Have you ever thought of building your own smartwatch? An electrical engineer by qualification, and a product designer by profession, Samson March did think so, and putting his plan in motion, ended up making one which will make us all jealous. Moreover, he was gracious enough to share the detailed process on Reddit along with all the software code he wrote for free, so that anyone can brag a DIY smartwatch.
The 3D-printed outer case is made from woodfill PLA, which is an amalgamation of 70% plastic and 30% sawdust. The casing ends up looking like wood, thus giving a unique appearance to the smartwatch. A round color 240×240 pixel LCD display is combined with the circuitry and the casing to render the final product in a working condition. He has also built a similar-looking charging cradle for the same. Everything put together, the result is a treat for sore eyes.
The custom-made circuit board sits in the lower cabinet. Storage space for images and watch faces is used. There is Bluetooth support to connect the smartwatch with the phone to render notifications on the watch. The accelerometer determines if the watch is facing the user, to activate the display and possibly show time and other notification icons. The vibration motor is the one that makes the smartwatch vibrate upon receiving notifications.
Lithium-ion batteries power the smartwatch. The charging cradle is 3D-printed too using the same material. The software code makes the connection between the phone, the smartwatch circuitry, and its display, thus enabling them to talk to each other.
If you are inspired enough to dive into a similar project, or just curious enough to peek at the code, here is the link.
Ankit writes code for a living. He reviews gadgets and books in his free time, and believes in the magical power of a strong cup of coffee.