Comments on: Synchronizing Fireflies NG

By: Esmaeil

Esmaeil — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:11:51 +0000

Alex,

Its been a long time since I’ve seen a firefly swarm, but if memory serves, they go in and out of sync with one another. Would there be an easy way to replicate this behavior? Perhaps putting creating a small random chance each cycle that a unit will change its flash to an arbitrary time?

Thanks much, and keep up superb work,
Esmaeil

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:54:20 +0000

Hi Qubock,
oh, you want to go SMT? Want to share your design?
The SFH 3710 looks like the same component with another package. It should work perfectly.
Cheers,
Alex

By: Qubock

Qubock — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:45:32 +0000

Can I use SFH 3710 ( http://catalog.osram-os.com/catalogue/catalogue.do;jsessionid=CED1EEED201BA8E0D06D3A7EF0CDEE2D?act=downloadFile&favOid=0200000200009155000200b6 ) instead of SFH 3310

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:01:39 +0000

I have been thinking about this project being applied to a grander scale. I think it would be interesting to adapt an xbee or other wireless technology to this so that the synchronization can take place from farther away.

You could also incorporate color change into the algorithm so that as the wireless signal strength increases the RGB led moves across a predetermined spectrum to indicate relative proximity to another unit. Its use would be similar to a homing beacon. In this way many separate units from greater distances could coalesce into one synchronous throbbing group.

Many of these could be deployed at gatherings where there are lots of people so that a group who is together can find their mates in the crowd.

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 09:59:54 +0000

I can recommend WinAVR, avrdude and the USBtinyISP as programmer.

By: Nigel

Nigel — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 11:51:06 +0000

How do you program the AVR?

Can someone recommend a development board and software please

(Windows compatible)

Nigel

By: kanti

kanti — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:59:52 +0000

wow that was so interesting
thank you cool stuff!

By: Nigel

Nigel — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:45:36 +0000

Is there a PCB avaliable for this project yet

+ karma points – great piece

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:39:50 +0000

Alex, what if you stood them on their side and arranged them in a circle? That way, the light sensors would point more directly at the light sources (of course, that might require moving the sensor so that it wasn’t directly under the ping pong ball).

Great project, nicely executed…

By: Alex

Alex — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:25:51 +0000

Hi mark,
yes, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Cheers,
Alex