Interactive Hanging LED Array
Intro to Installation Art
This is not your intro to installation art... but it was my intro to installation art. What started as a conspiracy between myself and our videographer to do something big and impressive for SparkFun slowly became a PWM controlled, 72 channel, music-reactive, albatross around my neck. But, in the end, the payoff was totally worth it, and the experience of completing a whole-room project is, I would argue, an essential experience for any maker.
Let me share with you the process, plans, and source materials behind my effort to turn one of SparkFun's conference rooms into a 6x12 interactive LED matrix. That may not sound like a big matrix but when you're standing in the middle of it... it's pretty cool.
Suggested Reading
If you'd like to follow along at home, here are some topics you'll need to be familiar with before diving into this project:
- Light-emitting Diodes (LEDs)
- Pulse-width Modulation (PWM)
- Working with Wire
- Arduino Pro Mini 3.3V Hookup Guide
- Logic Level Converter Hookup Guide
- RN-52 Audio Bluetooth Hookup Guide