and not only by a cable connected to an electrical outlet.
Learn more about the project
By undertaking this project and compiling the documentation, I wanted to contribute to the preservation of tangible digital heritage. Fun fact: this particular model of a portable computer was featured in a 1992 Microsoft Excel commercial.
Wojciech Jastrzębski, Ph.D.
Department of Graphic Design, Faculty of Law and Communication in Wrocław, SWPS University
About Hackaday Prize
Hackaday Prize is a global hardware design challenge focused on widespread and impactful innovation. It creates an opportunity for the open source hardware community and the electronics industry to collaborate on pushing the boundaries of technology — whether by giving old gear a facelift or turning the outdated devices into something useful. All in the name of sustainability, resiliency, and circularity.
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