Work Recorder

Prototype
2014

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Recording hours when doing commissioned work is boring. Often, we forget it altogether. So we made a prototype for a work recorder.

Yes ... an app could do the same thing. But with a big physical ON/OFF button, the Work Recorder could be just a tad more accessible, which could in turn make the difference.

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It works like this: ON

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12 LEDs indicate passing minutes and hours.

Hours and minutes are displayed with the same LEDs. Minute intervals of 5 are shown with a low emitting intensity, hours with a high intensity.

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Adjust + - 5 minutes

Out for a cigarette, yesterday's forgotten hours, interrupting phone call, sudden meeting, etc.

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OFF + Send to a billing system ..

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.. a system like Harvest.

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Also, the block's 4 sides represents up to 4 different ongoing projects, marked with correlating dots.

This feature is actually not working on the prototype, and also lacks a proper indicator for project in focus.

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The device is not about accuracy – it's not a stop watch. Instead, it's intended to calmly run in the background, glanceable for a general idea of time spent.

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The prototype actually works! Main components listed below.

Arduino Nano
RTC (+ crystal)
Coin cell battery
Rotary encoder (12 steps)
Natural white LED
Bunch of resistors


It doesn't include a multiplexer. The dimmed minute intervals were achieved by using the Soft PWM library (not too too good for filming tho..)

Also, the code is non-postable, it's an embarrassing mess that makes no sense to no one.

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The electronics were showed into a manually milled 7x7x2 cm oak block, and the button cap was FDM printed.