Re: Large, physical "status indicators" ("displays", of a sort)

On 2/27/2025 8:41 AM, piglet wrote:

On 27/02/2025 00:15, Don Y wrote:

I need to fabricate some large status displays -- on
the order of a 4+ sq ft.  The information displayed need
not be textual (note following requirement for "easy scan")
The update rate is on the order of fractional hertz.
>
They tend to be unique -- one per installation -- so
very little to gain from scale /of entire displays/.
>
And, they tends to be sparse -- with areas of high
information density.
>
They have to be "viewable" by folks of varying sensory
(and mobility) capabilities.  I.e., can't rely on
vision as their sole modality.
>
They have to be quickly "scan-able" by those same clients.
I.e., just like a sighted user can run their gaze over
a visible display to "notice" anything that is signalling
an error, so should the information in these displays
be digestible.
>
The sheer size seems to contraindicate a "PCB" approach;
few houses could handle QTY 1 of such a large (single piece)
panel.  (Breaking it into multiple panels that need to be
assembled just adds to the design cost without any real
$aving$ in fabrication)
>
I'm thinking of making a *tiny* "single point" module
that can be "addressed" to indicate a particular state.
These could then be inserted into a "frame" (that places
them in the correct physical relationships with each
other) and wired together.  The frame existing solely
to position the indicators and hold them in place.
>
Depending on the outline of the modules, the frame
could be manually fabricated, on-site.  E.g., if circular
modules, the frame could be as simple as a sheet of
polycarbonate "drilled" with appropriate openings to
accommodate the individual modules.  An appropriate
"overlay" could dress it up.
>
[Circular would suggest one wouldn't want the indicators
to have a "top" or "bottom" as that would require a
physically "keyed" hole]
>
As they are one-offs, wiring the modules could also be done
by hand.  As they could be located immediately adjacent
to each other (subject to the physical characteristics of
the "framing" material), it's unlikely that any connectors
would be practical.
>
[But, the panel should be high enough reliability that
replacing modules is a rare event]
>
In this sort of approach, I see no value in using FR4
instead of polycarbonate (or some other sheet-form material).
It's value would lie in being able to assist with the
interconnect -- I don't see how that could be done on
a physically large and varied scale.
>
Anyone tried anything along similar lines (using another
material to mechanically position "modules")?

 Like this?
 https://youtu.be/u26N-pQY2U4?si=Ahw5KL7Jyz_Y_AnT

No, the problem isn't the "indicators" -- I've already built
other displays with them, but they are all repeatable designs
where the indicators are in nice rows and columns.
Rather, I'm trying to figure out a good way of addressing the
issue where each indicator can appear virtually anywhere on
the "display".
Imagine making a map of <wherever-you-live> where an indicator
is present for each city/municipality.  They likely don't fall
into neat patterns.  There will be areas where nothing of interest
exists (settlements too small to mention, water, etc.) and other
areas where there are tightly packed clusters that abut each other.
Imagine you had need of exactly *one* of these.  Would you lay
out an oversized board (2'x2' or larger)?  Or, arrange to build up
such a surface using multiple adjacent panels (what if indicators
needed to be present "on the seams"?)?
What you have as a given is that no two indicators will occupy the
same location (because no two "settlements" occupy the same location).
But, the indicators have to be large/significant enough to be
resolvable using different sensory modalities -- you'd not be able
to /nonvisually/ resolve something of a size on the order of a pel
(assuming you could manufacture such an indicator).
But, they can be placed anywhere without regard for the locations
of their neighbors.