“Firelight” Lantern

This past January (2013), I created “Firelight”, a lantern that shines with the light of a simulated fire.

The lantern contains over a hundred LEDs, a microcontroller, a battery pack, and custom software.  The software monitors the remaining power in the batteries, and as the voltage slowly runs down, the flames burn lower, finally dying into embers as the batteries die.

I presented the Firelight lantern at the Veracode winter Hackathon, where I lit it, and then gently blew on the coals to kindle a flame.  I’ve had a few requests to build more of these lanterns for other people, and I’m considering it, but haven’t made a decision yet.  More pictures are here.

-Mark