UPDATE (2/17/08): Added more videos to the bottom of this post.
UPDATE (2/17/08): Code is available here.
I’m making a Knight Rider (KITT) Light Bar to celebrate the premier of the new Knight Rider Made-For-TV Movie (tomorrow night on NBC). I’m using an Arduino Diecimila board and 18 LEDs.
Here’s a picture from a few hours ago. The LEDs are now much more aligned and some of the wiring has since been cleaned up, but the photo will give you the general idea.
Materials (so far): FedEx box (temporary; looking for a suitable plastic container) with black construction paper for the housing. Arduino, 18 LEDs (wired to 9 output pins on the arduino - two LEDs in parallel per pin), 9 75 ohm resistors (note, 75 is not the right value, but they were the closest I had). The faceplate is made of cardboard, tissue paper (light diffusion) and some cheap car-window-sun-shade-material I found at Target.
Here’s what it looks like in action (this vid is from the afternoon, before the housing and faceplate were ready): kitt2.mov.
If you haven’t already, consider reading this article about the guys who built the real thing!
New Video: In the box, during daylight.
New Video: Out of the box.
New Video: Arduino and wiring.
February 18, 2008 at 2:37 pm
it looks good
February 18, 2008 at 3:36 pm
tell me where and how to purchase this and how much?
February 18, 2008 at 7:04 pm
very cool! any chance you will be publishing instructions for building?
February 18, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I’ll definitely publish a schematic as it’s really straightforward. The code is already linked from the site.
The housing/mounting is the real challenge now.
February 18, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Juan, I don’t plan on selling kits, but my final howto will have a list of materials so you can make it yourself.
February 19, 2008 at 7:36 pm
you should put an animated gif to stay in the coolness attitude of this project
and show how good it works :p
February 21, 2008 at 8:19 am
… I’d love to put something like this into my toaster
February 21, 2008 at 10:20 am
I think a bike commuter version would be awesome
February 21, 2008 at 10:52 am
John,
Great project!! Very cool. I skimmed over the code and it seems you are using digital outputs and controlling the fade by “blinking them” at different frequencies, is that correct? Did you considered using a capacitor to control the fade? Thanks again, great project. Long live the Arduino.
February 26, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Where can I find the design for this project it looks like it will be fun to try and build
February 28, 2008 at 12:55 am
John
Love your project and thanks for including the code.
I am however having trouble as it won’t verify in my Arduino 10.
I’m getting the error:
expected constructer, destructor, or type conversion before ‘int’
This error highlights the top line of code.
Can you help?
Thanks
February 28, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Very cool.Just tell how much and how to get it.
March 29, 2008 at 12:55 pm
inst of it moving from the sides in. can u make it move bak and forth like the real kitt?
April 2, 2008 at 11:49 am
please let me know how to make one or buy one thank you
April 7, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Any progress with the schematics? I found your project from the YouTube video and it\’s definitely what I think to be the best of what I saw (exception being the one from the guys that made the one for the movie- but theirs is way more complicated).
I would really like to build one of these, but subing blue for red. Also, is 18 the max number of LED\’s the Diecimila will support?
But anyhow, only thing keeping me from ordering up a Diecimila is lack of schematics- waddya say?
April 18, 2008 at 6:20 am
What a creation!! when u planning to show how 2 do it. cant wait. superb & Nice
April 24, 2008 at 4:16 am
NY UPDATE ON SCHEMATICS, JUST INTERESTED IN LED VALUES AND WIRING DIAGRAM.
April 24, 2008 at 5:12 pm
how much and where do i send the money… not joking. i want one
April 29, 2008 at 9:38 pm
You did a great job of course, now what we all have been waiting for is the schematics, no need to make it pretty, draw it on a piece of paper and scan it, we\’ll all be happy and then can actually emulate your project thus making you a hero to the most likely thousands of people that have been waiting for you to post the schematic.
April 29, 2008 at 9:47 pm
heres a link most might find useful, its a place to buy a kit to build the arduino.
http://www.nkcelectronics.com/freeduino-arduino-diecimila-compatible-board-complete-kit.html
im ordering one afer i post this
May 14, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Love to know the schematic for this… when would you post it… I would be so grateful. What does the code mean> Im noob!
June 2, 2008 at 2:10 am
I have a quick question…what is an ardurion? I have a knight rider light I built but I like the flow of yours much better. Will you be making a “how to” on the circuit and the schematic? Thanks
July 7, 2008 at 5:18 pm
very cool i am looking to buy or make one of these for my car….top secret 1000 hp monster
can i get parts list and instructions or would yo make one for me…i can do the housing no problem