Flipdiscs
a day ago
- #DIY Hardware
- #Interactive Art
- #Flipdisc Display
- Flipdiscs (flip dots) are an 80-year-old electromagnetic display technology offering high readability, long lifespan, and 25-60 fps, with a soothing sound similar to rain.
- The project involved building a large interactive wall art using 9 AlfaZeta panels in a 3x3 grid (84x42 discs), powered by a 24V 10A Meanwell supply, and housed in an 80/20 aluminum frame.
- Communication is via RS485; a Node.js library was developed for AlfaZeta and Hanover boards, allowing image data to be sent from canvas with luminance-based binary conversion.
- Software uses Pixi, Three.js, Matter.js, and GSAP for rendering, with MediaPipe for ML interactions, and a REST API/websocket system for scene management on an Nvidia Orin Nano.
- An Expo app provides control (play/pause, drawing, configuration), and design embraces constraints with bitmap fonts, dithering techniques, and scenes like RSS readers and Spotify clients.