In a world increasingly dominated by surveillance, privacy is a growing concern. Sean Hodgins’ Become Anyone 2.0 project explores a novel way to address this issue. While it leans towards being a novelty item, the mask demonstrates futuristic concepts reminiscent of science fiction. The Become Anyone 2.0 mask integrates 2,960 addressable RGB LEDs embedded into custom PCB panels, creating a wearable display capable of showcasing intricate patterns, images, and even videos. Unlike his earlier version, which used a bulky projector to cast images onto the mask, this iteration replaces the projection system with sleek LED panels, making it far more practical and elegant.
The mask’s construction involved designing flat PCB panels interconnected through soldered pads to form its complex 3D shape. Initially powered by a Pixelblaze LED controller for easy mapping, Hodgins later switched to a Raspberry Pi to handle more advanced tasks like video playback. A custom Python script was developed to map the pixel positions across the irregular mask surface, allowing it to render animations at 8 frames per second. Powered by a 3S battery pack, the mask promises hours of continuous operation.
Hodgins has announced that the Become Anyone 2.0 project will be fully open source, with its design files and code set to be released on GitHub soon. For those interested in the details of this remarkable creation, his YouTube video provides an in-depth look at the process and challenges behind its development.
