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I. Overview

Complete your final project, tracking your progress:

what tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?

My main goal was to display the time with the Nixie Tubes, to have a nice looking clock and that task has been completed.
My thoughts were, after the main goal is reached, to implement more features step by step.
So after the Tubes were light up and the time was displayed, I start adding the four separated dots and that was also done very well.
I’ve added optional solder pads and pinheaders to implement more features in the future.
The case is also finished completely, so there are no remaining tasks left.

what’s working? what’s not?

The only thing what is not working, is to flash the chip via the ftdi-interface. I have to use SPI with an external programmer.
That’s not a big problem and I can deal with it. It would only be a little bit more comfortable to be able to flash the Microcontroller via ftdi.

what questions need to be resolved?

I have only one question left :
What features could be implemented in the future and how to do it ?

  • It would be nice to have an integrated USB to FTDI interface
  • display the date also
  • My Input device could be implemented to change the display content with a wink gesture
  • Automatically daylight saving time switch.
  • Weather station with content from the internet based on the location, where the clock is placed

and so on…

what will happen when?

For daylight saving time switch or when the RTC battery is empty, the Microcontroller needs to be flashed manually.

what have you learned?

The most exciting thing I’ve learned in the academy, was the electronics design and production. I was very interested into this topic, but I never had the time and motivation to dive into it.
The academy showed me also, that it is a pleasure for me, to help other participants to solve there problems or giving tips and hints.
I really would like to be an instructor in the future and I hope, that we, the DesignLab of the HBK, can be soon a part of the Fablab network, so that we are able to offer the Fab Academy program.
Or who knows, maybe I can do it in another lab. The future will show me the way.....