Wall Timepiece Displaying Hours and Minutes under Shadow's Glare
The 3D-printed shadow clock is a captivating blend of design and technology that brings a unique twist to traditional timekeeping.
This intriguing creation, masterminded by Lewis from DIY Machines, showcases a hollow rim housing two seemingly suspended hands. The minute hand is attached to an outer rotor, setting its position, while the hour hand floats freely around the center due to a hidden magnet attracted to another magnet in the hour rotor.
An LED light source projects the clock's shadows onto a larger display, creating a visually striking visualization of time.
The clock's electronics, which include an ESP8266 devboard, manage the stepper motors and LEDs, ensuring smooth operation and accurate timekeeping by querying a network time server[1].
While this article focuses on the 3D-printed shadow clock, it's worth mentioning other fascinating clock builds. For instance, the thermochromic clock, which uses thermochromic materials to change colour in response to temperature changes, offers a dynamic display where the clock hands or face change colour as they move[3].
Additionally, projects like the Magic Panel 32, which uses an ESP8266 or ESP32 to control a full-color 8x8 LED matrix, and Simple Robot Clocks, which employ the ESP8266 in a robot base, could be adapted to create interactive clock robots that display time in creative ways[2][4].
These projects demonstrate the versatility of using microcontrollers like the ESP8266 in creating unique and interactive timekeeping devices. The 3D-printed shadow clock is a prime example of this, offering a fresh and visually appealing approach to telling the time.
[1] Network Time Protocol (NTP) is used to synchronize the clock's time with a network time server. [2] Magic Panel 32 project: [3] Thermochromic clock project: [4] Simple Robot Clocks project:
This inventive 3D-printed shadow clock, powered by electronics and LED gadgets, is just one example of the many DIY technology projects that blends design and timekeeping. Beyond the shadow clock, there are other intriguing creations like the Magic Panel 32, a project that employs electronics to control a full-color LED matrix, or the Simple Robot Clocks, which utilize electronics in a robot base to display time creatively.
