LilyPad MP3 Giveaway!

What would you build with the LilyPad MP3 player?

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Wearable technology (or wearables/e-textiles) continues to be a quickly growing segment of the electronics and DIY community. As such, we've been hard at work cranking out new tech for people to incorporate into their latest e-textiles projects. Today we want to bring your attention to one of our products - the LilyPad MP3 Player. To give you a demo of this all-in-one audio solution, we made a quick (and kind of strange) video:

ReplaceMeOpen

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The LilyPad MP3 Player contains an Arduino-compatible microcontroller, MP3 (and many other formats) audio decoder chip, microSD card socket, and a stereo audio amplifier. Using this board, you can easily add sound capabilities to your next wearables project. A hoodie with built in speakers, a blanket that plays lullabies as you fall asleep, a teddy bear that talks when you squeeze its hand - the possibilities are only limited by the scope of your imagination. Knowing our customers, you're probably going to come up with something awesome.

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With that in mind, what are your ideas for using the LilyPad MP3 player? Leave them in the comments below and we'll select the top five ideas (as chosen by a committee of e-textiles enthusiasts) and send you your very own LilyPad MP3 Player. Even better if you take the player and actually build the project you suggested! We'll accept entries until Wednesday, 9/3/14 at 9 a.m. MT. Good luck and let the brilliant ideas flow!


Comments 145 comments

  • I love to fall asleep while listening to the music, but when I do, in certain point music wakes me up again.

    I would like to make music player that senses my heartbeat/eeg or movements and decides for the right moment to stop playing.

  • GreenLite / about 10 years ago / 6

    A GPS collar on a dog that is given commands by the lilypad mp3 by the owners voice in route.
    Delivery dogs could deliver your pizza. With simple commands to sit and such when it arrives. Seeing eye dogs could take the blind wherever they want. They could get coordinates from the google search that program waypoints for the dog. The lily pad could communicate to both the dog and the person giving both queues on its location or destination.

    • bdwyer / about 10 years ago / 1

      This idea should win :0)

      Aside from dogs delivering pizzas, I'd like to see how this could benefit those who use seeing eye dogs...

  • Member #15447 / about 10 years ago * / 5

    My girlfriend's boss is fairly notorious for overusing certain buzzwords. We came up with the idea to make a custom pull string doll of him that would recite one of his infamous phrases whenever you pull the string. The LilyPad MP3 would be the perfect brains for the doll! It could randomly play back a sound snippet on command. Now we just have to figure out how to surreptitiously record him saying his catchphrases. Is there a SparkFun widget for that? Thanks SparkFun!

  • JonathanD / about 10 years ago / 5

    A Boy Band Hat. A young girl that I know who has cerebral palsy is constantly being reminded to hold her head up (to keep her neck muscles from atrophying). I would make a hat that plays her favorite boy bands when her head is upright.

  • BamBam / about 10 years ago / 4

    I am busy Remaking Jarvis from Iron Man, I have it working in my house but need to make it mobile, Would like to try one of these units out connect it via Wifi to the home network and use the MP3 capability to enable Jarvis voice promp playbacks, so i can wear the controller and move around the house/garden freely while still controlling everything via voice.

  • Jaret / about 10 years ago * / 4

    Attach an accelerometer, such as ADXL 335 or MPU-6050, to the arms and legs and program it to make robot sounds so that every movement would imitate doing the robot.

  • Member #106912 / about 10 years ago / 4

    THEME MUSIC HAT!! Walk into a room, and Boom! my top-hat lets EVERYONE know I have arrived!!

    Either that or attach an accelerometer and have it pick out music based on how fast I'm moving (probably should be in a jacket instead of a hat).

  • I have a few ideas, but I think the one that makes most sense in South Africa would be to embed this into a running/cycling shirt for women. A pressure pad could activate it and blast out a rape whistle or emergency call, as well as to start an intent via bluetooth or something to call emergency services for assistance.

  • dougal / about 10 years ago / 3

    For Halloween, we're thinking about turning our son's wheelchair into Mater, from Cars. I already had plans to add some lighting to it. With this, we could add sound effects, too! Shoooot, that there's fun!

  • Member #112039 / about 10 years ago / 3

    My two year old daughter loves listening to music as she plays.... but is rough on every type of music player I've given her. There isn't a decent "toddler proof" MP3 player on the market; they typically have a tiny amount of memory and only play the tracks in sequential order (which drives a parent INSANE when the first two or three songs play over and over again!)

    I thoroughly intend to make her either a little hat, backpack, or possibly a shirt, akin to Thinkgeek's "Personal Soundtrack Shirt," with an embedded speaker and some very simple rubberized controls, along with an IR receiver for more fine-tuned parental intervention.

    (I can feel it deep in the force that I am destined to win something from Sparkfun sooner or later!)

  • chiggers / about 10 years ago / 3

    This can be fashioned into an entertainment device wired into an existing doorbell. This device will play 'Theme from Jeopardy' or other humorous songs while the visitor is waiting on the resident to answer the door. Perhaps this can be augmented further with a display of the current time, weather, etc. Another idea: Text -> Speech -> MP3 may offer valuable information as well. "Your current wait time is X minutes" Many possibilities!

  • Member #590666 / about 10 years ago / 2

    Name of the project: PianoBelt

    This is a belt with a printed piano on it, but you can play it, there are so many keys of piano around your hips, maybe when you are boring you can play the piano while you are sitting on a chair and before you wear it you can introduce the sounds of the piano with a micro sd, then you can play sounds of guitar, trumpet or a synthetizer.

    How to do: I can put the Lilypad on the center of the belt and every key of the piano will have a button, then to play the piano you push the buttons, it's a really easy concept, a big part of it need only Code and the Lilypad Mp3.

  • José Heriberto López / about 10 years ago / 2

    SPARKFUN CONTEST LILYPAD MP3

    PROJECT NAME: COMPANION HAT FOR BLIND PEOPLE

    PROBLEM DESCRIPTION: There are some blind people who like to walk around the city mostly by themselves. But, how they do it? Because they have developed along their blind years, a kind of a “sense”, knowing where to walk, making sounds with they mouth (or with a stick, or any object) and using those sounds like an “echo” (exactly like bats use echo, or submarines use “sonar” sounds).

