EGO (Electronic Graphics Output) Device

Printed name tags are so last century, wear a badge as smart as you, show off that EGO!

Comment

Inspiration

I really wanted to get experience using arduinos and write code for a physical function. I ordered my first arduino and a starter kit over winter break and got to work teaching myself as much as I could. While searching online for new parts and new projects, I stumbled upon a small lcd screen designed to be controlled by arduinos. With the lcd screen in front of me and career showcase on the back of my mind, the idea of not just making a project to talk about at professional events but a project that can help show people who I am sprung forth.

What it does

Replacing traditional name tags, the EGO device does more than just show your name to recruiters, it can be used as a form of expression for yourself. Capable of printing text, creating simple animations and displaying any image you load into its SD card port, EGO is able to help show recruiters who you are.

How I built it

After some wiring and soldering, the lcd screen was connected and active. However I still had to understand the standard graphics libraries that came with the screen. Code for my specific wants and needs for this project still had to be written. There was also the issue of a case for the product. Not having the materials to make a custom case, materials were recycled at the hackathon and used to create a prototype container for the arduino and related hardware.

Challenges I ran into

Understanding graphics libraries and everything that involves. Designing and creating a case for the hardware.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Making my own arduino project, increasing my experience with arduino and improving my pixel art skills. I am also proud of creating a prototype case for this project with only materials I had nearby during the hackathon. Designing a more polished case with solidworks to 3-D print in the near future.

What I learned

Arduinos are an excellent way to help quickly realize projects involving hardware. I also learned basics of how graphics and animations are made with code. How to design parts for 3-D printing.

What's next for EGO

I plan on experimenting with a raspberry pi zero to see if it would be a cheaper and more efficient way to control the lcd screen. After some more testing I also plan on releasing the solidworks files for the case as well as a guide for how to make your own EGO.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates