Introduction: Wearable Loading Wheel - Motion Deactivated

I am bring Loading Wheel to real-life!

This is a motion deactivated loading wheel, when you stop moving the loading lights comes on. I found the spinning light to be extremely meditating in the real-life.

For this project, you will need

  • Access to a laser cutter
  • 1/4 "Acrylic Clear
  • 1/8 "Acrylic Black
  • NeoPixel Ring from Adafruit, or individually addressable RGB LED
  • Accelerometer, analog
  • Gemma or any small Micro controller with at lease 1 Digital Pin and 1 Analog Pin
  • Small Lipo Battery, I used 150 mAh
  • Some wires
  • 4 1/8 Screws

Step 1: Laser Cut + Sandblast + Fitting

First, we need to cut some acrylics.

In the cut file you will see 6 circles

  1. The front Disk - Black Arctic
  2. Light diffuser - 1/4" Clear Acrylic
  3. NeoPixel Ring Holder (12) - 1/4" Clear Acrylic
  4. Electronic Housing - 1/4" Clear Acrylic
  5. Electronic Housing - 1/4" Clear Acrylic
  6. Back Cover - Black Arctic

Make sure your NeoPixel Ring fits tightly.

Take sandpaper or better yet, sandblaster to blast the surface of #2, light diffuser

Step 2: Assemble Electronics

I use 3M double sided tape to tape all layers together, from layer 1 to 5, layer 6 can be screw on.

Everything should fit nicely in the housing area.

Connections

  • The Gemma comes with Lipo battery jack, which makes it easy to assemble.
  • You would connect Neopixl's Data Input to Gemma's D0
  • Connect Neopixel's GND to Gemma's GND
  • Connect Gmeea's Vout to Neopixel's 5V DC Power
  • Connect Accelerometer's GND to GND, VCC to 3V
  • Connect Accelerometer's X, Y, or Z pin to A1 (You can play with the position by charing the pin )

That's it for wiring.

You can close the housing with 4 screws and attach a string to make it wearable.

Step 3: Programing

The attached Arduino Sketch is based on Neopixel's library. You can have it in rainbow color or different pattern when "deactivated"

Arduino All The Things! Contest

Runner Up in the
Arduino All The Things! Contest

Full Spectrum Laser Contest 2016

Participated in the
Full Spectrum Laser Contest 2016