This is my first nontrivial electronics project. The goal is to create a better kitchen timer; over the years we’ve had many break, and the model currently in use has an annoying UI and is usually too loud/raucous (leading to muffling it, then not hearing it when it goes off).
See the timer project section of my blog for updates.
The first timer prototype was constructed in 2007 around a PIC PIC16F877 running the WLoader bootloader (which allows the chip to be programmed via a serial port with a very simple interface circuit) and mostly other parts I had around from previous dabbling.
The implemented features:
The prototype is still assembled essentially as depicted here and collecting dust.
I haven't written this up in any detail yet. I switched to AVR from PIC, and to C from PIC assembly, and purchased a number of parts to give it better user interface. The input is a rotary encoder with push switch to set time and start/stop; and the display is a standard 2-line character LCD. The prototype currently (beginning to 2010-02-16) lives on an AVR STK500; I'm working on moving it off to a separate breadboard.
This version was started as a separate project in 2008 after acquiring the STK500, which someone else rescued from a trash bin without cables, and then purchasing parts for replacement cables, along with the rotary encoder and display.
See the electronics section of my blog. A list of some notable posts, not including the timer project, last updated 2010-02-17: