Algal Bioluminescence Display Biopunk LCD alternative for displaying motion artwork

Overview

The build

One of 9 — 3×3 array modular, chainable cubes

Inside a cube — speakers, wiring, RF filtering

In the lab

Learning to grow various algae cultures

Prototype 2 cube in assembly

Safety notes

How it works

Wiring diagram

Transcribed from the hand-drawn schematic. The DC power rail (red) is a common bus. Green wires carry audio signal; black is GND; orange is 5V logic for the shift registers.

Fig 1 — transcribed from hand-drawn schematic. One cube shown. Inputs feed the Arduino; outputs drive speaker loads.

Assembly

Hardware files

The custom 9-channel RC filter PCB design files are available below — schematics, gerbers, and layout. Published under CERN-OHL-S v2 — fully open hardware. Free to use, manufacture, modify, and distribute (including commercially) provided modifications are shared under the same licence. This is the one genuinely open-source hardware artefact in this project.

Firmware

Two files. animation_frames.h holds all 78 patterns as flat 9×9 character arrays. dave_modes_and_renderer.ino runs six named modes in sequence, each with its own rest period, frame count, and duty cycle. The tabs below show both files plus a live frame preview.

// clang-format off
// 1 NULL + 10 TEST + 15 LAND + 19 SEA + 18 AIR + 15 ALL = 78
#define TOTAL_NUMBER_OF_MODE_FRAMES 1+10+15+19+18+15

const char mode_animation_frames
    [TOTAL_NUMBER_OF_MODE_FRAMES]
    [ANIMATION_FRAME_ROWS]
    [ANIMATION_FRAME_COLUMNS + 1] = { /* … */ };

{// frame 0 — all off; also the duty-cycle rest frame
  "         ", "         ", "         ",
  "         ", "         ", "         ",
  "         ", "         ", "         ",
},

{// frame 1 — dot at col 0, rows 0 and 3 (sweep start)
  "*        ", "         ", "         ",
  "*        ", "         ", "         ",
  "         ", "         ", "         ",
},{// frame 3 — dot shifts to rows 1 and 4
  "         ", "*        ", "         ",
  "         ", "*        ", "         ",
  "         ", "         ", "         ",
},{// frame 7 — paired cols 3+6 sweep rightward in row 0
  "   *  *  ", "         ", "         ",
  "         ", "         ", "         ",
  "         ", "         ", "         ",
},
// … frames 2,4,5,6,8,9,10 continue the sweep pattern

{// frame 5 — V-wave at top of grid
  "*       *", " *     * ", "  *   *  ",
  "   * *   ", "    *    ", "         ", /* × 4 */
},{// frame 10 — V-wave at mid-grid
  "         ", /* × 4 */
  "*       *", " *     * ", "  *   *  ",
  "   * *   ", "    *    ",
},{// frame 14 — V-wave exits: single bottom-right dot
  "         ", /* × 8 */
  "*       *",
},
// clang-format on

// The firmware runs six modes in sequence.
// Each mode has a set of animation frames and a rest period.
// After the rest period, the mode triggers and plays its frames.
// When all frames are played, the next mode begins.
// After the last mode, the sequence loops back to LAND.
//
// Modes:  NULL → TEST → LAND → SEA → AIR → ALL → (loop to LAND)
// Each mode defines: frame count, start index, rest delay (seconds)
// Frame period: 500ms. Duty cycle: 50% on / 50% off.

// The renderer decides which frame to show based on
// where we are in the current frame's duty cycle.

function getFrameNumber():
  if phase_in_cycle < 0.5:
    return current_frame   // ON phase — speakers fire
  else:
    return blank_frame     // OFF phase — speakers rest

// The 50% duty cycle means cultures get a rest between
// each flash, preventing overstimulation.

// Called every tick from the main loop.

function runModes():
  if current_mode_complete:
    advance_to_next_mode()
    reset_frame_counter()

  if still_in_rest_period:
    count_down_rest_timer()
    return

  if triggered:
    update_phase_within_frame()
    if frame_period_elapsed:
      advance_frame()
      if last_frame_reached:
        mark_mode_complete()

  update_status_leds()

// 16 LEDs in a ring provide visual feedback.
//
// Upper 8: which mode is active
//   blue   = mode ready, waiting for trigger
//   yellow = mode running
//
// Lower 8: progress bar
//   red    = rest countdown remaining
//   green  = frames played through current mode

// Physical ribbon cable snakes between panels.
// A mapping table translates logical grid position
// to physical panel order:
//
//  logical:     ribbon order:
//  [0] [1] [2]  row 0 → forward
//  [3] [4] [5]  row 1 → reversed (snake)
//  [6] [7] [8]  row 2 → forward

Live simulation

A visual replay of the frame data from animation_frames.h, running the same mode sequence, rest periods, and 50% duty cycle as the real firmware. The bioluminescence glow effect is adapted from Kaspar Bumke's AVR simulation.

Bill of materials — one cube

Quantities per cube. Scale linearly for arrays. Links and part numbers are placeholders — substitute equivalents freely.

Power

A 5V logic rail is required separately for the Arduino Mega and shift registers. The main DC supply voltage is determined by your amplifier modules — check their datasheets. All power work is at your own risk; see the disclaimer in the footer.

What we learned

The most useful things from this project aren't in the schematics. They're about how working with living systems changes the way you think about building things.