Fancy rear light

[Biggsy]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cool-DIY-Bike-Light/

[TimO]

It's an interesting relatively economic way of generating a limited form of animation, but I bet it weighs a fair amount!

[Arch]

Fun!

I suspect one could make a poor man's version without the CAD, and using a couple of ready made lights that have a flashing pattern - I'm thinking that two lights with flashing patterns, set off to run together, might give a relatively random flickering pattern.

This is rather OT, being a motorbike, and not rear lighting exactly, but oh, how cool....

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/4K-1215Y2FA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/4K-1215Y2FA&rel=1</a>

[Arch]

Actually, looking again, it's not a random flicker is it, it's a sequence of lights to illuminate each plate. Easy to use a standard light with scrolling function I assume.

[TimO]

Actually, looking again, it's not a random flicker is it, it's a sequence of lights to illuminate each plate. Easy to use a standard light with scrolling function I assume.

Physical alignment of the LEDs to the sheets of acrylic could be difficult just using an off the shelf unit.  I suspect you'd have to dismantle a unit, and mount the LEDs on a short length of wire to adjust their positions.  That would probably still be cheaper and easier than manufacturing the electronics yourself, but fiddly if you're not used to using a soldering iron.