NEW GUIDE: FLAC and Ogg Playback with CircuitPython #AdafruitLearningSystem #CircuitPython A new guide in the Adafruit Learning System: FLAC and Ogg Playback with CircuitPython by Anne Barela with programming by Mikey Sklar. With CircuitPython Turbo on ESP32-S3, RP2350 (and similarly fast boards likely to follow), music playing capabilities have expanded. FLAC and Ogg Vorbis are popular open source audio formats that some prefer over MP3 for their higher audio quality. These file formats can now be played using CircuitPython. This guide shows how to play various FLAC and Ogg files using the Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3 and the Adafruit Fruit Jam which uses the Raspberry Pi RP2350B microcontroller. See this guide now > > > > https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/10/30/new-guide-flac-and-ogg-playback-with-circuitpython-adafruitlearningsystem-circuitpython/ #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

FPGA development boards from the Kavrous Technologies shop Kavrous Technologies is selling two open source development boards built around the Lattice iCE40 FPGA. Both use the Adafruit Feather form factor, so they work with existing FeatherWings and Feather headers. The first board puts an iCE40 FPGA in the Feather footprint and sells for $55.00. The second, the RPGA Feather, pairs an RP2040 microcontroller with an iCE40 FPGA on one board for $47.00. Shipping is within the United States only. See more at shop.kavrous.com. https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/10/28/fpga-development-boards-from-the-kavrous-technologies-shop/ #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

NEW GUIDE: CircuitPython Text to Speech Text to speech has been a favorite since the introduction of the TI Speak & Spell. There are many environments where feedback via speech would be a great feature. Up until recently, using microcontrollers for speech was too slow. But not any more, thanks to CircuitPython 11! The capability of a speech model depends on the features of the microcontroller and the memory available. Faster microcontrollers with more memory can run more complex speech synthesis models. Adafruit has chosen two open source software speech synthesis models for use with CircuitPython: Moonshine Klatt for average capability chips and PicoTTS for more powerful microcontrollers with PSRAM. Check out all the details in the new guide > > > https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/10/19/new-guide-circuitpython-text-to-speech/ #newguide #speech #text #moonshineklatt #spell #speak #psram #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

Build Your Own Supernova POV Pixel Poi V2 with Wireless Controller #AdafruitLearningSystem @Adafruit Paint pictures in midair with a set of wireless, programmable persistence-of-vision poi – the latest build from Erin St Blaine. The Supernova POV Poi use high-speed DotStar LEDs and CircuitPython to display colorful images and patterns as they spin. Each poi is powered by an Adafruit Feather RP2040 RFM69, giving it enough speed for crisp POV graphics along with long-range wireless control. The real magic is the custom touchscreen controller. Browse through libraries of images, change graphics on all your poi at once, adjust brightness and animation speed, set up autoplay, or record the timing of image changes to choreograph a complete show. The poi can also run independently without the controller, making them flexible enough for rehearsals, performances, and spontaneous spinning. Load up your own 36-pixel-tall artwork and turn logos, rainbows, flames, words, and custom graphics into glowing images floating in the air. From the Guide Persistence of Vision (POV) is a beautiful illusion created by moving a high-speed LED strip through the air, painting images in light through the motion of the strip. This project will show you how to build persistence of vision dance poi: light wands on strings that you can spin through the air to display geometric shapes, logos, or beautiful designs that seem to follow you as you dance. The earlier version of this project was pretty code-intensive, and the poi were a little challenging to update. This guide gives the project a major upgrade: the new poi run CircuitPython on a Feather RFM69. That means adding new images is easy — just copy the image file into a folder on the Feather and it will appear on the poi. And this guide adds a battery monitor to the software so you know when it’s time to recharge. Using the Feather RFM69 also allows the poi to communicate with each other over RF, so they can stay in sync and display the same images together. We’ve also added a seriously cool feature: a handheld controller built with a TFT touchscreen and gamepad controller, and another Feather RFM69 board. From up to about 50 feet away, you can browse image thumbnails on the touchscreen and send a new image to all the poi with a tap of your finger. Build Your Own Supernova POV Poi with Wireless Controller on the Adafruit Learning System ### Adafruit Products – Adafruit Feather RP2040 RFM69 provides the poi’s microcontroller and wireless communication hardware. – Adafruit TFT Featherwing is used as the touchscreen-ba sed wireless controller for sending performance images. Read more at Supernova POV Pixel Poi V2 with Wireless Controller https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/10/19/build-your-own-supernova-pov-pixel-poi-v2-with-wireless-controller-adafruitlearningsystem-adafruit/ #rss #feeds #linksharing #qwibbit

