I would like to propose a hardware improvement that should apply to all “Reform” project:
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Replace all normal fuses with electronic ones, so they could be reset without need to phisically replace them
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All Power supplies, I/O interfaces, etc. should have build-in by design protections against:
- ESD
- voltage (and current) releated events
by including (among others, but not limited to):
- TVS diodes (or arrays of)
- electronic fuse’s
Above solution would also mittigate kinds of attack like for example “USB Killer” (or alike) that burns the hardware by supplying high voltage thru the I/O port or power supply.
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since MNT’s hardware is open, if one’s careful, it should theoretically be possible to replace any soldered on components with different ones, though it’d likely require a precise soldering iron and steady hands.
that said from a quick search i’m seeing that eFuses are usually made of traces on the PCB (if these are what you’re referring to?) and would thus require a hardware revision, but you could download the sources, redesign, then send off to a PCB manufacturer for the revised board, even having them install all components for you, then test and verify in your own system and make a PR for the new design under the same license
i would like to see these but i believe there’s already some protection built in. i haven’t dug into the hardware to this level yet but this is definitely an interesting idea
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Hello and thanks for the answer. Regarding Your message:
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not every one has enough skill to self mount any additional components, so I had proposed to make it beeing already there since the next revision 
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according to the schematics, the protection You had mentioned wouldn’t be sufficient, aspecially since most I/O and power supply are not protected, plus the protection is not put directly by the ports / power connector, so there is a risk of possible damage in case of (for example) high voltage pulse or ESD
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as for the eFuse, there are many differen variants of and I’m not sure with one are You refering too,
1: yeah that’s absolutely fair, I only mentioned it if you were wanting to mod your device since that’s a standout feature of MNT’s stuff I personally love. that’s another use for the board manufacturers I mentioned, if you wanted to make/design something yourself
2: yeah I had a feeling since as I said I hadn’t gotten quite that far into the hardware. that said, i’m getting into cybersec and USB killers would definitely be an interesting potential issue I may run into, so I’d love to see this level of protection too.
you also gave me an interesting idea that could be solved with software: usb input isolation and monitoring for countering things like o.mg cables and juice jackers, for ease of locating them without risk, in the interest of removing them/reporting them
3: my only point was that while one could solder on new components, some modifications would still require a board revision and couldn’t be modified at home, either for end result or testing to make a PR
On the side, if you would be interested, I started to re-design the Reform hardware (I’m not sure if won’t end up as a Reform inspired project) and add some improvements, like for example (among others, but not limited to):
- adding protections to I/O and main power connector
- making it more modular, with would make possible to become more exchengable and for the better optimization of the modules placement
- extending possibility to use other hardware modules and not only ones that are currently avaliable
I don’t understand much about hardware, but seeing that MNT devices are open hardware , and seeing that we have so few people with the know how, would it be possible to raise a Pull Request for each change with your proposed solution and let the community debate it for a bit?
Like join forces. The community would greatly benefit from your help.
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That why I had created this topic here, aspecially that if fit to the both: “Reform” and “Reform mini” projects 
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