Space Invader Neopixel Desk Invader

thingiverse

I'm using a spare Teensy 2.0 and some 8mm LED Neopixels I had lying around, so I decided to build a Space Invader sculpture that would live on top of my computer. It usually takes me a few shots to design an object to my liking. I designed two Space Invaders, one anatomically correct and the other less so. I posted both STL files along with "add ons" which can be used with some superglue to make the prototype more accurate. The idea is to backlight the "space invader" and have a project box, background to house electronics. This is a really neat thing to put on top of a lit computer fan - it looks cool. I'm running the stock Neopixel test script on my Teensy. If you notice, I also have a speaker in the background of one shot. Since I'm only using power, ground, and signal pins, the combinations of how your Space Invader can perform are endless. I might program the light show to do the accelerating Space Invader background sound. I constructed the Space Invader to be solderless by using a cheap breadboard and some dupont cables. PS - it would be great to have an "animated invader" using small motors or servo's. The Teensy is a great device, perfect for makers like me. The "with ears" version is the anatomically correct version. The Neopixels fit into 8mm holes and then are glued in place from the back. The dupont wires fit over the Neopixel leads. Neopixels - $6 http://www.ebay.com/itm/5x-Adafruit-NeoPixel-Diffused-8mm-LED-Through-hole-breadboard-WS2812-5050-RGB-/181589698257?hash=item2a4796e6d1:g:gqYAAOSwj0NUa~Jb These are great because they have an input pin, positive, ground, and output pin. You can use a really small Arduino device because you only need one pin for signal with the LEDs chained to each other. I could have put a capacitor between Positive and Ground; but decided not to. Teensy 2.0 with pins - $19 (but you could use any board with 5v output) https://www.pjrc.com/store/teensy_pins.html Sound board 5v - $1.50 ebay.. (one shown from a greeting card will need a 5v to 3v converter)