The LED Table - Kickstarter project

EDIT: We are now live on kickstarter!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theledtable/the-led-table

Hi all!

I've been here for a while but never actually got to post anything. I'm now finishing my latest project – the LED Table - and though it would be cool to present it here so I can get your feedback.

The LED Table is a coffee table with luminous square blocks arranged in a grid pattern displaying lighting animations & effects. It is sound reactive and include arcade games. Maybe you’ve seen it on the internet before as it already exists and in fact I’ve already done 2 versions of this table at home but I’m trying here to make it very practical for everyday use without any knowledge requirement and DIY skills. No need to connect a computer or raspberry pi, the LED Table is independent and works as soon as you power it.

I felt some frustration when people visiting me would ask if I could build them a table, but while it is ok as a DIY project, it is really time consuming! My new design looks at making things as simple as possible and keeping the cost low. The end goal is to launch a Kickstarter to build a community around this table, beginning of October 2017. The Kickstarter will include both the full table and DIY kits in the Kickstarter.

My previous table was using many TLC5940 and I made a huge custom PCB. Each LED was wired to the PCB and I ended up using 50m of cable! This is why I’m now doing things differently.

To drive the table, I’m using an Arduino Mega, Bluetooth receiver HC-06, SD card reader and a microphone amp. All of this being powered by a 5V 12A AC-DC power supply. This hardware allows to control the table though an Android app (select animations, games, interact…), store a large number of animations directly in the table, and react to sounds and music.

If you want to see the table in action with music, I’ve put few videos and pictures here:
www.TheLEDTable.com

Or have a look directly at videos:
LED Table sync with music
Few animations of the LED Table
Simple snake game

For the table itself, the grid is laser cut, and the top cover is made of highly diffusing acrylic. All the electronics is held below the table, in a small box. The LEDs are WS2812 strips.

The plan is to supply the initial table with around 30 different effects, 5 arcade games and 5 music dependent effects. That’s a basis extendable by the users themselves. It is in line with the schedule as most of it is now already finished.

More than everything, I want to build a community around the table. Users community, DIY community as well.

The LED Table can store up to 65000 animations internally. I’ve made an editor online to create these animations and generate the files used by the table to display it in real time. It is not available publicly yet as some additional work is required especially for security, but planning to do so in the incoming weeks. I’ll update this post once available.

Once created, an animation can be shared with the online community. Anyone can browse animations and download the animation for his table. Anyone can use any animation as a base and extend or improve it and share it back. It doesn’t require programming knowledge.

The chosen way you put the animation in the table is yet unknown. It can be from a computer, it can be from the LED Table App, or maybe differently. I do not want to make this process too difficult.

While there is a lot to talk about, not sure what’s of interest to the Arduino community so I’ll let people give their feedback if interested and I’ll come back answering questions, technical or not. Any advice is very welcome. I would love to share my experience :slight_smile:

Thanks a lot!!

PS:

If you’re interested, I’m trying to get as much feedback as possible from a user point of view, hardware, software to inject it back prior to starting the Kickstarter campaign, to polish the table as much as possible. Again please have a look at the website for more pictures and videos www.theledtable.com and you can always follow the project on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram which will be updated regularly with more videos and pictures until the Kickstarter in October. Probably going to write few Instructable articles for the DIY people. Sharing these with your friends will help =)

Thanks :slight_smile:

Since I didn't have much feedback, I tough I would post additional videos here.
Any feedback still very welcomed... thanks!

PONG GAME

TETRIS GAME

Thanks a lot. :slight_smile:

Hello!

I wanted to let you know that the project is now live on Kickstarter, if you wish to have a look.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theledtable/the-led-table

Still looking to get as much feedback as possible!

Many thanks to all of you.