Setup Adafruit Feather M4 for CircuitPython

Your Feather M4 should already come with CircuitPython but maybe there's a new version, or you overwrote your board with Arduino code! In that case, see the below for how to reinstall or update CircuitPython. Otherwise you can skip this and proceed with the build.

CircuitPython Libraries

Install the necessary Adafruit CircuitPython libraries by downloading the latest bundle. Unzip the file and locate the needed libraries. Drop the libraries into a folder named "lib" on the CIRCUITPY drive.

For non-express boards like the Trinket M0 or Gemma M0, you'll need to manually install the necessary libraries from the bundle.

Required CircuitPython Libraries:

  • neopixel
  • adafruit_lis3dh
  • adafruit_bus_device

Before continuing make sure your board's lib folder or root filesystem has the neopixel, adafruit_lis3dh, and adafruit_bus_device files and folders copied over.

Sound Effects

The code was written to call on five different sound effects depending on the actions. You can make your own audio files or use the royalty-free ones we've provided. Be sure to create a new folder named  "sounds" at the top level of the CIRCUITPY drive and drop in the audio files.

Adafruit CircuitPython supports 16-bit, Mono, 22.050kHz .wav audio format.  Additionally, the looping sample idle.wav should be a multiple of 512 samples long.

  • Power on – on.wav
  • Idle humming – idle.wav
  • Swing whoosh – swing.wav
  • Crash strike – hit.wav
  • Power off – off.wav

Upload The Code

Download a zip of the project by clicking 'Download: Project Zip' in the preview of code.py below.

Copy code.py to the CIRCUITPY drive and copy the .wav files to the top-level sounds directory in the CIRCUITPY drive.

Once the files has been uploaded to the drive, the board will automatically reboot and run the code.

# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2018 John Edgar Park for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

"""LASER SWORD (pew pew) example for Adafruit Hallowing & NeoPixel strip"""
# pylint: disable=bare-except

import time
import math
import gc
from digitalio import DigitalInOut, Direction, Pull
import audioio
import audiocore
import busio
import board
import neopixel
import adafruit_lis3dh

# CUSTOMIZE YOUR COLOR HERE:
# (red, green, blue) -- each 0 (off) to 255 (brightest)
# COLOR = (255, 0, 0)  # red
COLOR = (100, 0, 255)  # purple
# COLOR = (0, 100, 255) #cyan

# CUSTOMIZE SENSITIVITY HERE: smaller numbers = more sensitive to motion
HIT_THRESHOLD = 350 # 250
SWING_THRESHOLD = 125

NUM_PIXELS = 114
# NUM_PIXELS = 85
NEOPIXEL_PIN = board.D5
POWER_PIN = board.D10
SWITCH_PIN = board.D9

enable = DigitalInOut(POWER_PIN)
enable.direction = Direction.OUTPUT
enable.value =False

red_led = DigitalInOut(board.D11)
red_led.direction = Direction.OUTPUT
green_led = DigitalInOut(board.D12)
green_led.direction = Direction.OUTPUT
blue_led = DigitalInOut(board.D13)
blue_led.direction = Direction.OUTPUT

audio = audioio.AudioOut(board.A0)     # Speaker
mode = 0                               # Initial mode = OFF

strip = neopixel.NeoPixel(NEOPIXEL_PIN, NUM_PIXELS, brightness=1, auto_write=False)
strip.fill(0)                          # NeoPixels off ASAP on startup
strip.show()

switch = DigitalInOut(SWITCH_PIN)
switch.direction = Direction.INPUT
switch.pull = Pull.UP

time.sleep(0.1)

# Set up accelerometer on I2C bus, 4G range:
i2c = busio.I2C(board.SCL, board.SDA)
accel = adafruit_lis3dh.LIS3DH_I2C(i2c)
accel.range = adafruit_lis3dh.RANGE_4_G

# "Idle" color is 1/4 brightness, "swinging" color is full brightness...
COLOR_IDLE = (int(COLOR[0] / 1), int(COLOR[1] / 1), int(COLOR[2] / 1))
COLOR_SWING = COLOR
COLOR_HIT = (255, 255, 255)  # "hit" color is white

def play_wav(name, loop=False):
    """
    Play a WAV file in the 'sounds' directory.
    @param name: partial file name string, complete name will be built around
                 this, e.g. passing 'foo' will play file 'sounds/foo.wav'.
    @param loop: if True, sound will repeat indefinitely (until interrupted
                 by another sound).
    """
    print("playing", name)
    try:
        wave_file = open('sounds/' + name + '.wav', 'rb')
        wave = audiocore.WaveFile(wave_file)
        audio.play(wave, loop=loop)
    except:
        return

