All posts by christians928

Art & Design

Project Ideas for LEDs and 3D Prints

My partner and I are ideating about something we could make with a 3D printed design that uses LEDs. Here is a list of what we brainstormed:

  • Light-decorated bracelet
  • “OPEN” Sign, light manipulating sign
  • Flashlight
  • Transparent LEGO light
  • Light signal
  • Light-up pencil holder
  • LED Jack O’ Lantern
  • Night light
  • Desk Lamp
  • Light-up I-Phone Case

 

My Table Top 5

  1. Light-Up Tissue Box
  2. Nightlight
  3. LED paperweight
  4. Flashlight with switch
  5. Light-Up belt buckle

Other Table’s Top 4

  1. Lit up Jack O’ Lantern basket
  2. Lit up coffee cup with temp sensor
  3. Table edge cover with lights
  4. Lit up sunglasses
Art & Design

LED it up!

 

This week we started our adventure in the world of hobby electronics by learning the basics of circuitry. We experimented with LED’s, cables, and batteries to try to familiarize ourselves with how electrical current can be manipulated to create a circuit. I learned about how one distinguishes between and coordinates certain elements by doing things such as having one leg of the LED longer to represent the positive end. When experimenting with the bread board I learned two more specific details, that utilizing metal strips can help a current be divided into multiple columns and that a battery with voltage higher than that of the device the current is being put into will blow out the device.

IMG_8508IMG_850

Art & Design

Solving our USB Storage woes

It was easy to decide which of the problems we were going to devise fix to, as neither of us wanted to work on the other choices. after agreeing to the USB storage solution we got to work. After throwing out a couple ideas we decided it would be better to state what first came to mind when we thought of a ways to store USB’s. We then based our models around the basic ideas; pegs, shelves,  and blocks. Our first model idea was very similar so we essentially mashed our ideas together to create a model. The next two models were alterations of the same style with different modifications to the practical use of the model. After consulting with our table mates and agreeing on the model we were both leaning towards, I was able to run free in Sketch-up and design the model with any aesthetic alterations that I pleased, since it was a very basic idea with only a few specific elements that were required. I did all the Sketch-up work and I found it really fun and relaxing, too. Overall I was glad I was able to practice/use Sketch-up more.

 

USB Container

Art & Design

Learning SketchUp

SketchUp helped me learn how to work in 3-D space, specifically how adding depth to a work space affects the creation process. I learned how rotation of objects isn’t limited to arrows, but actually is set to an axis. Manipulating the space by creating objects, adding depth to them, and rotating them made it easier for me to imagine how people like Architects and other artists would use this program for a practical use.

Table with Chairs