© Wakeable 2017 For more information, visit wakeable.wordpress.com

“MAKEABLE”the maker’s guide to wakeable, the anti-snooze alarm clock

© Wakeable 20171

so, this one time at entrepreneur camp...

In the summer of 2015, three recent grads (all leaving jobs in corporate America) met through entrepreneurial fellowship - Venture for America. We chatted at the summer business boot camp held by VFA, but it wasn’t until early 2016 that we came together as a team. Charlie Weikert, long time alarm clock afficiando, had a last minute burst of energy to compete in VFA’s annual Innovation Fund competition, and thought to pursue an idea he had had for a long time: making an alarm clock that would stop him from pressing snooze on his smartphone, and force him out of bed. A combination of app and hardware, this alarm clock could potentially revitalize his morning. He reached out to Evan Synder, a software developer in Detroit, and Amanda Tien (yours truly), a UX & graphic designer and writer in Providence, and within a few days, we hustled to get the project that would become Wakeable into the Innovation Fund.

The Wakeable team raised over 200% of our original goal on Indiegogo, and over the next year, we designed an app and built an arduino-based physical device, sharing updates along the way. This guide is our way of sharing our process with you, narrated by our group leader, Charlie. We hope you enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at our work, whether you decide to try it tourself or not (but let us know if you do! We’d love to see it when you’re done). For more about our project including links to the Wakeable companion app, visit wakeable.wordpress.com.

Happy waking, y’all!

- Amanda and the Wakeable team

© Wakeable 20172

making the thing

So you want to build a Wakeable? You’re in the right place: in this guide, we’ll tell you the story of how most of the Wakeables were built (and simultaneously explain how to make your own). We’ve included pictures with a little color to give context (and a bit of fun) to this manual. We hope you enjoy!

- Charlie and the Wakeable Team

YOU’LL SEE THIS GUYOur logo indicates you’ll need resources available for download at our website, wakeable.wordpress.com

Take a close look at our logo: Amanda designed it to reflect the sun (for successful morning wake-ups), and a clock face.

© Wakeable 20173

introduction

Wakeable construction is broadly separated into two separate operations: electrical system (circuit board) and the mechanical system (body of the Wakeable).

For the electrical system, all Wakeables should be made in the same general fashion, by soldering together all the components to match the schematic onto a prototype bread board. We will outline the pieces you need and give you the schematic. We also have a shot by shot guide of how we laid out our breadboard.

As for the mechanical system, for all our wonderful Indiegogo backers, we built the housings, by hand (with a little machine help, but no mass production methods), out of maple. Although beautiful, they are quite time consuming, so we wanted to offer a DIY Wakeable option, via 3D printing. First, I’ll explain how to use the included models to 3D print our design and what hardware (screws and whatnot) you will need. If you are more interested in our story, I have also chronicled how we made the Wakeables that all our wonderful backers now own.

Charlie likes Snapchat.

electrical system (circuit board)

mechanical system(body of Wakeable)

© Wakeable 20174

wakeable body: 3d printing

First, let me explain how to 3D print your own Wakeable using our design. Download [Wakeable_body.step & Wakeable_base.step] I would highly recommend using a 3D printing service (unless you are familiar with operating your own 3D printer). I usually check the pricing of both Xometry & Shapeways. For using both of these magical (albeit expensive) sites, download the below files and then upload them into the sites’ quote generator. You will need both the Wakeable_body.step & Wakeable_base.step files printed in order to construct your Wakeable.

To the right you’ll see three screenshots of the files open in Autodesk Fusion 360 which what I used to create the files. You do not need to have this program to 3D print the files. When you upload the files into Xometry/Shapeways, you will be able to view the 3D files. You will want to make sure that the 3D files match (in broad strokes) the below images. I don’t want anyone to accidently print the wrong parts.

I would recommend printing them using SLS technique and select the material as Nylon. You can pick a color, but if you want a special color (other than stock white), I would recommend, spray painting any color of choosing. It is much cheaper than using special colored plastic. Here are a few articles about spray painting Nylon:

http://www.3dprintingera.com/painting-3d-prints-pla-nylon/https://formlabs.com/blog/priming-3d-printed-parts/

for these free resources, visitwakeable.wordpress.com/makeable

© Wakeable 20175

wakeable electrical system

The Wakeable electrical system is best described by taking a gander at the chart on the next page which has all the materials you need to build this wonderful little device. We designed it specifically so these things are readily available at your nerdiest local retailer (radio shake, local electronics store, or online). I have added a primary online location for each item.

