I shared this on Twitter , but thought I’d share here as well. Its a simple build that’s a lot of fun when it’s done.
This project is a simple LED matrix constructed by taking a single 5cm spacing LED string and sewing it in a zigzag pattern to a 20" square decorative pillow insert. The 5cm LED spacing allows for a 10x10 matrix on a 20" square pillow. After sewing the LED string to the pillow insert, I covered the LEDs with a layer of polyester batting for diffusion, then slid the pillow and batting inside a white velveteen decorative pillow cover. I spent about 8 hourS putting it together, and 90% of the time was just sewing down the LED string, which I did while watching TV (might have gone faster without the TV) I’ve attached some photos of the construction process
Finished the second pillow in the set, and this is where the simplicity of the PixelBlaze mapper really shines! Link to video below because it’s too big to upload directly: https://photos.app.goo.gl/nervFsCT7zeAKmZs6
You should make one! It’s an easy build - really no soldering required at all, depending on how you connect the wires. The way I did it was a bit time consuming due to all of the hand sewing, but I’ve been thinking of methods that would hold the LED string in the zig-zag matrix pattern without sewing, and that would make it faster. I haven’t tried this, but I’d like to try using mesh fabric like this (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N9I806Q) with zip ties or small velcro ties holding the string in the desired pattern. Then the mesh fabric/LED assembly could be wrapped around the pillow insert, covered with a layer of batting and stuffed into the pillow case. It should make the process quite easy if it works.
Great project! What a great way to add some interest to a living room sofa!
How did you map between the two pillows? Are they wired together or do they have seperate pixelblazes? I’ve been struggling to deal with trying to map across multiple pixelblazes where the shapes don’t fit well into a unit square or unit cube, like how each pillow only takes up half of the available space.
Thank you! Yes, it’s a nice accessory in that it fits in with any color scheme!
Both pillows here are controlled by the same PixelBlaze. Since I was already using wired power, I’ve wired the output of one pillow directly into the input of the second. Both pillows have the same wiring pattern, so I used the existing default PixelBlaze matrix code, and adapted it slightly to create two arrays with offset positions, then appended them in the mapper. Mapper input shown at right. Hope that helps.
I’d like networked PB’s to be able to distribute data in all directions. As in, xyz = getAccelerometer(otherNodeID) and … then you could have a pillowfight with pillows that respond when they hit each other!
(Can’t take credit for the joke - someone posted it in my Twitter feed)
