The ideal summer project has to be this 1D pong game designed by Great Scott Lab that we spotted on instructables. Find the tutorial here and check out our process below.
We took on this project to show that you can do more with the BrightDots than just give an extra touch to clothes and accessories. The rest of the parts are limited and you can get creative with the construction!
Great Scott Lab included the code for the game, all you need to do is upload it and change the number of LEDs (if needed). The code includes a boost function and the middle LEDs show the score in different colors.
Ingredients:
- 1 x Arduino Nano
- 2 x male headers (in case the Arduino mini does not have headers)
- 1 x Eurocard (in case the Arduino mini does not have headers)
- 13 x BrightDot tenfold strips (= 7 Large BrightDot packs – VMW104) or an addressable LED strip
- 2 x tactile switches
- 2 x 3D printed buttons (find the stl files on our Thingiverse page here)
- soft wires (lots of ‘em!)
- 1 x BrightDot wearable development board (VMW100) and extra BrightDots (optional as mood lights)
- MDF board and wooden slats
Tools:
- solder station
- hot glue (transparent)
- solder
- 3D printer (or use a 3D printing service like 3D hubs)
- wood glue
We started off by crafting a wooden construction for the game, make sure it’s large enough for all the required LEDs, buttons, cables, and so on.
We used an MDF board for the top and then added a frame underneath it to leave some extra space for the wires. Once the whole project was finished, we got creative with some calligraphy to give the board a nice touch.
Then we added the BrightDots and 3D printed buttons, they’re easy enough to mount and glue. Find the stl files for the buttons on our Thingiverse page here!
You can choose whether or not you add the extra mood lights. We also used the BrightDot wearable development board for extra extra mood lights and because of its connector, you can easily power up the whole thing. And if you’re an electronics lover like us, you can choose to keep the Arduino board on top like a little gem.
When finished, you have a neat lookin’ 1D pong game to fill the empty void of your summer! The game is on.