A tiny window into a better world – one whimsical utopia at a time.
Framed Utopia is an art prototype that displays bright glimpses of impossible happiness on a 64x64 LED matrix display. In a world often dominated by negative news, this digital picture frame offers a moment of respite through playful, uplifting messages about imaginary utopias.
Examples of messages you might see:
- "Ewiger Sommer niemals zu heiss"
- "Laechelnde Baeume sprechende Blumen"
- "Pizza ist gesund"
- "Weltfrieden garantiert"
The display shows messages in random colors, creating a constantly changing kaleidoscope of positive possibilities.
- 64x64 RGB LED Matrix Display (HUB75 interface)
- ESP32 microcontroller
- Power supply (5V)
- Boot button (GPIO0) for time setup
- Displays messages in random colors for visual variety
- Changes message every 30 seconds
- Completely offline operation
- Built-in collection of whimsical utopian messages
- Low memory footprint
- Simple and reliable operation
- Power-saving sleep mode (22:00-07:00)
- ESP32-HUB75-MatrixPanel-I2S-DMA
- Resolution: 64x64 pixels
- Interface: HUB75
- Driver: FM6124
- Brightness: 100/255 (configurable)
- Update Interval: 30 seconds
- Install the required libraries in your Arduino IDE:
- ESP32-HUB75-MatrixPanel-I2S-DMA
- Connect the ESP32 to your LED matrix following HUB75 pinout
- Upload the code to your ESP32
- On first boot, use the boot button to set the time:
- Short press: Increment hour (0-23)
- Long press (2 seconds): Confirm time
- The device will now run automatically, sleeping between 22:00 and 07:00
To add or modify messages, edit the utopias array in the main .ino file. Each message should be a string that fits comfortably on the display. The system automatically handles word wrapping and display formatting.
In a world where news feeds and social media often amplify negative events, Framed Utopia aims to create tiny moments of joy through absurd and delightful possibilities. It's not about ignoring reality – it's about remembering that imagination and whimsy have their place in making our day a little brighter.
This project is open source and available under the MIT License.