Tyler Blair
3D Graphical Display
Ararat Adamian
Brian McDonald
Tyler Blair
Adrian Williams
Tyler Blair
Outline of Presentation
 Project objectives and purpose
 Approach
 Implementation
 Division of Labor
 Schedule
 Parts list
 Risks
 Critical Points
Tyler Blair
Project objectives and purpose
Primary Objective:
 Construct an 8x8x8 RGB LED cube with a
programmable controller
 Controller will come with a preset demo as well as the
ability to receive custom programs from the user.
 The LED cube will provide a 3D display for the
programmable content and will function as a “3D
Simulator”
Tyler Blair
Extensions
 The controller will interface with computer software
such as matlab. This would allow the user to easily plot
3d functions on the cube.
 The controller will have orientation modification
capabilities on board. This would provide the user with
the ability to zoom, shift or rotate the image.
 The controller can wirelessly communicate with other
wireless devices (smart-phones, computers, ect.)
Ararat Adamian
Outline of the Approach
 Computer (or flash-drive or WiFi shield)
provides micro-controller with data file
 Micro-controller communicates with the
shift-registers how and which LEDs to light
 Shift registers output to the 8 LED strip.
Ararat Adamian
Block Diagram
Note: The shift registers will
control each plane of 8*8
RGB LED’s. Only one plane
will be on at a time, the
illusion of all the planes being
on will be from very rapidly
switching planes.
Ararat Adamian
Implementation
 Micro-controller:
 Atmega328 that will communicate with computer
through USB
 Line controller:
 Array of 74HC595 shift registers with latch-able output
 8x8x8 LED cube:
 512 “540R2GBC-CC” RGB common cathode LEDs
 LEDs will be mounted on thin plexiglass
Ararat Adamian
Implementation Alternatives
 Micro-controller:
 Atmega1280 – More I/O pins and faster
 Line controller:
 Max7219 matrix controller in combination with AND
gates
 MSP430 micro-controller for each line of LEDs
 8x8x8 LED cube:
 512 Single Color LEDs
 LEDs will be mounted in tubes
Adrian Williams
Division of Labor
 LED cube will be split into 8 planes of 64 LEDs (8x8),
two group members will construct individual planes
 One group member will design the PCB for the microcontroller and Line-controller circuits.
 One group member will work on firmware to interface
between computer and shift registers
Adrian Williams
Preliminary Schedule
Task Name
Order/Receive Parts
Construct 8x2x2 single-color LED plane for testing
Construct 8x8 RGB LED plane
Connect Plane to shift-registers (breadboard)
Program micro-controller to display graphics on plane
Test Functionality
Expand plane to 8x8x8 LED cube
Connect cube to shift-register/transistor array (breadboard)
Design PCB for shift-register array and micro-controller
Program micro-controller to display graphics on cube
Solder PCB and finalize box for cube
Create software (Matlab)/wireless/USB interface to cube
Create Power supply
Final Testing/Documentation
CDR
Milestone 1
Milestone 2
Expo
Adrian Williams
Schedule
Task Name
Duration
Start
Finish
Order/Receive Parts
9 days
1/25/2011 8:00
2/4/2011 17:00
Construct 8x2x2 single-color LED plane for testing
9 days
1/25/2011 8:00
2/4/2011 17:00
Construct 8x8 RGB LED plane
5 days
2/7/2011 8:00
2/11/2011 17:00
Connect Plane to shift-registers (breadboard)
2 days
2/14/2011 8:00
2/15/2011 17:00
Program micro-controller to display graphics on plane
10 days
1/31/2011 8:00
2/11/2011 17:00
Test Functionality
10 days
2/7/2011 8:00
2/18/2011 17:00
Expand plane to 8x8x8 LED cube
15 days
2/21/2011 8:00
3/11/2011 17:00
Connect cube to shift-register/transistor array (breadboard)
5 days
3/14/2011 8:00
3/18/2011 17:00
Design PCB for shift-register array and micro-controller
5 days
2/14/2011 8:00
2/18/2011 17:00
Program micro-controller to display graphics on cube
20 days
2/14/2011 8:00
3/11/2011 17:00
Solder PCB and finalize box for cube
10 days
3/21/2011 8:00
4/1/2011 17:00
Create software (Matlab)/wireless/USB interface to cube
30 days
3/7/2011 8:00
4/15/2011 17:00
Create Power supply
10 days
3/7/2011 8:00
3/18/2011 17:00
Final Testing/Documentation
29 days
3/21/2011 8:00
4/28/2011 17:00
CDR
3 days
3/1/2011 8:00
3/3/2011 17:00
Milestone 1
3 days
3/15/2011 8:00
3/17/2011 17:00
Milestone 2
3 days
4/12/2011 8:00
4/14/2011 17:00
Expo
1 day
4/28/2011 8:00
4/28/2011 17:00
Brian McDonald
Preliminary Parts List
512 RGB LEDs 5 mm
24
8-bit Shift registers (74HC595)
8
High Current(5A) NPN transistors
1
Micro-controller (Atmega328p)
1
USB to serial (FTDI FT232RL)
12
1/8 plexiglass planes
1
5V, 1A regulator
1
5V, 5A regulator
Various capacitors, resistors, crystals, etc.
Brian McDonald
Cost
Quatity
Part Description
Price ($)
512
RGB LEDs 5mm
24
74HC595
36
8
5A NPN Transitors
20
1
Atmega328P
5
1
FT232RL
10
1
5V, 1A regulator
5
1
5V, 5A regulator
5
12
1/8" plexi-glass (~1 sq. foot each)
20
Various components
15
Total
~300
$416
Brian McDonald
Risks
 Project is heavily hardware orientated
 Time constraints
 Feasibility of extensions
 Unfamiliarity with WiFi technology
 Power requirements
 Heat dissipation
 LEDs are too bright or not bright enough
Brian McDonald
Critical points
 CDR
-All Parts received, PCB designed and ordered, 8x8 RBG plane constructed and tested
with simple graphics, Cube is being built and Micro-controller being programmed for
3D implementation
 Milestone 1
-Cube is fully assembled, Micro-controller is programmed and ready to receive input
from software/wireless/USB device, Power Supply is nearly finished, Cube is being tested
 Milestone 2
-All Hardware is completely built and tested, Software is being designed to interface
with cube, USB/Wireless interfaces are being built, Documentation is being completed
 Expo - awesome