Discussion: Redesigning a "compass": need help, knowledge and comments.

Hello fellow orienteering enthusiast,
I am a junior industrial design student at OSU. For this quarter's project, I have decided to tackle on redesigning a compass. I have a intermediate knowledge of using a compass with a map, and basic structure of a compass. I thought this site would be a great place to get some primary research, because all of you are experts in using a compass. So, could you provide me with some expertise knowledge of making a better compass?
Some question's I have:
1. What kind of specifications are you looking for when purchasing a compass?
2. What brand do you own? (Silva, Stanley London, Brunton, etc.)
3. What specific detail's would you change or add about a compass?
-----Please feel free to share your input in redesigning a compass----
ex. able to read at night, rubber grip, bigger visual display, etc....

you can add to my discussion or e-mail me at (ma.98@osu.edu)
Thank you very much!!

In my opinion,the first thing,you will have to consider in redisigning a compass,is the purpose ,that the compass, you are going to redesign,will have,unless you are talking of redesigning a whole line of compasess.Anyhow in our sport we are looking for compasess that fit our each individual needs,but commonly,everybody is loking for a fast setling needle,acuracy,lightweight,competitive price and comfortable ,eficient handling.

I do not have a specific market area at this moment. If it does lead me to redesigning a whole line of compasses, that will of course be better. I just want to incoorporate as much specifications as possible into a compass that anyone can use for what ever intended purpose they may have, from beginner's to advanced orienteering enthusiast. You mentioned comfortablity and efficient handling, could you elaborate on that. What parts do you feel that needs improvement with comfort? What would be a better way to have the compass more efficient for handling?
thank you!

Realy this subject it can go manny diff. ways,as the preferencess of each orienteer individualy,because some prefer the thumb compasess,others the base plate and some wrist compasess,or others miniature .I have been using all my 30 years of orienteering ,the base plate model and one thing that bother me all the time is the way are stringed to your wrist and the stability of the nedle,on the earlier models.This days most of the manufacturers have improved a lot on that.

I want something that points mag. north at all times.

Take it from there.

You should also consider looking at Moscow compasses, long considered the best ones on the market for orienteers (though only available, it seems, from reasonably weird looking dudes with folding tables).

They have recently redesigned their compasses to have one that is "stable" but not very "fast setting" for using on the run, and another that is fast setting but not stable, if you use it only to check direction periodically.

I don't know what they have changed to do that, maybe nothing, but it is certainly a nice marketing ploy.

I think you have to considere the fact that there are two very different things you might be looking to design, and you have to decide which you are interested in, or both. The first is what's inside the capsule, i.e. the thing that points north. The second is the stuff outside the capsule, the way that the compass is held and manipulated.

For part 1, you have to understand the principle by which compass needles are balanced for different magnetic latitudes, to compensate for the inclination of the magnetic field (fuzzy mamory tells me that this is sometimes referred to as "dip"). This counterweighting creates a siuation whereby motion of the hand makes the needle swing around. A possible solution is a balanced needle and a two-point bearing (Moscow uses the latter, but maybe not the former). Such a compass might be good at all latitudes. And there's also the issue of the capsule allowing the fluid to swirl, driving the needle to one side.

Another possible solution is a no-moving-parts compass, e.g. a flux-gate.

And the external parts of the compass are an entire discussion on themselves (but keep the southpaws in mind).