Programming an OLED display

[Theodon]

I've got this idea for a little money earner using canvas printing to create a plaque of sorts, and I was considering what it would take to have some OLED displays on the canvas displaying certain elements of the image. I was looking in to buying this kit to try and create a custom image and hook up the display to a battery powered source, like a watch battery or something equally small. Once I've got that concept working I would expand on adding movement sensors and develop the idea until I have a workable model.

I was wondering if anyone reading this board has any experience with creating custom-built OLED screens and incorporating them in to products, and what considerations or information would be useful for me to look at. Basically I just want to know what I should be investing in and what information would be useful to have.

No idea if this is the right board to post it on but the computer thread seemed to relate to the topic the most.

[vesseblah]

No clue about the device you're looking at. Will need some microcontroller to use it properly, probably something more advanced than basic Arduino.

Here's something similar to what you're planning, could give ideas for prototype builds.

[Theodon]

That's interesting stuff. Using a phone is essentially an OLED screen with mega flexibility in terms of what it can display and do. The screen portion of the kit would be much thinner I'm hoping as OLED doesn't need the back lighting, and the guts of the phone that deals with data communication won't be needed. All I'd like to have is a small chipboard with a small powersource on it, with the ability for it to display a few pre-programmed images of my choosing.

That phone hacking idea is pretty awesome though. I can just imagine having that on a picture in a house that people in the home can text when they're out and about in order to display a message to the whole house. That probably already exists in some form though.

Imagine having a family portrait with mini-OLED displays below the names, and when each member of the family sends a message to the photo, it displays that message below that family member on the picture. Totally frivolous way to spend money that lots of people might very well go for! Just write an app that recognises the number from a contact book and pushes the message to the appropriate display!

[vesseblah]

All I'd like to have is a small chipboard with a small powersource on it, with the ability for it to display a few pre-programmed images of my choosing.

For prototyping purposes some digital picture frame would do it then. Chumby is another alternative, it's incredibly hackable and moddable.