The Halo franchise is full of iconic designs, from vehicles like the Warthog to weapons like the Needler. But the armor, such as the Spartan armor worn by Master Chief, is arguably the most recognizable. The helmets are especially cool, and LeMaster Tech put his own unique spin on an ODST-style helmet by adding an adjustable-transparency RGB-backlit visor.

The ODST helmet that LeMaster Tech used for this project was made by Anthony Andress, AKA “enforce_props,” and it is a solid resin casting. LeMaster Tech’s goal was to make the coolest visor imaginable for that helmet.

He achieved that using a PDLC (Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal) “smart film” that changes from opaque to transparent when it receives current. That film can be cut to shape without causing any harm. He further enhanced the effect with some RGB LED backlighting, which illuminates the interior of the helmet and helps to make the wearer’s face more visible when the visor is transparent.

LeMaster Tech used an Arduino Nano board to the control the PDLC film and the NeoPixel individually addressable RGB LEDs. Momentary buttons in a 3D-printed enclosure control the LED lighting color, the lighting effect modes, and the visor transparency. The PDLC needs 20V to become transparent, so LeMaster Tech used a large battery to power that and a step-down converter to power the Arduino and LEDs. 

The result looks fantastic and this helmet is going back to enforce_props, who will finish turning it into a cosplay masterpiece. 

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