4x4x4 interactive LED-cube with Arduino

To explain my 4x4x4 interactive LED-cube published before, a bit more clear, I will try to make my first step by step instructable.

This 4x4x4 cube is interactive by using the top four corner LEDs both as LEDs and as sensors that will react on light. Depending on what LED gets the least light, the cube will run a different show.

Step 1: You will need:

TOOLS
soldering iron
pliers
small screwdriver
some drillbits
drill
solder
piece of wood
pencil
ruler
computer with Arduino software
USB-cable
snips
sharpie
breadboard (optional)

PARTS
64 led's
4 resistors that go with the LED's (yes just 4)
1 Photocube
1 Arduino
some wire
some small COAX wire (isolated wire)
16 headerpins

Comments

[Userr12345]

No it's not , want me to post a picture?
Ps: sorry but for some reason it won't let me reply

[kenyer]

Yes, a picture might be helpful.

[Userr12345]

also i have another question, i dont know if you are going to know this but with my arduino uno came a nother board that mounts on top of the arduino with the arduino ports. do you know what that board is for or if i should even use it? i tried serching for it on the internet but couldnt find anything

[kenyer]

Could it be a protoshield? http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoProtoShield

[Userr12345]

i did the first two layers succesfull, but im having trouble with the 3rd and 4th.
i dont quite understand what you mean by the corner LED's.
on mine i didnt finish reading the instructions so i did the 4th layer like i did the first one. How can i fix this and how to i hook it up properly

[kenyer]

When you didn't leave out the top corner led's, you will end up with a normal 4x4x4 LED-cube without the interactivity aspect of it. If you do want the interactivity, you will need to desolder the corner led's and resume as instructed. The four top corner led's need to be totally separate from the rest of the cube.

[stringstretcher]

Hmmm... I have a 3x3x3, but this looks so good I may have to make one! Great instructions. Thanks!

[fallenheart]

is there something besides COAX wire you can use? something like maybe speaker/lead wire?

[kenyer]

The wire needs to be shielded in some way to work. The signal from the LED is very weak and easily disturbed.

[jimdsouza]

Could you tell me the music you used in your final video?

[kenyer]

I just used one of the tunes Youtube provides.

[fallenheart]

What are the dimensions of just the led cube part?

[kenyer]

The distance between the LED's is 12,5 mm, so the cube is approximately 40 x 40 x 60 mm.

[fallenheart]

oh that's perfect thanks!

[zealroy]

thanks a lot kenyer. I am now half-way on finishing the project. your work really appreciated specially the codes.

Questions: If i want to replace the 4 LED sensor and replace it by a switch, how would i write the code. I mean where would i start?...

[kenyer]

Hi Zealroy,

If you leave out the sensors, it will make your code much easier. You can delete everything in the void loop() and replace it by code that will test your button(s) and then calls one of the four splash voids.

I hope this was helpful for you

[mrwicked]

Alright here is the finished product, as promised.

[kenyer]

WOW really nice! I like the nice box for the electronics.

[mrwicked]

Thank you, I bought the wood at micheals and built, sanded and stained it.
I am impressed with the finished product, now I need to attempt a larger cube!

[mrwicked]

So I just completed this cube and I did it without the sensors,
I did layer one as described, layer two charlieplexed with layer 1, layer 3 i have the anodes of layer 3 bent down and soldered with the cathodes of layer 2, and i have the cathodes of layer 3 soldered to the anodes of layer 4.


I have the code uploaded to the arduino, and it seems to be working, well the bottom two layers work fine, the top 2 layers, are half working? the leds are very dim and dont seem to follow the pattern expected. I may have mis soldered layer 2-3 im not sure any idea?

[mrwicked]

Turns out the pin zero on my arduino is shorted, i moved them all over one pin and made the adjustments and it works great!

[kenyer]

Cool to hear that it works. I'm curious how it turned out. Can you post a picture?

[gibsoncrazed14]

I'm brand new with arduino and i was curious to how you would upload the code on to it? any help will be appreciated. Also great work.
- Thanks

[kenyer]

Hi,
That is really easy. You just need to download the free software from www.arduino.cc (for windows, mac or linux) and you can write your code in this program and push "play" to send it trough a USB-cable to your Arduino.

[gibsoncrazed14]

Thank you so much. i know this was a simple question but like i said i'm brand new with arduino
-Thanks

[cvenko]

Question...
If i want to remove "sensors" LEDs and make normal LED cube, what would i have to change? Would it work if i just solder 4 corner LEDs like the others are and then solder them to third layer as the rest are? And then i do little reprograming?
BTW i already build first 3 layers and it works like a charm...:D

Thanks

[kenyer]

Hi Cvenko,

Yes if you just solder the corners in like the rest, you will have a "normal" 4x4x4 LED-cube.
Will you show the result?

Peter

[cvenko]

waw... Thanks for quick reply...

For now only layers 1 and 2 are working correctly... the 3 and 4 are behaving wierd... I will need to check if soldering was done correctly... But tomorrow;)

I will show result when the project is finished...

Thanks again

[argentinoloco87]

hey. i am trying to finish the first layer, but i cant seem to get the wiring right to go to the arduino. is there any way you could post a picture?
thanks

[ch2s]

Hi Kenyer,
Can you explain why the void setup - PinMode have to set to INPUT?? Thanks :)

[kenyer]

That is a need trick. Normally the pin is HIGH or LOW, but when it is set on INPUT it is neither. It just goes along with whatever it gets.

[ch2s]

If the extra LED is a sensor then why can the sensor itself blinking ? is it possible ?

[kenyer]

When the LED is blinking it is temporarily not a sensor. The pin switches between input and output. At the same time sensor and LED is not possible. (as far as I know)

[ch2s]

I already construct and program the first layer..but..I don know why the led light go vertically down from left to right...where yours is horizontally from left to right....is it I construct wrong?

[kenyer]

Aren't your wires just the other way around in your Arduino?

[ch2s]

HI, i just want to confirm again ...the anode pin (long) to breadboard , cathode (short ) with resistor ..anode connect to 4 to 7, cathode connect from 0 to 3 right ?:)...but i saw ur picture ur resistor's wire connect to 4 to 7 ?

[ch2s]

i construct the cathode to 0 till 3 , the anode to 4 till 7 ...i think i construct it wrongly because i make the cathode pin to upper right ..and the anode pin lower left ....is it ok ?

[10$man]

Ok, I have done the first two layers succesfully. Now I am trying to get the 3rd and fourth layers...

So far I have put together another layer like the second layer and soldered the Cathodes to the Anodes, and have the Anodes free to be connected to the Arduino.
I don't understand how to connect the 4th layer at all...

[kenyer]

I added some instructions to the Instructable. I hope it is more clear now. I also added the Fritzing-file of the schematic, so you can actually reed it. I hope this helped.

[10$man]

So, am I charlieplexing the 4th layer to the 3rd?

(Sorry, I am not really good with schematics)