When I was a kid, my teacher had one of these bells on her desk. She would ding it if we were being too loud, and anyone talking after the ding got spanked. I got spanked a lot. A hack has surfaced that takes one of those bells and, rather than wedging it in a first-grade teacher’s bum, it connects the bell to your computer via USB.
The idea is that instead of those computer-generated dings to tell you when you have new email, this bell will ding to tell you for realz. It seems that the virtual bell would do the trick just as well, and you can mute the sounds if the dinging drives you crazy.
How the USB Bell Works
The USB bell uses an electromagnet to activate the bell’s dinger. When an email arrives, the electromagnet is powered, causing the bell to ring. This physical notification can be more engaging and harder to ignore than a simple on-screen alert or a digital sound. The tactile and auditory feedback from a real bell can be particularly useful in noisy environments or for those who might miss a digital notification.
Apparently, the bell is easy to build as well. You need a few parts and you need to have some soldering skills, have a bit of electronics understanding, and you don’t need to know much in the way of programming. The basic components include a USB cable, an electromagnet, and the bell itself. The USB cable provides power to the electromagnet, which then strikes the bell when activated.
Building Your Own USB Bell
For those interested in creating their own USB bell, the process is straightforward but requires some basic DIY skills. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what you’ll need and the steps involved:
1. Parts and Tools: Gather the necessary components, including a small bell, an electromagnet, a USB cable, a soldering iron, and some solder. You might also need a few resistors and a transistor, depending on the specific design you follow.
2. Soldering: Connect the electromagnet to the USB cable. This usually involves stripping the USB cable to expose the wires, then soldering the appropriate wires to the electromagnet. Be sure to follow a wiring diagram to ensure correct connections.
3. Programming: While the project doesn’t require extensive programming knowledge, you might need to write a simple script or use existing software to trigger the electromagnet when an email arrives. This could involve using a service like IFTTT (If This Then That) to link your email notifications to the USB port.
4. Assembly: Once all the components are connected, assemble them into a housing that can sit on your desk. This could be as simple as a small box or a custom 3D-printed enclosure.
5. Testing: Plug the USB cable into your computer and test the setup. Send yourself an email and see if the bell rings. If it doesn’t, double-check your connections and the software settings.
Check out all the instructions here.
This project not only provides a fun and nostalgic way to receive email notifications but also serves as a great introduction to basic electronics and DIY projects. It’s a perfect weekend project for tech enthusiasts and hobbyists looking to add a unique touch to their workspace. Plus, the satisfaction of building something yourself and seeing it work is immensely rewarding.
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