Summary of Emoticon Helmet using Arduino
This article details the creation of an "Emoticon Helmet," a wearable project for Engineering 101 that displays 12 different facial expressions using LEDs. The device features a multiplex matrix controlled by an Arduino Uno and powered by batteries, allowing users to switch faces via handheld buttons. The build involves modifying a motorcycle helmet by drilling holes for LEDs, soldering wire extensions, and securing components with hot glue and foam.
Parts used in the Emoticon Helmet:
- Motorcycle helmet
- Arduino Uno
- 22 red LEDs
- Wire and ribbon wire
- 10 resistors
- 4-6 transistors
- Experimental board
- 2 buttons
- Button housing (mini M&Ms bottle)
- Four AA batteries
The Internet has become a pretty good mask to portray yourself as anything you want. This includes hiding your true emotions when posting facebook statuses, IMing someone, or sending emails (like telling you’re boss they are awesome when they are really a jerk). But what about talking to someone in real life? How do you hide yourself then? That’s where the Emoticon Helmet comes in. The person that you’re talking to will never know how disgusted your face looks when you see their dress if you always show a happy face! Or how you’re happy that you mean ol uncle died and you’re smiling the entire time, but everyone else sees a frown.
This project was one that I’ve always wanted to do, but I never found the time to. But when the time rolled around for our final project in my Engineering 101 class, I suddenly found an excuse to make this ridiculous contraption. I first got the idea for this a while ago from the Mask of Emotion, but I couldn’t actually find where to buy it. So why not do the next best thing and make one myself? It was a team project, so I did half of the work while my teammate did the other half. That’s also why some of these pictures aren’t the best quality, because he tried sending me the pictures, but there was a miscommunication, so I just pulled them off of a video he made over it.
The helmet has 12 faces total: happy, sad, neutral, mad, surprised, tired, confused, disgruntled, disgusted, elated, worried, and creepy. It is done with a set of 22 LEDs, 6 for each eye and 10 for the mouth. It is set up as a multiplex matrix and hooked up to an Arduino in the back of the helmet, which is powered by four AA batteries. The user can switch between the faces with 2 buttons on a controller in the user’s hand.
Step 2: Drill them holes
The LEDs need a place to call home. The 7/32 inch drill bit should do well for the visor, as the LEDs aren’t going to be fully put in. The mouth LEDs need the full LED inside of the hole, and therefore require a bigger drill bit. I can’t remember completely, but I think we used the 3/8 inch for the mouth holes.
Try on the helmet and draw out places for the LEDs. For me, the top center LEDs on the visor were on my eyes and the middle row on the mouth was on the crest of my lips. Marked? Good, now the drilling can commence!
The LEDs can be secured into place with hot glue. I didn’t try it, but putting the glue on top of the LED could diffuse the light so that you can see the light better from different angles. Just make sure that you don’t put too little glue on them or you’ll regret later on (like we did).
Also, the “legs” of the LEDs weren’t long enough to fit all the way through the holes in the faceguard of the helmet, so we had to solder small wire extensions onto each leg. After we put the LEDs into the faceguard, we stuck small scraps of foam in the holes so that they wouldn’t touch and short-circuit.
Next, we need a place to put the Arduino. We drilled four holes in the back of the helmet in a square pattern and used the jigsaw to connect the dots. At first the hole was too small, so we used a box cutter to remove some of the styrofoam to give the Arduino a snug fit. Then we cut a hole in the fabric on the back of the helmet so that we could run the wires from the front to the Arduino.
Materials
What’s a project without supplies? Things I used:
– a motorcycle helmet (can be any helmet as long as it has a visor)
– an Arduino Uno
– 22 red LEDs
– plenty of wire and ribbon wire
– 10 resistors
– 4-6 transistors (depends on how you set up the multiplex)
– experimental board
– 2 buttons
– button housing (an old mini M&Ms bottle)
Tools:
– Hand drill
– 7/32 inch drill bit
– 3/8 inch drill bit (?) (can’t remember if that was correct)
– Jigsaw
– Soldering iron
– Hot glue gun
– Duct tape
For more detail: Emoticon Helmet using Arduino
- How many facial expressions does the helmet display?
The helmet has 12 faces total including happy, sad, neutral, mad, surprised, tired, confused, disgruntled, disgusted, elated, worried, and creepy. - What is the best way to power the Arduino in this project?
The Arduino is powered by four AA batteries located at the back of the helmet. - How do you switch between the different faces on the helmet?
The user switches between faces using 2 buttons located on a controller in their hand. - Can any type of helmet be used for this project?
Yes, any helmet can be used as long as it has a visor. - What drill bit size should be used for the mouth LEDs?
The text suggests using a 3/8 inch drill bit for the mouth holes to fit the full LED inside. - Why were wire extensions added to the LEDs?
The legs of the LEDs were not long enough to fit all the way through the faceguard holes, so small wire extensions were soldered onto each leg. - How can you diffuse the light from the LEDs?
You can put glue on top of the LED to diffuse the light so it is visible from different angles. - What material was used to prevent short circuits in the holes?
Small scraps of foam were stuck in the holes after putting the LEDs into the faceguard to ensure they would not touch and short-circuit.
