Remote-Controlled LED Desktop Lightbox (REVOLVE)
For my final project in Physical Computing of Spring 2025, I was tasked with either creating a new piece or refining a past project into a fully realized product. I chose to revisit my first project—an LED sign that spelled out “REVOLVE,” the name of my record label. Rather than remake the sign entirely, I scaled it down to a desktop size that could be 3D printed in multiple parts and upgraded it to include a remote control sensor, eliminating the need to manually press the circuit board to turn it on.
First Project I’m Resembling
Getting Started
- Set design constraints based on 3D printer max dimensions (about 250mm width, depth, and height)
- Scaled down the original sign to fit within those limits
- Added a hole at the bottom so the infrared sensor could receive signals from the remote
- Made sure there was enough internal space to fit the circuit board and wiring
- No breadboard was needed—circuit worked with just the IR sensor and LED connections
Planning The Build
Materials:
- 3D printed material (PLA)
- Hot glue
- Black Duct Tape
- 8 x 1 mm Magnets
- Digital caliper
- Circuit Playground Express board
- Alligator to male wires
- Aligator to female wires
- 3X LED RGB Panels (8 x 8 Neopixels)
- IR Remote
- IR Remote Sensor
Steps:
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Measured each RGB panel - 80mm x 3 = 240mm
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Measured the circuit board - 50.7mm diameter
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Measured the IR sensor - 12.56mm tall
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Measured the sq ft of all wires together - 60mm x 65mm
Circuit Board, IR Remote, and IR Sensor
3D Modeling
- Used Onshape to plan the build based on measured constraints
- Designed a front frame inspired by the original REVOLVE sign
- Created a clear frame for the LED light to shine through
- Added spacers to support and align internal components
- Modeled the back panel to hold all electronics securely
- Left a gap at the bottom for wire routing
- Designed a bottom chamber to house the circuit board and sensor
- Included a small hole for the sensor and another for the power cord exit
- Used the chamfer tool to make the “underground” cuts and grooves look more chipped and cracked
Main design concept with all pieces togetherLogo design - 3mm thick
Printing Process
- Imported five separate pieces into Bambu Studio for printing: front frame, clear LED cover, back holder, bottom chamber, and chamber door
- Separated the parts to allow for proper assembly after printing
- Added supports to the main compartment and spliced the file
- Exported the spliced file and began the printing process
Wiring / Coding the LED Panel
IR Remote in ActionPython Code
- Used Mu Editor with a Python script to read IR remote pulse data via the terminal
- Collected pulse data for buttons 1–6 to assign six different colors to the panel
- Captured pulse data for the power button to toggle the device on and off
- Planned to include more features like LED chase effects, brightness control, and extra colors
Limited RAM on the board (due to 192 NeoPixels) restricted how much functionality could be added
Inputs Outputs:
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Power Button Turns device on or off
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Button 1 Makes neopixels purple
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Button 2 Yellow
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Button 3 Red
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Button 4 Green
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Button 5 Blue
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Button 6 White
Assembly
- Pieced together all three NeoPixel LED panels and taped down the wires to save space
- Attached the LED panels to the clear PLA frame and began visualizing the full assembly
- Hot glued the REVOLVE letters to the center of the clear frame
- Fit the clear frame snugly into the back holder
- Placed the main front frame over everything and secured it with black duct tape to hold it precisely and cover separation lines
- Fed the IR sensor into the bottom chamber and secured it with duct tape in front of the sensor hole
- Inserted the rest of the circuitry, making sure everything fit neatly inside
- Added 8 magnets to the bottom chamber and 8 to the top frame so the pieces could clip together securely but still be easily disassembled
- Attached a side door to cover the bottom chamber opening, using duct tape while leaving space for the power cord to feed out
Side view of internal hardwareEverything put together, magnets holding top and bottomInternal hardware + magnet orientation
Finished Remote-Controlled Desktop Lightbox
1 - Purple2 - Yellow3 - Red5 - Blue4 - Green6 - White
Reflection
What Worked Well:- The prints came out clean with minimal warping—each piece fit as intended
- The IR sensor functions reliably from 5–10 feet away
- The LEDs shine clearly through the clear PLA and create a strong visual effect
- All hardware fit perfectly in the bottom chamber without feeling cramped
- The magnets are both functional and visually clean, helping the device stay secure
- The final design matched the original vision and looks aesthetic on any desk
Challenges & Limitations:
- Limited RAM on the circuit board restricted the number of features that could be added via remote control
- Originally aimed to use 9 remote buttons for color selection, brightness control, and NeoPixel animations
- The 192 NeoPixels and IR pulse data consumed most of the circuit board’s RAM
- Adding more functionality caused the board to overload and crash
- Settled on 6 color options with on/off capability, which was still satisfying
Takeaways:- Future iterations could use a board with more RAM to support expanded features like animations and brightness control via remote
- The goal was to revise my original REVOLVE LED wall sign (approx. 19"x12") made from cardboard and Cricut-cut letters
- This version was scaled down, 3D printed, and fully enclosed to resemble a polished, functional product
- The final piece is durable, cleanly assembled, and visually high-quality
- Thorough planning led to a result that exceeded expectations
- Future versions could support more remote functions with additional inputs/outputs
- Despite hardware limitations, this was a successful and complete first prototype that met all core design goals