Technical Description
Laura Lentz
The City College of New York
Writing for Engineering: ENGL 21007
Professor Jacobson
November 17, 2022
Contents
Introduction
The DSI XL is a two screened handheld gaming console created by the company Nintendo. Along with the development of gaming consoles, Nintendo also manufactures and sells video games. Shigeru Miyamoto, who is a representative director at Nintendo, was a key creator and project leader of this gaming console (Simon Parkin 2020). The DSI XL is the latest model created out of four, developed by the company Nintendo. The DSI XL follows the DS, DSI, and the DSI Lite. A separate line of three and two dimensional DS’s followed the release of the original DS collection titled the 3DS and 2DS. This DSI XL was first released in Japan in 2008 and then available worldwide by 2009 (Nintendo DSI XL 2010). Small changes were made in the production of each new console to enhance the capabilities for the users. For example, the DSI XL weighs 314 grams as compared to the DS, one of the previous models, which weighs 218 grams (Scott Burke and Chris Lowe 2010). The DSI XL has two cameras when compared to the DS, which only has one. Longer battery life was a big factor for customers when considering this new product (Nintendo DSI XL 2010). On the DS, the battery span ranged from 9 to 14 hours while the new DSI XL’s battery life can range from 13 to 17 hours (Nintendo DSI XL 2010). Another small change that was made in the production was the newer console had a longer stylus when compared to the older model. These small changes may seem minute, but these adjustments enhanced the quality of the gaming console for users. With these changes, the sales continued to grow worldwide. The United States had its highest yearly DS sales in 2009 with 11.22 million units sold. The DSI and DSI XL accounted for 16.88 million of the 27.11 million units sold worldwide of its product line for Nintendo’s 2009 (Nintendo DSI XL 2010). The concept of these consoles may seem simple, a small handheld gaming console. Although the concept seems straightforward, the design and creation of these devices is tedious and complicated. There are multiple individual aspects of these consoles that work togethers to create a functioning device. Each individual part of the structure of a DSI XL plays a large role in how these devices work.
Each Part and Their Purpose
There are 17 individual parts and subparts that create the workings for the DSI XL. Each part has its specific role and each component works together for the gaming console to work successfully. These parts can be separated into the outer components as well as the inner components. The outer components are the parts that are visible, covering and protecting the inner components. These parts include a stylus, input buttons, a touch screen, an upper screen, as well as the outer shell. The inner components are the technical influences that control the console. These components include the lower LCD, speaker, input button pads, led cable, power board data table, wifi board, wifi antenna, camera ribbon, microphone, power board, as well as, the motherboard. There is a higher number of inner components when compared to outer components because these allow the DSI XL to function. Both play important roles in the usage of the gaming console, having the outer components protect and hold together the inner components to allow for smooth usage.
Outer Components
Beginning with the aspects of the outer components. The stylus, displayed in the image to the left as figure 1, is a thin pen-like object that allows players to have more accuracy in using the bottom half of the console, the touch screen. The touch screen is responsive to the human hand and fingers as well, but the addition of the stylus allows for more accuracy and improves the player’s quality of the game. There is a hollow section located on the back of the outer shell of a DSI XL where the stylus can be stored easily. It is located at a specific area of the DS or DSI XL, depending on which model (Thomas Farrell 2014). Next, the touch screen, which is located to the right as figure 2, is a display device that allows the
user to interact with the console by touching areas on the screen. Touch screens work by having multiple layers of glass and plastic on the device. These layers are coated with a conductor, which is a material that conducts electricity to a greater or lesser extent. Materials like indium tin oxide or copper are common examples of conductor materials. These conductive materials respond when they are contacted by other electrical conductors, one example being, a human hand. When you touch your screen, an electric circuit is completed at the point where your finger makes contact, changing the electrical charge at this location. Your device registers this information as a “touch event.” These elements working together create the ability and functions of a touch screen (Sophie Sirois 2018). This works with the stylus to create the interactive experience that users play with. Input buttons, presented to the left as figure 3, are 
buttons that signify certain commands that allow the user to interact in the game. Included in these input buttons are a directional controller, six face buttons, as well as two shoulder buttons. More specifically, these include the power button, start & select buttons, volume up & down, D-pad, start & select, and ABXY (Thomas Farrell and Connor Petilli 2014). The upper screen, shown to the right as figure 4, is the part of the DSI XL that allows the
player to see the game that they are playing. This portion of the console allows the user to have a visual image of what they are playing. This works with the lower LCD to allow visuals, the lower LCD is described in the inner component section (Thomas Farrell 2014). Lastly, the outer shell, displayed to the left as figure 5, is the armor around the console, keeping it all together and protecting the inner 
components. The outer shell holds the inner technical aspects of the DSI XL in place and allows for smooth usage. These aspects of the DSI XL play a large role in the ability to function and work properly. Both the outer components and the inner components have importance in ensuring that DSI XL works. The inner components have different purposes than the outer components but both are valuable.
