Keep Your Baby Entertained with Arduino-Powered LED Matrix Animations

One of the cool features most babies come with is the ability to be entertained by simple colors and sounds. As they get older, their…

Cameron Coward
6 years ago

One of the cool features most babies come with is the ability to be entertained by simple colors and sounds. As they get older, their entertainment needs will transition to cartoons and shockingly irritating kids’ music. But, when they’re still infants, bright and colorful lights are enough—and are even important for their brain development.

With that in mind, Workinghard decided to build an animated LED display for their baby. The device shows relatively simple animations, but they’re bright, colorful, and have enough motion to hold the baby’s attention. If you want to create one for your baby (or like colorful animations yourself), you can do so using the code and 3D models that Workinghard provides on the BabyTV GitHub page.

In addition to the code and 3D-printed parts, you’ll also need an Arduino Nano and a 16x16 RGB LED matrix controlled by a WS2812B, along with a potentiometer and rotary encoder. Thanks to the fantastic WS2812B—the same controller you’ll find in many Adafruit NeoPixel products—wiring up a BabyTV is very simple. The LED matrix is connected with just 3 wires, and then there are a handful more for the controls.

With Workinghard’s code, those controls do two things: the potentiometer controls brightness, and the rotary encoder changes the “channel.” That can also be handled with an infrared remote if you wire up an IR receiver. Changing the channel switches the c-file (like an Arduino library) which contains the information for a given animation. So, switching animations is as easy as just turning the dial or pushing a button on a remote.

Cameron Coward
Writer for Hackster News. Proud husband and dog dad. Maker and serial hobbyist.
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