“In this Instructable I describe the design, construction and programming of a LED matrix lamp. The design resembles an ordinary lamp, but the interior has been replaced by a matrix of ws2812 LEDs. The control is done by means of a Raspberry Pi, so that the whole can be programmed according to your own wishes.
The lamp is about 12 inch (30 cm) high with a diameter of 4 inch (10 cm). The outside mainly consists of a glass cylinder.
With more than 40 steps it has become quite a comprehensive Instructable. It starts with the design of the lamp. This covers both the 3D design in Fusion 360, and the electrical part. Extra attention is given to the power consumption of the LEDs. For example, a special board has been designed for power distribution.
After the design the Instructable continues with the assembly of the various parts: The LED holder and the lamp foot. The LED holder contains 16 strips with 18 LEDs each, giving a total of 288 LEDs. The lamp base contains the Raspberry Pi, a small fan and additional electronic components.
In addition to designing and building, the programming of the lamp is described. This starts with controlling the LEDs and retrieving weather data with Python. Followed by the different functions of the lamp.
The primary function of this lamp is to display weather data. Due to the chosen design it is possible to use this lamp for other purposes. Like a clock or social media indicator (The Python code for an emergency light and lava lamp is included in this Instructable).”