I've been looking around the web and I found these nifty cubes of LEDs. There weren't really clear instructions on to build one, but I feel like i can figure it out. So this will be the process of building one. I just got 64 White LED to go into my cube. It will be powered by an Arduino.
10/26/2010
I drilled holes in an empty DVD case for a template. Why a DVD case instead of wood? Well because when the LEDs get a little to snug in the holes, I can open the case and pop them out from under! :D
So I finished this layer of LEDs today. 3 more to go!
Here are the connection I have made. Every anode in each row is connected together (RED). Each row will get it's own 470 ohm resistor and then tied together into one output. The blue are just wires the have no connection. They're just there to make the cube look more griddy. Decoration i guess.
I just finished the second layer on the cube, and in this picture I'm testing one of the LEDs in my half built cube.
10/27/10
I finished the rest of the cube today and bought 16 470 ohm resistors for each column of LEDs. Then I made a base to but this all on. Its another DVD case :P
Finished Cube:
DVD Case Base and the trans-resistor board that is still under construction. The arduino will go right next to the trans-resistor board. The trans-resistor board contains the current limiting resistors and the transistors that allow the Arduino to multiplex the LEDs.
Close up of the Trans-Resistor Board. LOOK AT ALL THOSE RESISTORS! :D
I’ve been wanting to do this too but never found the time to. Maybe you could make a library to drive it and share it on the Arduino website. well good luck.
I applaud your attempts at discovery but will suggest that you do better market research. Reverse engineering several designs, making adjustments and integrating existing solutions will allow you to construct a better product in less time - to me seeing what others have done is a vital aspect of creation. Here are three instructions for 3x3x3, 4x4x4 and 8x8x8 cubes. I would read them all and make changes based on what I want. Also try other websites this is just one. Wish you all the best.
I thought this was going to be a “I’m gunna do this…” post, but you came with the goods. Nice work. I dig the soldering jig and everything looks straight and square. Good Stuff. Everyone keeps making these… I might have to!
It looks good man. I have to admit I was always interested in making one to so I also made a 4x4x4 (Last year) LOL. I did a bunch of test on it. I just haven’t never really program animation for it yet but still have it ready to do anytime. I used christmas lights I got on sale so it was way harder for me but they were still LED, just really bright. If I recall you have to have the timerOne library in the Arduino IDE to make cycle fast enough for images. Good luck and can’t wait to see you program it. I know it will be alot of fun ;).
Sweet, lets play a game of 3D tic tac toe via the internet when you get it working, on second thought I guess you would need multi-color LEDs for that.
You could have one team play “solids” and one team play “stripes”. The solid team simply turns on the LEDs they want. The stripes team would blink the LEDs they want. That way you can differentiate the two players with only a single color LED cube.
Good idea. I was thinking the winning line of four would flash (and perhaps a victory tune on a speaker or piezo buzzer). This could be done at a much slower rate than the ‘stripes’ team so it would be evident who won (lights would still flash fast for stripes when ‘on’). Hope I’m clear in what I’m saying.
