TinyScreen and TinyDuino

TinyScreen displays the Mandelbrot set.
TinyScreen displays the Mandelbrot set.

A few months ago, I signed up for a Kickstarter for TinyScreen – a minuscule 96×64 pixel screen run by a similarly diminutive TinyDuino, an Arduino clone that is smaller than a quarter.  My parts arrived yesterday, and I jumped right into playing with them.

I had ordered the video game package which came with a TinyDuino, a TinyScreen, a TinyShield Joystick, a TinyShield USB (for connecting to the computer with a micro USB cable), and a 140 mAh LiPo battery that plugs directly into the TinyDuino.  The TinyDuino came with an example program pre-loaded, so all I had to do was connect the TinyScreen and the LiPo battery pack to the TinyDuino and turn it on.  The demo program shows text and brightly colored rectangles in a remarkably sharp display.  There is also a demo program to play the game “Flappy Birds” with the four push buttons on the side of the TinyScreen.

I found a simple program for generating the Mandelbrot Set here and adapted it to display on the TinyScreen:

The miniature size of the TinyDuino and TinyScreen just scream to be made into wearable electronics.  The manufacturers have shown a smartwatch and necklace prototype, but not yet released any design files for them.  I wanted to be able to make a something wearable out of it, so I used Sketchup to design an enclosure with a lid that slides on, then  3D printed them.  It’s not gorgeous, but it’s functional and preserves the small size of the setup.  Sketchup and STL files for the 3D print can be found at:http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:739648.  To give it a little more visual interest, I wrote a new program with bouncing rectangles for the display.

The TinyScreen with the 3D printed casing.
The TinyScreen with its3D printed casing.
The necklace displays a moving pattern of rectangles.
The necklace displays a moving pattern of rectangles.

Here’s a video of the necklace assembly:

Now I just need the right occasion to wear it!

4 thoughts on “TinyScreen and TinyDuino

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *