I’ve been kicking this around and while I have some ideas I don’t have the know-how to make it happen. This is a project for this year’s Midwest FurFest.
Imagine if you will: Your basic coat check at a hotel. Doors which fold open on either side of the opening, a counter about 3.5 feet off the ground. The top of the opening is about 7 or 7.5 feet off the ground. We need a light which can be either freestanding or perhaps clamp to the door (with suitable protection to keep from scratching the door). It needs to project out from behind the counter about 12-18 inches, high enough that no one walking by will hit their head on it. The light should flash, but it can’t be obnoxious, like a spinning strobe light. The light would be turned on and off from inside the coat check, so no fancy controls are needed.
I’m thinking something similar to a broadcasting studio “ON AIR” light, only one that says “VOLUNTEERS NEEDED”. Alternately (but not nearly as spiffy) a flashing light with a sign next to it that says, “Volunteers needed when flashing”.
Oh yeah, and I need one more thing: Someone to build it. Any takers? 🙂 You would be reimbursed for all materials used.
I was planning on putting together something similar for FCN. maybe we could arrange a loan back and forth or something? I’ve already procured a neon sign for my implementation.
We’ve got some location-specific issues to deal with which will probably lead us to a specific solution, but anything we come up with I am willing to bet we could share with FCN if needed 🙂
Holograms. Its all about 3D. :xD
And lasers! Don’t forget the lasers!
I happen to have a LED sign-board just sitting around home. It needs a power supply to get it up and running, but I think I can have that by MFF if it’s useful. It can be controlled from any laptop, and have whatever message you want scrolling, blinking, etc on it.
I think I’m looking for something a bit easier to see and recognize from, say, the other end of the main hallway (about 300 feet away). I’ve got a couple of other possible designs in mind that might be better suited. Thanks, though!
Ok, it’s here, and underused, if you find an alternate use, let me know.
Tugrik’s about to get a 60 watt laser cutting/etching machine. I bet it could etch a _fabulous_ edge-lit plexiglass sign with any design and text you could imagine…
I’d be glad to help. Got a sketch of what you want?
Indeed I do, as well as a follow-up to a project that we discussed earlier. I’ll be in touch via e-mail tomorrow.
I was thinking that an old Teddy Ruxpin could be mounted/impaled on a pole and modified so that its eyes would glow a piercing red as it shrieked “VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!” on a continuous loop as long as it was turned on, but your idea is pretty good too.
I endorse this “demonic, shrieking Ruxpin” technology.
And after the convention, we could install it at your employer’s NOC to start shrieking whenever the network goes down. That would be awesome!
Maybe one of these would be a clever, animated solution!