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Food Living Outside Play Technology Workshop
Make your own smart watch
by GodsTale on February 16, 2014
Table of Contents
Make your own smart watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Intro: Make your own smart watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 1: Overall Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 2: Preparing for RetroWatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Step 3: Assembling the watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Step 4: Compile Arduino source for watch and upload. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Step 5: Android app install & source download . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Step 6: Packaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Step 7: Working demo and epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-smart-watch/
Author:GodsTale HardCopyWorld
This, Too, Shall Pass Away
Intro: Make your own smart watch
Most IT companies participate in the race to grab peoples wrist. A smart watch becomes the most significant item in a wearable device category. You can easily find
this mood in this link, there are tons of smart watches.
But here is a simple way to evaluate smart watchs future on your own. Make it! With Arduino micro-processor and Android, I made a simple smart watch and named it
Retro Watch. You can do this too!
Retro Watch is an open source project to let you make a smart watch based on Arduino and Android. This text explains about modules, blueprints, how to install and use
the Arduino and the Android source codes step by step.
Step 1:Overall Structure
RetroWatch is a simple system that is used a hardware platform called Arduino, which is intended for artists, designers, and hobbyst, and an Android app. The overall
structure is in the picture above.
Imagine a very small computer that you can wear on your wrist. Arduino board is a micro-processor and a storage, and theres only one input method : a button.
Bluetooth is to communicate with other devices, and the battery would be necessary for power. Ill install an Android app for collecting or editing various RSS and system
information and for notification on the Android device.
Step 2:Preparing for RetroWatch
You need to prepare modules as small as possible to wear the watch on your wrist. There may be tons of variations, but I chose parts that are commonly used and
inexpensive.
Hardware parts for smart watch
Arduino micro-controller
I chose the smallest Arduino, Pro mini. Arduino Pro mini is a light version of UNO R3. It doesnt have a USB interface chip in order to reduce the price and the size.
There are two version depending on the operating voltage(3.3v/5v). And I used a 3.3v version, because the bluetooth and display that are connected with the board
support 3.3v and the board goes well with the 3.7v LiPo battery. It runs at 8MHz and a 5v version at 16MHz, but 8MHz is enough. Overall, all you need to prepare are
Arduino Pro Mini 3.3v and USB to UART module.
The main chip of the board, ATmega328, has only 2KBytes RAM, but ATmega128 has just 1KBytes, which is very limited to run my system. Most boards have
ATmega328, but you have to make sure.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-smart-watch/
Bluetooth
One of most common bluetooth modules that you can get are HC-06 main module and the one with interface base board. The latter one has a reset button, the status
LED, and it supports both operation voltage(3,3v/5v), so this one is more convenient but the size is rather big, the LED, which is not quite necessary drains the battery
and a little more expensive. So I used a HC-06 without the interface board.
Display
To make a SMART WATCH, it would be necessary to find a small, low-power display. Id given lots of thoughts, then I chose -.96 OLED Display. There are various
sizes of the displays(0.96, 1.3, etc), it works on low-power, English font and the image out available, and it supports I2C, SPI, which makes easy to connect with
Arduino.
Battery
I use LiPo(Lithum-Polymer) battery in this project. 1-cell LiPo battery flows out current in 3.7v, which works perfectly with Arduino Pro mini, and there are many kind of
batteries in terms of the size and the capacity. The most ideal battery depends on what size of watch you want to make. I recommend the battery with protection
circuit(overcharging, over-discharging safe), and its better if it has a removable socket. It might helpful for you if you get a female socket and USB or DC adaptor
recharger.
Etc.
You need wires, soldering iron, a switch and 10K ohm resistance(for a button), and a batter jack. It would be helpful for you to prepare the assembly manual.
Preparing for Android
Android v.4.3 supports the service that is used to get notification information from an app. So RetroWatch app is based on Android v.4.3 to enable notification service. For
users who dont use Android v.4.3 yet, the app without this function is released also. You can download the sources at GitHub, or download the app from Google Play
Store. (Search with RetroWatch or RetroWatch LE)
Step 3:Assembling the watch
Folks who are accustomed to handling Arduino or physical computing would proceed this procedure, but I recommend the others not to assemble Arduino Pro mini board
first, but try to make the watch with the board that is easy to connect and use like UNO board. The assembly structure for RetroWatch is here.
# Bluetooth-> Arduino :
VCC -> 3.3V
GND -> GND
TX -> D2
RX -> D3
# OLED -> Arduino :
GND -> GND
VCC -> VCC
SDA -> A4(the analog 4th pin)
SCL -> A5(the analog 5th pin),
# Button : You may connect with a button which is small enough for the smart watch and a 10k-ohm resistance. Refer to picture attached.
