You’ve likely seen impressive sequenced Christmas lights in videos before. Very often, though, these setups use proprietary systems. Here, Processing makes it quick and easy to code lighting effects in a friendly, open-source environment. And, naturally, if you think you might want to do something like this and don’t want to wait for Christmas 2009, I can imagine quite a few other interesting lighting applications.Creator Jack Kern describes the project:

This is my first attempt at a computer controlled light show for our Christmas lights. Everything was DIY including the software which I wrote in Processing (processing.org). Simple wiring using parallel port output to switch some 120v relays. Only 8 channels, 1500w per channel max. Next year I’ll be trying for many more, dimmable, LED’s and DMX control of our RGY lasers!

It’s worth checking out Jack Kern’s projects page for other goodness. Think Java-based games (2D mobile and 3D desktop), a ray tracer, and source C/C++ code. And yet the man still has hobbies.

Big thanks to TJ Pallas on Facebook for the tip. And please, I do actually enjoy keeping in touch with readers on Facebook. (See my page / profile / CDM’s fan page.)

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• We are Hacks: Live Visual Lineup for the HOPE Hacker Conference, NYC Friday
• Touchscreen Particle Drawing, Memo’s MSAFluid Particle Library, and Why Sharing is Good
• Processing Visual Notebook, Continued