Cubet (CUBID-19)

Cubet, a small single color led cube, build during the Covid-19 Quarantine

⚠️ The README is still in working process

⚠️ The Software works, but it must be improved. Trying to get the DMA to work with the Timer Counter to automatic set the LATCH output. The animations must be still coded (I've copied some animations and functions from fuchsales/LED-Cube

I always wanted a LED Cube, a compact one with smd leds. I also wanted to give KiCad a try (I've been Eagle user for a couple of years). That's why I started this mini project.

My goal was:

Small LED Cube, not bigger than 5cm
No extra power needed (USB powered)
Cheap (i.e. Shift Register instead of "expensive" LED Drivers, no SK6812/ws2811 leds)
Designed with KiCad

I started with the Schematic and Layout in January, and the PCB came together with COVID, so I had plenty of time to solder. I gave my cube the name of Cubet (catalan word for small cube), but CUBID is also a good name :)

The microcontroller is a SAMD21, with native USB, so no FTDI or similar is needed. It' a simple Arduino Zero compatible board, like the Feather M0 from Adafruit It uses 74HC595 Shift Registers and a couple of transistors.

My tools are not the best one, and I realized I may need to buy better and new tools. For example my soldering iron is a cheap one and the soldering was quite a challenge (The head was too big for some components, and it didn't get hot enough). I also may need a Microscope, it's more pleasant than a magnifying glass. The tweezers were of course also too big.

For the LED Matrix/Cube I need to develope a helping tool or something similar. My idea was to use 8 big holes in the PCB to put there 8 LEDS and solder them together to get a column. This didn't work as expected so I neede to solder without help. I used 0.3mm Wire for the columns, and 0.2mm Wire for the rest.

Getting Started

Install KiCad and make changes to the schematic/layout (if needed)
Get the PCB from your favourite Producer
Solder all the components
Flash the Bootloader (if needed)
Flash the Software

Prerequisites

A lot of time
Patience
More patience
Soldering skill
JTAG Programmer (I used an J-LINK EDU Mini)
More time
Did I mention patience?

Installing

Flashing the Bootloader

Flashing the Software

Built With

Authors

License

This project is licensed under the Apache License - see the LICENSE.md file for tedtails

Acknowledgments

LED-Cube Mini KiCad Tutorial KiCad Freerouting Gerber Export PCB from Elecrow SAMD21 SAMD21 GDB SAMD21 Bootloader Protection Programming a SAMD bootloader using JLink & Linux SAMD21_DMA Adafruit_ZeroDMA

Future changes

RGB leds
ESP32 for Blueetoth and WLAN
SPI, I2C and UART connectors for hardware "upgrades"
Battery connector and battery charging
Maybe a 12x12x12 and a 16x16x16 version
SD card for animations without programming

Sidru / Cubet