YOU CAN BUILD A SCREEN THAT DRAWS PICTURES WITH AIR BUBBLES
A screen where every pixel is an air bubble rising through liquid, timed by valves and lit from below.
by Corebb
DisplaysOpen-hardware
Built withESP323D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a weekend-plus
- license
- none
- repo
- repo ACTIVE19 stars
●●●●○ · a weekend-plus · none · 19 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a display where the image is made of air bubbles rising through clear vertical columns, controlled by solenoid valves at the base and lit by RGB LEDs. An ESP32-S3 fires the valves at precise intervals so the bubbles form text and patterns as they rise. The repo has the PCB files, the code, an STL valve mount and DXF cut files for the acrylic frame, but no parts list and no assembly instructions; a more detailed tutorial sits on the creator's Afdian supporter page. The firmware tells you the valve count (19 plus an air pump), but you will have to identify compatible solenoids, work out the fluid, and figure out the column spacing from the DXF. The most likely failure is valve timing — if the bubbles rise too fast or too slow, the image smears. This is not a weekend project for someone who has never ordered a PCB or tuned a fluid system. It is for someone who wants a bubble display on a desk and is comfortable filling in the gaps. No licence file means you can look and build for yourself, but you cannot sell kits without asking.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —PCB Gerber files, schematic and Arduino code are in the repo.
- —STL for the valve mount and DXF files for laser-cut acrylic are included.
- —No bill of materials, no assembly guide, no fluid specification.
- —The repo has no licence file — the files are public but not formally open source.
- —A more detailed tutorial and the 3D models are on the creator's Afdian supporter page, linked from the README.
Parts to buy
8 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
我花了一年，成功用“空气”打造液体艺术显示器 (I spent a year building a liquid art display out of air)
December 2023 demo video, Chinese narration, shows the display forming letters and patterns
More builds like this
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Clone the repo and open the DXF files to see the acrylic layout (The firmware drives 19 valves; check the column spacing before buying parts)
- 2.Order the PCB from the Gerber files(Use any board house; the schematic is in the repo)
- 3.Identify compatible 5V or 12V mini solenoid valves that fit the STL mount(The repo does not specify a model — measure the mount holes)
- 4.Cut or order the acrylic from the DXF files(If you do not have a laser cutter, upload the DXF to a cutting service)
- 5.Flash the Arduino code to the ESP32-S3(Check the pin definitions match your wiring)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- No bill of materials in the repo — the firmware tells you there are 19 valves, but you must work out the solenoid model and tubing size from the STL valve mount and DXF files.
- The repo has no licence, so while you can build it, selling kits or derivatives is legally unclear without permission.
- Valve timing is critical: if the fluid viscosity is wrong or the valves fire late, the bubbles will not line up.
- The detailed tutorial sits on the creator's Afdian supporter page (linked at the top of the README); the GitHub files alone do not walk you through assembly.
- No fluid specification — likely water with a drop of surfactant, but you will tune this by eye.
- If you have never ordered a PCB from Gerbers, expect a learning curve or mistakes on the first order.
What liquid goes in the columns?
Not specified. Likely water with a small amount of dish soap or surfactant to stabilize the bubbles. You will tune this by testing.
How many valves does it need?
The firmware drives 19 valve outputs (a 20th pin is defined but marked 'Not Use') plus one air pump; the exact valve model is not named in the repo, so match it to the printed valve mount.
Can I sell these?
No formal licence exists, so the legal status is unclear. Contact the creator before any commercial use.
What if the bubbles rise too fast?
Increase fluid viscosity slightly (more surfactant or glycerin) or adjust the valve timing in the code. This is trial-and-error.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
bbAir draws text and patterns with rising bubbles in 19 columns on a desk-sized frame. What would you display first if you built it?
Corebb
Corebb (酷睿比比 on YouTube and Bilibili) is a maker who worked on bbAir through 2023 and released the files and a demo video in December 2023. The repo carries the PCB, code and cut files, with a more detailed tutorial on the creator's Afdian page.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM8d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the GitHub repo has the schematic, Gerber files, Arduino code for the ESP32-S3, STL and DXF files, but no assembly guide inside the repo itself; the README links an external afdian page with 3D models and more detailed tutorials. You do not need to guess the valve count: the firmware drives 19 valve outputs plus one air pump. The single biggest unknown is which solenoid valves fit the printed valve mount, so expect to measure and search. The working fluid is not documented in the repo, so plan on some trial and error to tune how the bubbles rise. If you have built an ESP32 project and ordered a PCB before, this is buildable; if both are new, expect a learning curve. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.