Help with lighting project.

[Srikan]

Hello, I was scouring the 'net for information and I stumbled upon this Forum.

I am currently trying to create a costume that incorporates LED lighting or something of the like. The effect that I wish to emulate is a pattern of lights traveling up the sleeve of a jacket/shirt. I have an URL to a youtube video of the effect I am hoping for, here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VaBT3P2qUE&feature=related

The most evident clip of this is from 42-50 seconds into the video. I'm thinking LED's would be the best way to do this, but it would require a bucket full of them. I have found resources and information about sewing led's to fabric, and I have experience in C/C++ so programming it wouldn't be a problem Any alternative, or insight at all into this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

(I posted, or rather, tried to post this about an hour or two ago, it didn't seem to post so I am reposting it, I apologize for double posting if it occurs.)

 

[iONic]

Give these links a look over.

**broken link removed**
http://electronicdesign.com/Articles/Print.cfm?ArticleID=6381

 

[Srikan]

Thanks for the speedy and helpful reply. As I see it (and feel free to correct me, I am very new to his sort of thing) It seems as though the 74HCT164 is somewhere around .75 inches long, and capable of packing 8 LEDs. In order to line an arm with them, with uniform spacing so as to give the chasing effect, will take around 14-16 of them, with 112+ LED's. Looking at the 16 stage sequencer,(http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Bowden/page5.html)
Can this design be expanded that far without changing it's composition? I assume the power needs will be the same.

Also, being new to this, I was wondering if it is possible to set it up like so;

*************3****4
***********|===|-|===|
**1****2***/**3****4
|===|-|===|/-|===|-|===|

(I apologize for the crude hieroglyphics >.>)
So that the two parallel Led groups at 3 (And 4) would sequence at the same time, or at least close to it? Or would I need to create another Straight line of led sequencers and somehow get them to delay enough to be in sync?

Thanks for all the help.

 

[HiTech]

Careful! You may end up looking like this complete dork!

**broken link removed**

 

[iONic]

I don't know how many LED's you are willing to sew, but if you go back to the site you refferenced in your last post, **broken link removed** and scroll down to the "Expandable 16 stage LED sequencer, this circuit might suit you better. As it say's in the description, the circuit can be expanded to greater lengths by cascading additional shift registers(74HCT164 or 74HC164) and connecting the 8th output (pin 13) to the data input (pin 1) of the succeeding stage."

If you want to add a parallel line of LEDs to solve your syncronization issue I would try using the same 74HC14 for the parallel string of shift registers. You may want to wait for the "experts" to respond to this suggestion as they may dissagree. They may also have issue with the circuit attached...

P.S. Can't figure out you LED hieroglyphics.

 

[audioguru]

I think the DORK has baby blue fluorescent lights, not LEDs.
The kind that little kids put under their cars.

 

[jpanhalt]

Careful! You may end up looking like this complete dork!

The dork and the avatar look related. Are they? John

 

[HiTech]

definitely not! google TRON and you'll get many images of that loser. I'm only a loser once in awhile!

 

[audioguru]

Hi Tech,
I think you cheated and colored in the baby blue lights on the DORK yourself. This pic doesn't have the lights:

 

[Torben]

Nope, this thing is for real. **broken link removed**

Gotta at least admire the focus this guy has.


Torben

 

[Cry_Wolf]

wht i suggest is to use counters/sequencers (microcontroller could be a good alternate) and connect LEDs with them. well if u use a 40pin AT89C51 u can control 32 leds and play themin any sequence u like. its up to you.

 

[audioguru]

I wonder if the DORK got electrocuted from the EL wire's high voltage generator.
What an awful lot of work to make a silly costume.

 

[iONic]

The secret in the "DORK" photo is that HiTec's picture was taken without a flash while the dissapointed photographer of the picture posted by AudioGuru used a flash, thus blinding those poor little LED's!

 

[audioguru]

blinding those poor little LED's!

They aren't LEDs. They are electro-luminescent wires like little kids put on their computer cases.

Maybe the DORK forgot to wind up the charger. I think he needs to have a propeller on his head to drive a generator.

 

[iONic]

Either way the flash blew them away.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Tron guy doesn't embarass easy.
**broken link removed**

 

[Hero999]

The dork isn't wearing electroluminescent wire or neon tubes, he's just wearing fluorescent plastic tube and is standing under a black light. If you look at his shadow you can see a the faint violet light given of by it.