This example demonstrates how to attach a speaker to CRICKIT to make Sparky talk.

Getting Familiar

This uses CircuitPython, which requires installing Mu. If you haven't previously used Mu, this guide will get you started.

CircuitPython is a programming language based on Python, one of the fastest growing programming languages in the world. It is specifically designed to simplify experimenting and learning to code on low-cost microcontroller boards.

If you haven't used Circuit Playground Express with CRICKIT before, make sure you've updated it with the latest special 'seesaw' version of the CPX firmware. This guide will show you how.

Mount the speaker

Time to give Sparky a voice. This small 0.5 Watt speaker is just right, although larger 4 and 8 ohm speakers work also.

Cut out a small square of double sided foam tape.

Use this to stick the speaker to the outside edge of the box.

Then connect the speaker wires to CRICKIT as depicted.

Connect the speaker wires to CRICKIT as shown in the diagram below.

Audio Files

Click the button below to download a collection of audio clips for Sparky.

Unzip, then drag and drop these audio clips onto your CIRCUITPY drive.

sparky.zip

If you want to create and use your own wav files, see this guide to ensure they are formatted for playing on CRICKIT.

Load the Code

The CircuitPython code for this project is available below.

Copy and paste this code into your Mu editor.

Save the code to your CIRCUITPY drive in your computer's file exploration program as code.py.

Download Project Bundle

Copy Code

# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2018 Limor Fried for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

import os
import time
import random
import board
import audioio
import audiocore
from adafruit_crickit import crickit

# Sparky automaton

# Find all Wave files on the storage
wavefiles = [file for file in os.listdir("/")
             if (file.endswith(".wav") and not file.startswith("._"))]
print("Audio files found: ", wavefiles)

# mouth servo
mouth_servo = crickit.servo_1
# TowerPro servos like 500/2500 pulsewidths
mouth_servo.set_pulse_width_range(min_pulse=500, max_pulse=2500)

# Servo angles
MOUTH_START = 100
MOUTH_END = 90

# Starting servo location
mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START

# Audio playback object and helper to play a full file
a = audioio.AudioOut(board.A0)

# Play a wave file and move the mouth while its playing!
def play_file(wavfile):
    print("Playing", wavfile)
    with open(wavfile, "rb") as f:
        wav = audiocore.WaveFile(f)
        a.play(wav)
        while a.playing:  # turn servos, motors, etc. during playback
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_END
            time.sleep(0.15)
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START
            time.sleep(0.15)

while True:
    # Play a random quip
    play_file(random.choice(wavefiles))
    # then hang out for a few seconds
    time.sleep(3)

# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2018 Limor Fried for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

import os
import time
import random
import board
import audioio
import audiocore
from adafruit_crickit import crickit

# Sparky automaton

# Find all Wave files on the storage
wavefiles = [file for file in os.listdir("/")
             if (file.endswith(".wav") and not file.startswith("._"))]
print("Audio files found: ", wavefiles)

# mouth servo
mouth_servo = crickit.servo_1
# TowerPro servos like 500/2500 pulsewidths
mouth_servo.set_pulse_width_range(min_pulse=500, max_pulse=2500)

# Servo angles
MOUTH_START = 100
MOUTH_END = 90

# Starting servo location
mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START

# Audio playback object and helper to play a full file
a = audioio.AudioOut(board.A0)

# Play a wave file and move the mouth while its playing!
def play_file(wavfile):
    print("Playing", wavfile)
    with open(wavfile, "rb") as f:
        wav = audiocore.WaveFile(f)
        a.play(wav)
        while a.playing:  # turn servos, motors, etc. during playback
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_END
            time.sleep(0.15)
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START
            time.sleep(0.15)

while True:
    # Play a random quip
    play_file(random.choice(wavefiles))
    # then hang out for a few seconds
    time.sleep(3)

Make sure the file saved to CIRCUITPY is named "code.py", this will allow it to run automatically when your CPX is powered on.

