4-LED OCTAL CLOCK demands vibrant math

We’ve all seen LED clocks where RGB LEDs are utilized to screen time. It seems like the easier the interface, the much more likely you’d requirement to do math to figure out the time. This Octal Clock by [Alex Kurrasch] proves the point by utilizing only four LEDs: the top two show hours and minutes, and the bottom two LEDs are multipliers.

Using octal numbering, [Alex] equates the data using a Venn diagram of color mixing. The mapping utilizes 1 as red, 2 as green, complied with by yellow, blue, magenta, and cyan. It ends with 7 as white (all on) and 0 as black (all off).

As the time changes, a fading algorithm modifications the screen to match. He offers the time of 7:38pm as an example in the grid shown here. Base-8 math is provided; don’t worry, you’ll get truly great at this if you make your own wristwatch version… people will discover to never ask you about the time.

The clock utilizes a ATMega64 running assembly language firmware with a DS1306E+ RTC chip keeping track of time. The enclosure is awesome too; [Alex] milled the situation out of mahogany and the front and back plates are anodized aluminum. The distinct looking diffusers on the LEDs are actually paraffin, a technique that [Elliot Williams] discussed in his recent short article on diffuser materials.