Hackaday · Creativity & design

Icosahedral Clock Tells Time Through Tumbling Faces

A hacker has designed a unique clock that uses two tumbling icosahedra to display the time, offering a creative approach to timekeeping.

Each 3D-printed icosahedron features numerals on its twelve sides and rotates on a brass support shaft. Internal gearing spins the outer shells around two axes, cycling through faces so only one set of numerals is upright at a time for easier reading.

The clock's mechanism allows the icosahedra to rotate around the support shaft while showcasing the internal gears. A split path around the icosahedra facilitates this rotation.

An ATmega8 microcontroller controls the clock, driving two stepper motors via drv8833 motor drivers. A hall effect sensor is used to detect the position of each indicator.

Since the minutes dial only shows time in five-minute increments, an LED strip is incorporated to display the exact minute.

The designer has a history of creating innovative clock designs, including a chain-link sculpture, a hair-tie clock, and a mechanical seven-segment display.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.