POV Display
JohnBF
Posts: 107
Here's a report on an ongoing project - a propeller-based rotating persistence-of-vision display. Having neither the shop skills nor electrical saavy to carry through any of the schemes to bring power from the base to a rotating wand, I wanted to see if there was practical way to make a device that included a battery on the rotating wand. After experimenting with various·combinations of hardware·that did not work, I found one that does, at least well enough to encourage me to continue working on improvements.
The wand uses a 9 volt battery, by far the heaviest part of the wand. But keeping it right at the center of rotation, and keeping the entire wand light and well-balanced, the small brushless DC motor does a nice job of spinning the wand fast enough (about 1,100 RPM) and doing it·very quietly. In fact the loudest noise is from air turbulence - one thing I learned for the next version is to think about aerodynamics!
The display is stable, clear, and quite stunning. I've just started experimenting with making text move around, and creating other patterns.
I'm planning a version II wand which I think I can make lighter (by using a PCB and surface mount LEDs and resistors) and also include a real-time clock and IR sensor so I can control it with a TV remote·while spinning.
The spin code has lot's more notes on the components and how I put·them together. Hope this is useful to someone, and I'd appreciate any ideas for improvements.
/John
Post Edited (JohnBF) : 4/8/2009 1:19:29 AM GMT
The wand uses a 9 volt battery, by far the heaviest part of the wand. But keeping it right at the center of rotation, and keeping the entire wand light and well-balanced, the small brushless DC motor does a nice job of spinning the wand fast enough (about 1,100 RPM) and doing it·very quietly. In fact the loudest noise is from air turbulence - one thing I learned for the next version is to think about aerodynamics!
The display is stable, clear, and quite stunning. I've just started experimenting with making text move around, and creating other patterns.
I'm planning a version II wand which I think I can make lighter (by using a PCB and surface mount LEDs and resistors) and also include a real-time clock and IR sensor so I can control it with a TV remote·while spinning.
The spin code has lot's more notes on the components and how I put·them together. Hope this is useful to someone, and I'd appreciate any ideas for improvements.
/John
Post Edited (JohnBF) : 4/8/2009 1:19:29 AM GMT
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Comments
How are you tracking the wand to know when to switch the LED's?
/John
Can't get enough of these POV projects.
I'm trying to use a Proto Board myself. It may be too big and heavy.
Looking forward to versions II and on and on....
Roger
You might try a cut down protoboard like the attached. I made one as one possibility for my project, but then went with the propstick. I bet a cut down protoboard would work well.
/John