Model rocketry and doomsday-machine fans alike will find this project useful or at least a lot of fun. The folks at the Arduining site have created a full-featured countdown timer device that can trigger a relay or other digital output at the end of the countdown. However it looks the part as well as being functional - with a two-stage trigger system, digital countdown timer and ominous beeping it plays the part very well. It isn't complex and can be recreated with an Arduino-compatible board and a few parts. The following video contains a demonstration countdown sequence:
That would make a lot of fun for children and adults alike, so click here to get started. And for more, we're on twitter and Google+, so follow us for news and product updates as well.
If you're new to Arduino, the first step is a solid board for your projects - our Freetronics Eleven - the Arduino-Uno compatible with low-profile USB socket, onboard prototyping space and easy to view LEDs:
