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Sparkle is the intermediate step up from Dazzu:
- you can choose from a lot more light patterns
- use it by itself, so your project is tiny
- you can connect up to 20 LEDs, arranged how you like
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However, Sparkle is not as featured as Chiclet:
- it only uses plain LEDs
- uses simple switches (not sensors)
- cannot connect to motors or music player
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Movie credits: ANIOMAGIC JAPAN
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Sparkle kit tutorial
See how easy it is to get started with etextiles using the awesome Sparkle kit! 
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Ever wanted to make a scrap-book page more interactive? We did! We thought it would be nice to decorate our scrapbook pages with a bit of etextile magic, and we liked this one so much that we decided to hang it up in our kitchen. 
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We took a fabulous felt cloche hat, added some Sparkle, a felt flower, and some velvet to make it even more fabulous! 
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Follow us as we explore some ambient computing with Sparkle, canvas, and paint.
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Spruce up trick-or-treating this Halloween with a really unique, easy-to-make twinkling mask.
With the Sparkle tilt kit, the mask lights up when the wearer tilts his head while yelling "trick or treat". How neat is that!?! 
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Every Valentine's day, Textile enchantress gives away a cute tutu to a lucky person. This year, "it will be given away by the beautiful and inspiring as a super special Valentine's Day treat!"
What's really exciting is she is the first showcase for the upcoming Sparkle, a tiny bit of etextile magic to quickly and easily add some sparkle to your outfit. We'll premier Sparkle really soon! We think you'll love it. 
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Out on the town for valentine's? Accessorize with this elegant sparkling choker designed by aniomagic friend !
Using sparkle and sequins, she fashioned this tasteful choker to light up the night with some soft twinkles.
We've put together a complete tutorial so you can make your own. enjoy!
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You've got in your hands all the pieces you need to make the world's coolest programmable bracelet. Take it to raves, use it when you bike at night, write words in the air, or just light up the night.
Best of all, you can reprogram it right from your iPhone/iPod or computer screen.
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What happens when you take a white faux-leather band, and sprinkle some Sparkle and rhinestones? You get one lovely piece of play wear.
We've done the bracelet kit before, but this version explores a different aethetic. Just point the bracelet at a computer screen, drag some sliders, and you're good to go. There's also a text interface for creating more intricate patterns.
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Yukari Tsuda owns Flower arrangement studio, PISTACHE, in Tokyo, and specializes in creating delightful pieces for any occasion. She encourages us all to brighten up our daily lives with flowers, even if it's just a tiny one tucked behind your ear.
During her visit to Boulder, we wanted to experiment a bit with adding some Sparkle to a corsage, and the result was just phenomenal! Arigatou Yukari-san! (^_^)/
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It's not working
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Sparkle has a tiny red light that tells you what's going on: |
when red light is |
Sparkle is |
always lit |
running a program, though that program may not be flashing any lights. Send it a new program |
flashing rapidly |
waiting for a program. Press the touch strip to make it run again |
dimly flashing once a second |
sleeping. Press the touch strip to wake it up |
off |
we have a problem |
If you cannot see this light:
- double-check your connections
- make sure you sewed through the holes several times for a tight fit
- look for short circuits, places where two threads might be touching
- use a new battery
- review the sparkle sewing tutorial
- totally undo the circuit, and sew only two things: Sparkle, and battery
- now add other leds, one by one, testing each time you add one
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The tiny red LED is on, but nothing else
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- turn Sparkle over
- make sure it's still connected to the battery
- look for the reset pad, as shown in the photo
- connect it to the larger hole with tweezers or needle
- the red light will go off
- wait 1 second
- remove the tweezers
- the red light will come on
- repeat steps 1-3 until Sparkle flashes again
- You can do this even after Sparkle is sewn; just bend the cloth a bit.
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How do I connect it?

review the sparkle sewing tutorial
- Connect Sparkle to the battery holder using conductive thread, conductive paint, or regular wire
- Use two separate threads, one for plus and one for minus
- Go through each hole 4-6 times to make a good connection, not just once
- Make sure there is no short circuit
- Connect a 3 volt battery. It should start flashing
- Next, with the power on, add the two LEDs on the left
- The one closest to Sparkle has its + side up, and the outer one has its + side down
- Use two separate threads, one for plus and one for minus
- Make sure these two LEDs are also flashing before adding the two on the right
- You can use other LEDs, up to 20, in any color combination
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Can I use other types of LEDs?
Certainly, with a caveat: the flat LED boards come with a built-in resistor that allows all colors to be used in the same circuit. The other LEDs shown do not have a resistor which means that a blue LED might not light up if connected at the same points as a red LED. This is due to the different turn-on voltages of different LED colors.
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surface mount
use with conductive paint and paper based projects |
LED board
the default
flat and easy to sew |
LED sequin
elegant look, a bit brittle
need sewing expertise |
5mm LED
more visible from a distance
commonly available |
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How do I turn it off?
- Hold your finger, a needle, or tweezers to the strip under the tiny red LED
- After 1 second, the tiny red LED should start flashing
- Keep your finger on the touch strip for more than 1 second
- The red LED will fade off, and Sparkle will go to sleep
- Press the touch strip again to wake it up.
- Check out the video for more
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How do I program it?
- Go to: aniomagic.com/program
- Hold your finger, a needle, or tweezers to the strip under the tiny red LED.
- After 1 second, the tiny red LED should start flashing.
- Put Sparkle in front of the icon on the screen and click send.
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It doesn't enter programming mode
The touch strip measures the capacitance in your finger. It might help to use a needle or paperclip for better contact. Moistening your finger works too. |
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It's not getting new programs from the screen
- Hold Sparkle closer to the screen.
- Make the screen brighter or change the contrast.
- Dim the lights; a brightly lit environment overpowers the sensor.
- If your web browser is playing a video or doing some other activity, it throws off the timing.
Close all other browser windows and see if this solves the problem.
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What kind of programs can I create?
There are two ways to program Sparkle:
- Making choices from the programming menu
- Writing textual programs
Choose a flashing pattern and speed from the NORMAL side.
The SPECIAL side works only for Sparkle kits that include a push sensor.
You can also write programs in the textual programming language, for example:
(always
(repeat 3 (right 2) (left 2)) (wait 10)) This tells Sparkle to fade the lights left and right 3 times, wait 10 seconds, then start all over.
Learn more.
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How long does it run?
# lights |
CR1220
40mAh |
CR2016
130mAh |
CR2032
250mAh |
AAA
750mAh |
LiPo
1000mAh |
AA
1500mAh |
current |
5 LEDs |
8 hours |
20 hours |
36 hours |
72 hours |
120 hours |
168 hours |
5mA |
10 LEDs |
3 hours |
7 hours |
15 hours |
24 hours |
72 hours |
120 hours |
15mA |
20 LEDs |
- |
- |
2 hours |
8 hours |
48 hours |
36 hours |
60mA |
40 LEDs |
- |
- |
- |
12 hours |
16 hours |
18 hours |
100mA |
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What are the LED characteristics (volts / brightness / wavelengths)?
LED
color |
Dominant
wavelength |
Luminous
intensity (IF=20mA) |
Relative
brightness |
Forward
voltage |
Current
@3V |
Resistor
on board |
diamond (white) |
X=0.285, Y=0.295 |
260mcd |
1.0 (basis) |
3.1V |
20mA |
100Ω |
emerald (green) |
530nm |
300mcd |
1.2x |
2.8V |
25mA |
150Ω |
amethyst (purple/uv) |
380nm |
80mcd |
0.3x |
3.2V |
15mA |
27Ω |
sapphire (blue) |
470nm |
290mcd |
1.1x |
3.1V |
20mA |
100Ω |
rose quartz (pink) |
---- |
110mcd |
0.4x |
3.2 |
15mA |
27Ω |
fire opal (orange) |
640nm |
300mcd |
1.2x |
2.4V |
20mA |
100Ω |
citrine (yellow) |
590nm |
280mcd |
1.1x |
2.6V |
20mA |
100Ω |
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