In this guide, I will walk you through the process of creating your very own smart snow globe. It will light up in different colors to let you know the status of the next day—whether it’s a snow day, a delayed start, or a regular day. Best of all, you’ll be able to check it right before you go to bed and, with a shake of the globe in the morning, you’ll know instantly if you can go back to sleep or if you need to start getting ready for the day.
What You’ll Need to Build Your Smart Snow Globe
Before you get started, let’s gather all the materials you will need for this project. Don’t worry—nothing too complicated is required. If you’re a beginner to electronics or Arduino projects, don’t worry! I’ll guide you through each step.
Materials List:
- Snow Globe: A traditional snow globe, preferably one with a translucent stopper at the bottom. If not, we can modify it to make it work.
- Adafruit Flora Platform: This is a small, flexible microcontroller perfect for wearable electronics and compact projects like this.
- Adafruit Flora Accelerometer: This sensor detects when you shake the snow globe, triggering the snow day check.
- Adafruit Smart NeoPixel RGB LED: This LED will change colors based on the snow day status.
- Conductive Thread or Wire: You can either sew the components together using conductive thread or use soldered wire, whichever you prefer.
- Rubber Cement: This helps secure the thread connections without damaging your electronics.
- Tape or Glue: To hold parts in place.
- Toothpick: For applying rubber cement precisely.
- Dremel or Small Rotary Tool: To create notches for the USB connector.
- USB-mini Cable: Used for programming and powering the Flora.
- PC or Laptop: To program the Flora and check the snow day status.
Step 1: Preparing the Snow Globe
The first step in creating your smart snow globe is selecting the right one. I picked up a simple snow globe for just $2 from a local store, which worked perfectly. I chose one that had a translucent stopper at the bottom, allowing light to shine through. If your snow globe doesn’t have a translucent stopper, you can drill a hole in the bottom and seal it with translucent hot glue. However, be careful with this method, as it can cause leakage if not done properly.
Step 2: Wiring the Electronics
Now, it’s time to start connecting the electronics. Don’t be intimidated—this part is straightforward. I’ve used conductive thread for wiring, but if you’re comfortable soldering, you can use wire and solder instead. The purpose of this setup is to connect the accelerometer to the Flora so that when the snow globe is shaken, it checks the snow day status from the internet and turns on the NeoPixel LED with the correct color.
Here’s how to wire everything:
- NeoPixel LED to Flora:
- Connect the pad with the tiny arrow on the NeoPixel to the “D6” pad on the Flora.
- Connect the “+” pad on the NeoPixel to the “VBATT” pad on the Flora.
- Connect the “-” pad on the NeoPixel to the “GND” pad on the Flora.
- Accelerometer to Flora:
- Connect the “SCL” pad on the accelerometer to the “SCL” pad on the Flora.
- Connect the “SDA” pad on the accelerometer to the “SDA” pad on the Flora.
- Connect the “3V” pad on the accelerometer to the “3.3V” pad on the Flora.
- Connect the “GND” pad on the accelerometer to the “GND” pad on the Flora.
Once you’ve made the connections, it’s a good idea to dab some rubber cement on the knots to keep them secure. The thread may have a tendency to loosen up, and this will prevent it from untangling.
Step 3: Mounting the Electronics in the Snow Globe
Before you start assembling the electronics into the snow globe, you need to make sure that the USB connector for the Flora is easily accessible. This will allow you to connect the Flora to your computer for programming and updates. I had to use a Dremel tool to cut a small notch into the rim of the snow globe to fit the USB connector.
After that, it’s time to carefully place the components inside the snow globe:
- NeoPixel LED: Position this so it shines upward through the translucent stopper.
- Flora and Accelerometer: Secure the Flora and accelerometer inside the globe, making sure the reset button on the Flora is easily accessible. This is helpful in case you need to reprogram the device.
Use glue or tape to secure the components in place. If you’re using hot glue, be careful not to burn any sensitive electronics.
Step 4: Programming the Snow Globe
This is where the magic happens. The snow globe needs two main components to function properly: the Processing code on your computer and the Arduino code on the Flora. The Processing code checks the internet every 10 minutes to find out the snow day status, while the Arduino code on the Flora listens for the shake event and lights up the NeoPixel LED in the corresponding color.
Here’s how it works:
- Green: The status is “open for business,” so you’ll be getting up for a normal day.
- Yellow: The status is “delayed start,” giving you a couple of extra hours of sleep.
- Red: The status is “closed,” and it’s a snow day—stay in bed!
- Blue: If there’s no status information, the snow globe will just blink blue.
Once you’ve uploaded the Arduino code to the Flora and connected it to your PC, you can run the Processing sketch. The sketch will check the snow day status from the website every 10 minutes and send that status to the Flora, which will then light up the LED accordingly.
Using Your Smart Snow Globe
Now that everything is set up and programmed, you’re ready to start using your smart snow globe. The snow globe needs to remain connected to your computer via USB, as I didn’t use a Wi-Fi module for this project. Once everything is running, you can shake the snow globe, and it will light up to indicate whether you have a snow day or not.
The best part is, you’ll know if you can roll over and get some extra sleep without having to check your phone or radio. If the snow globe lights up in red, it’s time to enjoy a lazy day in bed!
Conclusion
Building a smart snow globe is a fun and practical project that combines creativity with electronics. It’s an easy-to-follow project, even for beginners, and the result is a functional, tech-savvy snow globe that tells you if tomorrow will be a snow day or a regular workday.
Whether you’re new to Arduino, DIY electronics, or just looking for a fun weekend project, this is a great way to get started. Enjoy your extra sleep on snow days—and maybe even make a few more snow globes for your friends!
Project Via Instructables – Download PDF Instructions here.
