Bubbles capture the human imagination like nothing else. Ephemeral and magical, their rainbow sheen will delight and amaze anyone who gazes upon them. The magic of bubbles stems largely from their impermanence.
Watching a bubble float through the air can bring the mind's attention fully into the present moment. Blink, and the bubble pops. The moment is over. Were you paying attention?
Enhance the beauty of your bubble time with this LED bubble table. We've made a waterproof, lipped tray for bubble solution with infinity mirror style diffusion underneath. Sculpt a masterpiece out of stacked and smoke-filled bubbles. Delight your audience and let your mind be at peace, enjoying the impermanence of your creations.
Add as many light modes as you want using CircuitPython's easy-to-use LED Animations Library. Control the modes and brightness with an infrared (IR) remote control. The Feather RP2040 also includes battery charging via the onboard USB port. Use the table plugged in or use it onstage with a hefty 2500mAh battery.
We've also included our favorite bubble solution recipe, which is something every mad scientist should have in their arsenal. Although, we love staring at this thing even when it's not covered in bubbles.
Difficulty
This is an intermediate project. You'll need to know your way around a soldering iron. I used some wood shop tools as well -- a table saw and a band saw -- but you could order the plastic pieces pre-cut for just a little more money if you don't have those available.
The code is ready to use as-is with lots of fun animations, and is pretty easy to customize. The CircuitPython LED Animations library is designed to be straightforward and intuitive to use. This is a great project for learning to create your own LED animations.
Additional Materials
- 2 acrylic or polycarbonate 18" x 1/8" circles: available at Tap Plastics or online, or cut your own from a sheet of plastic with a band saw
- 3" x 60" x 1/8" strip of acrylic or polycarbonate for the table edge. If you're making a bigger table, make the length the circumference of your circle plus a few inches for overlap.
- Clear silicone caulk for waterproofing
- E6000 glue
- Mirror Film
- Mirror Effect Spray Paint (more diffused) or 2-way mirror film (more reflective for an infinity mirror effect)
Tools
- Soldering iron & accessories
- Table saw
- Band saw (optional)
- Hot Glue Gun
- Heat Gun
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