The PyCorder

The PyCorder was a credit-card-sized, SAM D51-based gadget for sensing, storing and showing data. I built it around the same time as Sensor Watch, and it used the same nine-pin connector concept (although at a larger scale). An initial prototype used an on-board touch matrix that allowed for gesture-based navigation. The final concept used a directional joystick with two action buttons, similar to the design of Open Book.

While I never shipped this board, it was a crucial step in my exploration of microcontroller boards with modular sensor connectivity.

Features

• A crisp, low power 240x400 Sharp Memory Display
• A SAMD51G19 microcontroller, with plenty of room for CircuitPython
• 4 megabyte QSPI Flash; plenty of space for code, fonts and images
• Two buttons and a five-way joystick for user input
• Built-in battery charging, with keepout area for a 350 mAh battery
• One STEMMA port with current limiting and voltage protection
• One STEMMA-QT port for plugging in STEMMA-QT compatible boards
• One 9-pin connector, compatible with a menagerie of sensor boards
• Enable switch for cutting power to the device
• One amber LED for charge state and one red LED for general purpose blinking

Use Cases