Basic_Use.doc (33280Bytes)
Dorm_Controller.sch (321300Bytes)
Dorm_Controller.brd (110003Bytes)
Simple_BOM_-_Freqy_Lights.xls (86528Bytes)
Freqy_Lights_Case_v1_1.zip (103402Bytes)
Freqy Lights were originally inspired by my previous projects, the UV Ceiling Visualizer and the Wireless Sound Reactive Lights. A little over a year after finishing the ceiling project, I realized that I was really going to miss my lights when Im away at college. Since there was no way I was going to fit the ceiling lights into a small dorm room, I decided I needed to make another version of them that was portable and easy to use. Since, at the time, I had a couple xbee modules, arduino pro mini's, and a set of 25 GE G-35 christmas lights not being used, I decided to make the wireless lights. When I brought the wireless light system with me to college, my friends thought they were pretty cool and some of them told me they would also like to buy them. When I realized that other people would like these lights and would be willing to pay me to make them, I started designing a cheaper, more cost effective version. That is when I started designing Freqy Lights.
(All of the videos show the lights in RGB Pulse mode)
Freqy Lights are very similar to the other sound reactive light systems that I made but with a few extra features and more user friendly. Like the other systems, it is based on the atmega328 and uses an MSGEQ7 to help process the audio signal. It was designed to control RGB and UV LED strips so that any smaller room could be turned into a party room (although it could easily be used to control 4 separate 12v devices). The controller is powered by a 12v 6A power supply so that it can provide sufficient power to the RBG and/or UV strip(s) it is controlling. The LED strips are attached to the board by terminal blocks to make the board more universal and easy to use. There are two 3.5mm audio connectors so that audio can come in from the source through one and go out to the speakers through the other. To interact with the system manually, there are two push buttons. With these buttons the user has alot of control over the lights. Since it controls both UV and RGB strips, the mode of each channel is set separately. There are a total of 17 RGB modes (11 static, 6 sound reactive) and 9 UV modes (3 static, 6 sound reactive). To display the current mode, there are 5 LEDs that light up in binary format everytime a button is pushed. If the RGB mode is changed, they display the current RGB mode. If the UV mode is changed, they display the current UV mode. The buttons can also be used to set the dim level in some of the static modes and the sensitivity level in some of the sound reactive modes. Packing those functions and a few more into the two buttons makes Freqy Lights a little confusing to use. Because of this, I made a sigle page guide that lays out the different modes to choose from and the functions of the controls. Freqy Lights can also be controlled wirelessly with a 4 button rf remote when the reciever is soldered into the corresponding through holes. The remote's functions are also outlined in the guide.
Since other people were going to be using the device and I would not always be around when it was in use I needed to make it as safe and reliable as possible. For this reason, I included both a fuse and current sensor in the design. The fuse protects the power supply from any harmful overcurrent situations and the current sensor is there to prevent any of those overcurrent situations from occuring. The ACS712 current sensor can measure current from -20A to +20A with a ~4mA step. Since the power supply I use for the lights has a max output current of 6A, I can use this sensor to calibrate the maximum brightness of the lights so that this current limit is never reached. This allows for the user to attach as many LED strips, whether in series or parellel, without worrying about how much current they will draw. Another thing that the current sensor allows me to do is protect against a short circuit on any of the outputs. The system is constantly checking the current being drawn and if that current rises above the set safe level, all of the outputs are shutoff until the system is reset.
Freqy Lights with remote. The reviever was attached with wires so that it could still fit in the case.
At the University of Michigan, the "3D Lab" provides students with free access to Cube 3D printers (we just need to purchase filament) so it was clear to me that 3D printing the cases would be the easiest option. I was already familiar with the CAD software Catia so I used the version on the school computers to design them. They are pretty plain but I was just going for the simplest design that could easily be printed.
After I finished making the Freqy Lights system I started talking to other students to try selling some. I quickly realized it would be much easier to sell the Freqy Lights if people could see what they do rather than just listen to my description. To make it easy to show off the Freqy Lights anywhere I went I made a display case. It contains 1 Freqy Lights unit (with remote control), 1 RGB strip, 1 UV strip, and a pair of speakers. All of the electronics are powered off of one 12v 7Ah battery. The case has an audio cable built into it so that it can be plugged into any nearby source. There are 4 compartments that can be used for storage. I use 2 of them to store RGB LED strips, power supplies, and controlers. I added some LEDs to the extra compartments to allow me to see their contents in the dark. I also added a pig tail connector to the RGB output so that I could show people what a full strip looks like.
This project was started with the purpose of being sold but, because of my growing number of commitments, I decided I didnt want to deal with that. I would much rather dedicate whatever free time I have to creating new projects. All Eagle files, Case .stl files, and the BOM are available for download so feel free to try out the controller yourself. Check out the Party Freqs website for some more info.
