This repository was created for an arduino based laser projector centered within a spherical lampshade colored with photochromic paint. We were able to draw fading images on the sphere from within by using an ultra violet laser which is able to activate the photochromatic dye for short periods of time.
The project was done for and in collaboration with the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem that provided us with the hardware and photochromatic paint. It was created to serve as a science exhibit that demonstrates the properties of photochromatic dyes with basic svg drawings so keep in mind that more advanced projector capabilities might be missing from the code. The code is licensed with the MIT license so you are free to use the code for your own needs.
/svgs/ - SVGs that we have created for the projector.
/src/projector/ - The arduino's code.
/src/utils/ - Utilities used for projector-compatible code generation from SVG 1.1 files.
Before uploading the projector.ino file onto an arduio you will have to create a folder named 'gen' in /src/projector/ and run utils/generate_paths.bat to generate code from the svgs in /svgs/ directory.
To add new svgs simply place your svg files in the /svgs/ directory and add their filename with a _DRAW suffix to the drawings array in projector.ino in a {drawing name, starting x position, starting y position, scale} format. Removing svgs requires the opposite.
- Two uni-polar step motors for the X and Y axes connected via NPNs to pins 4-7 and A0-A3.
- UV laser connected via NPN to pin 8
- Normally open button connected via GND and pin 12
- LED inside the button connected to GND and pin 11 via 1K resistor
- Input power goes to pin 13 and to arduino 5V via a diode with a capacitor.
The projector's software currently:
- Supports all the SVG path instructions excluding arcs
- Saves and restores motor positions
- Recovers from power failure
- Moves to the next drawing's starting point immediately after drawing completion/setup
- Flickers the button's LED when not drawing