The Foxie Clock Is a Retro-Looking, Edge-Lit Clock
Alex Fox's Nixie-like display is based on the SparkFun RedBoard Artemis Nano and shines RGB LEDs on acrylic "cards" from below.
While Nixie tube production has seemingly gone the way of the dinosaur, that doesn’t keep hobbyists from coming up with new innovative display methods like Alex Fox's Foxie Clock.
Instead of high(ish) voltages and gas-filled tubes, the Foxie Clock lights up an edge-lit acrylic digit for each number that's shown. This mirrors the way a Nixie tube has individual physical patterns for each number, but enables a variety of colors and simple power delivery.
Lighting shines up through the base via RGB LEDs, with a separator arrangement that also holds the acrylic number “cards.” The base features four capacitors sticking up on the front, arranged in a similar manner to vacuum tubes in vintage audio equipment. Hour and minute adjustment, as well as brightness, are controlled via four buttons in the back, and there’s a planned iOS/Android app in the future to allow for more customization.
Processing power for the retro-inspired timepiece is provided by a SparkFun RedBoard Artemis Nano. This easily handles the system's addressable LEDs, while adding a Bluetooth module for future upgrade possibilities.
Build info for this open source device is up on GitHub and Thingiverse, or you can simply buy one in the $50 range on Tindie.