A USB Crank Device

Ever wonder what it's like to control things with a crank? This project explores the use of a crank  mechanism that attaches to a rotary encoder. With the Adafruit ItsyBitsy M0 and CircuitPython, we can simulate a USB Human Interface Device (HID) device (like computer keyboards, mice, and gamepads) to trigger commands, macros and key presses. This idea was inspired by the Play Date device by Panic.

Hinged Crank Mechanism

Have you ever cranked a rotary encoder? With the right application, this actually feels intuitive and fun. This design features a hinged arm and free-rotating handle. It pops out of the case and hinges out making a crank. The mechanism is a 3D print-in-place design. It press fits over any flat nose rotary encoder.

Turbo Mode

The rotary encode simulates key presses each time a pulse is produced. By turning the encoder, rapid key presses are generated – This is similar to the "Turbo" button prominently featured on USB gamepads. We've come up with some use cases for this.

  • Turn up/down volume or screen brightness
  • Play MakeCode Arcade games
  • Scroll webpages
  • Rotate 3D models in CURA Slicer

DIY USB HID

This project uses the USB HID CircuitPython library. It's designed for creating custom USB input devices for creative and assistive applications. The library supports most US keypresses, multimedia and gamepad controls. 

Parts List

Angled shot of Adafruit ItsyBitsy M0 Express - for CircuitPython & Arduino IDE.
What's smaller than a Feather but larger than a Trinket? It's an Adafruit ItsyBitsy M0 Express! Small, powerful, with a rockin' ATSAMD21 Cortex M0...
$11.95
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
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
10 wire Silicone Cover Stranded-Core Ribbon Cable
For those who are fans of our silicone-covered wires, but are always looking to up their wiring game. We now have Silicone Cover Ribbon cables! These may look...
$3.95
In Stock
Filament for 3D printers in various colors and types stacked together.
Having a 3D printer without filament is sort of like having a regular printer without paper or ink.  And while a lot of printers come with some filament there's a good chance...
Out of Stock

Prerequisite Guides

If you're new to soldering and CircuitPython, we suggest you walk through the following guides to get the basics. 

This guide was first published on Jun 11, 2019. It was last updated on Mar 18, 2024.

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

Text editor powered by tinymce.