electromage.com/docs. There’s an open source
library of Pixelblaze patterns from various
contributors at electromage.com/patterns;
those with a “2D” designation in their name will
generally look the best on the pillow display.
And programmer “Zranger1” has created a
wonderful collection of intricate 2D patterns in
his Pixelblaze repository (github.com/zranger1/
PixelblazePatterns) that are worth trying out.
SPARKLY JOY
These pillows are a DIY project to display proudly.
They morph from innocuous home accessories
to something far more beautiful and interesting
with the flick of a power switch. It’s hard for still
photos to convey the dynamic beauty of constantly
changing LED animations, but these pictures are
a small example of what is possible.
They’re also extremely touchable and will
stand up to a fair amount of abuse, because the
weatherproof outdoor LED strings flex easily. I’ll
stop short of recommending them for a pillow
fight, but they will easily survive the use that
normal throw pillows get (as long as nobody
yanks hard on the wiring).And the covers unzip
and can be removed for washing, so kids can
absolutely touch them, hug them and enjoy them.
NEXT STEPS
If you’re enjoying your LED matrix pillows, here
are a few ideas to take this project further:
• Use the Pixelblaze app’s Playlist feature to
auto-play your favorite patterns
• Add a Pixelblaze sensor board for sound or
motion reactivity (see page 74)
• Create additional pillows to connect in series
for an even larger decorative display
• Sew a matching LED throw blanket
• Switch to battery power. I ran the pillows
continuously at 25% brightness and the power
draw stayed below 2 amps the entire time,
so any portable phone charger capable of 2A
(many of the larger capacity ones can do that)
will work fine for portability.
I’ve had more fun than usual creating and
tinkering with this LED build and I hope others
will enjoy its accessible construction and versatile
display. It is home décor that is literally brilliant.
Y
Z
More Resources:
• Quick Start guide for Pixelblaze V3:
electromage.com/quickstart-v3-
standard
• The ElectroMage Forums are a
great place to find inspiration and
get questions answered: forum.
electromage.com
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