FUNKY RAVE GLASSES (LED MATRIX GLASSES USING A PICAXE)

Hi everyone! This is my first Instructable AND my first PicAxe project. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

I made a pair glasses with LED Matrices on the lenses which I'll be using at music events or clubs. Also as practice for another future LED Matrix project I am currently planning (Custom LED Taillights for '78 Nova).

I chose to use a PicAxe because it seemed like the easiest microcontroller to jump into and hit the ground running. The programming circuit consists of just 2 resistors and a stereo jack. The programming language is a type of BASIC so it's very simple to learn and use (Although the over-simplified language means that sometimes you have to get creative to perform some tasks that would be more straightforward using C)

I used the 20X2 model because since space is limited, I wanted to avoid using LED driver chips; the 20X2 has 1 input, 1 output and 15 configurable pins that can be configured as either input or output. The glasses have a 5X5 led for each lens that I wired as one horizontal 5X10 Matrix and therefore required 15 output pins.

***UPDATE*** VIDEO ADDED ***

Comments

[Ice1]

This is sick! :D Just wondering though, how well can you see through these glasses? Also did you black out the back of the LEDs so you dont get bright lights shining in your eyes? How did you manage this if at all? Great instructable, would definatley turn heads :)

[llopez-garcia]

You can see through them just fine, the spacing between LEDs is wide enough I guess, although I've seen glasses and masks that only have eyeholes just larger than a pinhole and you can mostly see through them as well. However, these are made for nighttime use and well since they are sunglasses it's hard to see in the dark.

The LEDs don't shine too bright out the back side, but I might black out the backs with a sharpie to see if it helps me to see better, because it is definitely easier to see through the lenses with the LEDs off.

[googlexx]

are there no steps to make this?

[googlexx]

does this require a pro account to see the build details?

[calidude89]

Hey! I remember that you used to have steps and code for this instructable. What happened to them? I finally have enough time to get started on this awesome project.

[NurseShark]

Hey man this project is super cool, and it looks fantastic. For some reason I cannot find your code. Could you possibly either point me in the right direction or copy n paste it here per chance? Also I would love to see a schematic for how you wired the LED's together and also to the 20X2. For some reason i can't see your whole instructable anymore. I know I've read through the whole thing before but now it only shows an abridged summary of it and will not allow me to see more. Thanks man and great work.

[marton891]

hi llopez i was trying to see the vid eobut now its says "this video is private" could you check that please? thanks

[fmerino2]

WOW SICK SHADES CAN I PAY YOU TO MAKE ME SOME IM A DJ IN HOLLYWOOD,CA AND THIS WOULD BE GREAT FOR MY LIVE SHOWS CAN YOU EMAIL ME [e-mail] OR TEXT ME DIRECT 323.514.6284 THANKS

[marton891]

Hi there llopez, first of all, awesome work m8! im totally looking forward to replicate them on my rave glasses for sure, they are awesome. now i wanted to ask u if u did make any other progress or update to them and to the guida. thanks in advance.

all the best!

[jmartinez pedrero]

you do a great job i have a question how do you put all that effects ?

[llopez-garcia]

Sorry for the delay.

To be honest I probably made some mistakes when documenting the build. I should probably add more remarks to the code as well.. Sometime I get lost in that code myself!

What exactly is the problem?

Is it scrolling from right to left?

Or is it scrolling correctly but with the last letter first?

[corsairdude]

Lady GaGa :)

[corbesero.s]

finally emulated these, this how to was awesome thanks so much for this, I'm gonna wear these at my next DJ'n gig for sure..cheers

[dlevans]

Is there a way to add inputs? Like:

Press button1 for Knight Rider

Press button2 for "DANCE"

Press button3 for something else

[mastermakoko]

what if i just want them to light up all at once withought any programming,just a simple light on rave glasses?(coz that proggramming doo-hickie is hard to get at my country)

btw,rocking project

[casper_2010]

@llopez-garcia hi there, see your new to picaxe help with yout code @ www.picaxeforums.co.uk, but i recommend i2c eeprom, very easy to use with the picaxe and u get up to 256k so u could store more sequences

cheers

[llopez-garcia]

I lurked around the forums a bit before starting the project, I wouldn't be where I am now in this project if I didn't take the time to learn form what others have made. I'll go back and post this to the completed projects section..

I want to keep the parts count for this project low because it barely all fits inside the glasses as is; so don't want to add any more ICs to it. Truth is the actual program memory is barely used so I'll probably just write more subroutines to stand in for the eeprom..

[casper_2010]

maybe use smd components??

[llopez-garcia]

How is your project coming along?

[kelvinmead]

badly! i rushed and got a pic starter kit, and have now gone through 2 books and 8 chips to get a working combination... still working on it mind!

[crayc]

nice. i am a dj and would like to make this. I have no experience with soldering and what not. Would it be easy to do? Do i copy and paste that code into the picaxe software? you said o use wire wrap instead of that circuit board. Do i find that in radio shack too? thanks nice job

[XOIIO]

Awesome! The knight rider one is sick. I want to get one of those retro one piece sunglasses and red LED's just to do this.

[Millo Lopez]

DUDE! Oakley Razors would be perfect for this!

[XOIIO]

I was thinking something like this actually

[Millo Lopez]

I found these from urban outfitters. It's like they were made for this!

[adventuresclass]

looks really cool and fun im going to make this for my adventures project and see what my teacher says about it

[llopez-garcia]

What is an adventures class?

[llopez-garcia]

That is correct, I used them because I had them. They came with the LEDs and assume 12V. Since it all operates on 3V I should be able to replace them with 1ohm resistors for more brightness. I think the chip limits the current so it 'might' even be possible to eliminate them altogether, but I really am not sure..

[Honzo]

epic! I'm definitely making some myself. I couldn't find much about actually programming the picaxe though. Is it a proprietary program designed for the picaxe and a special data cable?

[llopez-garcia]

You can learn all about the PicAXE from people much better than myself at: http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/picaxe/

[arbita2]

ok fine

[_Scratch_]

Thumbs up for Skrillex in the video!

[94CJS]

Beast! Man, those things are bright! Nice job!

[dad45]

your first instructable - really - I'm impressed
one suggestion - use coin type batteries - lighter smaller more $ but would seem better for this.

[llopez-garcia]

Do you know any alternatives I could try?

I always burn myself with hot glue, and I don't find it to hold all that well. Plus the cobwebs are super annoying!

I'm going to have to give epoxies and rubber cement another chance. I wonder if there is a table of pros and cons for common adhesives that you could use for different projects..

[rrrmanion]

there should be - if you do DT (Design & Technology ) for GCSE (General Certificiate of Secondary Education ) in Great Britain, you have to know all that.

[der_fisherman]

Simply fantastic, you have got us all green with envy. Very well done and many thanks from me personally.......
regards
Andy

[llopez-garcia]

Thanks for the tip! I'll check it out.

[l99roufs]

Can you add a strap onto the back to secure it so you can dance while wearing them or do like flips? Thanks :-D

[llopez-garcia]

I added an eyeglasses strap from walgreens to hold them on!