This is a long-term project which I hope to release someday.

History

I’ve been doing embedded software in C and C++ for a rather long time, initially as a professional developer for systems that required some rather expensive hardware. Over time, as embedded controllers powerful enough to support moderately complex C++ firmware became more affordable, I began tinkering with personal projects.

A few examples of personal projects :

CNC system

-custom LPC2119 firmware for a 2.5 axis (high precision X-Y, coarse Z) for a scratch-built CNC machine to automate drilling holes in custom PCB boards

• firmware, system software, and circuit/PCB design for a 128 channel fireworks ignition system
  • Raspberry Pi primary controller
  • up to four 32 channel igniter boards
    • Arduino Nano with SPI connection to primary
    • dual MCP23017 I2C I/O expanders
  • custom PCB and circuit design (KiCad)

RC Car turn signal/brake lights controller

• tapped into speed and steering servo PWM signals to automatically activate brake lights when reducing speed or turn signals when steering off center

”Wizard’s Staff” for son’s halloween costume

• Arduino Nano
• I2C 6DOF sensor
• lots of WS2812B leds crammed into a 2.5” wide translucent icosahedron (D20…)

Christmas Tree lighting

• ESP8266/ESP32 based controller for WS2812B LED chains on our Christmas tree
  • started innocently enough
  • has grown into a monster, with no signs of stopping

    • over 1000 LEDs

    • web UI over WiFi

    • physical (button/encode) and integrated TFT touchscreen interface

Changing focus

I became a bit obsessed after discovering addressable RGB LEDs (NeoPixel/WS2811/WS2812B/…).
Not long after that (around 2018), the release of Sparkfun’s Qwiic  and Adafruit’s StemmaQT  established a (fortunately interchangeable and cross-compatible) hobbyist friendly system for easily connecting 3.3V I2C devices to Qwiic/StemmaQT enabled controllers.

Around the same time, my son and I became interested in tabletop gaming (mostly Warhammer 40K) and I started 3D printing terrain. Then I started thinking about adding some LED and sound effects to 3D printed terrain and gaming models (mostly W40K Ork vehicles).

At this point, several things came together into an “aha” moment, and my C++ effects firmware project started taking on it’s own identity. Not just as a system, for me to do things - I can already do just about anything I want for my own projects - but as a tool to make embedding complex interactive effects accessible for “regular” people without programming experience.

It still has a way to go, but it’s getting there.