If You Think About It, Isn't A Microchip Just Sand?

I'm always looking for cool set pieces . . . for my games, in my descriptions, to quell the gibbering voices seeking novelty . . .

So this one really caught my eye: a digital hourglass.

It uses two 8×8 screens stacked atop each other along with an Arduino controller, plus some coding to cause the digital "sand" to react accordingly. (If it's knocked to the side, the "sand" even collects along the new bottom!)

The link above shows how to make your own – but if you just want to watch it in action, you can check out this video.

Now I need to figure out what games I play that need a timer . . .

-- Steven Marsh