Im building a project that will line a tree and all of is branches

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Im building a project that will line a tree and all of is branches with LEDs.

I’m looking for suggestions on ways to make it interactive!

First is the obvious “Do Not Press” button.

Trying to think of others… maybe a multiple buttons that do different things or do things if pressed together.

It will be close to a big stage/sound system, so sound interaction may not work.

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What about some kind of force sensors that lights up slivers of the tree as people walk past?

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Then closer or farther away for RGB color?

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Why not pickup the audio from that stage system and use that to control different animations?

The MSGEQ7 is a simple device that will give you a relative level on 7 different frequency bands

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the bass with be too much to decipher. I have some msgeq7 breakout boards en-route so i may make an optional piece for it but have doubts on the quality it would produce.

I think I will have one big button for sure.
Maybe msgeq7 somehow and perhaps a motion sensor of some sort? haven’t looked into those at all

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Some kind of percussion pad used as a sensor.

3 or more dials that interact to change colors, patterns, rhythm, frequency, etc.

An array of proximity sensors you move your hand(s) over to control colors, patterns, rhythm, frequency, etc.

A keyboard that translates characters in different colors, patterns, rhythm, frequency, etc. (Consonant colors, vowel patterns, numeral rhythm or frequency?)

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@Randal_B , I do not understand your concern about bass being too much to decipher. I have used these devices, they are simple but work surprisingly well.

There are a few YouTube examples of audio 7-band equalizers with some Arduino, a LED matrix and the MSGEQ7 but to be honest, I have yet to see a really nice control of a LED array using only the output of that device.

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Maybe make the branches interactive with touch sensors (I used MPR121), change branch colors, overall pallate colors or display mode? If it’s going to be light enough, maybe use a color detector (most are admittedly very short range) and have it light up to matching colors? Put an RFID sticker on the bottom of different drink choices and make a fun series of animations that can only be accessed through a particular drink on an RFID sensor. IR proximity sensors that make the display more vibrant when someone is near? Erm… Maybe there’s a 'duino friendly breathalyzer for the end of the night to determine sobriety/dispense keys?

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@JP_Roy It’s going to be very close (80’ ish) from a giant wall of PK Sound system. (similar to this: http://www.pksound.ca/wp-content/plugins/Premium_Gallery_Manager/cache/pgalleryBurning%20Man%202011.jpg ) It will be on the side of the stage… so it may work.

this did give me an idea though that i have to try.

@Jarrod_Wagner I’ll check those MPR121 out and IR proxi sensors is something I’ll be looking into also. There are a few low branches that this would work nicely with.

@allanGEE percussion pad! never thought of that.

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It would be lovely to make simple wind sensors and imbed them about the tree so the wind effects the LEDs. Perhaps you could make them by creating a little photo interrupt with a pinwheel type device. You could also make a matrix at ground level and give people a paddle(like pizza paddle) to create wind that would effect the matrix and drive the animations. That way users can interact with it and it also has a natural attract state. Plus wind and light and are not normally associated together, so that could be… Mind blowing! I am so sorry, couldn’t help myself :slight_smile:

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This list should really get you going:

-Triple Axis Accelerometer (simply hang it on a leave)

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What @Juergen_Bruegl said, you could do some really cool stuff with sonar and such a setup… e.g. light up and dim branches as people walk towards the particular branch… pulse / twinkle based on proximity… etc… One more sensor not mentioned, RPLIDAR - they’re expensive but are faster than sonar. You should also consider using a Kinect for input if you want gesture detection / etc.