Art installations are an interesting business, which more and more often tend to include electronic or mechanical aspects to their creation. Compared to more mainstream engineering, things in this space are often done quite a bit differently. [Jan Enning-Kleinejan] worked on an installation called Prendre la parole, and shared the lessons learned from the experience.

The installation consisted of a series of individual statues, each with an LED light fitted. Additionally, each statue was fitted with a module that was to play a sound when it detected visitors in proximity. Initial designs used mains power, however for this particular install battery power would be required.

Arduinos, USB power banks and ultrasonic rangefinders were all thrown into the mix to get the job done. DFplayer modules were used to run sound, and Grove System parts were used to enable everything to be hooked up quickly and easily. While this would be a strange choice for a production design, it is common for art projects to lean heavily on rapid prototyping tools. They enable inexperienced users to quickly and effectively whip up a project that works well and at low cost.

[Jan] does a great job of explaining some of the pitfalls faced in the project, as well as reporting that the installation functioned near-flawlessly for 6 months, running 8 hours a day. We love to see a good art piece around these parts, and we’ve likely got something to your tastes – whether you’re into harmonicas, fungus, or Markov chains.

Michael Koopman wanted to learn piano. However, after finding this pursuit frustrating, he instead decided to assemble his own 3D-printed MIDI jammer keyboard, inspired by the AXiS-49 interface pad. 

His instrument is controlled via an Arduino Due, with 85 buttons arranged in a diagonal pattern. This allows for whole steps on the horizontal axis, fourths on one diagonal, fifths on the other diagonal, and octaves on the vertical axis. 

This configuration enables the device to be used in a variety of ways, and features an additional six buttons and four potentiometers to vary playing style, along with ¼ inch jacks for auxiliary inputs. 

As seen in the video below, while Koopman had a hard time with the piano, apparently that wasn’t case with his MIDI keyboard, as he’s able to play it beautifully—even using two at a time around 8:15!

In the early 1200s, Fibonacci introduced a series of numbers that now bear his name, starting with 0, then 1, and continuing on as the sum of the two preceding numbers. This gives values of 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and so on, and after being prompted by a friend, “TecnoProfesor” decided to turn this numerical pattern into a clock.

The concept here is that instead of using the conventional 1-12 to display the time, this device uses blocks corresponding to Fibonacci numbers 1-5, with circular icons adding increments of 12 for minute and second values. 

It’s an interesting concept, somewhat akin to the world of binary or even word clocks. The build consists of an Arduino Mega and a DS3231 RTC module for control, a wood and methacrylate housing, and a number of programmable RGB LEDs to indicate numbers.

Nearly any car comes with the proper dashboard to get you from point A to point B, but what if you want something all your own displaying important stats? While there’s not a lot of technical info on the build, Jroobi’s MX5/Miata Arduino-based TFT cockpit project is sure to inspire, whether via the first or second iteration shown below.

The first version puts RPM and KPH values on coaxial sliders in the right circular display. That leaves the second round display for info such as what gear you’re in, along with auxiliary displays for extra data. The second splits up RPM and KPH between the main circles. It also features interesting light-up alerts in the middle, as well as a gauge similar to the first on the top. 

The first iteration—and presumably the second—includes a clever user interface setup, where a rotary encoder surrounds the existing trip reset button for brightness control while still preserving its reset ability.

How we see colors is an interesting concept, and as a conversation starter about the physics of color and sound, maker Marcin Poblocki created his own ‘Color Instrument.’

Poblocki’s device rotates a wheel of colors around under a TCS3200/TCS230 sensor via a continuous rotation-modded SG90 servo motor. An Arduino Nano then spits out the tone corresponding to the color it senses using a small speaker, allowing for simple songs to be produced according to hue arrangements. 

It’s a neat idea that could be taken in many different directions. At the very least, it would certainly spark conversation, perhaps questioning, as noted in the project write-up, why the color pink isn’t included in the natural light spectrum.

You say your binary clock no longer has the obfuscation level needed to earn the proper nerd street cred? Feel like you need something a little more mathematically challenging to make sure only the cool kids can tell the time? Then this Fibonacci clock might be just the thing to build.

Granted, [TecnoProfesor]’s clock is a somewhat simplified version of an earlier version that was nigh impossible to decode. But with its color coding and [Piet Mondrian]-esque grids, it’s still satisfyingly difficult to get the time from a quick glance. The area of the blocks represents the Fibonacci sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, and adding up which blocks are illuminated by the RGB LEDs behind the frosted front panel. That lets you tally up to 12 intervals; for the minutes and seconds, there are indicators for the powers of 12 up to 48. Put it all together and you’ve got a unique and attractive graphical time display that’s sure to start interesting conversations when the mathematically disinclined try to use it. Check out the video below as the clock goes from 12:28:01 to 12:28:46. We think.

If this doesn’t scratch your itch for obfuscated clocks, we’ve got plenty of them. From random four-letter words to an analog digital clock to an epic epoch clock, we’ve got them all.

Inventor Artist Darcy Whyte wanted a drawing robot that was light enough to carry around, and could quickly produce drawings. Naturally, he turned to an Arduino Uno, along with a CNC shield and a trio of A4988 stepper drivers. These control a NEMA 8 and two NEMA17 stepper motors in a gantry-style artistic setup.

The build is able to drag a marker across a page, apparently varying pressure applied with the z-axis, and thus how much ink is applied. In another mode, a pen can be used, which wobbles back and forth to create volume when needed. 

Both methods, as seen in the clips below, can sketch a very recognizable—though certainly distinct—portrait of Marilyn Monroe, or presumably whatever other image you choose to program in.

Most pools feature a powered pump system to help filter out debris, but what if your water level gets too low? Pumps designed for ‘wet’ operation generally don’t work well when water isn’t present, so Luc Brun came up with an innovative monitoring solution dubbed “BluePump.”

His setup uses an Arduino Nano and an ACS712 sensor to observe both voltage and current, detecting the phase shift between the two. If this shift is too large, this indicates dry operation, and shuts down the pump via a relay until things are resolved. 

To complement this ability, BluePump also includes a temperature sensor, an RTC, and a Bluetooth module, allowing it to schedule cleanings as needed, or work under human control via a custom Android app.

Skittles candies come in various vibrant colors. While they may be a tasty treat, JohnO3 had another idea: to create an amazing automated display for the little circles. 

His device, dubbed the “Skittle Pixel8r,” uses an Arduino Mega to pull a dispensing funnel between one of 46 channels, covered on one side with a piece of glass.

On top of the shuttle mechanism, eight boxes release the correct flavor/color into an intermediate tube via individual metal gear servos. The Arduino then commands the linear axis to move the funnel to the appropriate bin. This process is repeated 2,760 times until an image, measuring up to 785 x 610mm (31 x 24 inches), is completed. 

The Skittle Pixel8r an incredible build, and perhaps we could see it expanded even further to not just dispense, but also sort Skittles as an all-in-one auto art installation! Code and files for the project can be found here.

After constructing a regen (regenerative) radio receiver several years ago, Michael LeBlanc decided to upgrade to a direct conversion receiver in order to gain some performance improvements and support both AM and SSB signals. His build is based on a generic design available here, along with a couple modifications by Ryan Flowers, and of course his own experimentation to get things working properly.

The device is controlled by an Arduino, which changes the frequency via an Si6351 oscillator depending on encoder input. Visual frequency feedback is provided by a small OLED display, and the assembly is encased in a very cool 3D-printed enclosure—or rather ‘enclosures’ as two boxes separate the digital and radio/audio circuits. 

It’s a simple configuration and the result, as shown in the video below, is a very clean sound!