diff --git a/pico_2026/rate.py b/pico_2026/rate.py
index b140903..437f4e0 100644
--- a/pico_2026/rate.py
+++ b/pico_2026/rate.py
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ BUTTON_SEND = None
 RATE_BUTTONS = []
 DISPLAY = None
 
+# Variables for Interrupt (ISR) handling and Debouncing
+pending_rate_button = -1
+pending_send_button = False
+last_interrupt_time = 0
+DEBOUNCE_MS = 250 # Ignore button presses within 250ms of each other
+
 # Helper to update display based on state
 def refresh_display(message=None):
     if not DISPLAY:
@@ -26,10 +32,9 @@ def refresh_display(message=None):
         DISPLAY.text(message, 10, 30)
     elif CURRENT_STATE == STATE_USER_ID:
         # 1. User ID Mode
-        DISPLAY.text("Inchometer", 25, 0)
+        DISPLAY.text("User ID Mode", 15, 0)
         
         # Display binary representation: _ _ _ _ _
-        # Bit 4 is leftmost button, Bit 0 is rightmost
         binary_str = ""
         for i in range(5):
             bit_pos = 4 - i
@@ -49,8 +54,6 @@ def refresh_display(message=None):
         else:
             rating_text = str(RATING)
         
-        # Draw "big" text (simulated with scale if supported, or just centered)
-        # Standard ssd1306 doesn't have big fonts, so we just center it
         DISPLAY.text(rating_text, 60, 30)
 
     DISPLAY.show()
@@ -60,30 +63,35 @@ def initialize_pin(pin_number:int):
     button = Pin(pin_number, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_DOWN)
     return button
 
-# activates send pin
-def activate_sendPin() -> None:
-    BUTTON_SEND.irq(trigger=Pin.IRQ_RISING, handler=sendButton_pressed)
-
-# deactivates send pin
-def deactivate_sendPin() -> None:
-    BUTTON_SEND.irq(handler=None)
-
-# rate button is pressed
+# Hardware Interrupt: rate button is pressed
 def rate_button_pressed(pin:Pin) -> None:
-    global USER_ID, RATING, CURRENT_STATE, RATE_BUTTONS
-
-    # Find which button index was pressed
-    button_index = -1
-    for i, button in enumerate(RATE_BUTTONS):
-        if button == pin:
-            button_index = i
-            break
+    global pending_rate_button, last_interrupt_time
     
-    if button_index == -1:
-        return
+    current_time = time.ticks_ms()
+    # Simple software debounce
+    if time.ticks_diff(current_time, last_interrupt_time) > DEBOUNCE_MS:
+        # Find which button index was pressed
+        for i, button in enumerate(RATE_BUTTONS):
+            if button == pin:
+                pending_rate_button = i
+                break
+        last_interrupt_time = current_time
 
+# Hardware Interrupt: Send/Confirm button is pressed
+def sendButton_pressed(pin:Pin) -> None:
+    global pending_send_button, last_interrupt_time
+    
+    current_time = time.ticks_ms()
+    if time.ticks_diff(current_time, last_interrupt_time) > DEBOUNCE_MS:
+        pending_send_button = True
+        last_interrupt_time = current_time
+
+# Process the rate button press (Called from the main loop)
+def process_rate_button(button_index: int):
+    global USER_ID, RATING, CURRENT_STATE
+    
     if CURRENT_STATE == STATE_USER_ID:
-        bit_pos = len(RATE_BUTTONS) - 1 - button_index
+        bit_pos = 4 - button_index
         USER_ID ^= (1 << bit_pos)
         print(f"Current User ID: {USER_ID}")
     
@@ -92,12 +100,10 @@ def rate_button_pressed(pin:Pin) -> None:
         print(f"Current Rating selected: {RATING}")
 
     refresh_display()
-    activate_sendPin()
 
-# Send/Confirm button is pressed
-def sendButton_pressed(pin) -> None:
+# Process the send button press (Called from the main loop)
+def process_send_button():
     global CURRENT_STATE, USER_ID, RATING
-    deactivate_sendPin()
     
     if CURRENT_STATE == STATE_USER_ID:
         # 2. Confirmed ID display
@@ -109,8 +115,7 @@ def sendButton_pressed(pin) -> None:
     
     elif CURRENT_STATE == STATE_RATING:
         if RATING == 0:
-            activate_sendPin()
-            return
+            return # Don't send if no rating is selected yet
         
         # 4. Sending / Success / Error
         refresh_display("Sending...")
@@ -122,7 +127,7 @@ def sendButton_pressed(pin) -> None:
         else:
             refresh_display("Error")
             
-        time.sleep(5) # Display status for 5 seconds
+        time.sleep(3) # Display status for 3 seconds
             
         # Reset for next rating
         USER_ID = 0
@@ -133,21 +138,32 @@ def sendButton_pressed(pin) -> None:
 # start the rating program
 def start_rating(rate_button_pins:list, button_send_pin:int, oled_display=None) -> None:
     global RATE_BUTTONS, BUTTON_SEND, DISPLAY
+    global pending_rate_button, pending_send_button
 
     DISPLAY = oled_display
 
-    # initialize all pins as buttons and add them to the list
+    # initialize all pins as buttons and attach interrupts
     RATE_BUTTONS = []
     for pin_num in rate_button_pins:
         button = initialize_pin(pin_num)
         button.irq(trigger=Pin.IRQ_RISING, handler=rate_button_pressed)
         RATE_BUTTONS.append(button)
 
-    # initialize send button
+    # initialize send button and attach interrupt
     BUTTON_SEND = initialize_pin(button_send_pin)
+    BUTTON_SEND.irq(trigger=Pin.IRQ_RISING, handler=sendButton_pressed)
 
     print("System started.")
     refresh_display()
 
+    # The Main Event Loop - This safely handles the screen updates
     while True:
-        time.sleep(1)
+        if pending_rate_button != -1:
+            process_rate_button(pending_rate_button)
+            pending_rate_button = -1 # Reset the flag
+            
+        if pending_send_button:
+            process_send_button()
+            pending_send_button = False # Reset the flag
+            
+        time.sleep_ms(50) # Short delay to save power and avoid choking the CPU