The HiveLight is an innovative lighting fixture designed to immerse your space in mesmerizing colors and dynamic patterns. With its blend of captivating visuals, touch-sensitive controls, and audio-reactive lighting, the HiveLight adds an enchanting ambiance to any environment. While this tutorial provides detailed instructions for assembly and configuration, it's essential to approach this project with caution and understanding.

Recreate at Your Own Risk:

Building electronic devices involves working with various components and soldering, which can pose risks if not done correctly. Therefore, it's crucial to have a basic understanding of electronics and soldering techniques before attempting this project. If you're unfamiliar with these concepts, consider seeking guidance from someone with experience or conducting thorough research beforehand.

Know What You're Doing:

Each step in this tutorial requires careful attention to detail, from soldering connections to configuring software settings. Before proceeding, take the time to understand the purpose and implications of each action. If you encounter any uncertainties or difficulties along the way, don't hesitate to seek clarification or assistance.

By acknowledging these considerations and approaching the project with care and knowledge, you can maximize your chances of success while minimizing potential risks. Enjoy the process of creating your HiveLight, but always prioritize safety and understanding throughout the journey.

Materials Needed:

• ESP32 Development Board
• WS2812B LED Strip
• TTP223 Capacitive Touch Sensor
• INMP441 MEMS Microphone
• 470 Ohm Resistor
• USB Cable
• 1000 µF, 10V Capacitor
• Jumper Wires
• Soldering Iron and Solder
• 3D Printed Lamp Components

Software Installation:

Install WLED on ESP32:

• Connect the ESP32 to your PC via USB.
• Visit https://install.wled.me/ and follow the on-screen instructions to install the "AudioReactive" version of WLED.
• Set up Wi-Fi credentials as prompted during the installation process.

Visual representation how I soldered everything together:

Hardware Assembly:

Prepare USB Cable:

• Cut one end of the USB cable and pass it through the hole in the 3D printed bottom part of the lamp.

Solder Capacitor:

• Solder the 1000 µF capacitor across the USB cable's +5V and GND wires for power smoothing.
  Connect ESP32:
• Solder a jumper wire from the positive leg of the capacitor to the 5V pin of the ESP32.
• Solder another jumper wire from the negative leg of the capacitor to the GND pin of the ESP32.
• Desolder the onboard LED from the ESP32 to prevent unwanted light emission through the lamp.

Connect LED Strip:

• Solder a 470 Ohm resistor to GPIO16 on the ESP32.
• Wrapped the LED strip around the tower and cut the excess strip. Counted how many LEDS I used - 33.
• From the resistor, solder a jumper wire to the data input pin of the LED strip.
• Solder the LED strip's +5V wire to the positive leg of the capacitor and the GND wire to the negative leg of the capacitor.

Connect Microphone:

• Solder a wire from microphone's GND and L/R pins to the ESP32's GND pin.
• Solder a wire from the microphone's VDD pin to the ESP32's 3.3V pin.
• Solder a wire from the microphone's SD pin to GPIO32, SCK pin to GPIO33, and WS pin to GPIO25 on the ESP32.

Connect Touch Sensor:

• Bridge the 'B' connection on the touch sensor.
• Desolder the onboard LED
• Solder a wire from the touch sensor's GND terminal to the capacitor's GND.
• Solder another wire from the touch sensor's VCC terminal to the capacitor.
• Solder a wire from the TTP223 sensor's I/O terminal to GPIO12 on the ESP32.

After soldering, secure the ESP32 to the bottom case with hot glue, ensuring it's firmly attached. Place the touch sensor in its designated slot and apply hot glue around its edges. Let the microphone hang freely inside the case. Allow the hot glue to cool and harden before handling the assembly.

Software Configuration:

Configure WLED LED Preferences:

• Access WLED's web interface using the ESP32's IP address.
• Navigate to the "Config" tab and select “LED Preferences.”
• Tick the checkbox for "Enable automatic brightness limiter" and set "Maximum Current" to 400mA.
• Choose "5V efficient (35mA)" under "LED voltage" and set the "Length" to how many LEDs you used under "LED outputs." In my case it was 33.
• Assign GPIO 16 for LED data output and GPIO 12 for the touch sensor.
• Click on the "Save" button to apply the LED preferences.

Configure Audio Reactive Mode:

• In the WLED web interface, navigate to the “Config” tab again, then select “Usermods”.
• Under "Digitalmic," set the "Type" to “Generic I2S”.
• Assign pins for I2S communication: Pin I2S SD: 32, Pin I2S WS: 25, Pin I2S SCK: 33
• Set "Pin I2S MCLK" to “Unused.”
• Click on the "Save" button to apply the usermod configuration.

Testing and Usage:

Test Touch Sensor Functionality:

• Verify that the touch sensor can toggle the lamp on and off effectively.
  

Test Audio-Reactive Functionality:

• In the WLED web interface, select an audio-reactive preset.
• Play music or generate noise near the microphone to observe the lamp's dynamic audio-reactive lighting patterns.

Adjust Settings and Presets:

• Customize settings and presets in the WLED web interface to fine-tune the mood lighting experience.
  

Follow these instructions carefully to assemble and configure your HiveLight Mood Lamp. Enjoy the mesmerizing light displays and interactive features!