How to Cram 945 LEDs into a Teeny Tiny Vegas-Style Sphere

Carl Bugeja is captivated by the engineering marvel of the Las Vegas Sphere and has created a video detailing his experience of designing and building a micro-sized desktop version. His version, about the size of a baseball, features nearly a thousand RGB pixels on its surface.

The project relies on a four-layer flexible PCB to route data and power to the numerous LEDs. Placing so many addressable LEDs — even tiny 1 mm x 1 mm ones — on a curved surface is no small feat. Carl’s approach uses this flexible PCB and some clever design and mathematics to create an unusual panel shape that fits over a small 3D printed geodesic dome.

However, the process was far from straightforward. Various challenges arose, from unfixable shorts in the first version to adhesive and durability issues in later prototypes. Despite these setbacks, the project was ultimately successful. Powered via USB-C, the mini “sphere” can display a variety of patterns and reactive emojis.

While the engineering behind this compact display is impressive, Carl has mixed feelings about the final product. Despite the 945 individual pixels, the display’s resolution is relatively low, resulting in ragged edges on familiar shapes like circles or eyes. Additionally, the project is costly; the tiny LEDs may cost only about 5 cents each, but nearly a thousand are needed for one prototype, resulting in a total bill of materials around $250 USD when including components, the PCB, controller, and mechanical parts. It’s quite different from its distant cousin, the RGB cube.

Despite these reservations, the build is slick and intriguing. Carl doubts there’s much value in further pursuing the idea, but the build process and results are well-documented in his video. Check it out below.

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