Once you have acquired your parts, but before we start soldering, we need to program a few of the active components. We will need to download the Wakeable program that will run on the Arduino and communicate with you cell phone. We also need to rename the Bluetooth Module so that the application running on your phone knows that your device is a Wakeable and not your newly minted wireless Bluetooth speaker (not included).

for these free resources, visitwakeable.wordpress.com/makeable

© Wakeable 20176

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© Wakeable 20177

electrical: arduino programming

First, lets focus on programming your Arduino. Take the Female – Female jumper cable (qty: 5) and connect FST232 (U2) to the Arduino (U1) like the below schematic.

Now, go to this site, https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software, and download the IDE (Integrated Development Environment). This IDE is where you can write crazy awesome code and upload it onto your new Arduino. Once you have downloaded the IDE, go through this quick tutorial to understand how to upload a sketch: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/Blink.

To get your code to work, you will want to make sure you change the settings up: Tools>Board>Arduino Pro or Pro Mini.

Also, change the setting: Tools>Processor>ATmega328 (5V, 16 Mhz)

For the above tutorial, I would recommend only controlling the on-board LED so you do not need any external parts. Try changing the time interval of the blinking LED and re-uploading the sketch to see the effect. The most common mistake in uploading sketches to your Arduino is having the IDE upload to the wrong COM port. To check the COM port where you Arduino is located, go to: Tools>COM> (Check which are available and where you Arduino is connected).

Now it’s time to upload the Wakeable code. Download the [Wakeable_ArduinoCode.ino]. Open it in your IDE and press the check mark in the top left to compile. Now click the arrow to upload to your Arduino. Your FST232 will start to blink rapidly and then the IDE will tell you the program was properly uploaded.

for these free resources, visitwakeable.wordpress.com/makeable

© Wakeable 20178

electrical: arduino programming (cont.)

Next we want to rename the BLE module (U3). We rename the module so that your cell phone (and the app) will know what to look for and ensure it is indeed connecting to a Wakeable. First, let’s disconnect the FST232 from the Arduino and hook it up to the HM-10 BLE (U3), like the schematic to the right.

If you closed it, reopen the Arduino IDE. Go to the Tools>COM and ensure that it recognizes the COM where your USB cable is plugged into is selected. Next, click Tools>Serial Monitor, a separate popup window will appear. In this popup, please type the following. After each line, you should receive a response of confirmation from the HM-10, I have outlined typed lines in green (with circles beside*), and responses in red (and squares beside*) .

AtOkAt+nameHMsoft{Note: Name may be different, that is okay. That is why we rename the device, to make sure they are all the same}At+nameWakeableOkAt+nameWakeableAtOk

After you have programmed your Arduino and renamed your BLE module, the best bet is to look at understand the schematic to the right for making the soldering/connections. This is the diagram that explains what needs to be connected to what. If you are completely lost by staring at this, call your neighborhood electronics store (or Charlie) and they should be able to help (I refer to more experience professionals before turning to Charlie).

You can also view the [Step-by-Step Slideshow].

for these free resources, visitwakeable.wordpress.com/makeable

* Shapes included as reference for colorblind users. Do not type shapes into programming.

© Wakeable 20179

making indiegogo (wood) wakeables

Now, if for some crazy reason, you would like to recreate the wonderful, maple Wakeables that were sent to our overly gracious Indiegogo supporters, we will give a brief description of what we did. The reality is that we do not have complete step-by-step instructions, this is more of a general overview. A catalogue of photos and comments about the journey.

So, the Wakeable evolved a lot over the life of the development. Mostly, it was redesigned for the access to tools and machines that I had in addition to the size of the electrical components. A quick shout out to Bruce Watson, a close friendly friend, who let me use his shop to mill out the body of the Wakeables. Bruce was very patient as I spent two, 10+ hr days spraying wood chips into every corner of his shop. Without that mill, I would have really been in deep shit without a way to get out. Anyway, lets start with what the device looks like, I present you, a beautiful Wakeable.

