Laser Sword
Warrior Project
LED laser sword built in collaboration with fellow students Jules bisschoff and Luca Kovacs, as an accessory for a sci-fi warrior costume. Based on an existing design, the sword was first drawn up in Fusion360, then split into layers that could be individually laser cut. The handle is made from 3 layers of 3mm plywood, with the blade being a single piece of 6mm acrylic. Addressable LEDs were glued along the back of the acrylic in order to light up the blade, with a small momentary push-button controlling a digital on/off switch. A mini-molex connector allows the sword to be detached from the battery pack on the main suit if neccessary.
Processes: Laser-cutting, 2d design, electronics, microcontroller programming
Materials: Plywood, acrylic, addressable LEDs, aluminium tape, rivets, paint
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Glowing Mushrooms and Model Tree
Warrior Project
Part of the terrarium accessory for the warrior project, the LED mushrooms were made in collaboration with fellow student Tallulah Baran.
The mushroom caps were made by shaping caulking silicone by hand over a conical form. I then hand wired individual LEDs to form a chain, covering the wires with transparent heat-shirnk tube to create the stalks. The mushroom caps were attached to the stalks with additional silicone.
Each mushroom blinks at a random time interval, randomly choosing from an array of chosen colours.
The model tree was made by twisting metal wire to form the trunk and branches. It was then covered in gap filler and pva glue before being painted. Lichen and moss was used to simulate the leaves.
Processes: Sculpting, electronics, microcontroller programming, model-making
Materials: Silicone, heat-shrink tube, addressable LEDs, electrical wire, metal wire, gap filler, lichen, acrylic paint
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LED Visor
Warrior Project
Futuristic light up visor to pair with the respirator mask for the warrior project. I sfirst drew up a flat profile of the visor in Fusion360 that could be laser cut from 3mm acrylic for prototyping and fitting. I drew up and laser etched the internal crosshairs and wire patterns based on a design by Madi Williams. The flat acrylic piece was then heat formed on a custom made jig in order to achive the curved visor shape. LEDs were then fitted, shining through the side of the acrylic, so that they would light up the etchings on the surface.
Processes: 2d design, electronics, microcontroller programming, heat-forming
Materials: Acrylic, addressable LEDs
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Animatronic Creature
Personal Project (Work in Progress)
A project I began during the Covid lockdown, I initially intended to make my own animatronic eye mechanism, but it soon developed into a whole creature, with a mouth and wiggling eyebrows!
As part of my research into efficiently controlling servo motors with Arduino, I designed and made my own custom servo controller board. The eyes and nose are sculpted from polystyrene, with the interior mechanisms made from balsa wood and garden wire.
As I was limited to the materials and tools I had at home, there is much to improve! The next step in this project will be to redesign the interior mechanisms in CAD so that they can be 3d printed, adding eyelids and a speaker so it can speak!
Processes: Electronics, microcontroller programming, mechanical design, painting
Materials: MDF, polystyrene, faomcore, garden wire, balsa wood, servo motors, acrylic paint
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 Interior mechanism |
 Custom servo control board |