INTERACTIVE CLOCK (RMIT)

 

For my Make Things Interactive subject I used a Arduino to create an interactive clock.

My idea was to create a clock that told the time through colours. The clock would also brighten when someone walked past it therefore drawing their attention to the time.

For the electrical side of this project I used:

Arduino Uno

NeoPixel Ring (16RGB LDEs)

Maxbotix – Ultrasonic Range Finder

Real Time Clock DS3232 (RTC)

4xAA Battery Holder

Potentiometer

The code on the Arduino checked the RTC for the time. The time then controlled what the LEDs did. That is, at the start of every hour the LEDs would be a dull colour, then that colour would get brighter every five minutes until the end of the hour. Next, the LED would change colour and be dull again. There are twelve colours that represent twelve hours. The brightness of the colour represents how far along the hour is. A range finder senses if someone has moved past the clock. If this sensor picks up movement it will brighten the LEDs to draw the person’s attention to the clock. This should remind the person of the time. The potentiometer is used to set the range of the range finder for any size room.

For the construction side of this project I used:

18mm AB grade plywood.

3mm MDF

2mm Acrylic

8mm Dowel

A3 paper with colour wheel printed on it.

I drew up a design in SolidWorks and had the design cut out using a CNC machine. Then I fitted all of the electrical components to the cut out parts. I then glued the 18mm plywood together with the colour wheel and the 2mm acrylic stuck in-between.