LED sphere project does still images and video at 1,800 rpm

If by chance you're looking for yet another LED-heavy DIY project to tackle, you may want to take a gander at this so-called persistence-of-vision LED sphere, which will let you pump out some super-low res still images or video on a spinning 3D screen. That's accomplished using a single ring of tri-color LEDs, which spins at a rate fast enough to display any combination of red, green or blue pixels along the surface of the resulting sphere, giving you an impressive 3-bit color depth (no video of it in action though, sadly). That, of course, is slightly easier said than done, and there unfortunately isn't a step-by-step how-to to guide you through the process, though we're guessing anyone actually pondering such a project will be able to make do well enough on their own.

[Via MAKE:Blog]

[Matthew Hilario @ Jun 11th 2008 1:22PM]

comes with free ecstasy.

[Eric @ Jun 11th 2008 1:29PM]

I think they ran out of ecstasy!

[Josh @ Jun 11th 2008 1:33PM]

But is it as trippy as speed racer?

[bohsocks @ Jun 11th 2008 1:43PM]

The ecstasy means nothing if they don't hand out pacifiers for the kiddies to suck them with.

[djtezze198 @ Jun 11th 2008 1:30PM]

Anyone whos been to the O2 in london will have seen better versions of these around entertainment avenue, their one strip of LED's which rotate really quickly giving the impression of a full display.. look at them too long and you get a terrible headache though

[fab @ Jun 11th 2008 1:30PM]

the onnnnnne post that needs a video more than any other...

[Great Idea @ Jun 11th 2008 1:32PM]

My kid has something like that from the dollar store.

http://www.lambstore.com/flashingblinkinglights/

[Khris @ Jun 11th 2008 2:09PM]

I've had something similar to this for a couple years. Bought it from San Francisco (The Store) for about $20. It even pulses to music/sound.

[Mile @ Jun 11th 2008 1:32PM]

Walgreens sells something like this but I think it only says one thing or it shows the time of day...I forget.

[bohsocks @ Jun 11th 2008 1:44PM]

ROSEBUD.................

[Phoenixfury @ Jun 11th 2008 1:44PM]

Looks like the Deathstar plans are in place... Ruh roh!

[John Z @ Jun 11th 2008 2:01PM]

I'm sort of glad I'm not the only one who thought of that.

[keptin @ Jun 11th 2008 1:56PM]

Do not touch.

[BigTeebo @ Jun 11th 2008 1:58PM]

Didn't the Adventurevision's display work this way? A row of LEDS & a spinning mirror?

[Shane @ Jun 11th 2008 2:35PM]

Here is a commercial display that is cylindrical instead of spherical.

Pretty cool...

I don't think this one relies on persistence of vision though.

http://www.elecosn.com/pro/screen/round.html

[blevay @ Jun 11th 2008 2:36PM]

but DOES it blend?

[Matias Korhonen @ Jun 11th 2008 3:01PM]

Just 48 LEDs?

[Nomoa @ Jun 11th 2008 3:09PM]

I found ver batim, the exact same story. Crazy!

http://cod4boards.com/news/25060-led-sphere-project-does-still-images-video-1-800-rpm.html

[TomFox @ Jun 11th 2008 3:11PM]

What no video? Dude!

[Mike @ Jun 12th 2008 3:18AM]

Who the hell is that in your avatar and what have you done with Tails.