The old-fashioned alarm clock was a staple of cartoons in years past, with loud clanging bells and slap-to-shutoff functionality. Despite being an excellent dramatic device, these classic timepieces began to lose favor to the digital clock radio, and, in more recent times, the smartphone alarm. However, [LenkaDesign] has come up with this excellent build that combines the best of the old and the new.
The build starts with an old alarm clock. The clockwork internals are removed, but the bells remain, powered instead by a brushed DC motor. An Arduino Nano is the brains of the operation, interfacing with the now-ubiquitous temperature, humidity and barometric pressure sensors. Time is displayed on a Nokia 5110 LCD screen of the type popular a decade ago when options for small hobby project displays were significantly more limited then they are today.
As a nice touch, an old circuit board lends a new face to this clock, with a trio of big chunky buttons to act as controls. The LCD uses attractive icons to help convey information, making the most of the graphical capabilities available. There’s even a rudimentary weather forecasting algorithm that uses barometric pressure changes to predict the likelihood of rain.
Overall, it’s a tidy build that promises to serve as a great alarm clock, given the high volume of the original bells. Alarm clocks have always been a hacker staple, but if you’re still struggling to get out of bed this fire bell build should rattle your fillings loose on a daily basis. Video after the break.
[Thanks to Baldpower for the tip!]
Weather forecast is a good start, but if one could just make a clock to generally forecast the future…
:o)
“It will be 10 past the hour… in 10 minutes.”
+1
:o)
http://www.deathclock.com/
What is the algorithm for the weather forecast based on barometric pressure?
I know about Zambretti algorithm: http://drkfs.net/zambretti.htm
I’m a little bummed that he didn’t design a PCB that was functional to the end product…
That would’ve been the banger.
“original bells” … NEVER!
Still remember the dreaded noise.
High pitch, in crescendo, all the way instead.
To slowly, but surely, wake up.