Issue 16 — HackSpace magazine – Add lights to a cosplay helmet with CircuitPython @HackSpaceMag @sophywong
Issue 16 — HackSpace magazine – Add lights to a cosplay helmet –
In this intermediate project, we’ll do some light soldering, create a simple program with CircuitPython, and even craft custom diffusers for our external lights. To control the circuit, we’re using the ItsyBitsy M0 Express from Adafruit. While the Gemma M0 board is our go-to for wearable projects (and would work just fine if you’ve got one to hand), the ItsyBitsy gives us room to grow if we want to add more functionality to the helmet in the future. Maybe a voice changer? Or sci-fi sound samples triggered by capacitive touch areas on the helmet? The possibilities are endless, and once you’ve got your ItsyBitsy installed, it’s easy to reprogram with CircuitPython whenever you get a new idea.
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
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