# Hacking Holiday Animatronics ## Overview https://youtu.be/vaqxnH47WoE There's an abundance of fun, well-made, and inexpensive animatronic holiday gizmos available at hardware stores, big-box stores, specialty shops, and online. They work great right out of the package, but sometimes you're looking for that extra bit of personalization, so this guide is all about swapping out the brains of animatronics with your own CircuitPython-based controller. Why do it? Besides "for the fun of it", building your own animatronic controller allows you to switch out any audio files you like, fine tune the animation, and even introduce new capabilities such as wireless Bluetooth operation, ultrasonic distance sensors, and more. Danger: ## Parts ### Adafruit CRICKIT FeatherWing for any Feather [Adafruit CRICKIT FeatherWing for any Feather](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3343) Sometimes we wonder if robotics engineers ever watch movies. If they did, they'd know that making robots into servants always ends up in a robot rebellion. Why even go down that path? Here at Adafruit, we believe in making robots our  **friends!** So if you find... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3343) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3343/guides) ![Angled shot of a Adafruit CRICKIT FeatherWing for any Feather](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/3343-02.jpg) ### Adafruit Feather RP2040 [Adafruit Feather RP2040](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4884) A new chip means a new Feather, and the Raspberry Pi RP2040 is no exception. When we saw this chip we thought "this chip is going to be awesome when we give it the Feather Treatment" and so we did! This Feather features the  **RP2040** , and all niceties you know and... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4884) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4884/guides) ![Angled shot of black rectangular microcontroller "Feather RP2040"](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4884-04.jpg) ### 2.5mm Pitch 2-pin Cable Matching Pair - JST XH compatible [2.5mm Pitch 2-pin Cable Matching Pair - JST XH compatible](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4872) These solid 2.5mm pitch connector cable pairs are great when you need something that can carry a couple amps of current, easy to connect and disconnect, and is just-about 0.1" pitch compatible. These cables are nice and long, 20 cm each, in fact. They've got both small form... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4872) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4872/guides) ![Angled shot of 2-pin cable matching pair.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4872-02.jpg) ### 5V 4A (4000mA) switching power supply - UL Listed [5V 4A (4000mA) switching power supply - UL Listed](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1466) Need a lot of 5V power? This switching supply gives a clean regulated 5V output at up to **4 Amps** (4000mA). 110 or 240 input, so it works in any country. The plugs are "US 2-prong" style so you may need a plug adapter, but you can pick one up at any hardware store for $1 or so,... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1466) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1466/guides) ![Angled shot of 5V 4A switching power supply brick with power cable.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/1466-10.jpg) - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/hacking-holiday-animatronics/animatronic-anatomy.md) ## Featured Products ### Adafruit Feather RP2040 [Adafruit Feather RP2040](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4884) A new chip means a new Feather, and the Raspberry Pi RP2040 is no exception. When we saw this chip we thought "this chip is going to be awesome when we give it the Feather Treatment" and so we did! This Feather features the  **RP2040** , and all niceties you know and... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4884) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4884/guides) ### Adafruit CRICKIT FeatherWing for any Feather [Adafruit CRICKIT FeatherWing for any Feather](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3343) Sometimes we wonder if robotics engineers ever watch movies. If they did, they'd know that making robots into servants always ends up in a robot rebellion. Why even go down that path? Here at Adafruit, we believe in making robots our  **friends!** So if you find... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3343) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3343/guides) ### 2.5mm Pitch 2-pin Cable Matching Pair - JST XH compatible [2.5mm Pitch 2-pin Cable Matching Pair - JST XH compatible](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4872) These solid 2.5mm pitch connector cable pairs are great when you need something that can carry a couple amps of current, easy to connect and disconnect, and is just-about 0.1" pitch compatible. These cables are nice and long, 20 cm each, in fact. They've got both small form... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4872) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4872/guides) ### 5V 4A (4000mA) switching power supply - UL Listed [5V 4A (4000mA) switching power supply - UL Listed](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1466) Need a lot of 5V power? This switching supply gives a clean regulated 5V output at up to **4 Amps** (4000mA). 110 or 240 input, so it works in any country. The plugs are "US 2-prong" style so you may need a plug adapter, but you can pick one up at any hardware store for $1 or so,... Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1466) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1466/guides) ## Related Guides - [Introducing Adafruit Feather RP2040](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-rp2040-pico.md) - [Cardboard Fundamentals](https://learn.adafruit.com/cardboard-fundamentals.md) - [Improve Brushed DC Motor Performance](https://learn.adafruit.com/improve-brushed-dc-motor-performance.md) - [MIDI Controlled Robot Lyre with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/midi-controlled-robot-lyre-with-circuitpython.md) - [Darth Faders](https://learn.adafruit.com/darth-faders.md) - [Disconnected CO2 Data Logger](https://learn.adafruit.com/disconnected-co2-data-logger.md) - [CircusPython: Jump through Hoops with CircuitPython Bluetooth LE](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuspython-jump-through-hoops-with-bluetooth-le.md) - [Edit CircuitPython Code on iOS with Runestone](https://learn.adafruit.com/editing-circuitpython-on-ios-with-runestone.md) - [Quickstart - Raspberry Pi RP2040 with BLE and CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/quickstart-raspberry-pi-rp2040-with-ble-and-circuitpython.md) - [Deco Two-Key Feather Macro Pad](https://learn.adafruit.com/deco-two-key-keypad-macropad-circuitpython-feather.md) - [CRICKIT WobblyBot](https://learn.adafruit.com/crickit-wobblybot.md) - [CRICKIT Flippy Robot](https://learn.adafruit.com/crickit-flippy-robot.md) - [How to Choose a Microcontroller](https://learn.adafruit.com/how-to-choose-a-microcontroller.md) - [Using Crickit and Adafruit IO together](https://learn.adafruit.com/crickit-and-adafruitio.md) - [CircuitPython BLE Crickit Rover](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-ble-crickit-rover.md) - [CNC Rotary Macropad](https://learn.adafruit.com/cnc-rotary-macropad.md)