Light evolving lamp

myminifactory

This is a functional lamp designed for experimentation. The goal is to place various objects on top of it, creating distinct shadow and light reflections on the wall. The base is a rotating platform made from semitransparent PET-G material. Inside, two LED strips are integrated, sourced from inexpensive USB LED lamps. A picture illustrates this setup. Shadows and reflections on the wall behind it are the primary focus. By placing different objects on top of the platform, unique shadows and reflections result. The platform can also rotate and features three holes in its top, causing the reflections to move and transform. Rotation is controlled using an Arduino Nano and a 28BYJ-48 stepper motor. Standard bearings measuring 22mm in diameter by 7mm in thickness with an 8mm hole are used. A spacer is placed between these bearings, visible in a provided picture. The bearings were chilled in the fridge before installation. Capturing these effects via camera proves challenging; photos do not adequately represent them. A short video showcases the project better, albeit sped up for brevity. A simple Arduino script and the StepperMotor.h library are included. This script was used for testing but is not efficient. It serves as a starting point for those inexperienced with Arduino to experiment with different movements. It's crucial to remember that power must be cut off after each move to prevent motor overheating, which could lead to plastic melting. One full rotation for this mini stepper equates to 2400 steps. The Arduino and stepper are powered by a 9V adapter, while the two LED strips use an old 5V adapter. Alternatively, everything can run on one 5V adapter if preferred. Any compatible light source can be used in place of the existing LED strips.