Light Link

Light Link is adevice that lets you create stunning pixel art right from your smartphone and display it instantly on a vibrant Led matrix!

Description

Light Link is a device that lets you create pixel art on your smartphone and display it on an LED matrix. Using an easy-to-use website, you can draw, edit, and customize your designs. Once your masterpiece is ready, send it wirelessly to Light Link and see your art in bright colors. Perfect for decorating your space, making unique displays, or sharing with friends, Light Link combines creativity and technology.

Details

As part of our studies, we will soon need to study abroad. It is with this in mind, knowing we will soon have to leave our family and friends, that we came up with the idea of Light Link. For people who are more mathematically inclined like us, and for whom writing text messages isn't always easy, we wanted to find another way to express our feelings. With Light Link, you can show someone how you feel without even writing.

Unlike a simple app for sending pixel art, Light Link is an LED matrix device that offers a practical and visually captivating way to communicate. This device can be placed anywhere in your home or workspace, ensuring that your messages are always visible. You won't miss important thoughts or notifications because Light Link displays them in a prominent and engaging manner. By having a dedicated, physical display for your pixel art messages, Light Link adds a unique and efficient touch to your communication, making your connections more noticeable and effective.

Files

lightlink_web_server.zip

x-zip-compressed - 176.08 kB - 05/30/2024 at 08:26

Download

lightlink_esp32.zip

x-zip-compressed - 13.53 kB - 05/30/2024 at 08:26

Download

Components

1 × matrix led 8x8

1 × TTGO

1 × Battery Evaluation, Demonstration Kits, Boards and Modules / Evaluation Kits, Boards and Modules

1 × vibration switch

1 × vibration motor

Project Logs

Collapse

Finalizing Features and Enhancements
rachel • 05/29/2024 at 19:19 • 0 comments
Sixth Week:
- Objective: Add the finishing touches to the project, including a vibration switch, and finalize the 3D printing and website functionality.
- Progress:
  - Vibration Switch: We added a vibration switch that allows you to activate the device by shaking it or tapping on it.
  - 3D Printing: We finalized the 3D printed case, ensuring it fits well and provides adequate protection for the device.
  - Website Functionality: The pixel art library was already on the website. Now, we enabled the feature to select and send designs from the library to the device.
Finalizing the PCB and Preparing for Case Design
rachel • 05/28/2024 at 21:25 • 0 comments
Fifth Week:
- Objective: Receive professionally manufactured PCBs, plan the 3D printed case, and complete the connection between the device and the website.
- Progress:
  - Professional PCBs: Thanks to PCBWay, who sent us PCBs for free, we provided them with our EasyEDA design, and they sent us back the professionally manufactured PCBs. With these, we now have a cleaner and better device that works perfectly.
  - Case Design: We began thinking about the type of box we want to 3D print to cover the electronic parts of our project, aiming for both functionality and aesthetics.
  - Website Integration: We almost finished connecting the device to the website. The final step is to add the library of pixel art designs
Creating a Portable Device and Enhancing the Website
rachel • 05/28/2024 at 20:56 • 0 comments
Fourth Week:
- Objective: Develop a portable device with a homemade PCB and enhance the website with new tools and connectivity.
- Progress:
  - Portable Device Development: We used EasyEDA to design the PCB and FlatCAM to convert it into G-code for the CNC machine. Then, we used the CNC machine to cut the PCB, making our device portable. We also added features to display the battery percentage of the TTGO and show the connection status to the server.
  - Website Enhancement: We continued coding our website by adding tools such as a bucket fill, color selector, and trash icon. We also began researching how to use JSON to link our device to the website.
Enhancing LED Matrix Display and Developing the Web Page
rachel • 05/28/2024 at 20:29 • 0 comments
Third Week:
- Objective: Improve the LED matrix's visual clarity and begin developing the web page.
- Progress:
  - LED Matrix Enhancement: We received the new LED matrix and started thinking of ways to make the drawings more identifiable by blurring the pixels. We did some experiments using a piece of paper to diffuse the light and achieve the desired effect.
  - Web Page Development: We began coding our web page using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. We focused on creating a responsive and user-friendly interface for drawing pixel art, without yet connecting it to the LED matrix.
Designing the Web Interface
rachel • 05/28/2024 at 20:10 • 0 comments
Second Week:
- Objective: Visualize and plan the web interface and develop a library of 8x8 pixel art designs.
- Progress:
  - Web Interface Design: We created a detailed visual mockup of the web interface using Figma. This included the layout, color scheme, and user interaction elements to ensure a intuitive experience.
  - Pixel Art Library: We developed a library of various 8x8 pixel art designs, providing users with templates and inspiration for creating their own art.
Understanding and Experimenting with the LED Matrix
rachel • 05/28/2024 at 20:02 • 0 comments
First Week:
- Objective: Learn and experiment with making the LED matrix work.
- Progress: We started with a large matrix instead of the standard 8x8 matrix due to the available components. This allowed us to understand the basics of LED matrix operation, wiring, and initial programming to control the LEDs.