    Unfortunately, to develop this “sense” is not always easy for every blind people. Because each person has a different sense of “hearing” (some people hear better “bass sounds”, and some other people hear better “treble sounds”). And even worst, the “hearing sense”, changes for every person when they’re aging. This means, that if some blind person learns how to walk using “echo sounds” with certain sound, maybe the same sound, would not work for the same person in the next 5 years.

    Also, another problem for the blind people, is when they travel on public transportation. They are not concerned every time if they have already arrived to their destination, or if they can take a public transportation on that site.

    PROBLEM SOLUTION To solve both problems (“echo navigation” and “where am I?” function) It would be helpful to develop a: Trrrtrtrtrtrtrtrttrtrtrtrttr (snare drum sound)… **** “COMPANION HAT FOR BLIND PEOPLE” ****.

    It would be a hat, which produces “echo sounds”, when the persons needs to walk. And could be fully configurable. The user could regulate how they need it to sound (more like a bass or more like a treble, adjusting their hearing needs). Also, they could configure to make sounds every certain time. (for example, make an echo each 2 second, each 4 seconds, or manually each time a button is pressed. Depending on their needs).

    And for the “transportation issue”, there would be a function of “where am I?”, in which the hat would tell the user their exact location, or if they are about to arrive to certain place they want to go.

    COMPONENTS NEEDED * 1 x Fashionable Hat! * 1 x LilyPad MP3 (DEV-11013) * 1 x Thin Speaker (COM-10722) * 1 x GPS Receiver (GPS-10890) * Some “LilyPad Button Board” (DEV-08776)

    HOW TO DO IT The Lilypad MP3 would be programmed to generate some “echo sounds” with the Thin Speaker, adjustable (duration, bass and treble) using the buttons. Also, the GPS would tell to the Lilypad if the user is near a place they wanted to go. If they’re near, the LilyPad MP3 would tell the user using the thin speaker, or using headphones (if wanted).

    Also, the Lilypad could be programmed to tell the user if they can take a bus near their location. All of this, of course, would be attached to a fashionable hat! So the user can never lose their SWAG :D.

    Hope you like my idea :) Regards from Mexico :D

    José Heriberto López.

    • Spark_fun_newbie / about 10 years ago / 2

      How about adding a small motor that vibrates. :-)

      • José Heriberto López / about 10 years ago / 1

        Hi! Thanks for the suggestion! The small vibrating motors would help to tell the user that they are about to arrive to a certain place (with the "where am I?" function, using GPS with the "Companion Hat" :D. Thanks & regards :)

  • Member #292640 / about 10 years ago / 2

    I would attach it to my sister's magical girl cosplay so that she could have the "transformation" theme music play when she poses! Perhaps also attach a proximity sensor to ward away creepos who get try to get inappropriately close. (Protective big sister mode)

  • Member #494041 / about 10 years ago / 2

    Music activity mat for my toddler. Buttons/sensors to activate melodies and lights, maybe some muscle wire or small servos to add a little movement. Off-the-shelf music activity mats usually have really low quality music and you can never upload your own.

  • Member #53531 / about 10 years ago / 2

    I'd like to reprogram and use the arduino in a motorcycling textile jacket to control addressable LED strings. I'm thinking potentially a cascading turnsignal on the back of the rider, a flashing pattern along the lines of 4way flashers to alert other drivers of trouble, and of course the possibilty for lighting up the rider just for decoration are definate possiblities. The added safety potential of lighting up a rider (not just the motorcycle)stopped along the road at night would be a great !

  • fmartguy / about 10 years ago / 2

    I would sew it directly to my brain (or maybe use some EEG sensors) and have it say what my current mood is when it changes. Like if I see someone I like it'd say "Happy!", or if someone's bothering me it'd say "Annoyed!". It would shout it every time too, to make extra sure whoever I'm around is aware of my emotional state. As an introvert, I feel this would help me express myself. And make awkward conversations even more awkward, which is all anyone can ask for really.

  • orin / about 10 years ago / 2

    Okay, it's not exactly wearable, but I really want to put one of these with an accelerometer, a lipo battery, and a speaker on the inside of a frisbee. You'd have to keep throwing the frisbee back and forth to keep the music going!

  • zodiak / about 10 years ago / 2

    Thanks for the reminder. I need to buy one of these for my little girl. She's not interested in doing the SIK stuff with my son and I, but when I mentioned she could get blinky lights and stuff on her backpack she got excited.....

  • Please don't limit this to wearables. These devices have so many more uses.

    I recently built a train crossing guard for my 4 year old son ( He's obsessed with trains). I would use one of these to rebuild it( or heck maybe make a second one) with integrated sounds. the two tone sound that I can get with a Redboard using the tone command would pale in comparison to having a train whistle blow followed by actual train crossing bells and the sound of a train going over the tracks...

  • BeerCannon / about 10 years ago / 2

    I wonder if this would fit inside a beer can? It would be cool to put a Lilypad and speaker into said beer can, with an accelerometer, to make a portable music source that can switch songs by shaking the can.

  • zhipps / about 10 years ago / 2

    I have a several presumptuous squirrels that live in my backyard. Our relationship started out great as I observed them scampering through the grass and chasing each other up the oak tree. However my feelings soured last October the morning I woke up and discovered my masterpiece jack-o-lantern that I had painstakingly carved the night before had been masticated to tiny bits by these bandits. As autumn turned into winter and winter turned into spring, the apparent absence of the squirrels lulled me into a false sense of security. Little did I know that what they were planning next would put even the most diabolical trouble maker to shame. As the spring's temperature's brought new birds to the branches of the oak tree, I thought it would be nice to set out a bird feeder. I purchased a large plastic bin with a lid and filled it with bird feed. It didn't take long for these mischievous aerial acrobats to find a way to leap from the branches and land right on the suspended bird feeder with the precision of USA Olympic Gymnast Gabby Douglas. I swear I could see them snickering at me as they enjoyed their feast. Several months have past by and conquering the bird feeder wasn't the end. I recently discovered the lid of the large plastic bin containing 80 LBS of bird feed started to have bite marks. Within days there was a perfectly symmetric hole chewed through the top of the lid allowing a free for all for every squirrel in my neighborhood! At that point I had had enough; THIS IS WAR! I started thinking about ways to humanely deter these little rascals from eating all the bird feed which would likely result in an obesity epidemic in my local squirrel population. This is where the LilyPad MP3 board comes into play. I want to connect a motion sensor to the board, and place it inside the bird feeder bin. When the board detects an intruder, it will blast some heavy metal music (I'll take suggestions here) and scare the bajeezus out of the little booger. Unless someone can suggest a better idea, THE LILYPAD MP3 IS MY LAST HOPE!

