Summary of AVR Switch Timer using ATmega8 Microcontroller
This article describes a custom UV exposure switch timer designed by Andrianakis to automate the duration of UV light exposure. The device utilizes an ATmega8 microcontroller as its core processor, driven by a 32.768 KHz RTC crystal for precise timing via timer interrupts. It features a dual 7-segment LED display, two control buttons for setting and starting, a relay to cut power, and a buzzer for alerts when the cycle ends. The firmware is written in C and compiled using WinAVR.
Parts used in the AVR Switch Timer:
- ATmega8 Microcontroller
- Two 7-segments LED Display
- Two Control Buttons (Set and Start)
- Relay
- Buzzer
- 32.768 KHz RTC Crystal
- C Firmware
- WinAVR Compiler
To get better UV expose, Andrianakis has built new Switch Timer that will turn of his UV exposure box after some time. The timer uses ATmega8 as main processor and two 7-segments LED as display. There are two buttons for set and start the timer. When time runs out, microcontroller switches relay and also sounds a buzzer.
The time is calculated by timer interrupt triggering using a 32.768 KHz RTC Crystal with better accuracy. The firmware is written in C and you can compile it using WinAVR.
For more detail: AVR Switch Timer using ATmega8 Microcontroller
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What is the main purpose of the new Switch Timer?
The timer is built to turn off the UV exposure box after a set time to improve UV exposure control. -
Which microcontroller is used as the main processor?
The project uses the ATmega8 as the main processor. -
How does the device achieve better accuracy for time calculation?
It uses a 32.768 KHz RTC Crystal with timer interrupts for accurate timekeeping. -
What components are used to display the time?
Two 7-segments LEDs are used as the display unit. -
How many buttons are included for operation?
There are two buttons used to set and start the timer. -
What happens when the timer runs out?
The microcontroller switches the relay and sounds a buzzer. -
In which programming language was the firmware written?
The firmware is written in the C programming language. -
Which tool is required to compile the firmware?
You can compile the code using WinAVR.

