If you own a classic Casio digital timepiece like the F-91W and have at some point, wish it could be more up-to-date and do more than tell time, well it looks like your dream has come true. You may not have the technical skillset to turn an F-91W into a full-blown smartwatch but thanks to Sensor Watch by Oddly Specific Objects, you can turn it into a powerful, modern smart timepiece.
The Sensor Watch ingeniously marries a classic 30-year-old digital watch design with modern technology, featuring a powerful ARM Cortex M0+ microcontroller. This device transforms the iconic Casio F-91W or A158W into a smartwatch without sacrificing the original’s look or water resistance. Unlike typical smartwatches, the Sensor Watch opts for a monochrome LCD and eschews power-intensive features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enabling it to run for over a year on a single coin cell.
The Sensor Watch Lite simplifies the original concept further, incorporating a temperature sensor directly onto the board and eliminating the need for a complex connector, making it more affordable at $39. It offers versatile programming capabilities and accurate timekeeping, thanks to its microcontroller’s comprehensive features, including USB programming, a real-time clock, temperature-compensated crystal oscillator capabilities, and more.
The Sensor Watch stands out for its low-power segment LCD controller, enabling an always-on display that’s energy-efficient. Open source and hackable, it invites customization with features ranging from two-factor auth codes to astronomical calculations, all while maintaining its unique, low-power charm.
You can learn more about the Sensor Watch on Crowd Supply where it is being crowd-funded. If so desired, you can also purchase the board needed for the conversion for US$35-US$39.
Images: Oddly Specific Objects via Crowd Supply.