  • Ogre / about 10 years ago * / 2

    Exercise encouragement - hook one of these up to sensors (gyro/flex sensors) so when you get too tired and stop moving, it speaks pre-recorded words of encouragement (or abuse) to you. Could also be used to stay awake! :D

    Theres something sadistic about my ideas...

  • Member #137161 / about 10 years ago / 2

    Kung Fu Costume: This in addition to the lilyPad accelerometer in the sleeve of the costume and possibly a flexible speaker. When you swing you arms through the air you get the whoosh sound. When your arm suddenly decelerates (because you have landed a blow) you get the impact noise i.e. smack/crunch. Alternatively one could use an force sensor to trigger the impact noise.

    • Member #137161 / about 10 years ago / 1

      If you also wanted to incorporate this into a two person kill bill costume you could use infrared receivers and transmitters to trigger the "kill sound" when Uma Thurman (Beatrix Kiddo) gets close to one of her enemies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AirzfZN98ds

  • Meaghan / about 10 years ago / 2

    I've been wanting one for a while to help teach our bird some new tricks while we're away all day. Her name is June, and I'd love for her to sing about herself to the tune of, "Hey, Jude."

  • ftrocchi / about 10 years ago / 2

    My idea would be for audible biometric feedback for use when working out. Various sound files could be used to represent heart rate in certain ranges, etc. Sure its been done with watches and cell phones, but this would be fun to make.

  • Lion XL / about 10 years ago / 2

    My 4 year old grand son, loves to walk around and talk to things...he has a tremendous imagination, That being said, I'd love to create a hate, etc. that when it wears it it will detect where he is and randomly have things TALK to HIM!.

    IE, he likes to talk to m=himself in the mirror, wouldn't it be great if the mirror talked back? or the TV? or his Iron Man toy?

    I'd probably use NFC to detect things and have the lily pad play a different file based on the NFC tag.

  • Thomsirveaux / about 10 years ago / 2

    Haunted house: Have various motion or IR sensors placed/hidden along the walkway up to my front door, with each triggering a sound and event (say, a skeleton popping up from a coffin, or a bat flying along a string at the poor trick or treater). And then, when I open the door, have a final, spooky and creaky door sound followed by a loud clash of thunder, a maniacal laugh, and me, standing there in my mad scientist costume, ready to welcome in the newest batch of test subjects to my lab... MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

  • Member #589493 / about 10 years ago / 2

    I would combine it with the dice rolling DnD bracer project to announce the value of the rolls, with an overly dramatic voice of course.

  • Lexikitty / about 10 years ago / 2

    Pretty! I'd use this to offload the external sound effects used in my Iron Girl suit (info at blog.lexikitty.com, and here: http://tinyurl.com/qet6vp7) , so hardware events/sensors could trigger the audio clips directly instead of waiting for Python/Processing to receive the info and the play the sound. Much more compact than a wave shield.

  • Member #100380 / about 9 years ago / 1

    When I want to dance with my partner to our own personal music, for waltz, swing, lindy, west coast, salsa, tango etc, it would be GREAT to be able to wear this with some speakers positioned up high near our ears. I wouldn't expect much volume - just enough for two to hear and e.g. practice some steps before the main dance starts, or take advantage of a romantic opportunity when it arises.

    Adding some LEDs to pulse with the beat would be fun and could help a lot also if they were really in sync. It might be too hard for software to do sharp, reliable beats for dancing with some music genres, given the horsepower available, so it might require pre-processing and code that would play music and LEDs in sync somehow, even when stopped, rewound, etc.

  • Member #593062 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I have NO idea. I'll let my students figure that out. :)

  • I have some ideas for an event at called a KiltBlowing..... that is all I feel I can say in this forum. But being able to play music through some wearable speakers plus maybe a secondary wireless transmitter and Super bright LED's would be part of the build.

  • Ogre / about 10 years ago / 1

    Could this be used to make a 'Sphero' like ball? I don't know the inner workings but i imagine its just some sort of weight that is angled forward or backward to make the ball move.

  • zackboston / about 10 years ago / 1

    Here at the Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn Program in Boston's South End Technology Center @ Tent City, we are creating an eQuilt that tells the history of Nelson Mandela's first visit to the US in 1990 after being released from prison. He came to Boston because Mel King, our director, was instrumental in crafting divestiture legislation in the Massachusetts House and being involved in college & university divestiture movements. When Nelson Mandela came to Boston, youth of color in Roxbury organized a special event for youth at the Madison Park High School.

    We are working with L'Merchie Frazier, who is a fiber artist and the Education Director of the Museum of African American History. The Quilt will feature four different recordings of music, spoken word and actual recordings of Mel King and Nelson Mandela as different parts of the quilt light up. We are using hacked computer speakers! The eQuilt will be finished and travel to the World Maker Faire this month, we hope!

    Here is a little montage of our process: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-UMdcVPeHUJUGRxQ1l5UzJZSFU/edit?usp=sharing

    We'd love a LilypadMP3 for our Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn program, so youth teachers can think up other great projects. Thanks for considering us, Sparkfun!

  • zaphol / about 10 years ago / 1

    A "read with me" stuffed animal! Each book could have its own SD card containing narration from a parent or Morgan Freeman. The kid pops the SD card into the back of the animal and presses a button on its paw or nose to start reading the story. If the SD card has each page as a separate file, the child could flip back and forth between pages by pressing different parts of the animal.

