Make Your Own Light Show with the Interactive Laser Sheet Generator!

As if lasers weren’t cool enough by themselves, Jon Bumstead took things several steps further, and made a “sheet generator” using two actuated lasers on a spinning platform. As the lasers on this platform spin, servo motors on each allow them to tilt towards or away from the axis of rotation to vary the lighting effect.

If all of that wasn’t awesome enough, the project also features a MIDI output to generate its own soundtrack, and has an array of ultrasonic sensors in order to sense a person’s hand position on top of its cylindrical frame. This sensor data can then be used to modify the light/sound show for a unique experience every time.

Laser control is handled by an Arduino Mega, which interfaces with the rotating electronics via a slip ring power transmission device. The rotating platform is powered by a drone-style ESC (electronic speed control), also controlled by the Arduino.

The very clean-looking mechanism was constructed with the help of a CNC router, and includes a power switch and AC receptacle on the outside of the wooden structure, along with a USB port for easy programming. Rotational speed is set via a potentiometer, which can also be accessed from the outside of the device.

Be sure to check it out in the video seen here!