Pi Zero Led Matrix Beamer

Description

Transform the Ikea Lamp Sprida in a Led Beamer to display short messages on the wall. The optic of this lamp makes it perfect for this hack. Could be used as an alarm clock to display the time, or as info system for a smart home.

Details

When I saw This Lamp for children, I had no choice, I had to buy it and to transform it. The result is a Led Matrix Beamer that can display Messages and Pics from the Internet to the wall. I think after a few more changes, it will be a nice Alarm Clock controlled over the Internet.

IoT Led Beamer

Build instructions

Step 1: The Lamp Sprida

First of all, take it apart. Remove the led from the tail.

Step 2: Display

The 8x8 matrix modul with the Max7219 connected to the Pi Zero.

This 8x8 module is perfect. Because of the LEDs. The are flat with a difusor and well separated, so that you can beam single dots through the optic.

Glue the matrix on the holder for the color sheets of the lamp

Step 3: All together

Slide the the sheetholder with the matrix upside down in the sliders. With hot glue fix the pi zero on the bottom.

Cut a long usb cable and pass it through the hole of the lamp tail. Make a node in the cable as cable relief.

Solder the cable together again.

Hot glue the Wifi stick with the ogt cable in the body of the lamp:

Ready to rumble:

Step 4: Modify the software

I use the matrix spi software from https://github.com/rm-hull/max7219.

I had to modify the led.py file before starting the setup.py. The original file scrolls the text from the right to the left, but as I placed the matrix upside down in the body, I hade to change the direction from left to right.

To control the IOT display I use an app called Raspberry SSH. You can simply execute commands on your pi from your phone.

And here the first test run:

Files

led.py: Replace with the orginal led.py from https://github.com/rm-hull/max7219 in the directory max7219 with this one to make the text scroll from left to right.