Instructions – Red lights on the brain

Redlightsonthebrain Forum

A few people have asked to be put into contact with others making Elizas and Daffodils at home. I’m told that a forum is just the thing to allow this to happen.

So the redlightsonthebrain forum has been set up. It is set up as a free site, so apologies in advance for any advertisements.

I’m the Admin, but I’m a novice forum-user, so anything could happen….oh well, we can only give it a try. If it is a disaster, it can be removed from existence.

Why have one Eliza when you can have two?

Life is full of revelations. In my case, this revelation is a slow realisation of the blatantly obvious.

I’ve been fretting over the instructions for a two-wavelength Eliza. These instructions will involve soldering and flash stuff like that. It’s OK for those who solder for pleasure, and who are at one with the finer points of electrical connections, but most Eliza-makers are happy to avoid unnecessary complications.

So, applying the KISS (keep it simple, stupid), I offer this pronouncement:

Make two Elizas (or Daffodils), one with the ~670nm LED strip and the other with a longer wavelength. While 810nm is the fashionable one, it has been difficult to get, whereas 850nm is much easier to find.

Then use the two light hats in sequence, one immediately following the other. I tend to use the ~670nm first, then the longer wavelength second. I’m not sure that it makes much difference which goes first, as long as one quickly follows the other.

Daffodil vs Eliza light hats

It is wonderful to hear about more Eliza light hats being made out of buckets. Those buckets sure are useful things.

I’ve heard from two people who are using plant pots. I did try using plant pots early on in my experiments, but the ones I bought had sloped or curved sides and I found it difficult to secure the LED strip without contorting it into a place it didn’t really want to be. However, others have been more successful, which is wonderful.

I had serious discussions with the first person to create a light hat from a plant pot.The topic was the appropriate name for the plant-pot-based light hat.

It clearly could not be Eliza because there was no bucket involved.

We agreed on Daffodil.

Click here for instructions to make your own Eliza light hat (or Daffodil)

Click here for information about tracking your progress.

Another Eliza is born

Congratulations to the maker of this very fine Eliza!

It is heartening to hear of more Eliza light hats being made at home.

For those who are apprehensive, take heart. It can be done. If you aren’t in a position to do the fiddly stuff yourself, then you will almost certainly have a mate who is prepared to help. Just ask.

Weekend Australian article

An article in the Weekend Australian newspaper about red light and Parkinson’s Disease covers some of the people involved in the experiences described in this blog.

The article mentioned a home-made light hat. The instructions for making a one-wavelength version of the hat (aka Eliza) have been posted.

Instructions for a two-wavelength version of the light hat are in progress.

PS. If the link to the article takes you to a paywall, try searching for it using Google, using the search term ‘Suvi Weekend Australian’. I was able to access the full article this way.