time.out (Roye Fang, A+V)

time.out is a Bluetooth-controlled alarm clock that allows you to take a break without the worry of losing productivity and oversleeping.

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time.out is inspired by an active effort to maintain and improve individual health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given that many students are living at home, it's too easy to lose the physical and mental borders between school and recreation.

Components include: ESP32, LCD1602, 2 1-digit 7 segment displays, passive buzzer, resistors (100 ohm), many jumper wires.

time.out uses an ESP32 MCU to control two 1-digit 7 segment displays for time, a buzzer to simulate an alarm and a LCD-1602 as a user interface. This project utilizes Bluetooth connection so the user may control time.out from a distance using their smartphone.

Some challenges included figuring out how to wire and multiplex 2 single-digit 7 segment displays, setting up an effective breadboarding "environment" (the ESP32 is quite large) and having to use an LCD due to (me) accidentally shorting the OLED.

A particular achievement to be proud of is the careful use of while loops to help the ESP32 simulate asynchronous "exits." In addition, implementing little glasses of milk onto the LCD, and coding the (beautiful) Morning Flower alarm clock song as an option for the buzzer.

In the future, time.out can include push buttons so the user does not have to use their phone, more alarm/timer times to choose from, more alarm songs to choose from, and a more interactive user interface.

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