DIY Digital Click Counter

DIY Digital Click Counter

Introduction

At ComicCon events, there's always a need for quick fixes and repairs for costumes, props, and other items. To keep track of the number of repairs we've done, we built a repair counter using a microcontroller and an OLED display. This project not only displays the repair count in real-time but also logs each repair with its timestamp for later analysis.

Features

• Real-time Display: The OLED display provides a live count of repairs, showing the current repair count, hourly count, and the current time.
• Interactive Button: A button press increments the repair count. A secondary button is available to decrement the count if needed.
• Firework Animation: Celebrate each repair with a firework animation displayed on the OLED screen.
• Data Logging: Each repair is logged with its timestamp in a CSV file.
• Data Visualization: A Python script visualizes the hourly repair count for each day using bar graphs.

Components

• Microcontroller (e.g., Raspberry Pi Pico)
• OLED Display (128x32)
• DS1307 RTC Module
• Push Buttons

Affiliate links

• Pico: https://amzn.to/3OI72b8
• RTC: https://amzn.to/3P6l1ss
• OLED: https://amzn.to/3qwPkzn
• Buck Converter: https://amzn.to/45EvC3B
• 18650 Holder: https://amzn.to/3E6U9lS
• PCB: https://amzn.to/45e3Afi
• Button: https://amzn.to/44k6BcT

Software Stack

• MicroPython
• Python (for data visualization)
• Libraries: machine, ssd1306, ds1307, time, urandom, os, utime, pandas, matplotlib

Building the Project

• Setup the Hardware: Connect the OLED display and DS1307 RTC module to the microcontroller. Attach the button to the specified GPIO pin.
• Upload the Script: Transfer the main script to the microcontroller.
• Run the Counter: Execute the script to start the counter. Press the button to increment the repair count.

Data Visualization

To analyse the repair data:

• Install Python and the required libraries.
• Run the provided Python script to visualize the repair count data. The script reads the button_presses.csv file and displays bar graphs showing the hourly repair count for each day.

Conclusion

This project offers a fun and interactive way to track repairs at events like ComicCon. The real-time display, combined with data logging and visualization, provides valuable insights into repair trends and busy hours. The firework animation adds a touch of celebration for each repair, making the process even more enjoyable.