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]
[Via Hack A Day]

















Nice job Apu!
Anu*
i see what u did there.
This idea was just on http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2008/11/15/switch-closes-window-turns-on-heat-for-early-riser/
Woah creepy; I have that exact same alarm clock!
wow! that is creepy!
I have those exact window blinds, Creepy!
There was something like this a while ago on a tv show called dragons den, good idea then, good idea now:)
someones been watching their bbc
OMG....
what if someone tampered with it to go off at night and you were with your gf having (wink wink) ....
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.
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.
In my experience, dudes with Simpsons-world avatars do not have girlfriends.
@ reader
thats why i said tampered
@absinthe
im guessing you dont even have any girlfriend experience
LOL @ "girlfriend experience"
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.
You get up before 8 to go to work? Stiiiink.
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.
look like an old Imac...
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!
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?
the news is that you ruined the magic! magic ruiner!
You have a blinds controller? What kind of trickery is this!?
http://rademacher.de/seiten/intabox/fernotron.cfm?spracheschluessel=en
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.
The shades can open, but the sun is still down when I wake up.
GODDAMNIT WHY DID I CLICK. Fuck you Dan, go die somewhere. I'm always tempted by the links.
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.
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
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...
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.
I see what you did there.
yay for the $5 walmart alarm clock! Thing works great, had one for four years.It only needed like 5 batteries during that time.
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...
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?
It only opens the blinds, not the window
I was thinking it being dark and soothing outside if it's raining, not that rain will get in the house.
this is amazing to be as i have still yet to figure out how to open window blinds with the strings on em.
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.
Great job!! I like this invention alot but it's not going to cut it in Palin's hometown during winter though.