We just completed the most recent exhibit now in operation at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.
This exhibit, sponsored by the Utah DNR, teaches about water conservation and how to more efficiently use our water resources by making better choices.
The exhibit compares best practice water usage against poor choices that waste water. It does this by simulating water in pipes flowing into a set of best practice (blue) and poor practice (red) resevoirs.
Some features of the exhibit:
- Custom welded 1.5" steel tubular frame and shelf, hand finished trim.
- Printed 1/4" Graphics panels
- Embedded Arduino mega processor that managed 4 scenes
- Nearly 500 programmable LEDs that simulate water, each can be programmed to display over 16K colors
- LED strings mounted in steel channels with hand cut diffused slots
- 2 acrylic virtual reservoirs
- In house designed software
- Keyed, power access
- Integrated diagnostics with key switch access
- Controller panel (below shelf)
- On-off timer and integrated power sequencing
- All solid state and maintenance free design with animated water and user scene selection.
The pictures below outline the design and its fabrication:
 |
| The switch tray with power and electronics |
 |
| Arduino Mega controller, power sequencer, power supply, push buttons and wiring harness. The mega is mounted to a sub-plate that is accessible from underneath. The mega is powered by 12 v which is switched by a power relay that is connected to the 5v supply. This schema insured that the Neopixel 5v is on before the logic. The switches and Neopixels were connected to the Mega via connectors soldered to the mega shield.. Most of these parts came from Aidafruit. |
 |
| The Neopixel channels mounted to a welded 1.5" tubular steel frame. |
 |
| Metal studs were mounted to the frame to hold the NeoPixels and provide a reflector behind the graphics panel. The pipes in the graphic panel were cut out by hand and a white acrylic diffuser was glued to the back of the panel. This arrangement allowed us to create the illusion of water going up the pipes by chasing a series of lights around the array. |
 |
| The noepixel strings were mounted with silicon holders and metal HVAC tape. |
 |
| 8 strings of Neopixels were connected together in one continuous sting. Lots of careful soldering but this jig made it possible |
 |
| The Mega controller is accessible from the bottom of the tray with 5v fuse, DC power light and diagnostic key switch. A USB patch cord (Aidafruit) allows access from the Arduino IDE while the unit is installed. |
Thanks for watching and hope to see you at the aquarium.
Don Kleinschnitz
CTO and exhibits design
