During the past one year, all of us got shocking news of a pandemic and just like that our freedom of mobility was taken away, and instead replaced by a fear of getting infected.

A small group of us consisting of designers and engineers in Singapore, who proclaimed ourselves as free-thinking life-aficionados, decided to take the initiative to create something to remind ourselves of the precious value of life.

That’s where ClapperTime is born. It's a desk clock that counts your life to the exact second to the years left to live your life. It can be used as a source of motivation and an anti-procrastination device. Considered as DIY project, it is powered using Arduino and 7 segment display, a simple yet noble project.

ClapperTime not only counts down your life to ‘’ death day ‘’, it also can remind you of your birthday or even anniversary by counting up the clock. It’s the product that gives you a better perspective of life and releases you from fear, to truly live a meaningful life!

ClapperTime is not a morbid product as many people have said. Death is inevitable, instead of being locked up by the fear of it. You can understand it as something that everyone has to go through and instead live every best second of the life that we are given.

ClapperTime is also designed minimalistically to mimic the look of a Hollywood director's clapboard. It is to emulate and remind us to be the director of our life and take charge to be the best version of ourselves.

ClapperTime also sits beautifully and blends in everywhere. Put it beside your working desk, coffee table or even beside your bed so you can get reminded every morning! It’s literally the best conversational piece with your friends.

ClapperTime will be available on Kicsktarer on April 27 8am EST for 31 days.

ClapperTime is 7 segment LED display and powered using standard mini USB cable, It is lower power consumptive and directly powered to ensure that the clock continues ticking without any power shortage issue. ClapperTime is the perfect desk clock companion to remind you about life everyday.

On Kickstarter, ClapperTime is customisable on the front & back plate to make it truly yours.

It starts at SGD119 / USD 88 for one complete package, including the customization.

After the campaign ends, ClapperTime would not be in the market anymore. We appreciate the support and would like to retain it’s exclusivity to those who truly believe in its noble intention.

Check out the link here to be notified: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/purelyidea/clappertime-life-and-death-clock?ref=clipboard-prelaunch

ClapperTime is made by PurelyIdea, a young Singapore based startup. We aspire to create unique products into the market, with the aim of giving people a little “ ohh wow that’s interesting “ moment when they see our creations.

Technical Implementation: Sound and Time Sync

The project reveals the hidden layers of simple time-based interaction:

• Identification layer: Using a Sound Sensor (Clapper), the system can accurately detect and identify a sharp sound (like a clap) to trigger a display update.
• Timing Logic layer: The Real-Time Clock (RTC) DS3231 provides a formal and precise way to track the current year, month, and day without losing time when power is off.
• Processing layer: The Arduino code performs several high-performance mathematical calculations to subtract the "Current Date" from a "Target Date" to show the remaining "Life" time.
• Display layer: The 16x2 Alphanumeric LCD provides a clear and versatile way to show the "Countdown" and status in real-time.

Hardware Infrastructure

• Arduino Uno: The "brain" of the project, managing the sound sensor input and coordinating the RTC and display tasks.
• RTC DS3231 Module: Providing a robust and reliable way to maintain the current time and date even during power outages.
• Sound Sensor: Providing a playful and interactive "Clapper" trigger for each of your status checks.
• 16x2 Alphanumeric LCD: Providing a clear and playful visual feedback for the user in real-time.
• Breadboard: A convenient way to prototype the clock circuit and connect all components without soldering.
• Micro-USB Cable: Use to program the Arduino and provide serial power and data for the project.

Countdown and Interaction Step-by-Step

The clock process is designed to be very efficient:

1. Initialize RTC: SETUP the Arduino to communicate with the RTC module and set the current date and time.
2. Define Target: Set your "Life Deadline" or target countdown date in the Arduino code.
3. Execution Loop: The Arduino constantly requests the current time from the RTC and performs the countdown subtraction.
4. Visual Feedback Integration: Watch as the countdown updates on the LCD when you clap your hands, with a celebratory buzzer or LED sound for each successful check.

Future Expansion

• OLED Identity Dashboard Integration: Add a small OLED display to show a larger life bar and your "Reality Index" for the countdown.
• Multi-sensor Bio-Security Integration Support: Connect several sensors (e.g., PIR motion) to automatically show the clock when someone enters the room.
• Cloud Interface Registration Support: Add a WiFi module (ESP8266/ESP32) and link to a cloud dashboard to precisely track your life milestones from your smartphone.
• Advanced Velocity Profile Customization Support: Add a small slider or potentiometer to manually adjust the "Target Date" or sensitivity of the sound sensor.

ClapperTime - Life Death Clock is a perfect project for any electronics enthusiast looking for a more interactive and engaging timing tool!