The Dutch genius Christiaan Huygens built the first pendulum clock in 1656. For three centuries, it was the best timekeeper known to man. This Thursday at HackPittsburgh, we will build a pendulum clock with a modern twist. In this demonstration, we replace mechanical gears and levers by simple digital electronics to create a modern version of the “grandfather” pendulum clock.

This demo will provide an opportunity for the audience to see how sensors, actuators, and microcontrollers can be used to control mechanical objects. Also, we will show how to set up serial communication to a computer.

Free and open to the public! The doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7:30. We’re located at 1936 5th Avenue, in the garage around back on Watson (enter address 1980 Watson St. if using GPS). Look for our flag above the door.