Inspiration and Concept
For my final project, I want to create a unique clock display using ping pong balls. I got this idea after noticing different types of watches people have in their homes and thinking about how we could display time in a non-traditional way.
Instead of using regular digital numbers or clock hands, my project will use ping pong balls that light up to show the time. What makes this interesting is that the balls won’t be arranged in a typical square grid – they’ll form a hexagonal pattern, kind of like a honeycomb. This creates a cool challenge because I’ll need to figure out how to display numbers using this unusual arrangement.
Next Steps
- Design the physical layout of the ping pong balls
- Figure out how to arrange LEDs inside each ball
- Write code to display numbers in a hexagonal pattern
- Set up communication between P5 and Arduino
I’m excited about this project because it combines physical objects with digital control in a way that’s both practical and visually interesting. Plus, it’s something that could actually be useful in someone’s home, not just a tech demo.
This feels like a good challenge because I’ll need to solve both hardware problems (how to mount and light up the balls) and software issues (how to display numbers in this weird layout). I think it’ll be fun to see it all come together!