Sound Sabre

Purpose

• Lightsaber-esque VU
• Node kits usable standalone, and in the Sabre

Requirements

• Sabre shape
• Evenly lit
• Portable power source
• Must use spectrum analysis instead of volume for VU
• Individually addressable
• RGB
• PWM (Constant current would be nice)
• Wifi / bluetooth would be nice
• Accelerometer
• All through-hole would make for a better kit
• Voltage regulation each board?

Design Details

• Round PCB for light nodes
• I2C for communications bus

Design Tradeoffs

• Making each board fully functional as a stand-alone kit makes the complexity / price of the Sabre more expensive
• Using a networking protocol like i2c vs. shift registers or direct wiring or charlieplexing provides more flexibility, but also more complexity
• The LED density increases resolution, but increases cost and complexity
• Adding a wireless protocol like wifi or bluetooth allows multi-sabre connection (BATTLE!) but makes the sabre more expensive
• More LEDs / Higher Brightness LED = more current = larger battery (size / weight considerations) or shorter battery life
• Is the Sabre a product? Are the individual boards a product? Is the goal to have fun & learn, or make money? - they may be mutually excusive

Component Ideas

• Attiny2313 SOIC
• SMD RGB LEDS
• MSGEQ7 or
  • MSGEQ7 Instructions