TimerLEDBox

Problem Statement

At [Heatsync Labs] we host a micro-conference every few months called 'Hot Topics' where the speakers talk for 10 minutes followed by a 5 minute QA. Many of the speakers went on for nearly an hour and used up the time allocated to other speakers. Wouldn't it be neat to have a way to track time but not in a way that is interruptive or confrontational? I want to make a system where the presenter knows exactly how much time is left on the clock, and can use the simple readout to mark certain 'temporal waypoints' they need to reach (IE a slide or a topic) in order navigate their topic space and within the allocated time.

System Overview

The box holds 5 color changing LEDs and a button that is also a 3D printed cat. As time ticks down, the LEDs, which start all green, turn yellow one by one. Once all of the LEDs are yellow, they turn red one by one. Once all LEDs are red, they start blinking once a second to really annoy everyone in the room, presenter and audience alike. The time is reset when the button cat is pressed. This makes all of the LEDs turn green again.