The technology behind Breathing Lights is simple. Off-the-shelf LED light strips, chosen for color value and intensity, are wired to a control panel that includes a programmable Arduino board, a simple timer, and an amplifier. Arduino is an inexpensive, open-source electronics board and software program designed to make electronics more accessible to artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.

Together, these materials control the breathing “rate,” that is how fast the lights dim and brighten, as well as the time they are lit each night – from 6pm to 10pm. The windows in each Breathing Lights building are fitted with interior frames, simple wood rectangles built by hand, with LED strips stapled around the inside perimeter. Two sheets of plastic inside the frame diffuse the lights.

This technology was developed in partnership with the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and GE. One the installation is complete, all materials will be recycled and reused.