Etch-a-Sketch Clock!
March 10, 2008 1:05 AM Subscribe
Oh that is amazing! I want one! Ingenious. Her site. The Arduino platform she used to create it is interesting, the software can be downloaded for free (YT tutorial). Another quirky Arduino driven gizmo: the alien paper cup.
posted by nickyskye at 1:43 AM on March 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by nickyskye at 1:43 AM on March 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
I had a feeling somebody would make this post, but better, in the comments.
posted by tehloki at 1:47 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by tehloki at 1:47 AM on March 10, 2008
I had a feeling somebody would make this post, but better, in the comments.
Well, once you've got nickyskye commenting in your thread, things always get a lot better!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:52 AM on March 10, 2008
Well, once you've got nickyskye commenting in your thread, things always get a lot better!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:52 AM on March 10, 2008
Love it! And the Professor Frink doll at the table was a nice touch!
posted by soundofsuburbia at 2:38 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by soundofsuburbia at 2:38 AM on March 10, 2008
My favorite part is the monster-like appearance of the back of the device. That, and the bag of BB's providing a counterweight for the erasing mechanism.
posted by tehloki at 2:49 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by tehloki at 2:49 AM on March 10, 2008
The Arduino module she uses is a popular platform on the MAKE blog.
They have a whole section for projects made using the Arduino
posted by toftflin at 2:59 AM on March 10, 2008
They have a whole section for projects made using the Arduino
posted by toftflin at 2:59 AM on March 10, 2008
Oh this is amazing. I would totally buy one if they were ever mass produced.
posted by sveskemus at 3:17 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by sveskemus at 3:17 AM on March 10, 2008
Awesome.
posted by johnofjack at 3:55 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by johnofjack at 3:55 AM on March 10, 2008
I'm going to use the Arduino to get my grandson interested in something more imaginiative than overpriced-build-one-thing-only Lego sets. It costs $20-$50 to get started and there are lots of people and free resources to help you.
Make you own gadgets!
posted by Enron Hubbard at 4:28 AM on March 10, 2008
Make you own gadgets!
posted by Enron Hubbard at 4:28 AM on March 10, 2008
Enron - if you (or your "grandson" - we all know who we really buy Lego for) ... are only able to build one thing form each Lego kit you buy, you're buying different Lego kits than I am ...
But if "your grandson" has a large collection of Lego, if might be worth checking out their NXT line of robot-building stuff - it's not cheap, though.
posted by kcds at 6:02 AM on March 10, 2008
But if "your grandson" has a large collection of Lego, if might be worth checking out their NXT line of robot-building stuff - it's not cheap, though.
posted by kcds at 6:02 AM on March 10, 2008
That is hugely impressive. Not sure about the immediacy of it in regards to a viable clock ;-)
I'm loving anything retro-toy inspired at the moment, just rebought a Rubiks... Am still crap at it.
A match made in heaven.
posted by Bueller77 at 6:35 AM on March 10, 2008
I'm loving anything retro-toy inspired at the moment, just rebought a Rubiks... Am still crap at it.
A match made in heaven.
posted by Bueller77 at 6:35 AM on March 10, 2008
The Arduino really is cool (I have two as of last week). This clock inspired me to do my own programmed etch-a-sketch thing this weekend, but I was hampered by being sick as a dog.
What's this about Lego building only one thing?
Whoa...I bet I could interface the Arduino with my Lego. I just need the motor specs and then I could have an unlimited number of sensors!
posted by DU at 7:53 AM on March 10, 2008
What's this about Lego building only one thing?
Whoa...I bet I could interface the Arduino with my Lego. I just need the motor specs and then I could have an unlimited number of sensors!
posted by DU at 7:53 AM on March 10, 2008
Hah - that is just awesome! I love the inventiveness of geeks sometimes... Why do it? Because we can! Oh yeah!
posted by benzo8 at 8:09 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by benzo8 at 8:09 AM on March 10, 2008
My grandson gets specific Lego sets (usually Star Wars related) as presents that he builds and then leaves completed.
Mighty expensive models.
He has lots of the generic pieces as well, but for what some of those sets cost, you could do a lot of spiffy things with Arduino.
To get him started with electronics, we're each building a Ruby guitar amp (sound sample), similar to the Makezine $5 Cracker Box Amp.
posted by Enron Hubbard at 8:47 AM on March 10, 2008
Mighty expensive models.
He has lots of the generic pieces as well, but for what some of those sets cost, you could do a lot of spiffy things with Arduino.
