Magic 8-Ball PCB Business Card

When you have business cards made, you want them to convey your competence in a certain area. You also want to imply that you’re reliable, showing up for work on time and doing tasks in a competent and professional manner. Titles like “engineer,” “doctor,” or “floor sweeping assistant” normally work quite well, but Seamus de Cleir’s Magic 8-Ball business card puts another spin on things. While it definitely demonstrates his prowess with electronics — and learning ability as this is his first PCB — when shaken, the card produces negative answers such as “Very doubtful,” and “My reply is no.”

The device is cleverly designed so that a coin cell battery is held between fingers that allow you to slide it into place. When powered on, the user then shakes the card and a tilt sensor an a CD4017BM decade counter power up a series of LEDs in sequence.

When the sensor settles, the LED stops at a certain point and you have your pseudo-random answer. They cost about $1.45 Euros per card (around $1.78) to produce. Provided potential contacts have a sense of humor, these cards should certainly make a great impression on the right person looking for a technologist and designer!