    A really fancy stuffed animal would be watching for turned pages and start reading the next page right away.

    At least it would give kids the joy of hearing the little turn-the-page indicator sounds. I don't think those really exist anymore.

  • Member #586562 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would like to make an e-cake, and in it I would embed some LEDs and the LilyPad MP3! The cake could play tunes such as "Happy Birthday", the cake recipient's favourite song, Auld Lang Syne for a New Year's cake etc.

  • I am going to use it behind a creepy painting of an old man where the eyes light up when activated by motion detection. I want to use the LilyPad Mp3 player to have the painting come to life by saying random stupid jokes. I am also going to use voice recognition hardware to make it more interactive.

  • Ginamoe / about 10 years ago * / 1

    Speakers in my bike helmet to read my txt and emails to me so I don't have to bike and txt at the same time. Could tie it into my LED turning signal LillyPad bag.

  • -DIGITAL- / about 10 years ago / 1

    Record common messages into them so a person may use it in replace of their voice if they are unable to speak on their own.

  • Halloween is almost here....This would make the brains of a animatronic scarecrow to scare the willy's out of passerby on our street.the MP3 capability would make for easy "talking" and screaming sound effects.

  • Member #551979 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I was asked from one of my leaders to do a Halloween scare project. One idea I had was to use an ultrasonic sensor to detect when someone walks on my porch. if it detects someone it will play a scary man voice saying "Muhahaha, you walked into my trap!". I would love to use this lillypad mp3 player for many other projects such as an alarm clock. Thank you!

  • twarrior15 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would use it to as a surprise entertainment system. (Without my wife knowing it), I would probably sow it into our tablecloth and with a breakout controller board under the table I would turn on various types of music incognito: romantic, smooth jazz, soft rock, etc. This is simple but I'm sure it would be very practical and fun. Also, surprising for when we have guest over for dinner.

  • Member #266467 / about 10 years ago / 1

    A pieced quilt with different paper-pieced animals. When the animal block is pressed it makes the animal's sounds.....or each block is Halloween themed with corresponding sounds!

  • Member #391435 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Concept: + Lillypad powered headphones plus not-quite-wearable EasyVR Shield 2.0 for more immersive listening experience

    Main features: + Voice commands to perform basic file browsing ("pause", "play", "skip", etc.) + VR shield "knows your name", will turn audio down/pause when recognizes someone is calling your name

  • I would use it to make the sounds for my sputnik costume. I want to dress up as sputnik for Halloween.

  • Member #575652 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Attach a push button to it and implant it onto a chair, when ever someone sits on it the button will be pressed and a sound can be played e.g. a fart sound.

  • Member #575652 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Put this on a head band connect it to the flexible speakers and then wear it and sleep. Flexible headband music player.

  • nerdyjb / about 10 years ago / 1

    I can use it to deflect arrows, lightning bolts, laser blasts, and other harmful attacks on my person. Allow me to explain. I can make it into a wristband with a battery pack and speaker and accelerometer. When a ninja, viking, wizard, or space bandit tries to get crazy, I wave my wristband around to make appropriate PTOING ZZZRAAW and CHUNK noises which sound a lot like I'm fighting someone but really I'm just dancing in my living room.

  • NCOSE / about 10 years ago / 1

    Lilypads, accelerometer & speakers into a set of wristband/cuffs that allow anything to be sword-with-sound for swishing through the air and contact with other cuff-wearers. Switch between LightSabre or Scimitar mode. Make a dozen and have an all out war party.

  • Ogre / about 10 years ago / 1

    Generate square wave audio files, store them on the SD card and use the two output signals (L + R) to control two servos motion. Attached (of course) would be a laser which would move around according to the audio signal, keeping my cats entertained while I slave away at work to keep them fed and in a happy home. : )

    • MikeGrusin / about 10 years ago / 2

      Sadly the class-D amplifier on the LilyPad puts out a special PWM signal, so it can't be used for servos or other arbitrary DC waveforms. BUT, you could certainly use two of the I/O ports to run the servos using the standard servo library, and output audio at the same time. What music do your cats like to play to?

      • Ogre / about 10 years ago / 1

        My cats (Zeke and Puff) will be deeply saddened by this news. We were in talks of a possible cat friendly version of laser tag in the back yard.

        They favor AC/DC...

  • I like to call myself a pirate from times to times. After all, I've spend 5 month paid to collect data from the web. Or to plunder the web in other terms. I don't have a parrots sitting on shoulder. Don't be sad, parrots can be dirty, are noisy as hell and hurt a lot when they attack. But I have a plushy monkey which actually sit from time to time on my shoulder. I would love to give a voice to the monkey. I might regret it later when he scold me for not plundering enough but it sound like a nice idea right now.

    • MikeGrusin / about 10 years ago / 2

      If you think parrots are dirty, noisy and hurt when they attack, I'd strongly advise against ever putting a monkey on your shoulder.

      • Ok, maybe a parrot isn't as dirty and noisy as a monkey can be. But I'm pretty sure parrot beck hurt a lot more than a monkey. On the other side, I doubt I could carry a real monkey on my shoulder. Maybe I should try to do a talking parrot and keep the monkey away from surgery.

  • Member #587143 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Wearable.... hmmmm.... sounds...... hmmmm....... wearable sounds..... yes! So if there were a microphone attached to a sweatshirt that has printed on it "Wanna see something cool?" and someone replies yes, then your hoodie lights up with theme music to a strong musical number and you can begin to dance around - then you can have others with the same hoodie all networked via wireless to perform the same music from builtin speakers and have a flash mob dance party..... complete with synced lights and music! Cool.... :)

  • Member #528460 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I have a (possibly disturbing) plan to build a semi-robotic cat. The plan is to start with a plush toy cat and add electronics inside until I end up with a cat-like thing that will respond to basic voice commands like "nice kitty" and "bad kitty" and make appropriate cat sounds. Ideally I'd like "evil kitty" to cause it to turn it's head towards the source of the sound, turn on red LEDs behind the (toy) eyes, and let out a terrifying yowl. This project may be beyond me but I'm nibbling away at it a bite at a time. So far I have learned how to write sketches, operate servos, control LEDs, and reprogram an Arduino remotely using a bluetooth shield. I just picked up a an EasyVR, so the voice recognition part is next. I'm considering options for the meows and other less-positive cat sounds. Maybe a LilyPad?

