RGB Mad Pumpkin

We want to make something geeky for this Halloween. Something with addressable RGB leds and with a WiFi microcontroller.

We will need:

• Pumpkin (obviously)
  
• knife
• spoon
• esp8266 microcontroller (example https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-Internet-Development-Wireless-Micropython/dp/B010N1SPRK)
• ws2812b leds or any RGBIC (example https://www.amazon.com/ALITOVE-Individual-Addressable-Programmable-Non-Waterproof/dp/B01MG49QKD)
• wires
• soldering iron

Optional:

• 7.4V 450mAh 2S LiPo Battery (example https://www.amazon.com/flite-400mAh-7-4v-LiPo-Battery)/dp/B01632PB34
• buck convertor to 5v (example https://www.amazon.com/Maxmoral-MP1584EN-Converter-Adjustable-Step-Down/dp/B07RWV51YB)

Look up a design you like, and then have fun.

Remember to ask an adult for supervision at this step !

First a little theory.

The WS2812B is an RGB LED in the SMD 5050 case with WS2811 controller already integrated.

The ESP8266 is a system on a chip (SOC) Wi-Fi microchip for Internet of Things (IoT) applications produced by Espressif Systems.

We need either to power it via the usb connector or supply it with a 5v from a LiPo battery and a buck convertor.
I won't go into details here. You can find lots of tutorials on the internet (including this one here https://www.instructables.com/ESP8266-controlling-Neopixel-LEDs-using-Arduino-ID/)

You can use some toothpicks and small chunks of pumpkin pulp to fix all the wires.

You can also hide all the wires so that they are not seen inside the pumpkin.

Have a haunted Halloween!