Sun Set Clock

Technology separates us from nature, but does it need to? I used some of my stay at the Digital Naturalism Conference in Thailand to prototype a clock that determines local time of day from sunlight to promote a natural sense of timekeeping.

By using technology to encourage human relationships with nature, I hope to highlight that machines can encourage us to be *more* human and organic rather than slowly making people irrelevant. As a counterpoint to consuming industrialized time we can also obtain time from scratch, regaining control of the very pacing that drives our lives. The Sun Set Clock uses local solar time, therefore noon is when the sun is at apogee at our location. This is how time used to be measured, before telegraphs and transcontinental trains required a move to time zones, where the clock and the sun no longer match. This system isn’t concerned with exactitude–there’s plenty of systems to do that if you need it. Instead this clock can be used to mark the general progress of the day rather than creating anxiety around how every minute is used.

Sun Set Clock in its natural environment

The initial prototype uses light level changes to detect sunrise and sunset, with local noon being the point exactly between these two events. When the clock starts, it makes its best estimate of the time. For example, if it’s dark at startup, the clock assumes that it’s midnight because that’s the best guess you can make without more information. At sunrise, this corrects to 6 am (a higher-quality guess) and then at sunset it will correct to the proper local time (not time zone time but astronomical time at your precise location). All of this works, although it’s still a bit fragile–operating best in full view of the sky on a relatively sunny day. Dark clouds, deep shadows and porch lights can confuse it, so these will need to be addressed in a future version. For now, I’m enjoying what I think of as “some time of my own.” I hope you enjoy it too.

Sun Set Clock – Instructions for Use

system diagram

Sun Set Clock, using BBC micro:bit and Grove light sensor

PARTS LIST

CODE (also on GitHub)

# Uses a BBC micro:Bit with Grove shield and light sensor to 
# create a clock that sets itself using the sun.
# Rob Faludi, faludi.com, June 2018

from microbit import *
from math import trunc

day_length = 86400000
daylight_threshold = 60
hysteresis = 10
midnight = running_time()
sunrise = None
sunset = None
noon = None
daytime_length = None
light_array = []
light_average = 0
daytime_length_array = []
ctr = 0
d_ctr = 0
update_interval = 15 * 60 * 1000 / 100  # in milliseconds
last_update = 0
display_clear_time = 0
last_daytime_length = 0

print("Sun Set Clock 1.01 Start...")


def get_time():
    day_time = ((running_time() - midnight) % day_length) / 1000
    hours = trunc(day_time / 3600)
    minutes = trunc((day_time % 3600) / 60)
    seconds = trunc(day_time % 60)
    return [hours, minutes, seconds]


def get_time_string(show_seconds=False):
    hours, minutes, seconds = get_time()
    if hours < 10:
        hours = "0" + str(hours)
    else:
        hours = str(hours)
    if minutes < 10:
        minutes = "0" + str(minutes)
    else:
        minutes = str(minutes)
    time_string = (hours + ":" + minutes)
    if show_seconds:
        if seconds < 10:
            seconds = "0" + str(seconds)
        else:
            seconds = str(seconds)
        time_string = (hours + ":" + minutes + ":" + seconds)
    return time_string


def read_light_sensor():
    light = pin0.read_analog()
    return light


def setting_mode(threshold):
    while (button_a.is_pressed() or button_b.is_pressed()):
        display.show(Image.CLOCK12)
        sleep(300)
        display.show(Image.CLOCK3)
        sleep(300)
        display.show(Image.CLOCK6)
        sleep(300)
        display.show(Image.CLOCK9)
        sleep(300)
        display.clear()
    display.show(threshold)
    sleep(300)
    display.show(Image.ARROW_E)
    sleep(400)
    display.show(Image.ARROW_W)
    sleep(400)
    display.clear()
    last_click = running_time()
    while (running_time() < last_click + 5000):
        if button_b.was_pressed():
            last_click = running_time()
            threshold = threshold + 1
            display.show(Image.ARROW_N)
            sleep(300)
            display.show(threshold)
            sleep(300)
            display.clear()
        if button_a.was_pressed():
            last_click = running_time()
            threshold = threshold - 1
            display.show(Image.ARROW_S)
            sleep(300)
            display.show(threshold)
            sleep(300)
            display.clear()
        
    tfile = open("threshold_storage", "w")
    tfile.write(str(threshold))
    tfile.close()
    display.show(Image.YES)
    sleep(700)
    display.clear()
    return(threshold)
            

