Extraordinary Breakthrough: Giant Pixel Screen Innovation
In the world of digital art, one individual has taken a unique approach to creating a giant-sized wooden kilopixel display. Ben Holmen, a craftsman with a passion for woodworking, has built a 40 by 25 pixel grid made up of 1,000 wooden cubes, each acting as an individual pixel that can be flipped to display an image[1][2][5].
The display works by using a mechanical gantry system that moves a tool over the grid and turns the blocks sequentially to form the desired image. The tool, a modified hot glue stick, provides the needed flexibility and durability to gently but firmly flip the wooden pixel cubes[2][3].
The design process involved several key stages and materials. Initially, Holmen experimented with spherical pixels like ping pong balls and Nerf balls, but abandoned them due to material issues such as shape retention and paint durability[1][5]. He then settled on wooden cubes for their durability, aesthetics, and his own expertise with wood. Producing uniform wooden cubes required a jig and careful woodworking to maintain precision, as uniformity is critical for a clean display appearance[1][4].
The rotation mechanism first employed LEGo wheels to attempt turning spherical pixels, but since the final design used cubes, the pushing mechanism was adapted to poke the cubes on their corners to rotate them correctly[2][3].
The display, a 2-axis machine with a third axis for the pixel poking mechanism, is essentially a CNC-like gantry system repurposed to move the tool precisely over the wooden pixel grid and actuate them one at a time[1]. The project involved detailed mechanical fabrication, custom CNC building, 3D modeling, and generation of G-code for tool movement, combined with software such as a public web app for users to submit images that the display renders over many hours due to its slow pixel flipping rate[1][5].
This combination of LEGO wheels for initial testing of rotation and hot glue sticks for the final pixel-pushing tool reflects an experimental and iterative design approach to build this highly unconventional, wood-based digital display[2][3].
The resolution of the display is 25 pixels. Users can submit their own images for the display to draw. The display operates very slowly, with an over nine-hour long video of it in operation available online[1]. Despite the availability of ready-made displays never being better, some hardy experimenters still choose to make their own displays. The video of the display in operation is effective, showcasing the unique charm of this handcrafted digital art medium.
References:
[1] Holmen, B. (n.d.). Wrencher. Retrieved from https://www.benholmen.com/wrencher/
[2] Engadget. (2021, January 21). This 1000-pixel wooden display uses a hot glue stick to flip each pixel. Retrieved from https://www.engadget.com/this-1000-pixel-wooden-display-uses-a-hot-glue-stick-to-flip-each-pixel-123649490.html
[3] Makezine. (2021, January 21). Wooden Kilopixel Display. Retrieved from https://makezine.com/projects/wooden-kilopixel-display/
[4] Instructables. (2021, January 21). How to Build a Wooden Kilopixel Display. Retrieved from https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Build-a-Wooden-Kilopixel-Display/
[5] The Verge. (2021, January 21). A woodworker built a giant wooden display that uses a hot glue stick to flip each pixel. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/22270665/wooden-kilopixel-display-ben-holmen-hot-glue-stick-art-wrencher-video
- Ben Holmen's unique wooden kilopixel display, a product of his indulgence in data-and-cloud-computing-driven digital art, uses technology in the form of a custom CNC building, 3D modeling, and G-code generation for tool movement.
- Despite the availability of advanced, ready-made gadgets, Holmen's wooden kilopixel display showcases the allure of a handcrafted piece, emphasizing the intersection of traditional woodworking and modern technology.