def power(sound, duration, reverse):
    """
    Animate NeoPixels with accompanying sound effect for power on / off.
    @param sound:    sound name (similar format to play_wav() above)
    @param duration: estimated duration of sound, in seconds (>0.0)
    @param reverse:  if True, do power-off effect (reverses animation)
    """
    if reverse:
        prev = NUM_PIXELS
    else:
        prev = 0
    gc.collect()                   # Tidy up RAM now so animation's smoother
    start_time = time.monotonic()  # Save audio start time
    play_wav(sound)
    while True:
        elapsed = time.monotonic() - start_time  # Time spent playing sound
        if elapsed > duration:                   # Past sound duration?
            break                                # Stop animating
        fraction = elapsed / duration            # Animation time, 0.0 to 1.0
        if reverse:
            fraction = 1.0 - fraction            # 1.0 to 0.0 if reverse
        fraction = math.pow(fraction, 0.5)       # Apply nonlinear curve
        threshold = int(NUM_PIXELS * fraction + 0.5)
        num = threshold - prev # Number of pixels to light on this pass
        if num != 0:
            if reverse:
                strip[threshold:prev] = [0] * -num
            else:
                strip[prev:threshold] = [COLOR_IDLE] * num
            strip.show()
            # NeoPixel writes throw off time.monotonic() ever so slightly
            # because interrupts are disabled during the transfer.
            # We can compensate somewhat by adjusting the start time
            # back by 30 microseconds per pixel.
            start_time -= NUM_PIXELS * 0.00003
            prev = threshold

    if reverse:
        strip.fill(0)                            # At end, ensure strip is off
    else:
        strip.fill(COLOR_IDLE)                   # or all pixels set on
    strip.show()
    while audio.playing:                         # Wait until audio done
        pass

def mix(color_1, color_2, weight_2):
    """
    Blend between two colors with a given ratio.
    @param color_1:  first color, as an (r,g,b) tuple
    @param color_2:  second color, as an (r,g,b) tuple
    @param weight_2: Blend weight (ratio) of second color, 0.0 to 1.0
    @return: (r,g,b) tuple, blended color
    """
    if weight_2 < 0.0:
        weight_2 = 0.0
    elif weight_2 > 1.0:
        weight_2 = 1.0
    weight_1 = 1.0 - weight_2
    return (int(color_1[0] * weight_1 + color_2[0] * weight_2),
            int(color_1[1] * weight_1 + color_2[1] * weight_2),
            int(color_1[2] * weight_1 + color_2[2] * weight_2))

# Main program loop, repeats indefinitely
while True:

    red_led.value = True

    if not switch.value:                    # button pressed?
        if mode == 0:                       # If currently off...
            enable.value = True
            power('on', 1.7, False)         # Power up!
            play_wav('idle', loop=True)     # Play background hum sound
            mode = 1                        # ON (idle) mode now
        else:                               # else is currently on...
            power('off', 1.15, True)        # Power down
            mode = 0                        # OFF mode now
            enable.value = False
        while not switch.value:             # Wait for button release
            time.sleep(0.2)                 # to avoid repeated triggering

    elif mode >= 1:                         # If not OFF mode...
        x, y, z = accel.acceleration # Read accelerometer
        accel_total = x * x + z * z
        # (Y axis isn't needed for this, assuming Hallowing is mounted
        # sideways to stick.  Also, square root isn't needed, since we're
        # just comparing thresholds...use squared values instead, save math.)
        if accel_total > HIT_THRESHOLD:   # Large acceleration = HIT
            TRIGGER_TIME = time.monotonic() # Save initial time of hit
            play_wav('hit')                 # Start playing 'hit' sound
            COLOR_ACTIVE = COLOR_HIT        # Set color to fade from
            mode = 3                        # HIT mode
        elif mode == 1 and accel_total > SWING_THRESHOLD: # Mild = SWING
            TRIGGER_TIME = time.monotonic() # Save initial time of swing
            play_wav('swing')               # Start playing 'swing' sound
            COLOR_ACTIVE = COLOR_SWING      # Set color to fade from
            mode = 2                        # SWING mode
        elif mode > 1:                      # If in SWING or HIT mode...
            if audio.playing:               # And sound currently playing...
                blend = time.monotonic() - TRIGGER_TIME # Time since triggered
                if mode == 2:               # If SWING,
                    blend = abs(0.5 - blend) * 2.0 # ramp up, down
                strip.fill(mix(COLOR_ACTIVE, COLOR_IDLE, blend))
                strip.show()
            else:                           # No sound now, but still MODE > 1
                play_wav('idle', loop=True) # Resume background hum
                strip.fill(COLOR_IDLE)      # Set to idle color
                strip.show()
                mode = 1                    # IDLE mode now

This guide was first published on Oct 31, 2018. It was last updated on Oct 31, 2018.

This page (Software) was last updated on Jun 04, 2023.

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