Adafruit Conway's Spiel Lebensbaum Kit
von Adafruit
In 1970, John Conway came up with a 1-player game called Game of Life . The Game of Life is a mathematical game that simulates 'colonies' that grow or die based on how crowded or lonely they are and is known for the way it creates a beautiful organic display out of randomness.
Here is a design for a simple electronic project that plays Conway's Game of Life. Make one kit and keep it on your desk, or attach multiple kit modules together to create a large display.
Originally created by Dropout Design , this revision adds a few extra features. The kit is very easy to make and an excellent first electronics/soldering project. It is perfect for workshops since at the end everyone can connect their completed module together.
The animated GIF above shows 4 modules connected together. Each kit comes unassembled and includes all parts necessary for one module.
Features:
Each kit displays a 4x4 grid (16 LEDs)Connect as many kits as youd like, in any configuration, to create a larger game boardRuns off of 2 AA batteries (not included), but can be easily modified to run off of USB or wall-wart powerOn/Off button to save power, also for resetting the displayAutomatically resets if the colony has died or stagnated (regeneration)Backwards compatible with older versionsThere's tons more to read about the project, including directions at the website!