Luminch One

User-Contributed Project

User-Contributed Project

This project guide is not managed by MAKE staff.

Build an interactive lamp that you can control by waving your hand.

  • Add Note x

Luminch One is an interactive lamp controlled by the movements of your hand. Wave your hand over it to turn it on or off, or move your hand up or down above it to change its brightness. Inside the lamp, an Arduino hooked to an infrared distance sensor tracks your hand and sets the state and the brightness of the LED lamp.

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Files
Tools
Relevant parts
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Get the tools and materials  ¶ 

  • You can get most of the electronic parts required for this project from Sparkfun. Click the items from the parts list to go to the product page of each part.

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Add Note Edit Step 2 — Solder the connectors  ¶ 

  • Cut a 2-pin piece from the right-angle header strip and solder it to the LED board.

  • Cut a 3-pin piece from the right-angle header strip and solder it to the infrared sensor cable following the color order in the picture. You can add heat-shrink tubing to the wires before soldering them.

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Add Note Edit Step 3 — Assemble the circuit  ¶ 

  • Assemble the circuit on the protoboard following the picture and the schematic. Pay attention to the polarity of the electrolytic capacitors and the transistor.

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Add Note Edit Step 4 — Program the Arduino  ¶ 

  • Connect the Arduino to your computer using the USB cable.

  • Download the source code for the project.

  • Start the Arduino IDE and open the luminch_one.ino file.

  • Configure the board type and serial port for your Arduino in the IDE.

  • Upload the code to the Arduino.

  • Test if it works!

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Add Note Edit Step 5 — Cut the balsa sheet  ¶ 

  • Cut three pieces of balsa wood of the following sizes: 77 mm x 77 mm, 70 mm x 70 mm, and 45 mm x 65 mm.

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Add Note Edit Step 6 — Glue the base  ¶ 

  • Glue the 70x70 mm balsa square on the center of the 77x77 mm balsa square using the white glue.

  • Let it dry for two or three hours under a heavy object like a large book.

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Add Note Edit Step 7 — Glue the Arduino  ¶ 

  • Glue the Arduino on the center of the wood base using the hot-glue gun. Make sure the board of the Arduino does not stick out of the small square of the base. Only the USB connector of the Arduino must stick out of the small square.

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Add Note Edit Step 8 — Stack the circuits  ¶ 

  • Glue the protoboard and the infrared sensor to the 45x65 mm balsa piece.

  • Put the 45x65 mm balsa piece on the top of the Arduino and fold the cables on the sides.

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