DIY Smartwatch Is a Marvel of Miniaturization

We take smartphones, and even smartwatches for granted, but when you really consider the components that are stuffed into each one, it’s easy to see what an amazing accomplishment they are. What would be involved if you wanted to create a smartwatch yourself? DDelectroTech has the answer with this 3D-printed device, featuring an OLED display surrounded by a ring of LEDs.

The main challenge of the build was to compress a series of small PCBs that stack up to around 3cm (or a little over an inch) high into something that can be worn on your wrist. The first miniaturization step was to remove components from the individual boards and combine them into a custom PCB.

Even with this optimized PCB in-hand, a variety of wires still had to be used to connect the Arduino Pro Mini, Bluetooth module, and OLED display, along with the ring of programmable LEDs. These LEDs — which feature automatic brightness control — allow the user to tell time in an analog fashion, or use the watch as a flashlight if needed.

A corresponding Android app makes the watch truly smart, enabling it to receive notifications and text messages. Check it out below!