NOTE: DOTKLOK now has a dedicated product page here.

DOTKLOK is an Arduino-based, open-source, digital clock with multiple time-telling animations, some literal, and others showing the passage of time through abstract patterns.

The inspiration for DOTKLOK was to combine in one clock a variety of ways to show time -- such as with words, graphics, or retro video game displays -- while providing a platform on which others can further develop unique timepieces. It is an evolution of the Electric Window 3 series.

DOTKLOK is built around the common ATmega328 microprocessor running the Arduino bootloader, making it easily customized and updated by owners. A dedicated real-time clock (RTC) chip tracks the time and date even in the absence of power thanks to a small back-up battery. Also, because of the open source nature of the project, DOTKLOK can be re-purposed for other uses altogether, such as a low-fi video game platform.

Through a simple button interface, users can set the date and time of the clock, then select one of many animations to show the time, along with the time mode: 12 or 24 hour. A random mode is included which switches to a different animation each day at midnight so that users can experience a new clock each day. The stylish, minimal case is easily assembled from laser-cut parts.

Here's a sample of the animations:

Basic time animation: in this mode, the user can set the time and chose 12/24 hour mode. A single dot travels around the hours/minutes display, moving each second.

Pong clock: time displayed as the score of an autonomous Pong game; the right side wins once a minute, while the left side only wins once an hour.

Random dot time: the screen fills randomly with dots over the course of 24 hours, one dot representing 4 minutes.

Morse code mode: hours, minutes, and seconds represented in Morse code glide across the screen at random velocities.

Seconds: seconds passed in the day shown on the top, seconds remaining on the bottom.

Percentage time: percentage of the day passed; one minute is approx. 0.07%.

Game Time: each minute the screen is randomly cleared by video game icons such as Pacman, Tetris blocks, or Space Invaders; the updated time then fades back in.

Here's a video showing the Game Time animation:

Here's a video previewing a few of the animations

DOTKLOK now has a dedicated product page here listing all the animations and full technical details.

DOTKLOK is available to purchase either as a kit or fully assembled through my Etsy shop.

aomalley.org / Lighting / DOTKLOK (top)

© 2010 andrew o'malley

photos by andrew + deborah o'malley