Wakeable is made out of two pieces, the top, and larger, body and the small bottom, painted teal. Together, they make a 3” cube with a corner cute to allow for the button to sit flush with each side. It is completely maple, a wonderful hardwood with very unique grain patterns.

Let’s start with finding the wood for the body since it was easier. I needed about 10ft of 3”x3” boards. Normally, if you have the tools, you would buy rough cut would and square it up with large machines (you can do it painfully by hand) called a Jointer & a Planer. In my wonderful, albeit small, apartment in Brooklyn, I have neither; unfortunately, I do not have ready access to one either. So I needed to find this wood cut and finished to my exact dimensions. I called just about every cabinet maker in the southern Indiana area, and finally found a nice guy named Mark who said he could make me some boards. He didn’t have anything that thick, so he glued up 3 boards roughly 1” each and finished them down to 3”x3”, we were in business.

For the Base, I needed 3”x1/4”, a much more common size. Luckily our buddy at Smith’s Custom Cabinets was able to help us get the needed boards for the Base too.

Finding Wood & Starting Sizes

© Wakeable 201710

making (wood) wakeables (cont.)

Team Wakeable planned a wonderful trip back to my home town in order spend a weekend completely focused on all things Wakeable. It was a great opportunity to get some of the larger parts of the build completed, specifically access to power tools.

First, lets focus on the making the making the bases. The Base is 3”x 1/8” (with a 1/8” boss) x 3”. I used a miter saw with a stop block to cut all the pieces to length, 3” x 3” x ¼”. After this, I wanted to trim down the thickness to give a center boss where the circuit board will be mounted. I used a table saw with the blade height set to 1/8”. I started by making the most inward cut and working my way out. The boss is not a perfect square, so I did the two identical sides of the rectangle and then the other. This was repeated for all 24 pcs.

Back in New York, I used a dremel to flatten out the saw marks from the table saw. I then matched the bases to the bodies so that I could trim them flush. They were all a little off since my stop block had moved some. Because of this inconsistency, I numbered each part so that I could match the body & base through the process. Once the base was flush with the body on all sides, I clamped it to the body and drilled the four screw holes that will hold it together. I measured the center marks, but ultimately, they just need to line up to the body. This first hole was drilled at the tap diameter for the screws, 1/16” bit. I wanted the hole in the base to be a through hole with a counter sink so the base would fit flat. Therefore, after unclamping from the body, I opened the hole up with a 3/32” bit. Next I used a 3/8” bit to drill down a 1/8” for a counter sink, I marked the bit with some tape to make sure I didn’t go all the way through the base. At this point, the external was ready for finishing and spray painting.

I moved up from 120 grit to 240, then 320 grit because I am a bit of perfectionist sometimes. Honestly, especially when spray painting, the 320 was not necessary, but I find sanding therapeutic. I spray painted the bases a Wakeable teal with a few coats. I only worried about getting good coverage on the sides and the bottom. The top will be enclosed in the Wakeable does not need to be painted. After this, I drilled the two holes which will hold down the circuit board using an extra, scrap board as a reference, using an 1/16” bit. At this point, the base is finished.

Making the Wakeable base

© Wakeable 20172

making (wood) wakeables (cont.)

The Body starts as hefty, 3”x3” posts. These things are large and hard to handle. We cut them to length on a Miter saw to the 2 7/8” length. Luckily, my biggest helper, my dad, had been in the market for a new Miter saw, so I was able to convince him to get one that had a large, 10” slide, so I could cut all the way through the 3”x3” cross section with ease. This made a large difference. This still left us with a large stack on solid wood cubes.