    The whole project is rather a stretch for a software person like me, but I've learned a lot already and haven't run out of steam so far. I think I know how to do most of the things I want to do (in theory at least) but no idea yet how to sense the direction speech is coming from and point the head there.

  • MarkSpeir / about 10 years ago / 1

    I work in a manufacturing facility and we are required to wear ear protection. We have the choice of ear plugs or ear muffs, and I would like to modify the ear muffs to include a hidden (more or less) MP3 player. The LillyPad, speakers and battery should fit easily in the ear muffs.

  • Member #369980 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I'd make a mantle or grandfather clock that chimes. I already have this on a RPi but would like it on a garmet. I think timekeeping on an arduino is iffy, but it probably could be tweaked.

  • Member #589958 / about 10 years ago / 1
    • Medication reminder for elderly (on clothing)
    • Automatic Bike Light
    • Reading buddy (stuffed animal) - will "read" books to young children
  • Member #589054 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Attach it to an accelerometer and some logic and an arm band for working out. Based on the speed of your arm swings, it helps select music with the same beats to help maintain your rhythm. Alternatively, it could also shout out encouraging tracks/sound files to "Pick up the pace!" "You're slowing down!" "Comon, one last mile! You got this!" to help encourage you to push yourself.

  • Member #589890 / about 10 years ago / 1

    With some pressure sensors, this could become a pair of mini-launchpad/drumkit gloves. How cool is it to do live mashups at a party with just hand motions.

  • Member #589850 / about 10 years ago / 1

    A commando heart rate monitor. It measures your rate and if you are not hitting your optimal range, it can say, " You can do better than that!" or if I'm going to fast, "Slow down, all-star, you trying to win the Olympics".

  • Member #589850 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I'd create a wristband that also had an accelerometer, so different movements would make me a human beatbox. hmmphf, pow, boom, boom, pow.

  • Member #436136 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Wallet that tracks its contents and reports inventory through sound effects.

  • Member #226383 / about 10 years ago / 1

    This is awesome. Regardless if I get a free one or not (but free is nice), I'd make a mickey mouse boom box hat. Imagine a standard black mickey mouse hat with the big ears. The ears are augmented somehow to be the speakers. The lily pad is concealed somewhere in the hat. Music controls are on the back of the hat. Maybe add a special button or two for well known mickey sayings like "Welcome boys and girls!" Once I get that working, then I'll trim the hat with EL wire or tiny LEDs.

    Now only I can sneek my daughters hat from her without her knowing!

  • Member #436136 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Methane-sensing pants. (nuff said)

  • Member #436136 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Belt that makes the Indiana Jones "whip" sound effect when removed quickly.

  • Member #436136 / about 10 years ago / 1

    The camping tent that reads the weather (temp/humidity/pressure/sunlight) conditions when you're inside the tent.

  • Member #436136 / about 10 years ago / 1

    The Lullaby Blanket that shuts off when baby goes to sleep.

  • Member #436136 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Musical socks that adjusts the tempo to your dancing.

  • DaveWalker / about 10 years ago / 1
    1. A baby blanket that tells you when it's too hot for the baby underneath.
    2. A hat with a UV sensor on it that tells you when to put more sunscreen on.
    3. A music player sweatband that changes the tempo of the music depending on how fast you're running (set by a pedometer).
    4. A handbag that calls your name if you walk too far away from it, using a radio proximity sensor.
    5. For example :o)

      Dave

  • Member #565229 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I recently built a success box (you can find it at http://blog.tangrs.id.au/2014/07/the-success-box/) but using an RPi for such a simple task seems overkill. The success box plays some victory music (I chose Final Fantasy fanfare music) when you press the big red button. In fact, we use it at work to boost morale after a successful deploy! There's a video demonstrating its use at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbssA7Hg0GY :)

    I'm looking to improve the design, make it portable by chucking a lithium-ion battery on, reduce power consumption and save the RPi for something that requires a bit more power than just playing music on a button press. Maybe one day, I'll be able to make it cheap enough to produce and sell - who knows?

    I think a Lilypad would be the perfect microcontroller to replace the overkill RPi for this task :)

  • Member #467890 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would create a multi-media hoody or shirt to listen to some music and maybe upgrade it to a hands-free device for a mobile phone

  • Member #149696 / about 10 years ago / 1

    It would be nice to add connectivity to other devices and then create a DJless party where everybody has a playlist which shuffles among users.

  • Llamas. / about 10 years ago / 1

    I'd use this to add sound to my current air hockey table project. I've already finished the custom scoreboard, but would love to add sounds to it, so it could insult people when they're losing or congratulate them when they win!

  • I would like to attempt to modify the Army standard issue watch cap. With winter coming up, being stationed at the National Training Center means 14 day rotations in the training area with no heat, A/C power, or other creature comforts. What's worse is that while a Soldier is trying to relax in his HMMWV or Tracked vehicle, it's not always acceptable to jam out to some tunes to pass the long days sitting in assembly areas and on observation posts. I want to try to use this; in conjunction with a LiPo battery, small speakers, and a few buttons; to embed an Mp3 player inside of the standard issue watch cap. I'd like to see how it stands up to the brutal conditions of 'the Box.'

  • Member #548477 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Hook up a Lilypad mp3 and an EL panel to create a costume that shows the Iron Man core when a button is pressed and plays a sound effect along with it.

  • Member #589709 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Hello I just barely set up and i love your products i was going to use the lilypad mp3 with the SparkFun box and make a key board.

  • Skerpy_D / about 10 years ago / 1

    If I won this giveaway I would make a jacket for my dog with the LilyPad mp3 and some RGB leds, then I would put a button on each of his paws and write a program so that when a button was pressed it would play a note accordingly. I love SparkFun and I hope to win this giveaway so I can continue the thing that I love the most, screwing around with Arduino!!!!

