Raspberry Pi Weasley Family Clock from Harry Potter Runs Like Magic

Sometimes fiction inspires reality—such is the case here with Bryn Dole's Weasley Family clock replica. It uses a Raspberry Pi to replicate the general functionality, going as far as to update in real-time based on your family's actual location data.

If you aren't familiar with the Harry Potter franchise, the clock is found in the home of the Weasley family. Each section of the clock represents a location rather than a point in time. There is a hand for each member of the family which moves magically into position based on where they are at a given moment. If you aren't sure where they are, you can find out in a glance using the clock.

In this project, the location information is gathered and processed using an application called Life 360. This data determines where each individual hand should dial in on the clock. Dole decided to use a grandfather clock found in a thrift store, fitted with a poster of the original clock artwork from the movie.

The clock face is divided into eight sections: Home, Work, School, Garden, Lost, In Transit, Quidditch, and Mortal Peril. Most of these are self-explanatory, with the two most puzzling options being Quidditch and Mortal Peril.

Quidditch is used to represent bicycling. It's triggered when the individual is found traveling slower than a car but faster than a running pace. Mortal Peril represents a person traveling faster than 75 mph (more than 120 kph).

Dole was kind enough to share plenty of details about the project and documented the complete creation process. If you want to replicate this project for yourself, that's definitely an option. Check out all of the notes and source code on GitHub to get started. Be sure to follow Bryn Dole on his official website for more cool projects.