Color-changing Light Mosaic

Goal

The Spectrum exhibit sponsor requested that we include a giant 'Lite Brite.'  I thought that we could do even better and create a color-changing version, but the complexity and cost of the obvious solution (RGB LEDs and rotary encoders) was prohibitive.  I invented a simple mechanism that consists of 4 parts per peg (2 custom parts, an o-ring, and a dowel pin) that has proven reliable over the years.

Design and Manufacture

Each peg assembly would go through thousands of cycles, and there would be a couple thousand peg assemblies, each with a potential for failure, so I took extra steps to ensure longevity.  See the photos below for more details...

Roles

I was project lead, handling design through install.  Many volunteers and a few employees assisted with assembly.  My coworker Josh Smith fabricated the cabinet and installed the lighting.

Location

Impression 5 Science Center, Lansing MI

Completed

2014

2024 Update

It's been ten years and the exhibit is still going strong!  The o-rings were replaced a few years ago, but other than that, it's been a reliable installation.