  • Tiny / about 10 years ago * / 1

    As a teacher I would like to build a wearable sound machine that I can use to interact with my class. It could get a wireless signal from the computer when a student get a question right. It could randomly say a students name to answer a question or if I press a button it could play music or a memory jingle or something. It could also interact with the loudness metre tie that I am building with pixel gear from adafruit.

    the kid love it when I do something weird like that. I keep getting in trouble because my classroom looks like a makers space.

  • Booksforever / about 10 years ago / 1

    I am already planning to knit a tardis shawl/scarf and would love to add sound and lights to it. I would, of course, have the tardis sound with the lights blinking in and out as well as the Doctor Who theme song.

    Another idea (or several ideas in one) is to make piano scarves and other instruments. I have already made a piano scarf, but used the makeymakey. Using this would involve fewer wires and more mobility. Of course, I think you could extend the concept and knit any instrument and use this lilypad to get the different sounds for each instrument. And then you could have a guitar glove or flute socks or a whole orchestra! (Of course, you would probably need more than one depending on how big your orchestra gets.)

  • billymagnum / about 10 years ago / 1

    I'm actually building a wireless arcade/pinball controller out of a Crosley Cruiser Portable Turntable. I want to use the existing built in speakers. The LilyPad would be PERFECT! I can mount this inside and wire it up. Instant personal gaming soundtrack! The housing also has its own headphone/line-in/out jacks I can also use. Also gives me an excuse to add more leds and buttons to my project. Here it is so far...but I need this LilyPad! Look

  • Green Shoe Garage / about 10 years ago / 1

    My daughter would love to sew this into her jacket with some flashing LEDs to become a walking radio station/dance party.

  • gadgetdad / about 10 years ago / 1

    E-Textile Tutu.

    My daughters (3.5 and 1.5) would love a music enabled ballet tutu to dance around in, and I wouldn't have to turn the channel (watching Football not Dora of course) to Pandora.

  • Patronics / about 10 years ago * / 1

    A device that plays context sensitive music base on either voice tone recognition or heart rate) like videogames (e.g. dramatic boss battle music when you are angry (as determined by the tone of your voice or heart rate), and peaceful music when relaxed) :)

  • Dubstep Gloves?

    I'm thinking two of these 24 neopixel rings (one for each palm) with a speaker inside each ring, I believe it will just barely fit. Then just load up light shows for each song, and perhaps include some sort of input to cycle through songs.

    It probably wouldn't be as loud as I would like so I could also looking into wiring something like this up to a battery and store it in a backpack, then run the input cable to the LilyPad MP3 output jack.

  • Why does the introduction video here remind me so much of the TV show LOST's Dharma Initiative intro video? :)

    Which leads me to what I would do with a lilypad MP3 player: Whip it in to a jacket of a vest with a magnetic compass board to provide audio feedback of what direction someone is facing. Could soup it up with an accelerometer for distance or pedometer tracking, or full GPS for absolute location. Tap a button on your vest and hear the info. Never be Lost. ;)

    • Nic_B / about 10 years ago / 1

      haha glad you noticed the Dharma video style :) Thats exactly what I was going for.

  • Member #470975 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I live in Winnipeg, so obviously my idea will revolve around winter. I would either incorporate this into a snowboard helmet or hockey helmet.This would allow rocking out to music while either hitting the slopes or out on the pond. I would also make the system with speakers so that you don't lose all hearing and others can enjoy the music too.

  • DAS01 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would use it for a laser tag system. This would fit perfectly into the gun assembly to make some cool firing and reloading sounds. Possibly taunting you too while you fire. I would also integrate it into the laser tag suit to make sounds when hit.

  • Member #429525 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would sew it into my running shirt so I can listen to music while I run rather than carry around my iPod. I have an arm band for it, but it's difficult to change songs when my arms are swinging so fast. Ooh, let's take it one step further. For winter running, I'll sew it into my running gloves with a couple buttons in the finger tips. That way I can change songs or volume through buttons on my fingertips. Then I'd route the headphone wire up through my sleeve to my ears. Wow, what a great idea.

  • Jonathan T / about 10 years ago / 1

    A few ideas: A vest to wear when riding a bike that blinks LEDs and plays music out loud so the rider isn't wearing headphones. A headband to wear to bed that plays music and lights up to wake up the user A t-shirt that lights up and says "Nice to Meet You!" when you shake someone's hand (pressure sensor in palm)

    And by far my favorite: a system to light up constellations and play soothing music for a canopy over my daughter-on-the-way's crib!

  • linuxlizard / about 10 years ago / 1

    Combine with conductive fabric (for hit detection) and a wind chime. Replace wind chime noise with fart noises.

  • jrshell / about 10 years ago / 1

    Two ideas:

    The first is to develop a low cost device to be inserted into a jacket or vest that parents with autistic children can assemble themselves that helps prevent the child from wandering away. A first pass at the idea is that it would use the lilypad mp3 player, flexible speakers, and some type of GPS to geofence locations. If the child wanders away, lights blinks and horns honk.

    The second one is much more selfish. I'm already working on an R2D2 costume that (in the planning stage) will use a lilypad. The problem has been getting the sounds to work. The little beeps a standard one makes doesn't sound quite right. The ability to use mp3s would improve the concept greatly.

    I would design the first one after Halloween so that I can finish the second one - recycling!

  • Mazaa / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would use this to make a GLaDOS (from Portal 2 game) lookalike, potato powered MP3-player.

  • Alecs / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would use the LilyPad MP3 to create an ambiental sound device, attaching a random event generator, a Geiger counter and it would play audio files at not expected time intervals. Audio samples might come from meditation music or from my favorite video game, depending on the mood.

  • Funhough / about 10 years ago / 1

    Finally!!

    Moose hunting season is near! Ducks have their pipes, foxes have them to... Now I want to take this one step further- Meet the Mighty Moose Matning call MP3-player! (3MP3 ) Sewn into prefered hunting gear, probably the hat(?) or the shooting vest...Add speakers and nice buttons for the funky horny Moose sounds... Happy hunting?