Originally, I had planned to use Fostner bit to drill out the inners of these blocks to leave a nice crevice, and then I would use a chisel to clean up the pattern left from the circular drill holes. I was presented with the opportunity by a family friend to use his 3-Axis manual mill. I have a fair amount of mill experience through different random times in my life, but it is a large machine that is hard to feel comfortable around. Essentially, it is a use it, or lose it type of skill. So, although I knew it was going to take more time and potentially be more challenging, I wanted to get more time on a manual mill. So, I used a massive, ½” end mill to make the inner cavity. I was worried about using the entire cutting surface to make a large, deep cut (over 2” deep, finished dimension), so I split it up into 3 cuts, each about ¾”. This was time consuming, but it helped keep the machine happy and me a little more calm. It ended up being VERY time consuming. I put in about 20-25hrs of work on that mill over 2 days to get all the pieces finished. And technically, I did not get them finished as I had originally designed; I cut a corner to reduce the amount of time I put into them. It made it harder latter, but I just didn’t have time to spend. It is a dangerous decision to put in longer hours, doing repetitive tasks on a machine that can cut through fingers like butter.

Once the centers were all cut, I need to cut the corners for mounting the actual buttons. The corners were easily cut using the new compound miter saw. It made simple work, cutting the hole on that face was a bit more difficult. In order to line up the new face perpendicular in the drill press, I made a jig. I cut a 1” hole and then created corner notches so that cube could sit in these notches. I used a level and clamped it in when it read plum. Then I used a ½” Foster bit to cut the whole for the button. Ultimately, this hole is about looking relatively centered, and not about being perfectly perpendicular, so a little slop is okay. (Continued on next)

Making the Wakeable body

© Wakeable 20172

making indiegogo (wood) wakeables

(Continued)At this point, most of the bodies were branded with a metal 3D printed logo I had made through Xometry. It was pretty simple actually and they turned out great. For the 5 customized bodies, I had another family friend, laser cut logos in the wood which looks stellar.

As I mentioned when making the bases, the body was clamped up to the base to drill screw tapping holes. Finally, cut a ¼” hole in the lower corner of the body in order to pipe the USB cable through. The location of this hole is not too important, but it should be opposite to the Wakeable logo. Cut the hole flush to the bottom edge and use a hand saw to cut tangent lines up, creating a U shape for the wire to fit through.

At this point the bodies are ready for finishing. Sanded up to be flush with the bases and then sanded up to 320 grit. I used boiled linseed oil to finish the wood, I did not want to use a polyurethane based finish and I knew I would use linseed oil in other projects, so I was comfortable with it. I applied 2-3 coats, wiping them clean in between.

As a side note, it is amazing watching wood come alive in the final steps of sanding and finishing. There were many points when I was quite worried about how the Wakeable would come out during the build. Unfinished projects just have so many imperfects that can be cause for concern. Specifically, when you are a beginner craftsmen like myself (thank you all for paying for sub-par, beginners work). When you start sanding, these blemishes start to fade to the background. Applying linseed oil makes the grain pop and the wood starts to really shine through whatever crappy construction methods you have put it through. The wood is really a saving grace.

A notable exception is that I regret making the decision to paint the laser etched Wakeables. It was a good idea but I would not do it again. The laser had heated the tape so that it did not stick well to the wood. This did not offer a proper seal, this meant that paint leaked into the wood outside the pattern. I did everything I could to clean it up but the wood was stained deep with paint and I could not get it all out. It is one of the major let downs of this project that I wish I could take back.

Anyway, last step, I soldered together buttons to wires that will be attached to the electrical system and hot glued them generously into the corner hole. At this point, the body and base was pretty much completed.

© Wakeable 201711

making (wood) wakeables (cont.)

Bringing all the components together isn’t too hard. First, we screw the circuit board to the base using the 5mm screws. Then, we soldered the wires from the button onto the circuit board. Then connect the USB to the FT232; pulling it out of the base. Finally, screw the body to the base and you are ready to plug it in. Download the Wakeable app from the App store or Google Play store and you are ready to set your alarm.

Assembly

for these free resources, visitwakeable.wordpress.com

The final stages of Charlie’s Wakeable warehouse

© Wakeable 201712

have questions/comments/ideas? holla at us!

Visit our super simple support website at wakeable.wordpress.com. You can see our pitch video for our Indiegogo campaign (featuring Evan in pajamas, Charlie sharing his inspiration, and Amanda’s cat), download our apps and resources for making your own Wakeable, and learn more about our work. You can also shoot us a note at wakeable.team@gmail.com.

Happy waking!

<3The Wakeable Team

© Wakeable 2017 For more information, visit wakeable.wordpress.com

wakeable appavailable now foriOS on the App StoreAndroid on Google Play