# MAIN PROGRAM
# update daylight threshold from flash storage
try:
    tfile = open("threshold_storage", "r")
    daylight_threshold = int(tfile.read())
    tfile.close()
except OSError:
    print("No threshold file found")

last_light = read_light_sensor()

# guess day or night on startup
if read_light_sensor() > daylight_threshold:
    midnight = running_time() - (12 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
else:
    midnight = running_time()

while True:
    # set current thresholds
    sunrise_threshold = daylight_threshold + (hysteresis/2)
    sunset_threshold = daylight_threshold - (hysteresis/2)

    # display the time when the left button is pressed
    if button_a.was_pressed():
        display.show(get_time_string())
        display.clear()
        print("Time:", get_time_string(show_seconds=True))
    # debug output when the right button is pressed
    if button_b.was_pressed():
        print("light_average", light_average)
        display.show(str(round(light_average)))
        sleep(300)
        display.clear()
        # go into setting mode if the right button is held down
        if button_b.is_pressed():
            press_time = running_time()
            while (button_b.is_pressed()):
                display.show(Image.DIAMOND_SMALL)
                if (running_time() - press_time > 1500):
                    daylight_threshold = setting_mode(daylight_threshold)
                display.clear()

    # read light levels periodically and update clock as needed
    if (running_time() > (last_update + update_interval) or last_update == 0):
        try:
            light_array[ctr] = read_light_sensor()
        except IndexError:
            light_array.append(read_light_sensor())
        ctr += 1
        if ctr >= 100:
            ctr = 0

        light_average = sum(light_array) / len(light_array)

        # detect sunrise and sunset
        if light_average >= sunrise_threshold and last_light < sunrise_threshold:
            # guess morning on first sunrise
            if sunrise is None:
                midnight = running_time() - (6 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
            sunrise = running_time()
            print("Sunrise detected at: ", sunrise)
            display.show(Image.ARROW_N)
            display_clear_time = sunrise + 15 * 60 * 1000
        if light_average <= sunset_threshold and last_light > sunset_threshold:
            # guess evening on first sunset
            if sunset is None:
                midnight = running_time() - (18 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
            sunset = running_time()
            print("Sunset detected at: ", sunset)
            display.show(Image.ARROW_S)
            display_clear_time = sunset + 15 * 60 * 1000
        last_light = light_average

        # clear display when needed
        if display_clear_time > 0 and running_time() > display_clear_time:
                display.clear()
                display_clear_time = 0

        # set the clock
        if sunrise is not None and sunset is not None:
            if sunset-sunrise > 0:
                daytime_length = sunset - sunrise
            # else:
            #    nighttime_length = sunrise - sunset
            #    daytime_length = day_length - nighttime_length
            if daytime_length != last_daytime_length:
                try:
                    daytime_length_array[d_ctr] = daytime_length
                except IndexError:
                    daytime_length_array.append(daytime_length)
                d_ctr += 1
                if d_ctr >= 7:
                    d_ctr = 0
                daytime_length_average = sum(daytime_length_array) / len(daytime_length_array)
                last_daytime_length = daytime_length
                print("Daytime length average:", daytime_length_average)
            noon = sunset - (daytime_length_average / 2)
            midnight = noon - (day_length / 2)

        # schedule for next update
        last_update = running_time()

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# Uses a BBC micro:Bit with Grove shield and light sensor to

# create a clock that sets itself using the sun.

# Rob Faludi, faludi.com, June 2018

from microbit import *

from math import trunc

day_length = 86400000

daylight_threshold = 60

hysteresis = 10

midnight = running_time()

sunrise = None

sunset = None

noon = None

daytime_length = None

light_array = []

light_average = 0

daytime_length_array = []

ctr = 0

d_ctr = 0

update_interval = 15 * 60 * 1000 / 100 # in milliseconds

last_update = 0

display_clear_time = 0

last_daytime_length = 0

print("Sun Set Clock 1.01 Start...")

