Tony Stark Arc Reactor Adjustable 1Watt LEDs & Power Base

thingiverse

I wanted to create a unique desk decoration for work, but I wanted it to do more than just provide some ambient lighting. So, I experimented with blue LEDs, but they didn't quite have the desired effect. That's when I realized I needed a lot more power - 1Watt Blue High Power LEDs to be exact. With the increased current requirements, I had to add transistors to the circuit and since each light needed individual control, I ended up with 11 separate LED channels. An Arduino Nano handled all of the controlling duties. To hide all of the electronics, I designed a custom enclosure in Fusion 360 - it's inspired by the adjustable power source from the Iron Man movie where Tony Stark builds his Arc Reactor in a cave. It's a really cool feature that adds some visual interest to the project. Check out the video of the adjustable spin effect on the LEDs.