I’m a big fan of Nixie Tube displays, whether they be clocks, score keepers, or anything else you need a display for, it’s a really creative way to repurpose old tech. LIXIE, on the other hand, is a fresh and modern way to achieve the same effect using edge-lit acrylic displays.
It preserves the iconic typography of a Nixie tube, so you still get those bold and colorful displays that make these projects so visually engaging. The LIXIE display works by shining light through the edge of a clear acrylic. Once the light hits an edge or engraving, it scatters and reaches your eyes.
It keeps the flat surfaces of the acrylic clear, and only the edges light up. If you put several pieces in a stack, you can display multiple numbers. The device is based on WS2812B LEDs, or “Neopixels” as Adafruit entitles them.
The display can show the date, the time, temperature, website views, or any number in an Arduino project with ease. Working with the LIXIE is pretty simple compared to Nixie tubes, completely avoiding the high voltage necessary for vintage parts. Just connect the 5V & GND pins to your Arduino, then connect the DIN (Digital INput) pin to any of your digital pins.
Once that’s done, you just need to include the LIXIE library and some functions to get started. Since the LIXIE is designed on a WS2812B strip, you can chain together as many as your power supply will allow.
