Project

This is a fun spin on the holiday tradition of kissing under mistletoe. A motion sensor triggers the LED berries when a couple stands underneath. Figuring out how to keep the look of the white berries while still concealing LEDs was definitely tricky. I ended up removing the plastic berries and splitting each one with a Dremel. In the end LED sequins are sandwiched between both halves. This is one of my most magical creations as most people don’t expect a traditional bundle of mistletoe to glow. You can check out my tutorial here.

Future Possibilities

The ability to sense motion is used in so many ways—security systems, photography, gates and autos. This type of sensing could become friendlier in the home through a talking service such as AmazonEcho. Imagine a voice saying, “Looks like you have a guest at the door.” It could also be used to electronically open kitchen cabinets that are out of reach by deploying the sensor on a lower level. A new type of pet gate for stairs is another idea. If a person walks towards the sensor it opens; if a pet approaches, it would not be tall enough to trigger the sensor and the gate would stay in place.