SteamPunk Goggles - Simple DIY Tutorial Part 2

2026-03-26 | By Ron Cutts

License: GNU Lesser General Public License Microcontrollers WS2812/SK6812 (NeoPixel) Arduino ESP32

We will learn how to make the legendary steampunk goggles that change colors. If you haven't yet, please check out my first SteamPunk Goggles tutorial.

Watch the video!

Learn more about Visuino: What is Visuino

What You Will Need

Welding goggles
2X NeoPixel - WS2812 RGB LED Ring (with 12 LEDs)
Arduino UNO (or any other Arduino)
Jumper wires
Visuino software: Download Visuino

What You Will Need

What You Will Need photo 2

What You Will Need photo 3

What You Will Need photo 4

What You Will Need photo 5

Powering

If you plan to power the Arduino with a battery, you can use a power bank that has a USB connector so you can connect it easily.

If you plan to use a 9V battery or similar, then using wires, connect a battery negative pin (-) to Arduino pin [GND] and connect a battery positive pin (+) to Arduino pin [VIN]

Circuit

Connect the Arduino board pin 5V to the first LedRing pin VCC
Connect the Arduino board pin GND to the first LedRing pin GND
Connect the Arduino board's digital pin 2 to the first LedRing pin DI
Connect the Arduino board pin 5V to the second LedRing pin VCC
Connect the Arduino board pin GND to the second LedRing pin GND
Connect the Arduino board's digital pin 3 to the second LedRing pin DI

Wire everything according to the schematic, then use hot glue and mount each ring on the goggles

Circuit

Start Visuino, and Select the Arduino UNO board type.

The Visuino: https://www.visuino.eu also needs to be installed. Download the free version or register for a free trial.

Start Visuino as shown in the first picture. Click on the "Tools" button on the Arduino component (Picture 1) in Visuino. When the dialog appears, select "Arduino UNO" as shown in Picture 2

Start Visuino, and Select the Arduino UNO Board Type

Start Visuino, and Select the Arduino UNO Board Type photo 2

In Visuino Add Components

Add "Pulse Generator" component
Add "Random Color" component
Add "Ramp To RGBW Color Value" component
Add 2X "NeoPixels" component

In Visuino Add Components

In Visuino Add Components photo 2

In Visuino Add Components photo 3

In Visuino Add Components photo 4

In Visuino Set Components

Double-click on the "NeoPixels1" and in the "PixelGroups" window, drag "Color Pixel" to the left side, and in the properties window, set "Count Pixels" to 12 <this is the number of LEDs on the LED ring
Close the "PixelGroups" window
Double-click on "NeoPixels2," and in the "PixelGroups" window, drag "Color Pixel" to the left side, and in the properties window, set "Count Pixels" to 12 (this is the number of LEDs on the LED ring).
Close the "PixelGroups" window

In Visuino Set Components

In Visuino Set Components photo 2

In Visuino Connect Components

Connect "PulseGenerator1" pin Out to "RandomColor1" pin clock
Connect "RandomColor1" pin Out to "RampToValue1" pin In
Connect "RampToValue1" pin Out to "NeoPixels1" pin Color
Connect "RampToValue1" pin Out to "NeoPixels2" pin Color
Connect "NeoPixels1" pin Out to Arduino digital pin 2
Connect "NeoPixels2" pin Out to Arduino digital pin 3

In Visuino Connect Components

Generate, Compile, and Upload the Arduino Code

In Visuino, at the bottom, click on the "Build" tab, make sure the correct port is selected, then click on the "Compile/Build and Upload" button.

Generate, Compile, and Upload the Arduino Code

Play

If you power the Arduino module, the LED rings will start to change colors.

Congratulations! You have completed your project with Visuino. Also attached is the Visuino project that I created for this. You can download it and open it in Visuino: https://www.visuino.eu