While you can get an LED matrix in any size or shape, the really cool looking ones that are best for low-res displays all have diffusors. When they come from a nameless Chinese factory, these diffusors are thin sheets of plastic set into an extruded plastic frame. considering that [Jana] has a 3D printer, she figured a custom-made diffusor was just a few bits of filament and a SCAD file away.
The basis for this custom-made LED diffusor was a LoL shield given to [Jana] by the designer at the recent 31C3 conference. This shield is really only just 126 LEDs, multiplexed and in an Arduino form factor, and that lots of LEDs were just too bright and indistinct next to each other. The plan for a 3D printed diffusor was hatched.
After taking a few measurements, a pair of OpenSCAD files were whipped up and printed out. Assembly consisted of pressing 126 tiny little white diffusors into a frame, but once everything was attached to the matrix, the results were worth it.
Check out the video below for the before and after, demonstrating what a few bits of plastic can do to a LED matrix.