How to Build Your Own Handheld POV

Want to enter the Pyro POV Contest but unsure how to build a POV device? PyroEDU has you covered! Check out Course 5: FPGA and CPLD » Lesson 9: Design a Handheld POV to learn how to build your very own handheld POV device! See it in action below:

Now, simply modify the example design to make it your own. Here are a few ideas you could try:

• Try multi-colored LEDs and set them to change color for each new letter.
• Set the POV on a track and create a spring-loaded launcher that moves the POV device at a consistent speed.
• Try to create a matrix effect with green LEDs moving your POV device vertically.

How to Enter

• View the Pyro Propeller Clock POV Project to learn more about the concept Persistence of Vision (POV) – a phenomenon where an afterimage persists for roughly one twenty-fifth of a second on the retina after the stimulus that produced it is removed.
• Build an original electronic device demonstrating POV and photograph in action in a darkened environment. You may use any electronic parts desired as long as the POV signals are driven by either an FPGA or CPLD.
• Submit your entry to contests@pyroelectro.com with the subject line "PyroElectro POV Contest." Your entry must contain two photos of the device – one of its components in a well-lit environment and one of it in action in a darkened environment – as well as a circuit diagram and the VHDL code to run the device.

Prizes

• 1st Place Prize:
  
  One Basys2 Spartan-3E FPGA Development Board from Newark.
• 2nd Place Prize:
  
  One 830 Point Breakout Board and one Jumper Wire Kit from The Gadgetory.
• 3rd Place Prize:
  
  One DT830B Digital Multimeter from The Gadgetory.

Rules

• Entrant must be at least 13 years old as of July 26, 2014
• Entries must be received by 11:59:59 p.m. PDT on August 30, 2014
• Your entry must be an original electronic device demonstrating POV
• You must use either an FPGA or CPLD to drive the POV signals and the program must be written in VHDL
• Your entry must contain:
  1. A compressed archive file – Zip (.zip) or Tarball (.tar.gz) only – containing:
     • A photograph^* of the device in a well-lit environment showing the components used
     • A photograph^* of the device in action in a darkened environment
     • A circuit diagram describing the device as a PDF or image^*
     • The VHDL code for the device in plaintext format
     • ^*All images/photographs must be in the format JPG or PNG with a minimum 72 dpi resolution
  2. Your name as you'd like it to appear on the Contest Entries page
  3. A brief description of your device and, optionally, the process used to create it

Please read the official rules for more requirements and restrictions that apply.

Judging

Winners of the contest will be selected by a panel of judges, including but not limited to PyroElectro.com staff. Entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

• Demonstration of Persistence of Vision
• Technical skill
• Originality

Please read the official rules for more details about judging.