Glowtape Wearable Display Steals the Show at Supercon

The Glowtape wearable display, created by [Henner Zeller], dazzled attendees at Supercon 2024 with its innovative use of UV LEDs and glow-in-the-dark material. This unique timepiece doubles as an artistic canvas, displaying time, text, and images on a glowing strip of material.

How Glowtape Works

Glowtape uses a dense array of UV LEDs to energize glow-in-the-dark tape, producing bright and ephemeral displays of the time, date, or personalized messages. It offers a mesmerizing viewing experience, especially in low-light environments, as seen during Supercon’s evening events.

• Features:
  • Displays time, date, and customizable text or images.
  • Fades quickly but refreshes dynamically, ideal for practical use.
  • Powered by an RP2040 microcontroller and housed in a 3D-printed enclosure.
• Challenges:
  While captivating, the Glowtape requires managing a meter-long strip of material, a trade-off for its striking visuals.

Make It Yourself

For the DIY enthusiasts, [Henner] has shared the full source code and design files for Glowtape. From OpenSCAD scripts for 3D printing to C firmware for the microcontroller, everything you need to recreate this wearable marvel is available.

Beyond the Watch: Glowxels

The Glowtape’s LED array design is a spin-off of the Glowxels project, which applies this glowing display technology on a larger scale. It’s a testament to the versatility of UV-activated materials in creative projects.

Glowtape is a perfect blend of functionality and artistic expression, setting a new benchmark for innovative wearable displays.