LumiCube is a cube consisting of 192 LED lights, lots of sensors and a Raspberry Pi board: it can be programmed with the Python language to do anything.
Everyone likes LED lights. If they are also numerous (192) and can be programmed to create customised lettering or lighting effects, then they are just irresistible. This must have been the thought of the two inventors of LumiCube, a device for Raspberry Pi (a customisable single-board computer) consisting of 192 individually programmable LED lights. In practice, it is a sort of “Rubik’s cube” measuring 10 centimetres by 10 centimetres that can play games of light, gestures and sounds at will. LumiCube is equipped with a loudspeaker, accelerometer, gyroscope, microphone and dozens of sensors to monitor the environment. Thanks to these chips, the cube monitors temperature, humidity or pressure and lights up differently in case of changes. These functionalities – and many others, such as the increasing light effect for waking up in the morning – can be managed through the Python coding language.
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LumiCube: the cube with 192 LED lights
Now you might be wondering: what is LumiCube for? Nothing. In fact, everything. As its designers – a couple of former university students from London – explain, LumiCube is not just a colourful and noisy desk gadget. It is also (and above all) a fun way to practise coding languages and become familiar with hardware. “We want a world,’ reads the Kickstarter page dedicated to the product, ‘where anyone can create their own electronics and it’s super easy to program. So we developed a system that is simple enough for teenagers to use to create the robots they’ve always imagined. But, at the same time, advanced enough to be used by researchers to automate laboratory work. The device is therefore perfect for web newbies, computer enthusiasts or even kids who want to learn how to tinker with electronic devices (without running the risk of doing too much damage). The price, however, is not for everyone. To put LumiCube on your desk you have to be willing to pay almost 120 euros.
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