One Bit Kit Bucky Glow Manual

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Thank you for purchasing Bucky Glow! This manual will go over the basic hardware and operation of the Bucky
Glow.
CAUTION
Overview
The Bucky Glow is an interactive LED dodecahedron controlled with an Arduino Nano. Using the Arduino
programming environment, you can create endless light-up patterns. The Bucky Glow also includes break-out
header pins, so you have access to eleven digitial I/O pins, a TX (transmit) pin, a RX (receive) pin, reset pin,
and ground pin. These pins enable you to connect the Bucky Glow to sensors (e.g. capacitive touch, infrared,
ultrasonic), motors, MIDI jacks, and any other electronics you can think of. You can also light up the Bucky
Glow using our app, which provides an interface for creating and displaying patterns in real-time with only a
few mouse clicks.
The data pin and clock pin of a WS2801 LED strip are connected to pin A0 and A1 of the Arduino, respectively.
The LEDs are connected together in the orientation shown below, with the LEDs moving up to the top of the
Bucky Glow. To visualize how all the LEDs are connected, we display them using a top view of a flatten
dodecahedron. Data is shifted from LED 0 to LED 1, then from LED 1 to LED 2, and so on.
NOTE: If your electronics project requires more power than what can be supplied by the Arduino USB supply,
you will need to use an additional power supply. The ground of this power supply must be connected to the
ground pin of the Bucky Glow.
BUCKY GLOW MANUAL
designed by: One Bit Kit
Bucky Glow is built with small parts that can be removed. Do not put small
parts in mouth and swallow them. Keep small parts away from children.
:
Bucky Glow can be programmed to display fast moving and colorful patterns
that may potentially trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy.
User discretion is advised.

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Summary of Contents for One Bit Kit Bucky Glow

  • Page 1 The LEDs are connected together in the orientation shown below, with the LEDs moving up to the top of the Bucky Glow. To visualize how all the LEDs are connected, we display them using a top view of a flatten dodecahedron.
  • Page 2 To use the Bucky Glow, you need to download the Arduino IDE for Mac or Windows from the following URL: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software Everything else you need for the Bucky Glow is included in a zip file that you can download off our website at the following link: http://www.jbumstead.com/bucky-glow.html...
  • Page 3 Example programs: One Bit Kit has several example programs for getting started with the Bucky Glow. From the zip file you downloaded from our website, open the “Arduino” folder. Open the .ino files in one of the folders and upload the program by clicking the arrow key in the Arduino IDE (there is a red arrow pointing to it in figure below).
  • Page 4 Next, you need to download the Bucky Glow app, which is also included in the zip file you downloaded from our website. There are separate folders for Mac, Windows (64bit system), and Windows (32bit system).
  • Page 5 Click on the color wheel to select a color, and then click on the 2D image of the Bucky Glow. Your Bucky Glow should light up with that color. Recent colors you select are displayed so that it is easy to reuse them. To Store a pattern, click the gray down arrow icon.
  • Page 6 If you have a pattern you want to upload onto your Bucky Glow, click the Save button. A text file of the pattern will be saved to the file location you specify. If you just type a filename with no folder, it will be saved in the same folder as the one with the Bucky Glow App.

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