Solarbotics has been on "the internets" for quite some time now. We've seen many websites come and go, but we've recently jumped feet-first into the cold, frigid water of this "social web 2.0 happy fun time" thing we keep hearing about. I mean, it's Web 2.0. That's, like, twice as much as Web 1.0. And […]
APA102-2020 MicroNova Custom LED Choker
Solarbotics Ltd
February 23, 2018
I created this choker as a project to demonstrate the new MicroNova APA102-2020 LED strips.
Photo by Yeti, edited by Batgirl
These addressable LEDs are extremely small, less than 1/4 the size of a standard 5050 LED.
This project was built using engineering sample standard MicroNova 99 LED / meter strips . The MicroNova strips we are selling have 198/meter - twice the density!
Reason for a Choker necklace:
Hats have been done, shoes have been done, pendants have been done. This is something new for a Valentine’s dance costume, so I decided to go with a choker design. I also wanted something that was interactive, something that would add another layer of WOW to just lighting.
The Build:
I used a Wemos D1 Mini development board along with a boost-converting battery shield for the Wemos D1.
The battery shield was a particularly good choice here because the MicroNova LEDs should be supplied a solid 5VDC. This board boosts the battery voltage to 5V, and then the Wemos D1 Mini bucks it down to 3V3 for it's own operation.
A mini SPDT Slide switch toggles the power from the battery shield to the D1. This allows charging the battery using the battery shield USB connector while not powering the D1.
Epoxy locks the switch and wires in place.
The battery used is a conveniently handy older 450mAh Lithium Polymer. Depending on the lighting mode, this battery can power the necklace for a couple of hours.
I used elastic thread to attach the LED strip and components to the necklace. A heavy duty needle was all that was needed to punch through the (imitation) leather belt. Because the thread was elastic and tied under tension, it held the MicroNova strip well in place.
Operation:
When the choker powers up, it creates a WiFi Access Point called "HeartBurnChoker1".
Once I connected to this WiFi, I opened a browser and went to 192.168.4.1. The control interface is simple, but effective. The D1 Mini has more than ample power and speed to effectively drive these LEDs. The MicroNova features separate clock & data lines, so even relatively slow I/O (like Raspberry Pi) can still make it work.
Video of the Collar in Action
MORE POSTS
The return of the MCM...
Remember many, many moons back when Solarbotics was a young company, with just a few hacker-type objects to offer the robotics community? One of these items was the "Metal Cassette Mechanism", and was the heart of a great many Solarengine Kit. Hail the return of the almighty MCM! (Ok, it isn't as earth-shaking as all […]
WCRG Coming quickly!
The Western Canadian Robot Games is quickly approaching! May 10 & 11; SAIT Heart Building. Solarbotics will be there again, sponsoring (among other things) our own SolarSpeeder race. Aim your solarspeeder through a 4" gap in a wall 8 feet away, and win a ScoutWalker II kit! No registration required - just come on down […]
Postal Services Resume
It looks like Canada Post employees are going back to work. This means that everyone who is waiting for their order should see it sooner than later, and our free-shipping is back in effect. We'll start sending out all the back orders right away (they should all hopefully go out within the next couple days), […]
Solarbotics has been operating for more than 25 years, bringing electronics know-how and supplies to both the electronics professional and hobbyist. We'll be happy to help you too!
Solarbotics, Ltd. is not responsible for misprints or errors on product prices or information. For more information, please see our Terms and Conditions.
Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.