# Battery : You can simply connect battery by connecting (+) -> RAW, GND -> GND. You need to put (+) line to RAW pin in case you use any sort of external power
supply, such as an external battery, on Arduino Pro mini board. Otherwise, it can damage the board.
# USB to UART module -> Arduino :
3.3V -> VCC
TXD -> RXD
RXD -> TXD
GND -> GND
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-smart-watch/
Step 4:Compile Arduino source for watch and upload.
You can download RetroWatch Arduino source on the source tab on the GitHub.
GitHub RetroWatch project page
You need to do something before you complie the source code.
# Install graphics driver
You need a graphic library to draw images, shapes, fonts on the OLED. In order to use it, you must install Adafruit_SSD1306, Adafruit-GFX-Library.
# Copying the bitmap image header
You must copy the header file that contains bitmap images to load and use them. You should copy bitmap.h in RetroWatchArduino folder to /Arduino install
folder/Arduino/hardware/libraries/RetroWatch. If theres no such folder, simply make it.
# Modifying the source
Open Arduino IDE and load RetroWtchArduino.ino. Next, set pin numbers that you used when you connect the watch. Its not necessary to modify if you use Arduino
pins that are used in this instruction. But if you didnt, you need to modify the source codes below.
SoftwareSerialBTSerial(2,3); // Input your TX, RX pin numbers
int buttonPin = 5; // Input your button pin number
# Compile / Upload
If you follow the instruction well, you need to compile the source code. If this procedure fails, you have to check the error message and what went wrong so far.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-smart-watch/
If upload is completed, the RetroWatch Arduino logo and the Adafruit logo(the OLED manufacturer) have to be display on the OLED. After the logo phase passes and
time shows up 00:00?, the initialization perfectly succeeds.
Now, its time to check the bluetooth. Turn on the bluetooth on your phone(Setting > Bluetooth). Your phone starts to search bluetooth devices nearby, and the bluetooth
module should show. Once the bluetooth module shows, you may proceed the pairing phase, and the two devices connect after putting 4-digit password (in my case,
default 1234).
Step 5:Android app install & source download
Its too big to demostrate how to compile and modify the android source. FYI, check /RetroWatch_Android/RetroWatch folder in the source downloaded from GitHub. I
registered this app to Play Store, so go download it(search RetroWatch or ' RetroWatch LE').
Follow the instruction as below and check the operation of RetroWatch.
If you install the app, turn on the bluetooth first(Setting > Bluetooth) and pair with the module. Next, start RetroWatch app. Choose the second menu(Notification access)
on the top and grant RetroWatch the authorization for Notification. Choose the first menu(Choose the device) in the action bar and select the Arduino board that is
already paired. If you cant find it, check the power and the bluetooth module. Or choose device scan menu to scan manually.
If the connection is succeeded, you may see Connected in connectivity display area at the bottom. Touch the action bar menu() and choose Data transfer to
Watch. This menu transfer the data to display time and messages by bluetooth. If the bluetooth module works fine with the Arduino board, time information changes to
current time. The bluetooth connection is OK, but time doesnt display, check the connection between TX, RX. Now, its time to have fun with MY OWN SMART
WATCH!!! Pictures show the progress so far.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-smart-watch/
Step 6:Packaging
RetroWatch Android, Arduino module is done, and if theres no problem to operate, you need to pack the watch. Make a package as you want.
Processor : ATmega328 3.3v(8MHz)
32KB Flash (2KB is shared for Bootloader)
2KB RAM
1KB EEPROM
Size : Width x Height x Depth = 34mm x 32mm x 12mm (Not packaged)
Battery : LiPo 140mAh (idle time 6-7hrs, 1-2hrs for recharging)
Connecting with Android app
Supports notification, system info, RSS feed
Message filtering
Open source
Hard-case file for 3D printer user will be shared later!
Step 7:Working demo and epilogue
You can feel how fascinating and powerful the open source and the open hardware are through this project. The idea comes true even though you are not professional
because hardware is getting inexpensive and numbers of people shares source codes and know-how. Lets try!!!
You can see the working demo at: YouTube link.
More specific how-to document at : RetroWatch project
RetroWatch Android is based on Apache license, RetroWatch Arduino follows GPL v3.0.
Special thanks to Chang-Han Jeon and Kyung-Rae Park. Jeon translated this text in English and Park made a case for RetroWatch with his 3D printer.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-smart-watch/
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Comments
1 comments Add Comment
amulder1 says: Feb 16, 2014. 4:33 AM REPLY
cool I'stbl, I think you made a small mistake on the measurement on your pictures stating mm instead of cm...