You might wonder, why "Manta"?
During the design process, we faced a series of seemingly impossible challenges: How could we pursue thinness while accommodating necessary functional elements? If the device's edges were ultra-thin, where would we place the USB port and power button, which require a certain thickness? Even more challenging was our commitment to modularity. Modular design often comes at the cost of bulkiness, while thinness usually means sacrificing repairability and upgradability.
We found ourselves at an impasse. Should we sacrifice these features or compromise our vision of a sleek form factor?
Just when we were at our wits' end, inspiration struck like lightning during a visit to an aquarium. Have you seen manta rays in the ocean? They're known for their graceful, fluid swimming style. Despite their large, paper-thin bodies, they have two unique protrusions on their heads - their cephalic fins. This harmonious form gave us our eureka moment.
When you look at the back of the Manta device, does it remind you of a manta ray gliding elegantly through water?
The back features a gentle slope design around sides, with the thinnest edges measuring just 3.6 mm, creating a sleek shape reminiscent of a manta ray's body.
The slight protrusion at the top cleverly houses the USB port and power button, much like a manta ray's cephalic fins. This allows users to charge while using the device, achieving harmony between form and function.
The central area on the back provides space for modular components, continuing the upgradable mainboard (sharing the same board as Nomad), replaceable battery, and expandable storage features of the Nomad.
In this way, we successfully combined modularity with an incredibly sleek design.