How to build a light-emitting coaster for a disco evening
Bright lights and a Bloody Mary make an incredible combination. More so, when the glass you are holding adds to the brilliance of the ambience in its own special way, with some useful help from the coaster underneath! It is time to roll up your sleeves and create your own light-emitting drinks coaster.
Ground Zero - buy the parts you need to make the coaster. You would ideally need 30 1K 0805 resistors (R1 - R30), 30 MBTA42 NPN transistors (Q1 - Q30), 10 100 Ohm 0805 resistors (R31 - R40), 10 FMMT717 PNP transistors (Q31 - Q40), 5 74HC594 SOIC shift registers (IC1 - IC5), 4 100nF 1206 capacitors (C1 - C4) and 100 TB5-V120-FLUX-RGB8000 RGB LEDs (LED00 - LED99).
With the help of a Gerber and files, build your PCB. Solder the circuit board carefully when you are mounting the different components and ensure that the different parts are matched appropriately. The next step is the toughest part. You will need a microcontroller to power the board and create images. The power and data cables need to be attached to the connector pins below the board. Each of the 6 pins needs to be matched as per the instructions given below.
1. XVOLTS to power the LEDs. You need to connect this pin to a 4V current limited supply.
2. SERIAL_CLOCK pin is used to move data from SERIAL_DATA on positive-going edge.
3. SERIAL_LATCH is used to shift 40 bits from shift register to LED control on positive-going edge.
4. GROUND is for the common ground.
5. 5VOLTS pin is for the supply voltage. Connect this pin to a 5V supply.
6. SERIAL_DATA is used to input data for the shift register.
Now, you need to clock 10 4-bit numbers into the shift register in the following sequence
- SERIAL_CLOCK low
- SERIAL_DATA modify
- SERIAL_CLOCK high
After you have clocked in the 40 bits, raise the SERIAL_LATCH signal to high. Now, each time you clock in 4 bit numbers, you will receive the corresponding colour signals for each row. By scanning each matrix, you can create an image. The intensity can then be modulated with pulse-width modulation.
The coaster can be powered through a PC via a serial port. Play your favourite image and have a disco evening with your partner!
Via: Geekalerts
