PingPong Curtain
About this project, there is a a Video on Youtube
Background
My home office is a long, narrow room with only one window. In summer, the sun shines directly into the room for a short time in the morning, but in winter not at all. As a result, the room feels somewhat dark and oppressive. I wanted a solution that doesn’t block light but instead adds more. That’s how the idea of an inverted curtain came about: it should be translucent and at the same time emit light itself.
Implementation
The base was a simple curtain rail with a coarse net instead of fabric. The actual light sources were ping pong balls placed over LEDs. To make this work, I designed a jig on the 3D printer that allowed me to drill the balls precisely. Using an 11.5 millimeter drill bit, I made holes in a total of fifty balls. Afterwards, I could simply clip the LEDs into the holes.
They are controlled by an ESP32 microcontroller. It received power from a supply unit and feeds the LED strips via three wires for voltage, ground, and data. After some soldering and heat-shrink tubing, the wiring was stable. In the software, I only had to correct the color order so that red, green, and blue were displayed correctly.
Result
I threaded the fitted LEDs through the net, creating a loose, structured curtain. Once switched on, it spreads colorful, soft light. This permanent design element now accompanies me through the dark months and makes my workspace noticeably more pleasant.
