SHANGHAI: A secondary-school student in China has used a 3D printer and old smartphone components to make a vertical foldable mobile phone, winning massive admiration on social media, including the thumbs-up from a major phone maker.
Lan Bowen, from Yiling High School in Yichang in central Hubei province, released a video clip showing the making of his smartphone on social media platform on Feb 16.
The footage, less than six minutes long, has been viewed 4.7 million times and has received 400,000 likes.
Lan said his idea of creating an vertical foldable smartphone came after he found various types of such horizontal models and the inward-folded vertical ones were available on the market, but no outside-folded vertical ones which leave the screens outside while bent.
“I call it a meal card machine because its length and width are similar to a canteen meal card after being folded, though it is much thicker,” said Lan, dressed in his school’s uniform, in the video.
His creation is 16mm thick folded in half.
Lan’s creation has even attracted the attention of a major mobile phone maker. - Baidu
The frame is made using a 3D printer he bought for 2,000 yuan (US$275) last year.
The core part of the machine is assembled with components mostly derived from the old mobile phones used by members of Lan’s family. A small percentage of the materials were bought online.
A major obstacle he met was that the touch screen function did not work when the phone was unfolded.
“I found the reason was that the screen was pushed out when it was unfolded,” said Lan in the clip.
“I amended my design, tested it a lot and damaged several screens before solving this problem.
“My smartphone is at a very primitive stage, with plenty of shortcomings. But the good thing is that it is able to implement all the functions of a normal mobile phone.”
The teenager’s work has been praised on mainland social media.
“I see a small version of Lei Jun, the founder of Xiaomi, a domestic leading consumer electronics giant,” said one online observer.
Another said: “He not only does handicraft well, but also has a good expression ability and makes videos adeptly.”
Lan also attracted the attention of Vivo, a top mobile phone maker in China. “It is great! Vivo expects more marvellous work from you.”
A year-one student at the high school, Lan admits he only excels in English and geography, but performs poorly at other subjects, Jimu News reported.
He has been interested in handicrafts since childhood, and made some military models when he was an primary school student.
Lan’s father is a taxi driver while his mother is an insurance sales worker, both of whom support his hobby, he said. - South China Morning Post