    • Funhough / about 10 years ago / 1

      And this is not an evil project! Think about it, how would you like to die? Old and alone or horny running towards your new found love?

  • MikeMoretti / about 10 years ago / 1

    Beat box! Out of the box you could just upload small samples of tunes/drums/etc and trigger them with the touch of one of the five buttons, effectively giving you a mini "keyboard" to play. With a little programming you could even make it into a sequencer that can record and playback your beats. I'm actually already in the middle of making something like this as a wearable bracelet (using one of Sparkfun's Ardunio Pro Minis and a VS1003 chip).

  • Member #211083 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I could see using this with my wearable radiation detector (reverse bias PIN photodiodes) To become Radioactive Man. It would generate a proper sound depending on the radiation being detected... This would also entail the wearable speakers and a course digital addressable LEDs for the ultimate audio-visual "Radioactive Man"

  • AlanV / about 10 years ago / 1

    Sense heart rate electically, and body activity with a 3-axis accelerometer. If an attractive person walks by, and heart rate increases that is not due to body activity, then love songs will start to play, signaling the other person that you're attracted to them.

    • ah yes,,,,till that one person who scares the bejesus out of you walks by and your shirt starts crooning to them...

  • Member #586937 / about 10 years ago / 1

    This would be made into the best programmable costume accessory. My Dear Wife is a wiz with original costumes incorporating elwire and this would add extreme sound effects. Incorporate a remote control for all types of scenarios.

  • Member #589518 / about 10 years ago / 1

    Woah, so much technology in such a little board. With the ability to play mp3-files in an Arduino-compatible environment I have had three (fantastic!!) ideas within minutes and I am sure there are lots more just waiting to be built.

    a) Make swimming more fun. Swimming is a great workout. While it is not harmful for Joints you have a cooling fluid surrounding your body which means you won't only have sweaty clothes after a few minutes of moving but you also have an included watercooling better than any server has. But while you are being cooled down automatically with all that sweat being diluted away immediately you are bored. No one is swimming exactly the same speed as you are, so there is no one to talk to. TVs don't like water and waterproof headphones or musicplayers restrict your movement. So why not put the LilyPad MP3 in a waterproof case and attach a speaker directly inside the case, attach a rubber band and put that thing on your head. Like a sweatband but only with music (And Bluetooth, everything is better with Bluetooth!!). And why not add a pulse meter. Or an accelerometer. Or both. Or more sensors. The sound will be transferred into your skull and you will hear your music while swimming without any disturbing headphones while the pulsemeter will automatically check your pulse and tell you to slow down if you are going too fast (or maybe call a lifeguard if you were going way too fast).

    b) Wake me up when SWS Pahse ends. We all know how important sleep is. But we all also know that the alarm going at the wrong time can ruin a whole nights sleep. With the LilyPad MP3 attached to some NeoPixels and an accelerometer on the bed or even better a pulse watch at your wrist (of course connected via Bluetooth^^) the LilyPad MP3 will know when it is the best time for you to wake up based on your sleep phase recognized from your movement or your pulse and of course the time (nobody wants to be late). It will then wake you up with the music you love slowly fading into your dreams while the NeoPixels will create a shiny morning light making you feel like were still asleep and dreaming. (Oh, this is about wearables. Then... forget about the NeoPixels and lets sew the LilyPad MP3 and a speaker into your pillow).

    c) Make your workout more efficient For all those who don't like swimming but prefer to go jogging or cycling the LilyPad MP3 will improve the efficency of your training by helping you to keep your heart rate in the most efficient range. We all know that training is not efficient if your heart rate is too fast or too slow. So the LilyPad MP3 will measure your pulse (Bluetooth!!!) and choose from your favourite music stored on the microSD-Card. When you are going too fast the LilyPad MP3 will choose some slow and relaxing music because the beat of the music directly influences the speed at which you are running or cycling and so you will slow down a bit until your heart rate is inside the most efficent range for your training. If you slowed down too much the LilyPad MP3 will select some fast music to get you going.

  • TheTrustedOne / about 10 years ago / 1

    Along the theme music idea, I would like to build a coat that broadcasts on 96.7 FM Spectrum (most of the retailers here use that station) So i could control the music at my local stores when my wife drags me there :)

  • PaulS / about 10 years ago * / 1

    ...

  • I would love to create a sort of piano with the LilyPad MP3 Player and Some buttons and a mcp or another GPIO chip and ten put it on my website. Arend-Jan, The (Raspberry) Pi-Nerd PS. or with my raspberry😜

  • Chalei / about 10 years ago * / 1

    My idea is to make a smart pillow that can make our sleep more relaxing and peacefully. I will make the pillow using this lilypad mp3 and combined it with the flexible speakers. Also I'm adding a pulse sensor to monitor our heart beat while we are sleeping. While we are want to go to sleep it will play relaxing music. when we are in a sleep state the music will stop. if bad dream happens our heart beat will increase and the sensor will read data. If that happens the pillow will play some relaxing tunes to help reduce the heart beat.

  • KatieK / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would build a karaoke wristband with multiple mutable channels. And sound level activated LEDs.

  • littlefreak / about 10 years ago / 1

    I want one to make a plush crib mobile that I can load with all my nieces favorite songs.

  • KirAsh4 / about 10 years ago / 1

    This would be perfect for an idea a friend of mine has. They want a doll that has glowing red eyes. However, I'm thinking past that and pondering adding more interaction. If the doll gets picked up and moved around, it will wake up and scream at you. If it's ambient noise goes to high, it'll wake up and scream. I've just been researching audio modules lately, so this would be perfect for it.

    • This idea reminds me of this. Thanks. Now I get to go relive all my childhood fears of dolls. ~Shudder~

      • " Hi my names Chucky. Wanna play?"

      • KirAsh4 / about 10 years ago / 1

        Here's the fun part: it's meant to go in a classroom, hence the ambient noise part. :) But that clip gave me another idea: proximity sensor. The only problem is, I had planned for this to be asleep most of the time (as in, the AVR goes to sleep and only wakes up every second or so to save on battery.) Having an active proximity sensor or microphone is going to negate that ... Hrm.

