This lamp which [Dablondeemu] built will add a little whimsy to your home decor. The project started as coursework for a Digital Art and Installations class. But the remote controlled color changing cloud ended up being a pretty neat gift for her little brother.
The prototype uses an Arduino, breadboard, and a collection of LEDs to perform its tasks. [Dablondeemu] admits the next revision should have a standalone circuit board. The electronics are housed in a clear plastic container which was then adorned with Polyfill stuffing which would commonly be found inside a decorative pillow. The polyester fibers do a great job or filtering and diffusing the light. But they don’t seem to interfere with the incoming IR signals from the remote control.
If you like the idea of creatively shaped diffusers you should take a look at this giant LED lamp. It’s molded to look like a through-hole package with the leads hiding the power cord.
Pretty neat looking, my son would love that!
By the way, I can “image” a lot of colors… :P
Very very cool. I’m addicted to anything LED. I know this is hackaday and not buyaday.. BUT… considering you can buy high power (3-5W) RGB bulbs with an infared remote for like $6 delivered, I don’t think it’s worth making your own.
I’m more interested in the light diffuser, the cloud. Very very cool.
Bah, everything is going to the cloud these days!
Thanks for the mention of the remote IR bulbs. I never new such things existed!
Hi guys! Im the one who built this. I mentioned in the instrucables that it probably would be easier to use a color change bulb and a lamp kit, but A) I had a huge pack of rainbow leds to use up and 2) then multi colors like this wouldnt be possible: http://www.instructables.com/files/deriv/FVQ/322Q/HBNXWIEJ/FVQ322QHBNXWIEJ.LARGE.jpg
I’m confused to why you’re saying it wouldn’t be possible to have it multicolored? I made one with the multicolored strip light?
Very cool. It would be great to put some flashing white lights inside to simulate lightning.
Hi! Im the one who made this, It does have a lighting setting :]. The purple and blue lights come on so it looks stormy and it flickers at random, Its in the video if your interested
Nice idea that are into mood lighting, but it looks like it could be a dust collector to me. Looks like the video camera was picking up the output from the remote controller
There is or was a theatre in the Arboretum in Austin that has or had a big fluffy cloud. I’m told that it used to move across the ceiling or something like that, but they had to stop that because it caught too much dust and when it started or stopped it would shed a massive cloud of it. You could see from the ground that it was basically a big dust mass.
Hi! Im the one that built this. Im hoping to just vaccuum it when it gets gross, and glue on more fluff if it gets sucked off. The actual housing was just a quick build that I wont mind just throwing it out if its too hard to clean.
This looks so great that i want to make one. add a sun, some servos and you could really get a super nice display for weather.
Dust collector and fire hazard. If that polyfill material should catch fire it will rain down like fire balls. Homebrew electronics shoved inside of flammable materials designed for a kids bedroom. Good idea.
I think a very similar effect could be achieved using cotton, which would have a much smaller fire risk/response. Also, a current limited supply would go a long way toward preventing fire…
Can’t you get something in tins you spray on to fireproof stuff? I thought this was a solved problem.
It might affect the finish though since the fluff will suck in fluids.
no you can’t, to think that you could is silly
Rosco Labs here in the US makes a spray on flame retardent called roscoflamex look for it on their website http://www.rosco.com
Those sprays are highly carcinogenic and brush off very easily once dried. They do help prevent fires, but not something you would want suspended above children (let alone on their clothing (which federal regulations requires if you’re buying form a big-box store))
Fun fact of the day: those sprays are highly carcinogenic. They are required by federal regulation on all clothing being transported long distances and it’s a well known fact in the chemistry community that they are highly carcinogenic.
Two words: dust collector
Im the one that made this. I realize this, but its was a fun and easy enough project that I would mind throwing it out when it gets to shabby, but im just planning on vacuuming it, and gluing on more fluff if it falls off.
dont bother replying to the idiots here. seriously what is the point of that comment. youve made a beutiful and playfull thing if it gets dirty so what. i get dirty. everything gets dirty. they are not even trolls. there just spoilt little children . out on a lucky streak.
I second Left. Your project is good and you should feel good.
Looks like a distant nebula. Nice effect. It would be fun to put this inside a large smart-looking bell jar which would make an interesting ornament (who wouldn’t want a nebula in a jar?), keep it dust-free and would reduce the fire hazard at least somewhat.
Hi, I the one that built this! I love that idea! I might have to try to down size it :] Especially if I could make it move or shape shift
I like this smaller condensed version somewhat – could also have a few high intensity white led’s scattered through fiber optics and have them burried in the stuff or close to the edge of it for brighter effect – with independent controls for the white light…hrm…got’s me thinking now…
…ooops forgot you could also maybe after getting it all set up put in a very small balloon and valve stem with micro pump that pumped/released a little fraction of air at times to give it a pulsing effect the cloud over =P way to complicated me thinks but still an idea coming to mind…
This is aweosome !!!! I got an old winter jacket from a cheap store and it was full of this kind of plastic cotton and i had allot of LED’s and i made some of these for a girlfriend so she could set them up in the babys room. Result: The baby was really amazed about it!
Oh and i used a motor from an old dvd drive and some sticks cutted out from plexiglass and result was really good !
Thanks for it ;)
No current limiting resistors? 4 LEDs connected to a pin to make them ‘dimmer’? None of that sounds healthy for the parts.
Are you selling this?