Programmable LED Display

SIZE REQUIREMENTS

Base Size: 5” x 2” x 0.75″

Slot for Sign: 4” Line with a 0.25″ Diameter Milling Bit

Groove for LED Strip: 4.5” x 0.5” (0.6″ deep)

Groove for Arduino Nano (0.375″ deep):

As an instructor, make sure to go over the following points when it comes to designing the plastic/glass sign from a vectoring software (CorelDRAW, Illustrator, Inkscape):

• Sizing and positioning of objects
• Text formatting
• Converting colored images into black/white tracings
• Creating unique vector shapes from either freehand or cropping
• Using object properties menu to manipulate color fills, outline vectors, or other forming edits

All designs are then sent to a laser cutter by either the students or instructor to continue assembling their parts.

 If the students design is accurate, the Arduino, RGB light strip, and the acrylic/glass sign should all fit snug. Use adhesives available to tweak any of these fittings if needed.

Students can now watch this short Youtube video explaining the connections that will need to be made to properly power both the Individually addressable RGB LED strip, and the micro controller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnWZdxMytaA&t=203s

Using the same Youtube link shown in the previous step, students can learn to manipulate code to tweak any LED colors or fade loops they want. It is the job of the instructor to break down the programming language of Arduino C to let the students understand what exactly is happening in the code, examples being:

• Understand what an Arduino is and how it works
• Program your Arduino using code that you’ve written in the Arduino IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
• Using inputs and outputs
• Decision making and using logic
• Libraries, serial data, and hardware

Down below, you will see an example code I created of the final product that uses a series of For Loops in order to program the LED to transition through every color in the RGB spectrum repeatedly. Simply copy and paste the code into Arduino IDE and make sure the proper libraries are included to run the program. Once students get comfortable with this language, have them create unique transitions of their own to see what they come up with!

#include

#define NUM_LEDS 6

#define LED_PIN 4

CRGB led[NUM_LEDS];

void setup() {

 FastLED.addLeds(led, NUM_LEDS);

 for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

  led[i] = CRGB(0, 0, 0);

 }

 FastLED.show();

}

void setRed(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (val, 0, 0);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void setYellow(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (255, val, 0);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void setGreen(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (val, 255, 0);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void setTeal(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (0, 255, val);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void setBlue(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (0, val, 255);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void setPurple(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (val, 0, 255);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void setWhite(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (255, val, 255);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void setEnd(int val) {

  for (int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {

   led[i] = CRGB (255, val, val);

  }

  FastLED.show();

}

void loop() {

  for (int i = 255; i < 256; i++) {

  setRed(i);

  delay(10);

 }

  for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) {

  setYellow(i);

  delay(10);

 }

  for (int i = 255; i > 0; i–) {

  setGreen(i);

  delay(10);

 }

  for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) { 

  setTeal(i);

  delay(10);

 }

  for (int i = 255; i > 0; i–) {

  setBlue(i);

  delay(10);

 }

  for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) { 

  setPurple(i);

  delay(10);

 }

  for (int i = 0; i < 256; i++) {

  setWhite(i);

  delay(10);

 }

  for (int i = 255; i > 0; i–) {

  setEnd(i);

  delay(10);

 }

}