The Charlie Cube Mark II: 4x4x4

Project Features

• Minimal hardware
• Wiring more complex than standard led cubes
• LED duty cycle 1/8

Update: There is a schematic and part list available here.
 
WARNING: Do not build this cube unless you know what you are doing! It uses minimal hardware but is difficult to understand.

There is a new design which is much easier to build with a very low part count.

Introduction

When I had finished my first charlieplexed LED cube (3x3x3) I wondered whether my next project should be a 4x4x4 cube. But at the time I thought it wasn't worth the effort. After all, I had just shown that a charlieplexed cube is possible and that it can be done with reasonable effort.

The 4x4x4 would of course have 64 LEDs, which would mean quite a lot of soldering. And since I would definitely want to use bright wide-angle LEDs, it wouldn't come cheap.

But the idea never really went away and when I found a good offer for a set of 100 suitable blue LEDs I simply couldn't resist.

Now on Flickr

Since some of my projects result in photos, I decided to create a Flickr account to host them in more detail than is possible in the blog.

You can find them on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomscircuits/

I recently took a few new  pictures with milk on a blue plate, which can also be found there. Here is an example.

A Simple Electronics Project for Kids

 

Project Features

• Simple
• Cheap
• Doesn't take long
• Can be done by children (with a little help)

Introduction

When I was working on one of my projects recently, my 8-year-old son came along and wanted to "help me". I was working on something really complicated and there was no way I would let him meddle with it.

On the other hand I wanted to take the opportunity to show him that electronics can be fun. So I decided to build a small 9-Volt torch light with him.