Use cases for the LED Matrix module

Framework Laptop 16
34

Having “pushed” for my own preferences of GPU temps above, I wanted to suggest some more horizontal use cases that could be interesting for others. These are all more simple and realistic, as they rely on everything lighting up at once, so the actual use case that works easiest with the hardware at hand:

  • lamp mode: you know how you sometimes rely on your notebook as light source when in the dark, also during movies? FW16 could by the push of a button just be a perfect lamp (with screen in bright white as well). During a movie night, it could also be your secondary light source at night (movie mode, perhaps adjusted brightness to lighting situation).

  • dimming mode: want to be woken up by a dimming light, but are on travels? No problem, use your favourite notebook. By the push of a button it rests dark over night and then wakes you up like a dimming light, screen used as well, and with two matrix modules. XD

  • notification mode: do you prefer to be absolutely annoyed by your phone while doing other stuff? No problem, just sync your phone with your FW16, and you will get slow dimming notifications via the Matrix modules once you receive a message/phone call/etc.

That’s all so far, but I think the idea of full dimming can be taken further, there should be loads of other good use cases for this. How about a timer and it starts dimming on and off the closer you come to the time, etc…

2 Likes
35

I would like to second Philam’s suggestions, especially for notification lights. Having the LEDs blink, slowly fade in and out in a wave formation, or display an animation when receiving notifications would be fantastic.
Not sure of the feasibility of being able to have it display different animations or have a different blinking patterns depending on the app giving the notification, but it would be nice.

Or even just having the LEDs passively fading in and out in waves would be neat, just to distinguish the laptop a bit.

1 Like
36

Thanks, I believe that these use cases are most useful for the hardware at hand, as with the amount of “pixels”/lights, less is more.

In an attempt to answer the Framework staff’s inquiry here, I would like to note that each Matrix module is not a single use tool for information, but a dual-use or even multiple-use tool in itself. What I mean by this is that each matrix (left and right) can be used as an indicator for one measurement (let’s say speaker volume with 50% of lights on for 50% of volume) and at the same time be used for notifications via dimming/flashing (the 50% of lights on would dim/flash for notifications).

Realistically, two types of notifications would be possible: one slow dimming/flashing for notification type 1, and two fast iterations of dimming/flashing one after the other at short interval for notification type 2.

In total, this would mean 6 types of information use cases for two matrix modules installed. For example, you could have time on the left (two numbers, 17 and 38 for 17h38) on the left, and volume on the right (let’s say 50% on for 50% volume level). At the same time you could have slow dimming for receiving a sms and twice fast dimming for battery level below certain level as you are on the go.

Another use case for a gamer: GPU temps on the right and VRam usage on the left, and notifications for new Discord message received, or new friend joining a specific app you are on.

Of course, you can tune this down to just one measurement and one notification for both matrix modules. Some may say that this use case is simplistic, but one should not underestimate the matrix modules even in this use case as information tools. If you get used to it, 6 different types of notifications/measurement combined is quite good. And getting used to it will not take too much time, apple users also get used to all kinds of specific finger inputs for their trackpad fast. This can be quite a serious way of getting the most out of the notebook and allow to turn off/replace for example some in-game notifications that may annoy you in the middle of playing.

PS: final point is of course, you can dominate your local Starbucks if this is something you like, by saying that yes, your transforming notebook from the future is also going in disco mode because “I need it for work” :wink:

2 Likes
37

Ideally, Framework could design a software element somewhere to let you choose certain measurements/notifications. I think they already have pretty great menus/software when you assemble the notebook, so something similar for the matrix modules would not be an issue.

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Due to the display being such low resolution, there can’t be any complex data shown. Thus, it would make sense to only have a basic application that allows to script, maybe using Lua? This would allow having a very low-power, and resource-usage, daemon that sends information to the display without having to invoke a whole javascript engine. The module is connected over USB and has a USB CDC-ACM serial interface, so this application could control it over this interface, as done directly in the shared page using Python.
But i guess some people prefer javascript, so something could always be made using the Web Serial API.

