micro:bit controlled lightening balloon
Idea 3b
Make
Step 1: Code & Test
Step 2: Build
Step 3: Test
Step 4: Fluff
Step 6: Code
Step 5: Lights + Fluff = Lightening

Published October 27, 2016 © GPL3+

micro:bit controlled Halloween Cloud

A dark scary cloud that flashes white lightening and scary rainbows, controlled by a micro:bit and neopixels

IntermediateFull instructions provided4 hours2,699

Things used in this project

Hardware components

BBC micro:bit board

Adafruit Breadboard-friendly RGB Smart NeoPixel - Sheet of 25

Female/Female Jumper Wires

Umbrella

Male Header 40 Position 1 Row (0.1")

Edge Connector Breakout Board for BBC micro:bit

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Soldering iron (generic)

Story

It's Halloween time and I've decided to make myself a costume.

I needed one that wouldn't limit my movement, vision or be too hot to wear - my two year old still has a lemming sense of direction and needs to be rescued and picked up several times in just one hour.

So I thought of a costume I could hold... a balloon maybe... a cloud balloon.. a cloud balloon with flashing lightening??

I did a quick Google search and found Glowy Zoey's fantastic toddler in a cloud with real rain costume: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve9fYIcbou0 which made me think this could look really cool.

micro:bit controlled lightening balloon

Putting together my shopping list I considered my options: sewable LEDs that flashed a single colour controlled by a switch, a micro:bit or neopixels controlled by a micro:bit. As I have a bit of time on this project I've decided to go with idea 3

Idea 3b

Before the equipment arrived I changed my mind about the balloons. I was going to sew all the lights into a thin piece of material and strap it around the balloons. But I'm terrified of balloons popping. And helium balloons are expensive. So Plan B! A micro:bit controlled lightening cloud umbrella! No popping balloons, easier to add the lights onto and actually with breadboard-friendly neopixels: no need for any sewing whatsoever. Having cables instead of thread is also a really good idea when you consider an umbrella is a metal cage.

Umbrellas also don't fly away when you let go of them.

Make!

Step 1: Code & Test

Love a bit of ye olde testing before making. This is my micro:bit making my neopixel flash using the buttons. This is a normal neopixel - the breadboard friendly ones hadn't arrived at this stage. Its connected precariously using male to male cables.

Button A makes a random light flash randomly between 0.5 and 2.5 seconds. The micro:bit shows the number of seconds it's pausing for

neopixel on, neopixel off

Code working - tick.

Step 2: Build

2.1 Solder headers onto the neopixels.

I didn't use all 25 neopixels but they're going to be used eventually and my soldering needs practising. I'm using 4 of them.

I snapped off three headers at a time and soldered the short end into the neopixel, leaving the long end free for the cables to connect onto.

My soldering wasn't perfect. One made my computer disconnect the USB in a panic. Another wouldn't send the data onto the next neopixel - greedy! But overall I'm very happy at my second time ever soldering

1 / 3 • Soldering station setup

2.2 Connect the neopixels together

I used female to female cables to connect the neopixels together.

2.3 Connect the neopixels to the micro:bit

I used the micro:bit breakout board to connect the first neopixel to the micro:bit.

Step 3: Test

Still working!

Step 4: Fluff

I used craft glue generously around the outside of the umbrella and added the cloud. I have to allow for some loss during the day so I put absolutely lots on.

1 / 3 • I used a clear umbrella

Step 6: Code

I downloaded the Mu editor for the micro:bit. This allows you to flash the code straight to micro:bit without having to download it to your PC then upload to the micro:bit. It also allows you to write in micro python.

Button A flashes lightening forever

Button B flashes a rainbow through the lights three times

Step 5: Lights + Fluff = Lightening!

In hindsight I should have added the neopixels to the umbrella before covering it in fluff. The fluff made the whole thing fragile and heavy. The end result was fantastic though in dark and light environments

In a bright room the neopixels are still visible (and cool)

The final result!

Outdoor testing success!

micro python lightening

from microbit import *
import neopixel
from random import randint

#set up the 4 neopixels on pin 0
np = neopixel.NeoPixel(pin0,4)


while True:
    if button_a.is_pressed():
        while True:
            #get a random light number
            randButton = randint(0,3)
            
            #TEST display the light that's flashing
            #display.show(str(randButton))
            
            #set the random light to white, show, flash twice
            np[randButton] = (255, 255, 255)
            np.show()
            sleep(100)
            np.clear()
            
            sleep(150)
            
            np[randButton] = (255, 255, 255)
            np.show()
            sleep(400)
            np.clear()

            #randomly sleep between flashing lights
            randSleep = randint(500, 1500)
            sleep(randSleep)



        
    if button_b.is_pressed():
        #rainbow time! cycle through the rainbow colours 3 times
        for x in range (0,3):
            np[0] = (255, 0, 0)
            np.show()
            sleep(300)
            np.clear()
            
            np[1] = (255, 127, 0)
            np.show()
            sleep(300)
            np.clear()
            
            np[2] = (255, 255, 0)
            np.show()
            sleep(300)
            np.clear()
            
            np[3] = (0, 255, 0)
            np.show()
            sleep(300)
            np.clear()
            
            np[0] = (0, 0, 255)
            np.show()
            sleep(300)
            np.clear()
            
            np[1] = (75, 0, 130)
            np.show()
            sleep(300)
            np.clear()
            
            np[2] = (139, 0, 255)
            np.show()
            sleep(300)
            np.clear()        
        
            sleep(1000)

        #scare them with some more lightening at the end
        for x in range (0,4):
            np[0]=(255,255,255)
            np[1]=(255,255,255)
            np[2]=(255,255,255)
            np[3]=(255,255,255)
            np.show()
            sleep(100)
            np.clear()
            sleep(200)