Brittany Warly project update

My original idea was to make a fiber optic chandelier, but it turns out that my design is starting to look more like a jellyfish, so I have decided to turn it into a fiber optic jellyfish. I have finished assembling all of the main components of the project. I went in and saw Tim May, who helped me a ton on this project. I was able to get the circuitry all working with the Arduino and I got some extension cables so that I could have the LED’s hang below the base.

Pictured below is my arduino board set up with the extension wires and blue-colored LED’s. I also bought a power cable from Tim so that I could simply attach a 9V battery to the power supply to run the LED’s.

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Shown below is the main mounting set-up. I used a laser cuter to cut the top base and then hung the fiberoptic below it with fishing line. I then drilled some small holes into the acrylic circle scrap material from the laser cuter and glued it onto the base of the fiberoptic.  I rubber-banded the fiberoptic cable to make it easier to work on the base.

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Below you can see the functioning fiberoptic jellyfish with the arduino running and the fiberoptic turned on as well.

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Here is where I am up to date. A fully functioning fiberoptic jellyfish. Tim May helped me create a switch to turn the LED’s on and off, and overall I like how it turned out. I have learned a lot in this project from Arduino to the laser cuter and how to solder and connect everything. All I would like to add is a dome-shaped cover for the electrical components, to make it look more like a jellyfish, however, I would like it to be transparent so that the electrical components can be seen through it, which gives it an electrical/engineering aspect that I like. I am also thinking of adding in more LED’s into the actual arduino board so that they can light up while under the dome!

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4 Comments. Leave new

  • Katie Hortik
    March 20, 2016 8:22 pm

    I think you altering your design to the Jelly fish idea is a great change of course. I would maybe try and add a bubble of some sort to mimic the head of the jelly. You could used some cool fabrics and even additional LEDs to create an even more dazzling effect.

    Reply
  • Just a random thought, but I wonder if it’s possible to take the optic fibers and turn them rightside up so they fall down like a puff ball tree like usual optic fiber lamps, but then use some kind of glue/hair spray to make it stay that shape, and then reattach it to the lamp so then all of the fibers are falling down straight into a single column of fibers. I’m not sure if that’s the aesthetic you want anyways, but ti would be pretty cool to have the fibers more dispersed!

    Reply
  • Great progress so far; you’ve got it working! I like how the central group looks like a jet exhaust. Are the outer LEDs going to do more than blink on and off together? Maybe respond to a sensor of some sort? Or move in and out in jellyfish fashion?

    Reply
  • I think adding LEDs onto the Arduino board is a good idea, and then if you add a top transparent cover, it will look cool. I think of Jellyfish as blue and purple. Consider adding purple lights? Either way, your project already looks very cool and clearly follows an aesthetic.

    Reply

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