CoasterGlow by Jani 'Japala' Pönkkö

Testing

Test equipment

I don't like long drink that much but we happened to have this one can of it so why not use for scientific experiments... right?

Metku stickers

Coasters are usually used to advert different beer brands etc. so I decided to advert Metku. Good thing that I still had these stickers ... perhaps I should start sticking them to every mod that I do in the future. :)

The surface of the pad is slightly sanded so that the light will be more visible all around it.

Lights on

Glows quite nicely even with semi bright ambient lights. The weight of the glass presses the top disc down by one millimeter but that is enough to force the contact between the + leg and the battery surface.

Money shot

Sticker is more visible in real life than in this photo but the colors are quite close. Stickers with black text etc. should work better. Coasters are usually used to keep the glass firmly on the table and soak up the spills so one could cover the center area with something similar to a regular coaster. Maybe add a logo by cutting it directly to the coaster surface thus making it glow with the rest of the CoasterGlow.

Sanded or not?

Picture on the left is taken before sanding the pad and the right one after. Sanding, etching, carving etc. could be also used to make those logos/images to the coaster. Making images glow this way was first demonstrated with the original GlowPad article and is now very popular for example in case windowses.

Final

So there you have it. Quite easy mod to do and something that you can show to your girlfriend and not feel like a geek. I'm not sure if this kind of mods that doesn't involve computers is good or bad but proves that these techniques shown on this and other modding sites can be utilized in many different places. Also this wasn't the first time when partying and modding were mixed. Why not mix these CoasterGlows with these Glowing Punchbowls.

Ways to improve this mod or take it even further? You could install a heat sensor for it to change the color of the coaster by the temperature of the drink. Fading different colors or just playing some light animations could also be possible. Song playing coasters... maybe too much. ;) Coaster with Bluetooth connection to inform waitress that you need a refill... There are tons of possibilities and perhaps you may spot one of these on your next visit to that local pub.

Related past articles in Metku:

• BreezePad
• ColorFade
• Animated Leds
• GlowPad

Questions, comments? Back to the frontpage.

11.09.2003 - ©Japala

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