An LED Matrix That Does the Twist
Check out this wild, flexible 8×96 LED matrix by Michael P. It twists, bends, and completely wraps around just about anything.
When you think of an LED matrix, what comes to mind? Your first thoughts are probably of a small, rigid, square or rectangular array of LEDs. Or maybe your mind goes to larger, wall-sized installations with oversized, diffused pixels. But that’s about the extent of what an LED matrix can be, right? I mean, it’s just a grid of lights, after all.
Hardware hacker Michael P. had a different idea that might change the way you think of LED matrices. His build is just a grid of LEDs, but unlike traditional panels, it is highly flexible. It can twist and bend to conform to irregular surfaces or even wrap completely around objects. I’m not quite sure what I’d use it for, but I definitely need to have one!
It wasn’t as hard to create as it might seem. Michael designed a flexible PCB that is populated with LEDs in an 0201 package format. As one of the smallest surface-mount LED packages available commercially, it allows the matrix to bend and flex without getting in the way. The PCB is terminated in an edge connector that is used to drive the display.
The 8×96 grid is driven by a Texas Instruments LP5890 LED matrix driver chip. A module containing the chip is wired to a Raspberry Pi Pico, which runs the code that renders images and animations.
Details are scant at this time, but you can check out the project write-up for more pictures of the matrix. Don't miss the video below — this is a project that you need to see in action.