Sixty-four LEDs, an ESP32, and a QR code on the bottom. Every time I plugged in a cable, the USB-C port retreated into the case.
About the project
The desk version came next: an 8 x 8 pixel display in a pyramid small enough to sit beside a keyboard. I went with a pyramid simply because it was an easy shape to model in SolidWorks. The bottom doubled as a scannable QR code linking to my site.
Squeezing 64 LEDs and an ESP32 into that footprint left almost no room for hardware. I had to do several iterations of the base to hold the board in place. The USB-C port wanted to push back into the case whenever I plugged a cable in, and closing the shell kept crushing the internal wiring. It took several printed iterations to anchor the controller securely and route the leads.
Putting pixels that close to the surface usually creates hotspots, so I kept at least 10mm distance. I used a frosted layer over white cell walls to break up the light, printing the whole case in three different materials.
- FDM 3D Printing
- SolidWorks
- Custom Fabrication
- ESP32
- Lighting Design
- Rapid Prototyping
- SPI
- WLED
