For my main project I am planning on designing a beer tap handle that has some dynamic lighting functionality to it. Recently at my internship I worked on a project where I was tasked to prototype various methods of producing a lighting effect for a surgical device. One method that didn’t work perfectly for the application, but I found interest in, was using flexible fiber optic tubing as light piping.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.aesdes.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/514n6BhBoDL.jpg?resize=500%2C481&ssl=1)
Having some experience with producing these lighting effects, I’ve been searching for some inspiration on what design could incorporate this aesthetic. One thing that I found would be an interesting way to incorporate it would be a weeping willow tree. The Tree of Souls in the movie Avatar came to mind and I think this method would be a great way to produce a similar effect in a physical product.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.aesdes.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Utral_Aymokriyä.jpg?fit=1024%2C576)
This past week I pitched to the CU Boulder Innovation Seed Funding group, where I was awarded funding to purchase a dual extruder for my 3D printer. What I would love to do with these capabilities is incorporate conductive filament into a 3D printed tap handle. This would allow me to incorporate a battery and integrated LEDs into the handle. The below sketch is a cross section of what I am thinking about doing to incorporate the electronics.
![](https://i2.wp.com/www.aesdes.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/IMG_6587.jpg?fit=1024%2C768)
The handle will screw apart to allow for insertion/replacement of the battery, and the conductive filament will complete the circuit of the battery to the board of LEDs. To control them I will use a small Arduino microcontroller. The handle body will be printed and stained in woodfill PLA to give it a more natural feel.
This will definitely be a significant undertaking for design and assembly, but I think it is feasible and I am looking forward to finishing it!
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2 Comments. Leave new
Wow! That’s a really cool idea. I think it would be great if you present your final project with more than one beer with different design and colors! Arduino can provide about 9 Volts other than the original 5 Volts and I think that will help you. Good Luck!
Chris, this is a super cool idea. I like the use of leds and fiber optics to create a very unique, almost alien aesthetic. I think it would look really good like those trees in Avatar. Any breweries in particular you are designing this around? Maybe if you pick a beer you like that fits the aesthetic your envisioning or make up a quick beer brand to design around it might be easier to flesh out your design with a brand image to work with.