The item you need is plastic-coated wire mesh. It is available at most hardware stores and garden centres. Here is the brand that Michael used to develop his Cossack design.
Tag: Instructions
Meet Cossack
This is a photo of a very cleverly designed light hat, called Cossack. Created and named by Michael, one of the founders of Light Ahead Inc, Michael has given permission for the blog to publish instructions.
Cossack is a brilliant design as it solves the ventilation problem that is inherent in the use of plastic buckets. The frame is made from aluminium coated garden mesh available from hardware and gardening stores.
More details are coming…
12 Volts DC
Be safe. Make only 12 volt light devices.
Just in case you have an urge to build an Eliza using 240 volts, then DON’T.
Light hats made with 12 Volt Direct Current work well. They are safe to make and use at home.
12 Volts DC is a safe way for us all to make and use light devices at home.
Remember the Goldilocks Effect. More power is not going to help, and if you start playing with 240 volts you are entering dangerous territory.
DO
- Make 12 volt DC light devices
- Use it daily
- Email me through the blog and tell me how you are going
DON’T
- Try using higher voltages
The light hat isn’t helping my PD…
One of the problems of writing a blog, I’m finding, is that people are keen to share good news, but they are not so keen to share not so good news, or even no news. I’m guessing that there are people out there who can relate to this.
Let’s say that you have Parkinson’s, you have made yourself a light hat, and you have been wearing it every day for 20-30 minutes. You have a lot of hope.
A month down the track and nothing seems to have changed. You are feeling a bit fed up with the red light caper, and sick of the jokes that others make about it.
Another month goes past and you are sure that you’ve had no response from the lights. Are the red lights a load of hooey? Continue reading “The light hat isn’t helping my PD…”
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.
