Lux Swarm

Lux Swarm is a set of tools and techniques curated by Michael Ang for creating wireless lighting nodes that can be carried in a backpack and quickly set up to create temporary light installations.

For an overview of the project, see https://www.michaelang.com/project/lux-swarm

This repository collects code, project files for the control software, and CAD designs for enclosures / wearables, etc.

Hardware

• ESP8266 development board, Wemos D1 Mini (https://wiki.wemos.cc/products:d1:d1_mini)
• WS2811 protocol addressable LEDs (aka NeoPixels)
  • RGB LED shield (plugs into D1 Mini) (https://wiki.wemos.cc/products:d1_mini_shields:rgb_led_shield)
  • NeoPixels (https://wiki.wemos.cc/products:d1_mini_shields:rgb_led_shield)

Software

• Lux Swarm files, including all the examples (https://github.com/mangtronix/LuxSwarm)

• Mac only: Serial driver for CH340, to connect to D1 Mini hardware to flash code (https://wiki.wemos.cc/downloads)

  • You need to install the driver and then go to the system Security preferences to allow the extension

• ESPixelStick release 3.0 (https://github.com/forkineye/ESPixelStick/releases/tag/v3.0)

  • Can flash using the Java flash tool, need to replace the firmware/firmware.json file to add the correct settings for flashing the D1 Mini (https://github.com/mangtronix/LuxSwarm/blob/master/Code/firmware.json)

• Arduino (https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software)

  • The Serial Monitor can be used to check the output from the ESPixelStick connected over USB
    • The Serial Monitor baud rate must be set to 115200

Control Software

You can control the Lux Swarm any software that can output DMX using the sACN / E1.31 protocol

• Mad Mapper (https://madmapper.com/)

  • Settings:
    • DMX Output Device: SACN
    • Interface: (select connection to AP, either via WiFi or LAN)
    • Maximum FPS: 25
  • MadLight tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a7Rqk7nGtM)
  • Example file (not the simplest) used at Le Zoo (https://github.com/mangtronix/LuxSwarm/blob/master/Controller/MadMapper/LeZoo.mad)

• QLC+ (https://www.qlcplus.org/downloads.html)

  • Example files (https://github.com/mangtronix/LuxSwarm/tree/master/Controller/QLC)

Mad Mapper and QLC can be controlled using hardware MIDI controllers, or you can output MIDI from programs like Ableton Live or Processing.

• Processing (https://processing.org/download/)

  • Example (https://github.com/mangtronix/LuxSwarm/tree/master/Controller/Processing/Light_Notes)

• Ableton Live (https://www.ableton.com/en/trial/)

  • Example (https://github.com/mangtronix/LuxSwarm/tree/master/Controller/Ableton/Simple%20Beat%20Project)