A question for all you commuters out there (you know who you are): isn't it annoying when inclement weather unexpectedly pops up, effectively doubling (or more) your normal commute time? I propose as a solution to this an alarm clock which measures temperature and precipitation changes with a sensor package you would mount outside your window. Just set your alarm for your normal waking time, and preset how much earlier you would like to be waked up in case of unfavorable weather changes, and let the clock do the rest. When the weather sensors detect a significant change in temperature and/or precipitation, the alarm wakes you at the earlier time. This would (hypothetically) allow you to leave early enough to make it to work on time despite weather-induced traffic problems. Admittedly, this wouldn't do anything for traffic delays due to accidents or localized weather patterns, but it would certainly be a help nonetheless.-- Pharaoh Mobius, Dec 05 2002 Rain Gauge Alarm Clock http://www.halfbake...uge_20alarm_20clockSimilar idea of mine - could be easily adapted - same hardware. [8th of 7, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] You will. And the company that will bring it to you is... http://www.microsof...002/11-17comdex.asp [egnor, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004] Surely traffic/transport problems are the only real delay. Weather doesn't really affect you at all does it?-- sild, Dec 05 2002 Good point. I forgot about snow, as the only stuff we ever get in the UK is barely enough to slow down an ant.-- sild, Dec 05 2002 Link.-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2002 I had seen your idea [8th] when I searched to see if anyone had done this idea before. I had considered not posting, but decided that since the application and target market of my clock would be different that I would post mine anyway. Hmm... maybe we can apply the Grand Unified Gadget Theory and bake it as one product with a "wake early/sleep in" switch. That way, it would be more responsive to the needs of either group.-- Pharaoh Mobius, Dec 05 2002 This keeps turning up here, doesn't it.
The "intelligent alarm clock" that knows about your schedule, flight status, traffic conditions, weather and so on seems to be an idea whose times has come. It's rapidly on the road to implementation and gets suggested here every other week in some (often limited) form...-- egnor, Dec 05 2002 [PM], fair enough - I consider this a perfectly valid enhancement of my original simple idea. Hence I merely posted a link rather than declaring it redundant. I am happy to apply Grand Unification to the two ideas.-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2002 random, halfbakery