Do you ever feel like you are just a few inches shy of being massively intimidating? Tired of snarky commentary and jokes going over your head? Feel as if people would look up to you more if they were not so busy looking down?

Well never fear, for this project is here to help. Using just a couple of materials, you are able to build your own custom, light-up stilts! Because everyone knows the only thing more scary than someone who is incredibly obviously on stilts, is someone on stilts that light up with every step. Wear these around the office, your home, or even in public to really get that vertically inclined edge.

Note: These stilts only add about 6 inches to your height, however I can assure they are considerably easier and safer to walk in than a comparable pair of heels. Plus as mentioned before they light up in a positively terrifying manner. Additionally one can use this method to add a little extra height for a Halloween Costume!

Step 1: Materials

Materials:

Bed Risers (they come in a four pack but you only need two)

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15104329?wmlspartner=wlp...

9V Battery Holder and Battery (2)

Two LED Strips

Eight large zip ties

Duct tape

Hot Glue

Felt

Wires

Step 2: Assemble

First, take the two bed risers out of the pack. Then hot glue the led strips about halfway up the each cup with the positive wire lead going to the top of the cup and the negative going around to the back of the cup. On the back of the cup glue the battery and attach the battery holder and connect the LED strip negative lead to the negative lead from the battery pack on the back of the cup. Then take the positive wire from the battery pack and run it to the top of the cup.

Step 3: The Switch!

For the cups to light up when you step (when pressure is applied) you must take the positive wire from the LED strip and stretch it parallel along the front edge of the cup. Then run the battery pack positive wire perpendicular and across the top of the LED strip wire, so that when it is pressed upon it completes the circuit. This may require the soldering/twisting/attachment of longer wires to the respective positive leads.

Step 4: Add the Footstraps

Once the wiring is done, use duct tape to secure the wires in place. Then connect two large zipties together, and arch them over the top of the stilt. Do one at the front and one at the back, and duct tape them in place. Then adjust to your foot size.

Step 5: Aesthetic

Once the stilts are assembled, cut an appropriate sized square of felt (to fit the top of the stilt) and hot glue it over the wires. This will help prevent the damaging of the wires when you are walking! Once this is done, strap them on and go out and get intimidating!

Step 6: Expansion

You can use the basic switch design to expand upon this project! For example, if you wanted to set them up with a microcontroller, you could control the patterns of the LED's, instead of just having them turn on or off. You could also even rig it up so that there was a sound output, such as having them play the Star Wars imperial march when walked in!