#pexsf

[domestarrynight]

DomeStar Signage @ PEX 2016

Photo by Eric Mortensen

[domestarrynight]

DomeStar @ PEX Summer Festival 2016

Photos by Thomas Egan

[mimy-peregrinations]

2016 PEX Summer Festival Effigy Burn (unfortunately not the best footage during the night, sorry). You have to see it in real!

[worshiptheglitch]

DomeStar Update #5: Pool Noodles Edition

Disorient Country Club is a little over one month away, and DomeStar2 is getting ready for its big debut. After much deliberation, we decided to use prefabricated MegaHubs from SonoStar as a key part of structure. The increase in strength and stability they offer blows the previous dome away. While the original was never in danger of collapsing, we’re excited by the potential for new and different functions that are enabled by a dramatically sturdier dome. Our MegaHubs config led to our purchase of 1200’ of 1” PVC pipe. We aren’t using all 1200’, but we needed to buy that much in 10’ lengths in order to get the 680’ of custom cut pieces we actually needed. We attempted to minimize waste and expense by sourcing different lengths of PVC, but were ultimately unsuccessful. We could have also minimized waste by shrinking the dome to point where multiple pieces could be cut from one 10’ length, but our overall size is dictated by the length of the LED strips that will hang over the dome. After cutting the PVC at NYCResistor, we cleared a space to assemble a small test section. That’s when the size of this thing really hit home. The original DomeStar has been successfully erected inside of NYCR, while this one small piece barely even fit. DomeStar2 is big. Our initial drilling and assembly process was sort of clumsy and complicated, and we quickly came to understand why we should do all of our drilling on site while installing. This will dramatically increase the build time for the first installation, but will dramatically decrease the likelihood that we’ll want to drive the drills into our own skulls at NYCResistor. On to the blinky bits. After years of abuse and repair, we opted to replace many of DomeStar’s well worn LED strips. For the first time, they’ll be defused instead of laid bare. DomeStar’s 656’ of LED strips will now be paired with 656’ of white foam tubing. And that’s where we have to give a huge shoutout to Matt Mets and Blinkinlabs. Matt designed the driver software for DomeStar and procured both the LED strips and foam for the project. It’s safe to say that there would be no DomeStar, much less a DomeStar2, without Matt. It’s also safe to say that any fan of DomeStar will absolutely love Blinkinlabs. 

So what’s next? The gang is toying with the idea of curving LED strips around the dome instead of running them straight down. The simulator is successfully running in Processing 3. Hours of interactive sound and music are being developed. The crew is assembling this Friday to hack away at new routines. There’s lots of work left to do, but it’s all starting to come together. We can’t wait to build this thing!

[more]

[2tuff]

The Gamelatron at PEX Summer Festival 2013!!!  #PEX #PEXSF #Gamelatron