Channel Your Inner Marshmello with this DIY LED Helmet

I can’t explain why, but DJs who perform their music live seem to take their anonymity very seriously. Legendary EDM duo Daft Punk has been wearing their distinct robot helmets since the ‘90s, Deadmau5’s gigantic mouse helmet is just as well-known as his music, and many others stay hidden behind stylish masks and helmets. A few years ago, Marshmello burst onto the masked-DJ scene with a number of multi-platinum EDM hits. Marshmello’s helmet is, predictably, designed to look like everyone’s favorite fluffed-sugar treat. Maker MikeTheSuperDad built his kid a Marshmello helmet for a Halloween costume that even integrates some blinky LEDs that the real thing doesn’t have, and has a tutorial explaining how they did it.

Other people can help you understand the popularity of electronic dance music today and its symbiotic relationship with style and fashion. But just trust me when I say that Marshmello is popular with young people. One music video, “Alone,” currently has more than 1.5 billion views on YouTube. The point is that this costume made for a very cool costume. MikeTheSuperDad constructed it using some parts from the hardware store, 3D-printed pieces, and basic electronic components.

The main structure of the helmet is made out of a large-diameter concrete form tube, which was simply cut to length. The mouth and eyes, which are openings covered in black fabric, were cut out of the form by following the curve of 3D-printed frames. The entire outside surface was then divided into a grid of compartments with a 3D-printed scaffold. Each of those compartments contains a NeoPixel-style individually-addressable RGB LED. The effects shown on those LEDs are controlled by an Arduino Pro Mini microcontroller development board. A bunch of AA batteries provide all of the power to illuminate the LEDs and run the Arduino. When combined with a white hoodie, pants, and fanny pack, the completed costume looks just as good as what you’ll see in any Marshmello music video.