This $149 digital candle uses AI to accurately simulate a flickering flame

After engineering a flexible version of Tetris that could be wrapped around a magazine, Kevin Bates’ latest creation is a digital candle that uses a custom AI model to accurately simulate the appearance of a flickering flame across a grid of LEDs. It’s a far cry from the types of devices Bates is typically known for, including the Arduboy, but paying $79 for a credit card-sized handheld that can play hundreds of games is an easier sell than a $149 digital candle that doesn’t quite provide the same ambiance as the real thing, even if it’s much safer.

At the top of the 10-inch tall Digital Candle, which is available now with a black or white circuitboard, you’ll find 144 amber-colored LEDs arranged in a 9 by 16 grid with…