        • From the internal fear side, I'm so glad I am out of school. From the hacking stuff side, this does sound really awesome. Send us videos if you get it working! Just video. Keep the creepy things far, far away.

          • KirAsh4 / about 10 years ago / 2

            Oh it's going to happen! I've been looking at some, uh, innocent and sweet dolls (read: really creepy ones) on eBay to find a good one to work with. Part of this is to also get the more morbid kids to realize that you can still create some really cool stuff with electronics, no matter how dark your mind works. There are some very creative kids in school, they just need the guidance and supplies. Now if only I can get people to acknowledge that and approve some grants ... urgh. Why is it so hard?

  • matthewdtwo / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would love to add one of these to my remote controlled lawn mower. Sound effects would really take it to the next level, and will be essential when it starts mowing on it's own. Plus if it can negotiate with SWAT when it inevitably gains sentience and starts terrorizing the neighborhood, there's a chance I'll get it back in one piece!

  • EvanAlmighty / about 10 years ago / 1

    I love the idea of integrating things we use everyday right into our clothes.

    The DJ Hoodie: A lilypad mp3, with an accelerometer and some headphones. By monitoring the accelerometer it can determine what your doing. Each action triggers a different song or playlist (running, dancing, loitering etc.), simple audio controls with DIY fabric pads on the sleeves, and a one touch programmer so you can tweak actions on the fly.

  • Programmable Staples Easy Button! Think of the possibilities. Now I have to go make some measurements. The round form factor should fit quite nicely, though. Would have to make a top-mounted daughterboard for the activation button. That feature would be useful for some of the other suggestions here, too.

  • healthyfatboy / about 10 years ago / 1

    With Halloween coming up quickly, you could easily integrate this with some LED lights and come up with just about anything you want. I could build off the stick figure costume I did (http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Stick-Figure-Costume/) and instead, use different LED strips, such as addressable ones, and do a Star Wars getup. With a couple of push buttons and an accelerometer, you could control a lightsaber, with full sound effects when you wave it around, when it hits, it could flash, etc. You could even use the buttons to have the lightsaber extend and retract like in the movies. In the dark, it would be pretty awesome looking.

  • johnbiehler / about 10 years ago / 1

    This would be perfect to add music/sound clips to my Star Wars Tie Fighter Pilot costume.

  • Member #214218 / about 10 years ago / 1

    It I could make it water proof, it would make a nice audio player for while your are running. You need some Rocky music when the running gets tough.

  • zliu / about 10 years ago * / 1

    I just got a LilyPad and have been thinking up some cool projects to try out. It'd be really cool to combine this with a couple of LilyPad Accelerometers sewn into the back of a glove or in the sleeves of a jacket. Add some gesture detection, and you can take air guitar to the next level, or create some nice sword swooshing sound effects for a cosplay costume.

    Another idea would be to combine it with a few flex force sensors to create a standalone sign language glove. Could be useful for helping people learn and practice signing the ASL alphabet.

  • EtsDriver / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would make my old Donald Duck stuffed animal from 1994 talk/play songs, and give it to my kids someday in future... :)

  • kirby g / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would put some sensors in my shoes to play a personal theme song when walking. And maybe one in my back pocket to make fart noises when i sat.

  • Member #516759 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would use it to add audio to interpret sign language glove, the glove has sensors deflection and according to certain movements sensing accelerometer, translate the signs into audio.

    Yo la usaría para agregarle audios a un guante interprete de lenguaje de señas, el guante tiene sensores de deflexión y de acuerdo a ciertos movimientos que detecta el acelerometro, traduciría las señas en audio.

  • Member #141818 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would make a hat with movement and weather sensors that would play music having lyrics associated with the current weather. It would choose from songs about rain, sunshine, heat, cold, running, driving, etc.

  • Ben Rothschild / about 10 years ago / 1

    Integrated athletic clothing that plays music when you exercise as well as collects data about your speed, location, elevation gained and more. People already exercise with an iPod for music and gps smart watch but this could be a much smaller and more efficient package.

  • Sraf / about 10 years ago / 1

    Cosplay ideas are obvious. Imagine making a set of Mass Effect armour with lights that mimic the armour lights of the in game version, and the shield damage and regeneration sounds played through a speaker, all controlled by this little guy here!

  • moiven / about 10 years ago / 1

    Combined with the heart rate monitor and some LEDs, the mp3 player will play "Thump Thump" at the same rate as my heart and "Beeeeeep" when I have no heart beat and the LEDs to simulate the heart beat and rate. I've have a visual and auditory heart beat sensor!

  • wallerron / about 10 years ago / 1

    I'd make a remote controlled source of sound and music to soothe my son when tucking him in at night. it is far more convenient and less makeshift than using my stereo.

  • emcgill / about 10 years ago / 1

    I would build it into the flashing top hat that I keep saying that I will build for my wife, so that it will pump out the music while the lights flash along in time, maybe even graphic equalizer styley

  • Member #491132 / about 10 years ago / 1

    I"d use it for a smart glove that can control the music with buttons on the palm or an accelerometer

  • Zaphod / about 10 years ago / 1

    I just got a Lilypad simple with the plan of integrating it into a Iron Man Arc Reactor kit and having it drive some addressable LEDs. Adding some SFX would be fun!

  • Member #589484 / about 10 years ago / 1

    put it in a hat with ear buds or exercise shirts with ear buds, sell it to people who work outside or joggers, or just gym goers so they don't have to carry an additional MP3 player strapped to their arms or in their pocket :-)

  • Member #589485 / about 10 years ago * / 1

    This would be perfectly embedded into a hat with drop down ear buds, and buttons in the brim, or side. perhaps a touch sensitive add-on.

    It could also placed in a hidden location, loaded with pre-determined sounds. Then add a solar charge battery pack with a light sensor. Modify the code to play back sounds when the lights are turned off. The victim wouldn't be able to find the source in the dark because they can't see it, nor coudl they find it in the light as it' wouldn't be generating sound. perhaps even go as far as to tack sew it into some ones coat, and remotely play sounds.

  • Fezder / about 10 years ago / 1

    i'we never used one, so currently best use for me would be got known to its inner workings and such.

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