Unlocking a locked/deactivated e-waste Cricut Maker xssfox in Australia, while taking some rubbish down, spotted a Cricut Maker in e-waste. A quick look at it revealed that the it was in fairly good cosmetic condition with the exception of the rollers being perished. I knew that Cricut were pretty aggressive with disabling/locking machines, but I gathered it would still be worth playing around for some fun. As it turns out this machine was locked, which was pretty expected. However with some hacking I was able to return it to having full functionality. I fired up wireshark to capture USB messages between the Cricut and my machine. It uses USB CDC for communication and very quickly I found the packets responsible for sending the serial number. There didn’t appear to be any checksumming or crypto. So I borrowed a RPi RP2040 (Adafruit Feather RP2040 with USB Type A Host) which was able to act as both USB Host and USB Client. Using the TinyUSB Arduino examples for USB Host and CDC simple echo, I was able to cobble together a simple proxy/rewriting device. With the rewriting device replacing out the serial number at a hardware level the software is none the wiser. The unit shows up in my account. See more in the post here. Via Hackaday. https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/08/21/unlocking-a-locked-deactivated-e-waste-cricut-maker/

NEW GUIDE: Adafruit Monster Eyes #AdafruitLearningSystem @Adafruit The animated eyeballs on the MONSTER M4SK and Hallowing boards are an Adafruit spooky season staple. But, new boards and displays have come into vogue and it was time to revisit this code base. The new version is called Adafruit Monster Eyes, and it lives in its own repository on GitHub. It has support for your favorite board and display combinations, from SPI TFT displays to PicoDVI! Read more at Adafruit Monster Eyes https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/09/08/new-guide-adafruit-monster-eyes-adafruitlearningsystem-adafruit/

LED Bubble Hair Extensions with Motion Controlled Effects #Sensors #AdafruitLearningSystem @Adafruit Turn your hair into a motion-reactive light show with these colorful LED Bubble Hair Extensions from Erin St Blaine. This wearable project combines lightweight LED seed pixels with bright bubble-braid hair extensions to create glowing cyberpunk-style hair that reacts when you move. An LIS3DH accelerometer senses a shake of your head and kicks the animations into high gear, transforming a gentle falling-rain effect into a dramatic storm complete with flashes of lightning. The LEDs are controlled with CircuitPython, so it’s easy to customize the colors, animation speed, and motion sensitivity to create your own look. It’s a fun project for festivals, costumes, cosplay, performances, or anywhere your hair could use a little more magic. From the Guide Make glowing LED bubble hair that reacts when you move your head! In this project, six strands of seed pixels are built into a hair extension and controlled by an Adafruit RP2040 Prop-Maker Feather. The LEDs show a soft color gradient during normal wear, then the onboard accelerometer detects a head shake and triggers animated rain effects. A gentle shake creates staggered glowing droplets that fall down individual strands. A stronger shake creates a lightning flash followed by a faster, denser rainstorm. This is a fun project for festivals, costumes, cosplay, dance performances, or anyone who wants a little weather system in their hair. You’ll need to install some software, and there is a bit of tricky soldering involved — this is not a beginner project because of that, but it is very accessible to anyone who has some soldering experience. Learn how to build your own LED Bubble Hair Extensions with Motion Controlled Effects on the Adafruit Learning System: https://learn.adafruit.com/led-bubble-hair-extensions-with-motion-controlled-effects/ ### Adafruit Products – Adafruit NeoPixel 2020 RGB LED Seed Pixels provide the colorful, flexible lighting effects woven into the hair accessory. – Adafruit Prop-Maker FeatherWing supplies the motion-responsive prop-control hardware used to trigger animations from head movement. Read more at LED Bubble Hair Extensions with Motion Controlled Effects https://blog.adafruit.com/2026/10/09/led-bubble-hair-extensions-with-motion-controlled-effects-sensors-adafruitlearningsystem-adafruit/