Part 1: Time for a semester project?

Part 2: Progress through time

Part 3: Tick tock goes the clock

Part 4: What’s in a face?

Part 5: Closing Time (this post)

Rounding up my “time” posts, this is my final prototype for my project.

Here (below) is my final prototype functioning. You use your own hands as the clock hands, and the shadow cast by the LEDs tells the time. When the clock is not triggered, it acts as a light installation.

Heres how I’ve incorporated the different skills from the semester into my project:

• Soldering: hours upon hours with the soldering iron putting together those LEDs, wires, and components.
• 3D-Printing: printed gears for a mechanical clock idea (didnt make it onto final design). Designed on Creo after an unsuccessful attempt on Fusion360.
• Laser Cutting: created an interlocking box enclosure to house all the components. Designed using inkscape.
• Arduino: wrote code from scratch for the interactive nature of this clock.

For future iterations, things that i’d consider doing:

• diffuse the LED light so that its a softer glow, maybe with a fabric covering
• reset the time code at midnight so that theres no chance of it hitting problems from constant running
• hinged lid for easier access to inside components, or better press fit box
• overextend the lip or mount LEDs much further into box, so its not possible to look at them directly
• the code could be rewritten to be more efficient
• troubleshoot to ensure every single permutation is correct.
• laser hole in top back for a nail to hang on a wall
• determine optimal angle  to trigger the ultrasonic sensor.

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