def get_time():

day_time = ((running_time() - midnight) % day_length) / 1000

hours = trunc(day_time / 3600)

minutes = trunc((day_time % 3600) / 60)

seconds = trunc(day_time % 60)

return [hours, minutes, seconds]

def get_time_string(show_seconds=False):

hours, minutes, seconds = get_time()

if hours < 10:

hours = "0" + str(hours)

else:

hours = str(hours)

if minutes < 10:

minutes = "0" + str(minutes)

else:

minutes = str(minutes)

time_string = (hours + ":" + minutes)

if show_seconds:

if seconds < 10:

seconds = "0" + str(seconds)

else:

seconds = str(seconds)

time_string = (hours + ":" + minutes + ":" + seconds)

return time_string

def read_light_sensor():

light = pin0.read_analog()

return light

def setting_mode(threshold):

while (button_a.is_pressed() or button_b.is_pressed()):

display.show(Image.CLOCK12)

sleep(300)

display.show(Image.CLOCK3)

sleep(300)

display.show(Image.CLOCK6)

sleep(300)

display.show(Image.CLOCK9)

sleep(300)

display.clear()

display.show(threshold)

sleep(300)

display.show(Image.ARROW_E)

sleep(400)

display.show(Image.ARROW_W)

sleep(400)

display.clear()

last_click = running_time()

while (running_time() < last_click + 5000):

if button_b.was_pressed():

last_click = running_time()

threshold = threshold + 1

display.show(Image.ARROW_N)

sleep(300)

display.show(threshold)

sleep(300)

display.clear()

if button_a.was_pressed():

last_click = running_time()

threshold = threshold - 1

display.show(Image.ARROW_S)

sleep(300)

display.show(threshold)

sleep(300)

display.clear()

tfile = open("threshold_storage", "w")

tfile.write(str(threshold))

tfile.close()

display.show(Image.YES)

sleep(700)

display.clear()

return(threshold)

# MAIN PROGRAM

# update daylight threshold from flash storage

try:

tfile = open("threshold_storage", "r")

daylight_threshold = int(tfile.read())

tfile.close()

except OSError:

print("No threshold file found")

last_light = read_light_sensor()

# guess day or night on startup

if read_light_sensor() > daylight_threshold:

midnight = running_time() - (12 * 60 * 60 * 1000)

else:

midnight = running_time()

while True:

# set current thresholds

sunrise_threshold = daylight_threshold + (hysteresis/2)

sunset_threshold = daylight_threshold - (hysteresis/2)

# display the time when the left button is pressed

if button_a.was_pressed():

display.show(get_time_string())

display.clear()

print("Time:", get_time_string(show_seconds=True))

# debug output when the right button is pressed

if button_b.was_pressed():

print("light_average", light_average)

display.show(str(round(light_average)))

sleep(300)

display.clear()

# go into setting mode if the right button is held down

if button_b.is_pressed():

press_time = running_time()

while (button_b.is_pressed()):

display.show(Image.DIAMOND_SMALL)

if (running_time() - press_time > 1500):

daylight_threshold = setting_mode(daylight_threshold)

display.clear()

# read light levels periodically and update clock as needed

if (running_time() > (last_update + update_interval) or last_update == 0):

try:

light_array[ctr] = read_light_sensor()

except IndexError:

light_array.append(read_light_sensor())

ctr += 1

if ctr >= 100:

ctr = 0

light_average = sum(light_array) / len(light_array)

# detect sunrise and sunset

if light_average >= sunrise_threshold and last_light < sunrise_threshold:

# guess morning on first sunrise

if sunrise is None:

midnight = running_time() - (6 * 60 * 60 * 1000)

sunrise = running_time()

print("Sunrise detected at: ", sunrise)

display.show(Image.ARROW_N)

display_clear_time = sunrise + 15 * 60 * 1000

if light_average <= sunset_threshold and last_light > sunset_threshold:

# guess evening on first sunset

if sunset is None:

midnight = running_time() - (18 * 60 * 60 * 1000)

sunset = running_time()

print("Sunset detected at: ", sunset)

display.show(Image.ARROW_S)

display_clear_time = sunset + 15 * 60 * 1000

last_light = light_average

# clear display when needed

if display_clear_time > 0 and running_time() > display_clear_time:

display.clear()

display_clear_time = 0

# set the clock

if sunrise is not None and sunset is not None:

if sunset-sunrise > 0:

daytime_length = sunset - sunrise

# else:

# nighttime_length = sunrise - sunset

# daytime_length = day_length - nighttime_length

if daytime_length != last_daytime_length:

try:

daytime_length_array[d_ctr] = daytime_length

except IndexError:

daytime_length_array.append(daytime_length)

d_ctr += 1

if d_ctr >= 7:

d_ctr = 0

daytime_length_average = sum(daytime_length_array) / len(daytime_length_array)

last_daytime_length = daytime_length

print("Daytime length average:", daytime_length_average)

noon = sunset - (daytime_length_average / 2)

midnight = noon - (day_length / 2)

# schedule for next update

last_update = running_time()

Koh Lon in Thailand is a nice place to make a clock

Light sensing graph–Koh Lon Island

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