Over the summer time, Pixar launched its newest movie: Elio. By Pixar requirements, the viewers and important reception have been fairly mediocre. However the theatrical launch did comprise a post-credit scene that’s fashionable on social media. That scene reveals a lizard urgent the button for a lizard emoji on a smartphone. Over and time and again, with the telephone asserting “lizard” every time. It needs to be annoying, however it’s in some way charming — in all probability as a result of the lizard has such a cheerful expression on its face. Glen Akins wished to really feel that pleasure for himself, so he constructed this single-purpose soundboard.
A typical soundboard incorporates a complete array of buttons to set off the playback of pre-recorded sound samples, which is helpful for podcasters and radio hosts that must reuse audio clips frequently. This works like that, besides it solely has a single button and one sound pattern: “lizard.” By urgent the button repeatedly, Akins can reside the expertise of the lizard from Elio. We’re positive that everybody round Akins appreciates that, too.
It is a actually simple construct that solely requires a handful of elements. The primary is an Adafruit QT Py RP2040 improvement board, which may be very small. The second is an Adafruit Audio BFF, which is an audio board that matches the dimensions of the QT Py. It has a microSD card slot for audio samples, a built-in DAC, and an amplifier. The 2 boards join collectively by way of header pins for straightforward meeting. The one different digital elements are a giant button and a small speaker.
These match right into a easy 3D-printed enclosure with a speaker grill and the button positioned prominently on prime, the place it’s straightforward to entry in emergency situations.
The code, programmed in CircuitPython, can be quite simple. It simply waits for a button press after which triggers the playback of a random audio file on the microSD card. When the one audio file current is “lizard,” that’s all that may play. However one may add extra samples if that turns into just a little too monotonous. With some button debouncing and the power to start out the playback of a brand new pattern earlier than the present pattern finishes, Akins was achieved with the programming.
We advise utilizing the challenge information offered by Akins to construct considered one of these for a niece or nephew. Their mother and father are positive to thanks!