Architectural Installation (Interactive Lighting) - Guidance needed

Using Arduino Project Guidance
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Good Day

New to the forum, intrigued by the arduino platform and hope to put it to good use.

My name is JP, I am an Architecture student in Auckland, New Zealand with a fair bit of experience in the RC industry, mostly multi rotors.

I'll admit, to not having done an extensive amount of research on the task at hand. Mostly because I am strained for time to pull this off.

I was chosen to construct my design for an interactive installation in Christchurch here in NZ. The installation is intended to symbolise the start of a prosperous future and act as a benchmark for moving forward following the 2011 earthquake.

I'll attach some renders to give a perspective of what I am setting out to do. The structure is simple. Nylon rope spanning a set protocol to form the desired shape. However, the goal is to project an iridescence of light onto the ropes. And I hope to make the experience dynamic (have flowing colours) and make it interactive by using audible or motion control.

A few problems arise.

The source of light.
-What would be the most viable solution for projecting such an array of colours while making arduino operation relatively simple. Projectors? Studio Light? Stage Lights?

Programming.
-I have limited programming experience, so I'd like to avoid anything too complex. An approach to make it simple, but still awe inspiring would be preferred.

What arduino?
-Which board would be most suitable? I'd like to divide control into sections, allowing for more than one person to control the display.

Control.
-I was imagining a set of "wands" fitted with an accelerometer. Movement of this wand would dictate, dynamically, the flow (speed and amount) and type of colour.
I would also like to explore the possibility of setting up a microphone and allowing kids to clap and sing into it.

I understand this is rather vague, but I am sure there would be folks out the willing to offer some help. Directing me to some useful sources of information would be invaluable.

Thank you
JP Schulze

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interesting project.

have you thought about lighted ropes ?

as for a light source, I would lean towards a fixed, hardened enclosure type of device. something that could not get knocked around easily.

for a fixed source, you would have a fixed spot. even if it changed colors it would be a fixed spot. that might mean multiple lights, dozens probably.

controlling multiple lights, of multiple colors would lean heavily towards LED's . controlling many lights with an arduino is pretty easy. the chip(s) that work that way are shift registers. you control them with 3 or 4 pins of the arduino and each has 8 or so outputs, you can daisy chain 8 together to have 64 separately controlled LED's. but, when you get into those numbers, it might be better to look into a more specific chip that does more.

A guy on here, Crossroads, has done a lot of work in this area.

http://crossroadsfencing.com/BobuinoRev17/index.html

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HI,
there are SO many ropes that having LEDs along each rope seems unworkable. BUT that could be a nice highlight on the major divisions of the structure, and could be strikingly dynamic.

Look up DMX512 controlled stage lighting instruments. Best source of info maybe be your local larger Rock&Roll bands. I bet their tekkie guys would be happy to help. Also connect with a larger Amateur Theatre group.

Arduino can control all this stuff.

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