Thanks to Todd for sending in this cute lamp project! Read more here.
Recently while in NYC I spotted the Miffy Lamp in a store window.
Since it only used white colored LEDs, I decided to replace them with a Neopixel Ring from Adafruit. This ring has 12 RGB LEDs and Adafruit’s sample code had me up and running in no time.
I also paired it with a Jeenode so I could get the weather from my weather station.
I also needed a level shifter as the Jeenode is 3.3 v and the Neopixel runs on 5v.
The last part I added was a 1k pot so I could dim the light.
The bottom already had 3 screw holes and the main hole. I didn’t need to make any new holes, just make the existing ones bigger. I put everything inside and screwed down the pot, adding a knob. I also cut plastic cover from scrap and screwed it in place.
Now I have a Miffy Lamp in my living room that automatically changes it’s color based on the temperature.
NeoPixel Ring – 12 x WS2812 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers: Round and round and round they go! 12 ultra bright smart LED NeoPixels are arranged in a circle with 1.5″ (37mm) outer diameter. The rings are ‘chainable’ – connect the output pin of one to the input pin of another. Use only one microcontroller pin to control as many as you can chain together! Each LED is addressable as the driver chip is inside the LED. Each one has ~18mA constant current drive so the color will be very consistent even if the voltage varies, and no external choke resistors are required making the design slim. Power the whole thing with 5VDC and you’re ready to rock. Read more.
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
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Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Open Hardware is In, New CircuitPython and Pi 5 16GB, and much more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey
