Design

Dragonfish biology, bioluminescence, and biomechanics

My final project design takes inspiration from dragonfish biology and biomechanics. Dragonfish are a type of loose-jawed fish that live in the deepest parts of the ocean and have some of the most advanced bioluminescence in the animal kingdom. They have blue-white photophores running down their bodies, a lure that dangles from their chins, and a very unique type of photophore beneath their eyes. These features, particularly the last one, never cease to amaze me, because according to one academic study:

"Three genera of deep-sea loose-jawed dragonfish (Aristostomias, Pachystomias, and Malacosteus)... in addition to the blue bioluminescence typical of most deep-sea animals, also produce far-red light (maximum emission >700 nm) from suborbital photophores. All three genera are sensitive in this part of the spectrum, to which all other animals of the deep sea are blind, potentially affording them a private waveband for illuminating prey and for interspecific communication that is immune from detection by predators and prey" (Douglas et al. 2000).

What this means is that dragonfish not only have fairy lights running down their bodies but have something akin to infrared headlights–– ghost lights that no other fish can see. These natural abilities, as well as their sleek, loose-jawed aesthetic, inspired the circuitry, costume designs, and materials I listed below. While pretty much all of them had to be tweaked and modified, they retain these core elements:

A head made from a skateboarding helmet and recycled black cloth
A jaw that is double-jointed and can extend like a snake's (or a dragonfish's)
Two white chasing neopixel strips for the body
Two red chasing neopixel strips for the suborbital photophores
Multiple sources of power to allow the lights to turn on AND prevent the CPX from overheating

First Helmet Thumbnails

I drew up these concepts way back in September when my knowledge and self-efficacy with the CPX was a lot lower than it is now.

The helmet blocked out in orange pencil is the design I ultimately settled on.

Circuit Design 1

Initial idea for lighting up all four neopixel strands (it did not end up working, but it was a good start!)

Circuit Design 2

Lighting up one strand of neopixels is where I am currently (thank you Luke and Mo!)

I hope I can figure out the rest for Halloween!

Materials (early September to October 17)

Two gutted helmets
Waterproof Neopixel strips
CPX
Cardboard
A thick sheet of foam
Black spray paint
Teal spray paint
USB cord
Solder
12V battery pack
Black thread
A black skirt (free-binned)
A black pair of pants (free-binned)
A flexible twist mount (link here)

Tools (early September to October 17)

My computer (for coding)
Scissors
Boxcutter
Cutting board
Permanent markers
Hot glue
The laser-cutter
Adobe Illustrator
Soldering equipment
Wire cutters
Wire strippers
Breadboard (for testing)
A MOSFET transistor?
Sewing machine (both Janome and industrial)
Spray booth
Printer paper

Citations

Douglas, R. H., C. W. Mullineaux, and J. C. Partridge. “Long-Wave Sensitivity in Deep-Sea Stomiid

Dragonfish with Far-Red Bioluminescence: Evidence for a Dietary Origin of the Chlorophyll-Derived Retinal Photosensitizer of Malacosteus Niger.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 355, no. 1401 (September 29, 2000): 1269–72. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2000.0681.

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