Tron-Inspired Desk Made from Hundreds of LEDs and a Raspberry Pi

Aside from a few hardcore fans who might remember one or two characters’ names, the one thing people recall about Tron are the lights. The light bars in the world representing circuits, and of course the light cycles, created a very iconic aesthetic that is still popular. When Imgurian Barbarisch wanted to liven up their desk, that aesthetic proved to be the perfect inspiration.

The desk is a simple L-shaped corner desk from Staples, similar to the ones found in offices around the world. Judging by the keyboard and three-monitor monitor setup, Barbarisch probably uses it for gaming. But, the plain desk left something to be desired. So, they started by cutting 3/4" oak plywood into rectangular sheets to completely cover the original desktop.

Using CAD, Barbarisch then drew channels on virtual plywood for the LED strips to be laid into. Those were traced onto the actual plywood, and cut out with a handheld router. Barbarisch even made a special jig for routing the circles on the center piece. The wood panels were then primed and painted a high-gloss black with spray paint.

After laying the wood panels onto the original desk’s surface, it was time to add the LED light strips. Because of the turns in the channels, Barbarisch had to cut multiple segments and solder them together. It was a time-consuming process, but the effect was well worth it. Finally, a Raspberry Pi was set up with some custom software to control the various lighting effects and animations. The final product looks great, and the desk is now anything but plain.