Solace
Created by
[Jaxon]
β’ Started on June 28, 2025
A DIY Braun DN40-inspired alarm clock thatβs also a LifeLog Satellite and smart speaker.
28 June 2025 - Project Kick-off (3 Hours)
- Drafted project goals and some technical details
- Flashed Raspberry Pi 3 for testing
- Sucsessfully got display to connect
- Got flutter set up and demo working
- Set up dev enviroment on macbook
- Started (re)Learning Flutter Basics
- Started thinking about the layout of the UI # 29 June 2025 - Components Research (1 hour) I was researching different types of displays, but ended up deciding upon a standard raspberry pi display after much concideration for a nice AMOLED screen, it's just too expensive. I'll make a BOM soon! # 29 June 2025 - Design sketch (30 mins)
- Just sketched a design and wrote about Solace and LifeLog.
# 30 June 2025 - Design Prototype Case (3 hours) Today I designed two iterations of the case all while rembering how to use Fusion 360, just a very early testing stage with some broken screen (honestly might be a safty hazard if it wasn't hidden by the case) and stuff I've got laying around. I plan to redesign it to fit what ever display I end up choosing. On that note, I've got almost all of the components picked out except the display... I know, I started concidering the OLED screens again.
# 1 July 2025 - UI Implementation (1 hour)
- Today I was limited on time, but I tested different fonts, spacing, and colors. I also added some nice color gradents depending on what time of day it is. Tomorrow I plan to add pages to the UI, and hook it into the LifeLog API!
# 1 July into 2 July - Picking Parts, CAD, and Research (past mid-might, 4 hours) I stayed up until at least 1am doing this. I'm tired.
- I realized I knew very little about the audio world, but through research I figured out that your enclosure size maters when picking a speaker. As a result of this I had to ensure that it would still sound good in my case. I've decided on the PLS-P830985 as it's budget friendly and small enough to fit inside my project. I found a better alternitive, but it was $100, out of my budget.
- On the cad design, I fixed some minor issues like some misalignments.
- Made progress on the BOM! # 2 July - Finalizing BOM and Research (3.5 hours) Today we went to a water park, so I had tons of time in the car and when I got home to work on the project. (OUTDATED BOM, SEE README.md) |Part Name |Quantity|Price (CAD) |Description |Link | |-----------------------------------------------------|--------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |PLS-P830985 |1 |$30.65 |Speaker |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/peerless-by-tymphany/PLS-P830985/6211132 | |Raspberry Pi Touch Display V1 |1 |$85.95 |7-inch touchscreen display for Raspberry Pi |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/raspberry-pi/ASIN-B00X4WHP5E/6211133 | |Raspberry Pi 4 2GB |1 |$80.16 |Mini computer |https://www.amazon.ca/Raspberry-Model-2019-Quad-Bluetooth/dp/B07TD42S27/ | |Stereo 20W Class D Audio Amplifier - MAX9744 |1 |$19.95 |Audio amplifier for Raspberry Pi |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/adafruit-industries-llc/1752/4990780 | |GST60A12-P1J |1 |$27.10 |power supply |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/mean-well-usa-inc/GST60A12-P1J/7703712 | |PJ-037AH |1 |$1.01 |Power Jack |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/same-sky-formerly-cui-devices/PJ-037AH/1644547 | |USB Mini Mic |1 |$6.99 |USB microphone for audio input |https://www.amazon.ca/Mini-Microphone-Skype-Desktop-Laptop/dp/B076BC2Y3W/ | |0297005.U |1 |$0.57 |A 5A fuse, so I don't burn my house down |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/littelfuse-inc/0297005-U/3427486 | |OKR-T/6-W12-C |1 |$13.89 |Buck converter |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/murata-power-solutions-inc/OKR-T-6-W12-C/2199629 | |Aux Cable 1Ft |1 |$6.99 |A 1ft aux cable to connect the amp to the Raspberry Pi |https://www.amazon.ca/Tan-QY-Auxiliary-Compatible-Headphones/dp/B08BNMJ3ND/ | |4698 |1 |$23.24 |Color Light Sensor |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/adafruit-industries-llc/4698/13162109 | |LSYGXYZ 6 Pieces Acrylic Rods |1 |$8.99 |Acrylic rods to have the light sensor inside the case |https://www.amazon.ca/LSYGXYZ-Acrylic-Decorations-Gardening%EF%BC%883mm-Diameter%EF%BC%89/dp/B09M846847/ | |PC-ABK006F |1 |$7.11 |Power Cord |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/bel-inc/PC-ABK006F/15777826 | |MFR-25FBF52-33K |1 |$0.15 |Resistor 33K Ohm 1/4W |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/yageo/MFR-25FBF52-33K/9138137 | |EEU-FC1E101S |1 |$0.55 |Capacitor 100uF 25V |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/panasonic-electronic-components/EEU-FC1E101S/266278 | |EEU-FR1A101 |1 |$0.47 |Capacitor 100uF 10V |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/panasonic-electronic-components/EEU-FR1A101/2433507 | |C315C104M5U5TA |2 |$0.41 |Capacitor 0.1uF 50V |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/kemet/C315C104M5U5TA/817927 | |28A2025-0A2 |1 |$3.84 |FERRITE CORE 320 OHM HINGED |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/laird-signal-integrity-products/28A2025-0A2/242803 | |2Pack USB 3.0 Male to Female Adapter 7.9inches (20cm)|1 |$7.90 |USB 3.0 extension cable |https://www.amazon.ca/Female-Extension-Cable-Male-Female/dp/B084WPG7QG/ | |110991327 |1 |$1.54 |Heat sink for the Raspberry Pi 4 |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/seeed-technology-co-ltd/110991327/10451876 | |0FHM0001ZXJ |1 |$12.74 |Fuse Holder |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/littelfuse-commercial-vehicle-products/0FHM0001ZXJ/2004060 | |M2.5 Standoff kit |1 |$9.67 |M2.5 Standoff kit for mounting the Raspberry Pi and other components |https://www.amazon.ca/XLX-Male-Female-Female-Female-Assortment-Stainless/dp/B07FMV5RMG/ | |M3 x 10mm |1 |$12.86 |M3 x 10mm Thread Pitch screws for mounting the Raspberry Pi and other components |https://www.amazon.ca/iexcell-Thread-Socket-Button-Screws/dp/B0CP4BLD7Z/ | |FIT0585 |1 |$4.55 |18 AWG Wire |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/dfrobot/FIT0585/9559254?gQT=1 | |MMOBIEL 20 Gauge Electrical Wire Parallel - 20 AWG |1 |$11.49 |20 AWG Wire |https://www.amazon.ca/MMOBIEL-Gauge-Electrical-Wire-Parallel/dp/B0DGV5V2SM | |4397 |1 |$1.38 |STEMMA/Qwiic cable |https://www.digikey.ca/en/products/detail/adafruit-industries-llc/4397/10824270 |
Everything is crazy expensive :sob:, good thing I already have the display and pi!
3 July - Completed BOM (1 hour)
I completed the BOM, and now I'm going to finalize the case design and finish the code.
5 July - Case Design, Parts Update, and Code (3.5 hours)
- I added the speaker to the case design
- updated the BOM to remove a few unnecessary parts.
- I wrote a simple voice assistant that hooks into the Gemini API.
- Updated wiring diagram