FastLED is a powerful library for programming addressable LEDs, such as WS2812B and APA102, with Arduino. It provides a high-level interface for controlling LED colors and animations, making it easier to create visually appealing projects. This article will guide you through setting up FastLED, understanding its features, and implementing a simple LED animation project. By the end of this article, you'll have a solid understanding of how to use FastLED to create stunning LED displays.

Project: In this project, we will create a simple LED animation using the FastLED library. Our objective is to control a strip of WS2812B LEDs connected to an Arduino and create a smooth color-changing effect. This project will demonstrate the basics of initializing the FastLED library, setting up the LED strip, and creating an animation loop.

Components List:

1. Arduino Uno or compatible board (1)
2. WS2812B LED strip (1 meter, 30 LEDs)
3. 5V power supply (1)
4. 470-ohm resistor (1)
5. Capacitor (1000µF, 6.3V or higher) (1)
6. Breadboard and jumper wires (as needed)

Examples:

#include <FastLED.h>  // Include the FastLED library

#define LED_PIN     6  // Define the pin where the LED strip is connected
#define NUM_LEDS    30 // Define the number of LEDs in the strip
#define BRIGHTNESS  64 // Set the brightness level (0-255)
#define LED_TYPE    WS2812B // Define the type of LED strip
#define COLOR_ORDER GRB // Define the color order (depends on the LED strip)

CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS]; // Create an array to hold the LED data

void setup() {
  FastLED.addLeds<LED_TYPE, LED_PIN, COLOR_ORDER>(leds, NUM_LEDS).setCorrection(TypicalLEDStrip); // Initialize the LED strip
  FastLED.setBrightness(BRIGHTNESS); // Set the brightness
}

void loop() {
  static uint8_t hue = 0; // Create a static variable to hold the hue value
  for(int i = 0; i < NUM_LEDS; i++) {
    leds[i] = CHSV(hue++, 255, 255); // Set each LED to a color based on the hue value
  }
  FastLED.show(); // Update the LED strip with the new colors
  delay(20); // Add a small delay to create a smooth animation
}

Code Explanation:

• #include <FastLED.h>: Includes the FastLED library.
• #define LED_PIN 6: Defines the pin number to which the LED strip is connected.
• #define NUM_LEDS 30: Defines the number of LEDs in the strip.
• #define BRIGHTNESS 64: Sets the brightness level of the LEDs.
• #define LED_TYPE WS2812B: Specifies the type of LED strip being used.
• #define COLOR_ORDER GRB: Specifies the color order for the LED strip.
• CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS]: Creates an array to store the color data for each LED.
• void setup(): Initializes the LED strip and sets the brightness.
• void loop(): Contains the main animation loop. It updates the color of each LED based on the hue value, increments the hue, and then updates the LED strip.