Searching Project Ideas
For my Final Project, I had wanted to combine RGB light with everyday life. While I was brainstorming my instructor advised me to check out previous projects to get a better idea. After a quick search I found out that someone did a project which fit perfectly to my mind. It was Alok Sethi’s (2019 - Oulu Fablab) final project: https://fabacademy.org/2019/labs/oulu/students/alok-sethi/assignments/week20/
It is a “Wakeup Alarm Lamp” where LED light gradually increases brightness before the alarm time to wake you up naturally designed especially because Finnish winters are very dark and a programmable bright light can help with morning mood/energy.
My Project Idea
This project was a perfect starting point because it shows how LED lighting can be used in a practical, everyday way. Building on that, I plan to design and build a multifunctional Desk Clock that combines a digital time display with programmable RGB lighting effects along with built in speakers for music.
Similar to Sethi’s concept, the clock will be able to use light as part of a wake-up routine by slowly increasing brightness before an alarm time, but also the RGB lights will serve as ambient illumination and as visual indicators for:
- timers,
- the music played,
- and different modes or transitions.
Shortly, my aim is to create a compact and clean device that integrates a display, user controls (buttons or a knob), a microcontroller, speakers, and LED lighting inside a single custom designed enclosure. While the exact form and functionality may evolve throughout the upcoming weeks, the core idea will probably remain the same.
Sketch
Below are early sketches I drew to explore possible shapes for the clock. I initially experimented with spherical and triangular-prism designs, but ultimately chose a rectangular prism form because it offers a clean, familiar look and is easier to fabricate while keeping internal components organized.
Main Key Features
- Digital screen on the front for displaying time, alarms, and timers
- RGB LED strips integrated on the back and/or bottom for visual feedback
- Buttons and knobs on the top for setting time, alarms, and modes
- Built in speakers to play music
Draft Materials List
This list will evolve as the design becomes more detailed, but here is the simple initial plan:
- OLED / E ink screen (The ones that are used in Amazon Kindles)
- Microcontroller (ESP32)
- RGB LED strip or addressable LEDs
- Push buttons or knobs
- 3D-printed enclosure (PLA) or a laser cut wooden enclosure
- Power supply (probably a 5V adapter but im not sure yet)
- Wires, resistors, headers, and soldering materials etc
- Mounting hardware (screws, standoffs)