You can build your own devices that act like remote keyboards and HID devices for nearly any mobile device or computer with Bluetooth LE and the Adafruit HID library in CircuitPython!

Traditionally, the USB HID library has been used to send keyboard and mouse commands over a USB cable to a computer or mobile device. Now, you can cut that wire and do all the same things using BLE wirelessly!

This tutorial will show one of the many exciting projects you can build with these techniques.

You'll build a wireless volume knob that can turn your sound up and down, mute, and press the play/pause button from across the room to control your mobile device or computer sound!

Plus, we've added Bluetooth LE bonding support, so once you pair your devices, they'll automatically reconnect whenever you turn on the devices.

Parts

shot of a Black woman's neon-green manicured hand holding up a Circuit Playground Bluefruit glowing rainbow LEDs.
Circuit Playground Bluefruit is our third board in the Circuit Playground series, another step towards a perfect introduction to electronics and programming. We've...
$24.95
In Stock
Rotary Encoder with rubbery knob
This rotary encoder is the best of the best, it's a high-quality 24-pulse encoder, with detents and a nice feel. It is panel mountable for placement in a box, or you can plug it...
$4.50
In Stock
Group of Small Alligator Clip to Male Jumper Wires
When working with unusual non-header-friendly surfaces, these handy cables will be your best friends! No longer will you have long, cumbersome strands of alligator clips. These...
$3.95
In Stock
Angled shot of half-size solderless breadboard with red and black power lines.
This is a cute, half-size breadboard with 400 tie points, good for small projects. It's 3.25" x 2.2" / 8.3cm x 5.5cm with a standard double-strip in the...
$4.95
In Stock
Lithium Ion Polymer Battery 3.7v 350mAh with JST 2-PH connector and short cable
Lithium-ion polymer (also known as 'lipo' or 'lipoly') batteries are thin, light, and powerful. The output ranges from 4.2V when completely charged to 3.7V. This...
$5.95
In Stock

Optional Parts

If you want to build a more permanent volume knob, you can use a Proto Gizmo and solder down the encoder.

Angled shot of a Circuit Playground Proto Gizmo - Bolt-on Perma-Proto.
Extend and expand your Circuit Playground projects with a bolt-on Perma-Proto that lets you connect solderable circuits in a sturdy and reliable fashion. This PCB looks just like a...
$7.95
In Stock
Hook-up Wire Spool Set in box with 6 colorful wires coming out
Perfect for bread-boarding, free wiring, etc. This box contains 6 spools of solid-core wire. The wire is easy to solder to and when bent it keeps its shape pretty well. We like to have...
$15.95
In Stock
Fully Reversible Pink/Purple USB A to micro B Cable
This cable is not only super-fashionable, with a woven pink and purple Blinka-like pattern, it's also fully reversible! That's right, you will save seconds a day by...
$3.95
In Stock

This guide was first published on Jan 21, 2020. It was last updated on Mar 18, 2024.

This page (Overview) was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

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