Embedded Files
Operating the Synaptic Tree lights and interactive game is pretty simple, but there are many options you can set by updating the software via Arduino using a USB connection. This operating guide assumes the default software configuration. The software for Synaptic Tree is available on GitHub here.
Animations
When turned on Synaptic Tree comes alive at night with a range of animated lighting effects. The animation effects are grouped into different operating modes. The tree will cycle through enabled modes at random. The following modes are currently defined (* enabled by default):
Ambient * (see below)
Think (multi-colored streams moving up each branch, random pattern)
Visualize (music spectrum visualization)
Lightning * (tree is dark, then 1-3 white lightning strikes, lasts 7-10 seconds)
Heartbeat * (tree is dark, then 1-2 red flashes like heartbeats, lasts 7-10 seconds)
Ambient mode is further broken into a set of enabled ambient animations. When in ambient mode, one of the ambient animations (randomly selected) will display. The following set of ambient animations are defined (* enabled by default):
Rainbow * (full tree lights up, cycles through color spectrum)
Sparkle * (tree is dark with random flashes of light appearing)
Twinkle (tree lights up, and random segments flash)
Stripe (full tree lights up with stripe pattern, no motion)
Fire (orange/red/yellow fire animation rising from base of tree)
Meteor (pulses of colored light moving from branch tips down to based of tree)
Animations can be enabled/disabled via software update. Note that some animations are experimental and may not display correctly.
Sounds Effects
The tree has two marine (water resistant) speakers located within the trunk. The speakers provide the sound effects which accompany each animation as well as the sound effects for the tree game. A volume knob is located on the rear control panel to adjust volume for the sound effects. The speakers can also be disabled via software update. Note that the tree has a storage limit of 2MB for sounds effects (stored in WAV format). Not all animations have a corresponding sound effect file available in the source code repository.
Tree Game
The tree has an interactive game that can be activated at any time simply by touching one of the touch pads located around the trunk for at least five seconds. For more info on the tree game, go here.
Power
The tree can house two or four 12V batteries in its trunk. It currently has two 100ah LiFePO4 batteries wired in series to provide 24V DC power. If you want to use four batteries, they will need to be wired 2S2P (two sets of two in series, and those sets wired in parallel). The trunk also has a solar charger, and the tree includes an external solar array of six 100W solar panels to keep the batteries charged for use at night. The tree also has a 110V AC power connector; however, as the capacitive touch pads for the game are very sensitive to power fluctuations, it is recommended to use battery power when playing the tree game.
You turn on the tree using the main power switch located on the rear control panel. The tree also can be switched on/off over Wi-Fi using the eWeLink smart home app. The main power switch must be on for the Wi-Fi control to function. To setup Wi-Fi control, download the eWeLink app and follow instructions for adding a Wi-Fi power switch device. The tree will need to be within signal range of a Wi-Fi network with Internet access. Once the device is setup in the app, you should be able to turn the tree on/off using the app. If the tree is placed in a remote location with no Wi-Fi in range, you can use your mobile phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, and have the tree connect via your hotspot.
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