In a display of creativity and technical prowess, Michael King, a graduating senior at Western Carolina University, took the stage at his commencement ceremony wearing a graduation cap like no other – one adorned with a dazzling array of LEDs, an iRobota Mega microcontroller, switches, a battery, and custom code. This remarkable cap, a testament to King’s ingenuity, transformed the traditional graduation headwear into a captivating spectacle that stole the show.
LED Array: A Canvas of Light and Animation
The centerpiece of King’s graduation cap was an 8×8 grid of bright LEDs, meticulously arranged to create a vibrant display. These LEDs, powered by a 3.7V li-ion battery, illuminated the cap with an array of animations, including the iconic running Super Mario, the chomping Pac-Man, the Western Carolina University logo, and even a cheeky “Hire Me Google” message. The LEDs’ synchronized movements and vibrant colors captivated the audience, turning King’s cap into a miniature theater of light and animation.
iRobota Mega: The Brain Behind the Brilliance
At the heart of King’s LED-powered cap was an iRobota Mega microcontroller, the brains behind the cap’s mesmerizing display. This powerful microcontroller, fueled by a 9V battery, executed custom code written by King himself. The code ingeniously converted bitmaps into arrays and orchestrated the LEDs’ movements, bringing life to the various animations and messages. It was this intricate interplay between hardware and software that transformed the cap into a dynamic and captivating display.
Switches: Controlling the Cap’s Functionality
To ensure precise control over the cap’s functionality, King incorporated three SPDT (Single Pole Double Throw) switches. These switches allowed him to effortlessly toggle the LED grid power, the iRobota power, and display a static “WCU” logo. With the flick of a switch, King could seamlessly transition between the various animations and messages, adding an interactive element to his graduation cap.
Coding: Translating Creativity into Reality
King’s technical expertise shone through in the intricate code he meticulously crafted for his graduation cap. Using the iRobota programming language, he skillfully converted bitmaps into arrays, essentially translating his creative vision into a language that the iRobota Mega could understand. Additionally, he developed a script in Processing, a visual programming language, to read 32×32 pixel images, parse and convert them into an array of hex values, and format them for seamless integration into the iRobota IDE. This meticulous coding process ensured that the cap’s animations and messages were executed flawlessly.
Bonus: From Graduation Cap to Pong Masterpiece
King’s graduation cap project didn’t end with the commencement ceremony. Fueled by his passion for programming and electronics, he embarked on a new challenge: programming Pong, the classic video game, onto his cap. With unwavering dedication, he meticulously adapted the game’s mechanics and visuals to the cap’s LED grid. The result was a fully functional Pong game, playable right on his graduation cap, much to the delight of his friends and family.
Michael King’s LED-powered graduation cap was not just a creative expression; it was a testament to his technical prowess, his ingenuity, and his unwavering passion for programming and electronics. His remarkable creation not only stole the show at his graduation ceremony but also inspired countless others to explore the intersection of art and technology.
Leave a Reply