To get him started with electronics, we're each building a Ruby guitar amp (sound sample), similar to the Makezine $5 Cracker Box Amp.
posted by Enron Hubbard at 8:47 AM on March 10, 2008
I have a hard time imagining something more useless than this.
posted by zekinskia at 11:37 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by zekinskia at 11:37 AM on March 10, 2008
Which, by my reckoning, is both its point, and its beauty...
posted by benzo8 at 11:52 AM on March 10, 2008
posted by benzo8 at 11:52 AM on March 10, 2008
You can't think of something more useless than a clock? Or maybe you mean there's nothing more useless than a person exploring their creativity and learning some new things?
posted by DU at 12:07 PM on March 10, 2008
posted by DU at 12:07 PM on March 10, 2008
somebody would make this post, but better
tehloki, nuh uh, you made a beautiful post. It's a fun find. But thank you and flapjax for the really nice compliments. *hugs
Playful accompaniment to an etch-a-sketch clock? Rampant enthusiasm and dancing flowers. A dog and a singing sunflower? A Chinese singing fish?
Is there a rule 34 for the absurd?
posted by nickyskye at 2:54 PM on March 10, 2008
tehloki, nuh uh, you made a beautiful post. It's a fun find. But thank you and flapjax for the really nice compliments. *hugs
Playful accompaniment to an etch-a-sketch clock? Rampant enthusiasm and dancing flowers. A dog and a singing sunflower? A Chinese singing fish?
Is there a rule 34 for the absurd?
posted by nickyskye at 2:54 PM on March 10, 2008
I have a hard time imagining something more useless than this.
I would think snarking an Etch-a-Sketch clock would be more useless than building one, but here we are.
posted by dirigibleman at 3:10 PM on March 10, 2008 [3 favorites]
I would think snarking an Etch-a-Sketch clock would be more useless than building one, but here we are.
posted by dirigibleman at 3:10 PM on March 10, 2008 [3 favorites]
I have a hard time imagining something more useless than this.
The end product is not always the most valuable part -- or even the point -- of the process.
posted by joaquim at 4:33 PM on March 10, 2008
The end product is not always the most valuable part -- or even the point -- of the process.
posted by joaquim at 4:33 PM on March 10, 2008
I'm not proud of this, but every time I read the phrase "Etch-a-Sketch Clock" I can't help but doing a double take because I think it says Etch-a-Sketch Cock, which is a whole other internet project.
posted by Len at 4:38 PM on March 10, 2008
posted by Len at 4:38 PM on March 10, 2008
I have a hard time imagining something more useless than this.
The only possible explanation for this statement would be that you really have a shockingly weak imagination.
I mean, hey, it's a CLOCK, for one thing. You know, as in, *it tells time*? As in, it can be very useful to know *what time it is?* And it's charming. It's heart-warming. It speaks to something within the human spirit: the need to build. To create. To have fun. To be whimsical. To be alive. It's ART.
All of that is far from "useless".
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:09 PM on March 10, 2008 [3 favorites]
The only possible explanation for this statement would be that you really have a shockingly weak imagination.
I mean, hey, it's a CLOCK, for one thing. You know, as in, *it tells time*? As in, it can be very useful to know *what time it is?* And it's charming. It's heart-warming. It speaks to something within the human spirit: the need to build. To create. To have fun. To be whimsical. To be alive. It's ART.
All of that is far from "useless".
posted by flapjax at midnite at 7:09 PM on March 10, 2008 [3 favorites]
I have a hard time imagining something more useless than this.
How about your appendix... drawn on an Etch-a-Sketch?
posted by dgaicun at 8:13 PM on March 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
How about your appendix... drawn on an Etch-a-Sketch?
posted by dgaicun at 8:13 PM on March 10, 2008 [1 favorite]
Tehloki, your post was perfect. I was in the mood for something light and easy. I probably wouldn't have clicked on it had you added another word or link.
posted by iamkimiam at 10:57 PM on March 10, 2008
posted by iamkimiam at 10:57 PM on March 10, 2008
Does this signify the end of the old ways, when we would hire midgets to etch-a-sketch the time in 10 hour shifts?
posted by mannequito at 1:18 AM on March 11, 2008
posted by mannequito at 1:18 AM on March 11, 2008
Geektastariffic!
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 8:18 AM on March 11, 2008
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 8:18 AM on March 11, 2008
Assuming this is 11:41 a.m., how about Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) instead, with Passionflower (Passiflora caerulea) due about noon? More floral time-keeping here.
posted by Julie at 1:57 PM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Julie at 1:57 PM on March 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
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Nice little contraption!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 1:18 AM on March 10, 2008