Intro
For this project, I wanted to apply the capabilities of a microcontroller into cosplay props. Microcontrollers allow you to control light and sounds, so I thought it would be a great way to enhance cosplay props. For this project I created a full scale replica of the staff from the anime Frieren: Beyond Journey’s end. The staff is 6ft tall including base and top, it will have 2 different laser cut discs to create 2 different projections creating 2 different “spells.” The center houses the arduino which controls the LED in the middle and out the top.
Staff lighting up in action
Sketching
To begin the project, I sketched out, how I envisioned the staff to be built. The biggest considerations were, what parts needed to be hollow in order to run wires and where would the arduino be stored. Initially I planned to store the arduino in the crescent part of the staff however it was eventually moved to the center orb.
Code
With this code, the red neo pixels will turn on immediately and the white LED will only turn on once the accelerometer senses over 1.5 G Units. I chose 1.5 G as the force threshhold to acticave the staff because it could activate with moderate shaking.
Building
The crescent:
The crescent was made with laser cut EVA foam, then spray painted. The center circle was made with a circle of EVA foam sandwiched between 2 rings. The breadboard and battery pack was then glued into the center and attached to the base. Laser cutting the foam allowed me to get clean cuts on all the foam discs.
The breadboard and battery pack was then glued into the center and attached to the base. Cotact cement was used throughout most of the project because you could apply braod strokes of it. Hot glue was also used for areas where the was necessary to fill gaps in the foam.
Reflection:
This project was extremely exciting as I was able to imagine a 2d magical staff into a real life prop. Transferring fiction can be difficult since the prop has to look as real as possible to the animation without actually being made of those materials. I also thoroughly enjoyed exploring what elements I could add such as the glowing light and projection as magical as possible. Through this project, I honed my skills in fabrication methods such as laser cutting and wood shop work.
Next steps:
For future iterations, I would add several features to make the staff more “magical” such as audio and the ability to change out different acrylic discs to show more “spells”. I would also test out different LEDs and etching methods to get a clearer projection.
Base of the staff
For the base of the staff, I used a PVC pipe which was sanded down and then spray painted a glossy red. The PVC pipe gave the staff a nice weight as well. Then for the accents, I used combination of laser cutting a sheet of craft foam and hand cutting out shapes then attached the pieces using hot glue. During this process, I would have used clamps and less glue to avoid glue clumps in the final product.
The projection and LED
In order for the projection to shoot out the top of the staff, I created a small tube that would house a white LED and an acrylic disc on top. Once the LED is turned it would create a faint projection that looks like a spell from the anime. For the laser cut disc, I etched the symbol for a spell from the anime onto an acyrlic disc.
