1 min read

Sound Reactive Infinite Knots

V1.0

Music is Art - Buffalo, NY - 9/10/22
Ingenuity Festival - Cleveland, OH - 9/23-25/22

Testing/Cool backdrop

Specs & Parameters

  • LEDs used: SK6812 (coating: 67)
  • Density: 30/meter
  • total strips: 10+
  • cut-and-solder: yes, extensively
  • mounting: in grid form, see pics, mounted on tarps
  • power: 2X 5V20A
  • data: 8 lines
  • brain: ESP32 ethernet dev kit (1 per tarp)
  • versions: 2
    • build version 1 w/ 2 tarps + 25 LEDs squares
    • build version 2 w/ 1 tarp + 25 LED squares
Blue grids

Outcomes:

Electronics: Overall this did mostly work... but... Major issues with flickering. Possible issues with voltage drop at times.

General: Unweildy size, difficult fabrication, early prototypes faired better in R&D in Skidmark than when hung. Handling, folding (the tarp), and dust collection over time are also major issues. (That may have also contributed to flickering?) Hanging such a large tarp is also a major challenge.

Glue: Worked somewhat well. Massive $ and time investments into CA glue and generally into gluing plastic to plastic.

Programming: Everything worked well, was able to control with mic. A better acoustic environment or more extensive sound processing of the inputs would be necessary for further versions.

Aesthetic: Tarps are really great for backers. Especially silver. Hard to make this one look bad.

TMS