Make stuff work
'Make stuff work’, that is the central theme of the Electronics Engineering students' Engineering Experiences in their second-year bachelor. Over one semester, students experiment with light to end up with an electronical driver for a light effect. The teams have to design an original, concrete product that actually works. They also have to do research on potential customers. In other words, what is designed doesn't only have to work, but also has to sell.
Moon Lux goes full-circle
On May 26, students and professors voted for their favorite product. The Moon Lux-team netted the prize with a light effect created with a series of LEDs mounted onto a ball in a crescent. When the ball turns, the light effect appears to go full-circle.
In reality, what the engineering students created was an optical effect: because the eye cannot follow the movement of the ball, it's as if the crescent forms a complete circle. The LEDs are timed in such a way, that they change color, allowing for constantly different patterns.
Devices creating a similar effect already exist. They are used at fairs, clubs, etc. A professional one costs around $65,000. The Moon Lux-team aims to sell theirs at €500.