Inner Components
The inner components of the DSI XL work together to allow it to function. The battery, shown to the right as figure 6, is a device containing an electric cell or a series of electric cells storing energy that can be converted into electrical power. The battery, which can be recharged, allows the console to have lasting power. Batteries have the purpose of storing energy, by using chemistry, to allow for lasting power or electricity (Thomas Farrell, and Connor Petilli 2014). The lower LCD, seen to the left as figure 7, otherwise known as a liquid-crystal display, is a 
flat-panel display that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. This means that the lower LCD is controlled by pixels that are creating the image of the game being played. How the pixels are controlled depends on which type of display is being used. Other types of display include LED or CTR. In short, LCDs are lit by a backlight, and pixels are switched on and off electronically while using liquid crystals to rotate polarized light. An LCD panel is made of many layers (TechTarget Contributor 2019). The speaker, shown to the right as figure 8, is AN electroacoustic transducer, a device that converts an electrical audio signal into a corresponding sound. The purpose
of a speaker is to offer audio output for the listener, in this case, the person using the gaming console. More simply put, the speaker generates sounds that correspond or correlate with the game. This allows for the gamers to have a more interactive gaming experience with audios matching up to the visual aids they see (Speaker 2010). Input button pads, displayed to the left as figure 9, are the pads underneath the button pads that take in which button is 
being pressed at what time. They provide a variety of digital controls making them suitable for almost any kind of game and also provide tactile feedback through embedded vibration motors (Steve Whims 2022). The LED cable, shown to the right as figure 10, otherwise known as light-emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light is determined by the energy required for electrons to cross the semiconductor. White light is obtained 
by using multiple semiconductors or a layer of light-emitting phosphor on the semiconductor device (Tom Harris 2002). The power board data cable, seen to the left as figure 11, is a cable that connects the input buttons on the power board to the motherboard. In short this provides the motherboard with power and it also links the indicator LEDs to the motherboard (Nintendo DSI Power Board Data Cable 2104). Wifi board, shown to the right as figure 12, allows for the DSI XL to connect to WiFi wirelessly. If you don’t have wifi 
on your motherboard, then you would have to use an Ethernet connection. Ethernet is the traditional technology for connecting devices in a wired local area network. Allowing for users to connect to the internet wirelessly, supports the idea of a handheld and portable gaming console (Thomas Farrell 2014). The WiFi antenna, displayed to the left as figure 13, converts the EM waves into electrical signals, 
and vice versa. Wireless networking devices, such as wireless routers, smartphones, laptops, tablets, and hotspots, have receiving and transmitting antennas. This antenna is mounted on 12″ of antenna cable (Best WIFI Antennas 2017). The camera ribbon as 
figure 14, shown to the left, is a wide and flat cable that allows pictures to be taken on the DSI XL. This ribbon cable contains both the forward and rear facing cameras for the Nintendo DSI XL. A camera lens takes all the light rays bouncing around and uses glass to redirect them to a single point, creating a sharp image. When all of those light rays meet back together on a digital camera sensor or a piece of film, they create a sharp image (Casey Cosley 
2019). These elements work through the camera ribbon to allow the DSI XL to be able to take pictures from both the front and the back camera. The microphone, shown to the right as figure 15, is an instrument for converting sound 
waves into electrical energy variations which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded. Microphones enable many types of audio recording devices for purposes including communications of many kinds, as well as music vocals, speech and sound recording (Katie Terrel Hanna 2022). A power board, seen to the right as figure 16, is a portable device consisting of a plug, wire, and one or more rows of electrical outlets, usually activated by a power switch. The power board in the DSI XL is the mount point for the battery. The purpose of the power board in this gaming console is to 
transport energy or power throughout the inner components (Thomas Farrell 2014). The motherboard, displayed to the right as figure 17, is a circuit board containing the principal components of a device, with connectors into which other circuit boards can be slotted. It’s the circuit board that connects all of your hardware to your 
processor, distributes electricity from your power supply, and defines the types of storage devices, memory modules, and graphics cards (Mother Boards are Complex, 2107). Each of these individual inner components function together to create the visual, auditorial, and interactive game console known as the DSI XL.
Conclusion
DSI XL, originally created in and distributed in Japan in 2008, became widely known and sold worldwide in 2009 after a high number of sales. The DSI XL is the latest DS manufactured from the four that were released in the series. With new updates to the design such as larger screen and longer battery life span, the DSI XL became well known and popular. Small advancements and changes in the hardware, as well, pushed sales for the DSI XL. Each specific working of the DSI XL plays a valuable role in the functioning of this gaming console. There are the outer components as well as the inner components that make up the gaming console. The outer parts include a stylus, which is similar to a pen and allows for more accuracy when using the console. The input buttons are the outer buttons of the consoles that interact with the games. The touch screen allows for an interactive experience as well. By touching the screen with a hand or the stylus, gamers can affect the game being played. The upper screen is the part that allows the viewer to have a visual image of the game. The outer shell holds the inner works together as well as protects them. The inner workings include the battery, which had adjustments to have a longer life span in the new model of the DSI. The lower LCD uses liquid crystals and layers of polarized glass to produce images while consuming less power than CRT. The speaker allows for auditory effects to be heard by the user to enhance game quality. The input button pads are what is under the input buttons. These are pads that take in the signal from the buttons. The led cable is a light-emitting diode, a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Power board data table cable that connects the input buttons on the power board to the motherboard. Wifi board connects to wifi and works with the Wifi antenna to allow users to connect to wifi wirelessly. The camera ribbon allows for pictures to be taken from the two cameras in the DSI XL. The microphone allows for sounds to be converted and heard by the users. The power board transfers power throughout the inner components. The motherboard is a circuit board containing the principal components of a computer or other device, with connectors into which other circuit boards can be slotted. All these individual aspects that come together to create the DSI XL have a valuable role. By working together and cooperation these individual parts create a functioning gaming console.
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