Adafruit Weekly Editorial Round-Up: Circuit Pyrate, Retro Tech, Fisher-Price USB Controller, Feather RP2040 ThinkInk and More!
ADAFRUIT WEEKLY EDITORIAL ROUND-UP
We’ve got so much happening here at Adafruit that it’s not always easy to keep up! Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered. Each week we’ll be posting a handy round-up of what we’ve been up to, ranging from learn guides to blog articles, videos, and more.
we recently sold out of our stock of Bus Pirates https://github.com/BusPirate/Bus_Pirate and when we booked a reorder we found it’s currently unavailable with no ETA for re-stocking. it made us think about revisiting this design, perhaps using an RP2040 instead: with native USB and CircuitPython and PIO it might be easier to add new protocols! we did do a “Circuit Pyrate” draft many years ago but it was based on the SAMD21 and we quickly ran out of space – another thing the RP2040 would excel at.
parsing data is something that Python does very well, and tannewt already has VT100 control code support for the REPL status bar, so we’re having a go at re-implementing the UX in native python by instantiating a secondary ‘data only’ CDC UART endpoint https://learn.adafruit.com/customizing-usb-devices-in-circuitpython/circuitpy-midi-serial#usb-serial-console-repl-and-data-3096590 The default REPL can then be enabled or disabled with the onboard slide switch.
Toy manufacturers are releasing children’s toys which mimic items a child may see in later life. Often in bright colors with smiley faces, they are so cute! But they’re usually not functional other than for novelty. Why not make them work as their more functional counterparts?
This guide will show you how to turn a Fisher-Price sensory toy into a fully-functional USB controller compatible with Nintendo Switch, as well as devices supporting XInput and DirectInput USB controllers. You’ll only need basic soldering skills and the ability to drag-and-drop a file to program the microcontroller.
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
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.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!
Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: New Python Releases, an ESP32+MicroPython IDE and Much More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey
