CheerLights

Video

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:54:42 -0500

Noel created a wireless version of CheerLights using ioBridge...

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:31:00 -0500

Noel created a wireless version of CheerLights using ioBridge and XBee Radios from Digi. He added random colors sequences and schedules using the ioBridge API to turn off his lights during the daytime and back on at night. The results are spectacular from the aptly named Noel!

I’m an avid fan of all things connected to the Internet (aka the internet of things) and love hacking and tinkering away in my free time. This year I decided to join other folks in a social Christmas lights experiment called Cheerlights. The project provided an API powered by the thinkspeak.com platform that allowed users to subscribe to the latest color tweeted.

[via My Web of Things Blog / The AppsLab]

This is Ewen, the Cheerlights enabled ewok robot. He reacts to...

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:19:00 -0500

This is Ewen, the Cheerlights enabled ewok robot. He reacts to tweets made to #cheerlights, and lets us know how he feels about the colours you choose. Ewen is controlled using a Helion Microsystems USB interface board, and the twitter interface on thingspeak.com - Cheerlights is a project synchronising christmas lights all over the planet! Jump in!

Hack a Day lamp connected to Cheerlights created by Colin...

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:03:22 -0500

Hack a Day lamp connected to Cheerlights created by Colin Sipherd

CheerLights Nativity Scene with nanode.

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:45:17 -0500

CheerLights Nativity Scene with nanode.

Cheerlights by PepperSuite on Flickr.

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:23:31 -0500

Cheerlights by PepperSuite on Flickr.

CheerLights Inspired Pictures from Flickr

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:19:21 -0500

CheerLights Inspired Pictures from Flickr:

We recently discovered the “Beast of Traal” photostream on Flickr and noticed some photos tagged CheerLights. What this designer has created is a webpage that pulls photos from Flickr inspired by the current CheerLights color. It’s really interesting to us and we wish we had more information to share. Check out the live site on MikeTilley.com.

Petter Solberg created a CheerLantern - it synchronizes to...

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:19:44 -0500

Petter Solberg created a CheerLantern - it synchronizes to CheerLights and boldly shines the latest color with 10W of power.

Today, Sunlight Labs announced that they are linked into the...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:01:18 -0500

Today, Sunlight Labs announced that they are linked into the CheerLights project!

CheerLights on Wired UK and Interview

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:44:24 -0500

CheerLights on Wired UK and Interview:

Olivia Solon, journalist, blogger and geek with a penchant for animal-themed t-shirts, wrote an article for Wired UK about CheerLights. She wanted to dig deeper and contacted us for more information. Olivia’s article includes details on the CheerLights project and interview with the project creator, Hans Scharler of ioBridge.

“We live in a time and age that we are close because of technology than we have ever been. But, we use it for odd things. I wanted to feel the connections to others. In my mind’s eye, I see lights going on an off and seeing others notice it. Even if it is fleeting, we were connected in that moment. Cheesy, no?”

Check out Olivia’s other articles on Wired UK - she is writing about some really cool projects and technology.

[via Wired UK]

Outside Holiday Lights Controlled by Twitter

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:55:00 -0500

Outside Holiday Lights Controlled by Twitter:

Reb and company added some ColorEffects lights to the outside of their house to connect to the CheerLights project. Just think… you controlling outside lights at this house, plus Christmas trees, and 1000’s of other lights and apps with a single Tweet to CheerLights.

[via Reb Livingston]

CheerLights-enabled Christmas Tree with Color Backlighting

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:48:00 -0500

CheerLights-enabled Christmas Tree with Color Backlighting:

[mlinnen] is using the Color Kinetics ColorBlast to light up his Christmas tree. Normally the ColorBlast 6 is used for outdoor flood lighting, but this makes for a stunning back light to a Christmas tree. Check out BitBucket for the project details and code.

Arduino Ethernet + ShiftBrite LED = CheerLights

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:32:50 -0500

Arduino Ethernet + ShiftBrite LED = CheerLights:

Ben Konosky wrote some Arduino source code to allow an Arduino with Ethernet Shield to connect to the CheerLights API (via ThingSpeak) and adjust the color of a ChiftBrite LED module. Ben’s trick was to get all of the libraries to fit on the Arduino’s file space. This code is highly reusable and should make it easy for those that are making CheerLights with ShiftBrite lights. Ben’s code is available now on GitHub and more information can be found on his “Little Piece of the Web” blog.

Here is a demonstration of shifting between colors using Arduino Ethernet and ShiftBrite LEDs:

"OMG IT WORKED!!! @Cheerlights is the coolest thing ever!"

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:10:02 -0500

“OMG IT WORKED!!! @Cheerlights is the coolest thing ever!”

- @laurenonizzle

CheerioBot: It can be your friend or enemy

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:02:36 -0500

CheerioBot: It can be your friend or enemy:

It was bound to happen. When you start connecting things, they may turn on you. CheerioBot can be your follower or rebel against your control. This amazing little bot can tweet it’s own colors when the CheerLights Twitter feed is slow. It’s very interesting to think that this device is essentially in a symbiotic relationship with itself and the rest of the world. As with any “good” bot, CheerioBot can turn against the system and rebel by setting itself to another color than what CheerLights is telling it to. I never imagined this when I created CheerLights, but now I can’t imagine the project without the CheerioBot!

[via Hack a Day]

USB CheerLights for your Desktop

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:34:12 -0500

USB CheerLights for your Desktop:

As promised pete@rasterweb posted the details on how he created a USB version of CheerLights for your desktop. The build produces stunning results and seems easy to replicate. I think this will be the gift of the season for next year’s holidays.

CheerLights on Hack a Day

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:16:44 -0500

CheerLights on Hack a Day:

Awesome! CheerLights get a mention on Hack a Day:

They say that the holidays are a time to gather with others, which usually translates into spending time with friends and family. The folks at ioBridge Labs thought that while friends and family certainly are a big part of the holidays, it would be pretty cool to gather together flocks of strangers by using the Internet to synchronize their Christmas lights.

Call or TXT CheerLights for the Latest Color

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:41:36 -0500

We created a new app using Twilio + ioBridge to read in the latest CheerLights color from the ThingSpeak API. If you call or TXT the CheerLights Hotline, our app will reply with a holiday greating and the latest color.

CheerLights Hotline: +1 385-282-4337 (Call or TXT)

Developers can learn more about it here.

CheerLights iPhone App from SunshineApps

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:40:37 -0500

CheerLights iPhone App from SunshineApps:

Here’s an app for the iPhone that shows you the latest CheerLights color. Now, you can join others connected to the CheerLights project with just a smartphone. Big thanks to SunshineApps for contributing to the project.

More info on CheerLights iPhone Apps…

Milwaukee Makerspace CheerLights Build

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:16:32 -0500

Milwaukee Makerspace CheerLights Build:

[Pete] from Milwaukee Makerspace created his own version of CheerLights using Arduino and ShiftBrite. Looks like he modified his cool Light Organ project as a starting point. Bonus points for using a Perl for the Internet of Things. Pete says to check back for more details…