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When I proposed the idea of bar graphs i was originally thinking in terms of 9 bars each of full height, but I do like the idea of limiting the bars to say 20 or 25 pixels, with a clock at the top - or bottom, depending on the users preference.

As to which bar represents what I am thinking this would be configurable, so if someone was happy with a single bar for CPU, with others for network, disk battery, VU meter etc, then they can configure it that way, and the configuration would include which bar represented what. Similarly if someone wanted a bar per processor thread, then they could have it that way. If someone want 5 bars for surround sound sound, then fine, they can configure it like that.

This does seem to me to be a viable use for the LED matrix. I might have to order one when my machine gets to ship.

40

I’ve thought of another use for a bar, showing either how far it is through a tune or an album, or how long a tune or album has to run - again configurable to use either way.

I find it useful to know how far through a podcast I am to decide if I’m close enough to the end to let it finish before getting a drink, or to pause it and get it now.

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  • Thunderbolt / USB i/o rate meter.
  • Digital level (assuming there’s an accelerometer)
  • Audio out / mic VU meter
  • Snake
  • Two-sided retro ping pong across the RGB backlit keyboard. (i.e. left and right side LED matrix modules)
  • Retro space invader when you put two LED matrix modules side-by-side.
  • Tetris…
2 Likes
42

So, the “two sided pong” of course brings up the fact that you can put the two modules side-by-side (maybe? Right-side only?), and a 3×5 numeric font is easy… so having clock and calendar across two modules should be doable.

43

I’d love the ability to tie progress bars to the panels. Updates, installations, compilation, etc.

This’d be quite useful for those long operations that you switch off to another task for to monitor progress while doing that something else.

Spotify or other media progress would also be a nice-to-have for these panels I could get behind.

2 Likes
44

Slightly touching ideas that are mentioned already: a status or progress notification screen while watching video, playing games or when the computer screen is locked. The displayed notification can have many forms like progress bar (waiting for a certain time or any kind of progress), blinking lights if something relative urgent happens, short messages, etc…

I’m not sure how bright these lights can be though, especially in the dark :slight_smile:

1 Like
45

Also: Download progress for larger downloads

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Now I’m thinking about a lack of colors, this can be worked around with these plastic color filters I guess. Or you use a single color, or you split up the grid in imaginary parts (for example, cpu in green at top) and use a plastic with multiple color filters.

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Microphone audio waveform or level meter. Might help diagnose when your own microphone is off/muted/low/high/distorting during a video or audio call/conference. (Speaker meter on one side, your own mic meter on the other?)

(I needed a reminder of the appearance, from Input Modules)

LED Matrix module image (9×34 white greyscale LEDs)

RGB Macropad image (4×6 RGB LEDs)

5 Likes
48

Oops, similar capability already listed as “input equalizer”

1 Like
49

Being able to sync up the LED Matrix to the RGB Macropad so they can light up or display animations synchronously if they’re both installed would be great!
I.E. You get a notification, and both the LED Matrix and the Macropad perform an action.

This may have less widely applicable use cases compared to some of the previous suggestions though, and I’m unsure of how the LED Matrix and Macropad controls are implemented, so I don’t know if it would be possible (or worth the effort) to do.

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I don’t think you can fit both at once. The LED matrix modules are sort of “half-wide” and you can use one or two (if you use only one, you’d have to use a blank to fill in the remaining space). The RGB macropad is a full-width module. I don’t believe you could use it at the same times as an LED matrix module.

2 Likes
51

Can you not put the LED Matrices in the bottom section, next to the touchpad?

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I was under the impression that they could not. But I’d be happy to be proven wrong if someone knows otherwise.

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I was thinking something with Doomguy, but you’d need two of these matrices next to eachother and some cropping to fit him. Health = battery, Armor = volume %

A bit-crushed representation of the Aliens motion tracker, with “hits” at certain “distance” representing wifi signal strength normally measured in bars.

A self playing game of Tetris or Snake as a “screen saver”, really a lot of things that you used to see on graphing calculators

I’d probably go for raindrops streaking down glass Matrix style, possibly looking into replacing the LEDs with green ones (or using a green plastic filter somehow)