Video: Rise and Shine alarm hack is sheers genius

Few devices receive as much attention to re-design as the mousetrap and alarm clock. Regarding the latter, Anupam Patahak, a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Michigan, takes a natural light approach with his Rise and Shine Alarm Shades. At a predefined time, the modified alarm clock silently (or noisily) kicks off a servo to wind open the shades. Nothing like the deep, battleship gray skies of mid-western suburbia to rouse a young mind from sleep. Video after the break.

[Via Hack A Day]

[Homer @ Nov 19th 2008 4:46AM]

Nice job Apu!

[Homer @ Nov 19th 2008 4:46AM]

Anu*

[jay @ Nov 19th 2008 7:23AM]

i see what u did there.

[B Po @ Nov 19th 2008 8:22PM]

This idea was just on http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/15/switch-closes-window-turns-on-heat-for-early-riser/

[The Mad Mule @ Nov 19th 2008 4:52AM]

Woah creepy; I have that exact same alarm clock!

[kyle allen @ Nov 19th 2008 5:25AM]

wow! that is creepy!

[jivetrky @ Nov 19th 2008 9:53AM]

I have those exact window blinds, Creepy!

[GingerFox @ Nov 19th 2008 4:56AM]

There was something like this a while ago on a tv show called dragons den, good idea then, good idea now:)

[kyle allen @ Nov 19th 2008 5:26AM]

someones been watching their bbc

[Ayman @ Nov 19th 2008 4:58AM]

OMG....
what if someone tampered with it to go off at night and you were with your gf having (wink wink) ....

[Reader @ Nov 19th 2008 5:09AM]

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't think it'd really cause that much trouble besides the fact that the alarm is irritating or someone happened to be standing at your window waiting for it to happen at 10 o'clock or w/e.

[Holger @ Nov 19th 2008 6:26AM]

hehe my though was also, what if you've set it wrong and get somehow "exposed"...

I mean it's a nice idea, but requires the "correct" setting to be used.

[absinthe party @ Nov 19th 2008 7:24AM]

In my experience, dudes with Simpsons-world avatars do not have girlfriends.

[Ayman @ Nov 19th 2008 8:08AM]

@ reader
thats why i said tampered

@absinthe
im guessing you dont even have any girlfriend experience

[Clasifyd @ Nov 19th 2008 9:09AM]

LOL @ "girlfriend experience"

[Reader @ Nov 19th 2008 5:10AM]

I've always wanted to do something like this, but this time of the year it'd be pointless. No sun 'til seven or eight.

[Tony @ Nov 19th 2008 9:52AM]

You get up before 8 to go to work? Stiiiink.

[Reader @ Nov 19th 2008 9:57AM]

Actually I don't have to work until 5pm, but my morning class every other day is at 7. It definitely does, I'm no morning person.

[Boards of Canada @ Nov 19th 2008 5:25AM]

look like an old Imac...

[kyle allen @ Nov 19th 2008 5:29AM]

Gah! why did they put the open close blinds button on the side?! that's like giving a alcoholic a key to the liquor store!

[Robin Jacobs @ Nov 19th 2008 5:30AM]

My blinds already move up 5 minutes before my alarm goes off, I have been doing this the past 5 years (and I didn´t have to modify my alarm clock as it´s a standard feature of my blinds controller).... so what is the news in this?

[kyle allen @ Nov 19th 2008 5:41AM]

the news is that you ruined the magic! magic ruiner!

[absinthe party @ Nov 19th 2008 7:25AM]

You have a blinds controller? What kind of trickery is this!?

[Robin Jacobs @ Nov 19th 2008 9:18AM]

http://rademacher.de/seiten/intabox/fernotron.cfm?spracheschluessel=en

[joriephoto @ Nov 19th 2008 12:52PM]

the news is that he made it for under $25! You may get the same effect with your remote system... but us college kids can't afford such fancy things.

[billflu @ Nov 19th 2008 5:57AM]

The shades can open, but the sun is still down when I wake up.

[XIYL @ Nov 19th 2008 7:34AM]

GODDAMNIT WHY DID I CLICK. Fuck you Dan, go die somewhere. I'm always tempted by the links.

[linuxamp @ Nov 19th 2008 6:58AM]

You could achieve the same end (lightup room) without the difficult mechanical hack by just hooking it up to a relay and lightbulb but I guess there's less geek cred for that.

[billflu @ Nov 19th 2008 7:41AM]

There are a few alarm clocks like that.
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/philips-wakeup-light-alarm-clock-fade-up-to-harsh-reality-205415.php

[ReknapS @ Nov 19th 2008 8:06AM]

Ahhh.... I got my hopes up for a "Rise and Shine Mr. Freeman" wake up call.
The G-man's voice would scare me outta bed every morning.

[gonintendo @ Nov 19th 2008 5:10PM]

I see what you did there.

[Jonathan @ Nov 19th 2008 8:34AM]

yay for the $5 walmart alarm clock! Thing works great, had one for four years.It only needed like 5 batteries during that time.

[Tony @ Nov 19th 2008 9:53AM]

That's awesome, but there's one thing I don't understand, why do people turn their blinds so that the inside edge of the blind is down? Seriously, is there a sensible answer here I'm totally missing that'll open my eyes to new possibilities?

I find that if I turn blinds so that the inside edge is up and the window edge is down then light is actually blocked... which I assume is the main reason for having blinds in the first place...

[eric @ Nov 19th 2008 10:29AM]

Um, what's the big deal? You could put in a Control4 system and do the same thing, but add lighting, music and your coffee pot too. Not to mention it would be expandable and compatible with other systems in your home...

[glompix @ Nov 19th 2008 11:18AM]

I'm pretty sure the Japanese hotel in Lost In Translation did this. Bill Murray's character, of course, hated it. It's still great to see a homegrown hack to do it.

One problem though: what if it's raining?

[chrisk1590 @ Nov 19th 2008 12:05PM]

It only opens the blinds, not the window

[glompix @ Nov 19th 2008 12:14PM]

I was thinking it being dark and soothing outside if it's raining, not that rain will get in the house.

[sinai @ Nov 19th 2008 12:19PM]

this is amazing to be as i have still yet to figure out how to open window blinds with the strings on em.

[Genome @ Nov 19th 2008 12:51PM]

Anyone remember "Ghost in the Shell" when the Major wakes up after the opening scene?
This isnt too far from that, unfortunately my room doesn't have a similar view.

[Gene @ Nov 19th 2008 11:19PM]

Great job!! I like this invention alot but it's not going to cut it in Palin's hometown during winter though.