Rick Mann has always been drawn to electronics that blend artistry with engineering. Whether it’s Dalibor Farny’s nixie tubes, a breadboard CPU, or the nostalgic appeal of split-flap displays, he appreciates designs that evoke the past while embracing modern innovation. “I love the mechatronic nature and the clickity sounds,” Rick shares.
An electrical engineer and software developer, Rick saw an opportunity to use his Vestaboard to display real-time, dynamic content that was meaningful to him. As wildfires spread across California, he developed a tracking system using Vestaboard's Cloud API.
Through some reverse-engineering, Rick created a solution that updates his Vestaboard every five minutes with the latest wildfire activity. Sorting fires by most recent start times, his board continuously delivers critical, real-time information, right from his dining room.
“I originally included a timestamp, but the board didn’t update frequently enough,” he explains. “So I switched to a relative time, like ‘Updated 29 minutes ago.’ That way, I get to see and hear the board in action every few minutes.”
Rick’s innovation demonstrates how technology and creativity can be harnessed to spread real-time awareness and peace of mind. His work is a testament to how people can use tools like Vestaboard to inspire action and bring meaningful solutions to their communities.
You can check out Rick’s wildfire tracking code here: GitHub - VestaboardFires
Learn more about Vestaboard at home.