Lixies

Lixies. © Connor Nishijima.

Lixies are number displays modelled on good old Nixie tubes. They use WS2812B smart LEDs, the light from which is directed to a stack of acrylic sheets. The pros: they’re cheaper, sturdier, longer-lasting, multicoloured and only need a low voltage (5 V vs 170 V for a Nixie tube). They’re designed and made by Connor Nishijima, and cost $38 USD per unit. Since it’s a hand-made product, production delays are to be expected.

⇨ IEEE Spectrum, “Build a clock with Lixies, the Nixie-tube lookalike.”