ElementalLED - controllable LED sign for Maker Faire

This sign was built for the Elemental LED booth at Maker Faire 2009 in San Mateo.

Each circle of their logo is an individually addressable RGB pixel with 12-bit color depth. The sign can function independently and display random color fades, or can be controlled via serial from a computer or MIDI from any MIDI device.

In this demonstration, a Jitter patch written by my pal John Taylor sends control codes to the sign from on-screen color sliders, as well as scales movie files down to 4x4 and sends them to the sign. These movies can be used to control either colors or the luminosity of whatever color you have selected. In addition, the patch watches for OpenOSC packets so that you can use your iPhone or iPod Touch to control the colors of the sign.

My controller circuit board design uses a TI LED driver chips to control 48 discrete channels with constant current control for 30mA per channel at up to 40V. I cut the sign as well as the eggcrate bezels out of 1/8" acrylic on an Epilog 40W laser cutter/engraver.

The LED tape from Elemental LED is available here:
http://www.elementalled.com/ElementalLED-Store/Full-Color-LED-Products/Flexib...
It's really cool stuff that can be cut to whatever length you need (the LED runs are in parallel so 12V drives whatever length you cut it to) and has a super-sticky 3M adhesive on the back.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• elemental LED
• elementalLED
• maker faire
• diy
• rgb
• led
• MIDI
• OpenOSC
• jitter

[mfrederickson]

This is absolutely fantastic. I'm *very* interested in how you got the black look to the acrylic. Is that a coating that you applied after the laser cut?

[BadRabbyDesigns]

Nope, just black acrylic. And I leave the protective sticky backing on when I lase it.

[BadRabbyDesigns]

Oh, and if you ever need to spray paint acrylic, the Krylon Fusion for Plastic paints give a really nice finish without running or cracking. You can get really nice effects by lasing words, shapes, etc out of the backing, peeling them off, spraying with plastics spray paint, and then peeling off the rest of the backing after it is dry.

[bleemy]

I would be looking to buy this item from you to use outside so would need to be waterproof and self contained, solar or power supply. I would want it to show random colours like the part 47sec into your video. Would you consider making this product for me 40"x40" ? if so how much. please private message me back. Lee (UK)

[mfrederickson]

Excellent - thanks so much for the great tips! I really like the look you're getting. And examples of pieces you've made with the "lasing the backing" technique?

Also, any power suggestions for the backing cut? I'm guessing we're both using the same laser in San Mateo? ;)

[weeksy79]

freaking awesome :P this is childish...but i want one XD i'd love to learn how to make that sorta thing