ACRIS is an end-to-end system that provides the capability to control individually addressable RGB LED light fixtures.
The ACRIS project includes:
- schematics and layout for a light fixture board, capable of driving up to 5 RGB LEDs,
- schematics and layout for serial- and USB-to-RS485 communications boards,
- bootloader and application firmware for the AVR microcontroller on the board,
- a software application for reprogramming the lights, and
- an extensible software framework, server, and client application for controlling various types of lights
Boards
The principle board, ledctrlr, can drive up to 5 RGB LEDs and communicates to the host via an RS-485 network.
The project also includes boards for other purposes, such as providing a USB serial interface to an RS-485 network.
Light Fixtures
The ledctrlr board aims to be compact yet versatile. In one embodiment, it was installed into an inexpensive consumer wall sconce purchased at a hardware store. The existing incandescent fixture was removed, the board was installed into the back of the unit, and RGB LEDs were mounted onto a simple piece of sheet metal. The sconce’s diffuser provides a pleasant smoothing of the resulting light output.
Other fixtures can easily be prototyped, such as a retrofitting of an IKEA light:
Or even a sanded-and-etched piece of acrylic:
Firmware
ACRIS uses the Atmel AVR microcontroller in its boards. Each board is individually addressable; its address can be set when in bootloader mode, whereby it is stored to EEPROM.
Bootloader
The bootloader provides functionality for a host to set board address and to write a new application to application memory. The bootloader software can perform operations on some or all devices within the network.
Application
The main application listens for lighting control packets sent to the device’s address and controls the LED drivers accordingly. A simple protocol allows for both 8- and 12-bit resolution of the desired values.
Software
ACRIS’s software tools (written in Python) aim to provide a high-level interface for interaction with any network of light fixtures.
Bootloader Controller
A simple Python script provides functionality for addressing and programming boards.
ACRIS Framework, Server, and Client
An extensible framework provides facility for introducing new light fixture types and interacting with them. Display patterns for light fixtures can be assembled into environmental plugins, which are in turn controllable from a server-client architecture. Multiple plugins can be active (so long as they do not address the same light instrument), allowing for a high degree of environmental configurability.
The server is responsible for continuous playback to the light fixtures and can be controlled via a simple socket connection from a client.
Future Work
The NRF24L01+ wireless chip can be used to establish a simple wireless network of ACRIS boards. Current top-of-tree focuses on shifting from RS-485 to this wireless technology.
Shift to an ARM-based MCU with more resources would enable transition to other wireless network architectures.