Complete n00b with big plans

Hi guys! I just received my Grove beginner kit, and I have big plans for the future.



I’m an art school student hoping to graduate in spring 2021 as a ceramicist and potter. For the graduation exhibition I plan to make hanging objects- like birds nests, or butterfly chrysalises from transparent porcelain, and put LED lights inside that suggest the object is alive, but in a deep slumber. it should be something subtle, and poetic.



I want the LEDs to pulse slowly, like there is a heartbeat. but that is just plan A.



Ideally, I plan to make many of these objects, and each should have a seperate heartbeat, they should not be synchronized.



And then, ideally, it would be great if something changes when it senses a visitor- maybe the heartbeat speeds up, the color of light changes, or it gets brighter.



And, I could also add ambient sounds to further add to the illusion.



Fortunately, I have time to learn how to do this, and some funds. I have never soldered before, and it worries me, and I will have to buy the tools. But if necessary, I think I should be able to learn that.



Can you please give me some pointers on how to get started on this? What is the best platform to use, what should I invest in to make one prototype LED system to begin with? Thank you very much!

Hi,

You are in the right place and the Grove beginner kit is an excellent kit to get started in electronics. You can use the grove LED’s to build the prototype no need for soldering and breadboarding.

you can go with a single colour led or bi/tricolour led also you can take a look at the WS2812B addressable led and it’s available as a strip .

Thanks for the answer, although I’m not the OP, I was looking at the Grove for different projects, like, among other things, illuminating model kit displays or “interactive” tabletop wargaming tables. It looks like it’s the right tool for me, I’ll see what tutorials I can find!