How The Code Works

We start by importing all our helper libraries

Download File

Copy Code

import os
import time
import random
import board
import audioio
import audiocore
from adafruit_crickit import crickit

import os
import time
import random
import board
import audioio
import audiocore
from adafruit_crickit import crickit

Then we look on the little flash drive with os.listdir("/") to find all ".wav" audio files. We have a check to make sure we don't include any "._" files, these are special macOS files we ought to ignore

Download File

Copy Code

# Find all Wave files on the storage
wavefiles = [file for file in os.listdir("/")
             if (file.endswith(".wav") and not file.startswith("._"))]
print("Audio files found: ", wavefiles)

# Find all Wave files on the storage
wavefiles = [file for file in os.listdir("/")
             if (file.endswith(".wav") and not file.startswith("._"))]
print("Audio files found: ", wavefiles)

We get from the crickit library access to the Servo #1 port, where we have our micro-servo plugged in. The tiny TowerPro SG-9x servos we're using work best with a 500us to 2500us pulse width, so we let the servo know that.

Then we define some helper variables for the angles that correspond to where the mouth starts and ends when the automaton speaks:

Download File

Copy Code

# mouth servo
mouth_servo = crickit.servo_1
# TowerPro servos like 500/2500 pulsewidths
mouth_servo.set_pulse_width_range(min_pulse=500, max_pulse=2500)

# Servo angles
MOUTH_START = 100
MOUTH_END = 90

# Starting servo location
mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START

# mouth servo
mouth_servo = crickit.servo_1
# TowerPro servos like 500/2500 pulsewidths
mouth_servo.set_pulse_width_range(min_pulse=500, max_pulse=2500)

# Servo angles
MOUTH_START = 100
MOUTH_END = 90

# Starting servo location
mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START

Our helper function play_file will use the audio capabilities of the CircuitPlayground to play the audio file. As it is playing we also move the servo up and down by assigning mouth_servo.angle to those helper variables above! When the audio is done, the servo stops moving

Download File

Copy Code

# Audio playback object and helper to play a full file
a = audioio.AudioOut(board.A0)

# Play a wave file and move the mouth while its playing!
def play_file(wavfile):
    print("Playing", wavfile)
    with open(wavfile, "rb") as f:
        wav = audiocore.WaveFile(f)
        a.play(wav)
        while a.playing:  # turn servos, motors, etc. during playback
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_END
            time.sleep(0.15)
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START
            time.sleep(0.15)

# Audio playback object and helper to play a full file
a = audioio.AudioOut(board.A0)

# Play a wave file and move the mouth while its playing!
def play_file(wavfile):
    print("Playing", wavfile)
    with open(wavfile, "rb") as f:
        wav = audiocore.WaveFile(f)
        a.play(wav)
        while a.playing:  # turn servos, motors, etc. during playback
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_END
            time.sleep(0.15)
            mouth_servo.angle = MOUTH_START
            time.sleep(0.15)

Finally, in our loop we will play a random wavefile that we found on the disk and then pause in between.

Download File

Copy Code

while True:
    # Play a random quip
    play_file(random.choice(wavefiles))
    # then hang out for a few seconds
    time.sleep(3)

while True:
    # Play a random quip
    play_file(random.choice(wavefiles))
    # then hang out for a few seconds
    time.sleep(3)

Save and Run!

Your CIRCUITPY drive should include the code file and audio files.

If you have all these covered, you're ready to rock with Sparky!

makecode_Screen_Shot_2018-06-21_at_2.14.46_PM.png

Troubleshooting

Problem: My Circuit Playground Express isn't recognized by Mu!

Solution: Make sure your board is set up with CircuitPython, which has the Circuit Playground Express show up as a flash drive named CIRCUITPY when you connect the CPX to your computer. If it is showing up as CPLAYBOOT on your computer, you can follow the steps in this guide to ensure CircuitPython is loaded and you see the CIRCUITPY drive.

Problem: My motor isn't moving!

Solution: Make sure you've updated your Circuit Playground Express with the latest special 'seesaw' version of the CPX firmware. This guide will show you how.