SPOKE Board Turns Fruit and Copper Pads into a MIDI Instrument via RP2040

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The SPOKE is a CD-sized capacitive touch controller built around the RP2040 microchip, featuring 27 copper pads that each trigger a musical note when touched. It connects to a computer via USB-C and is recognized as a standard MIDI controller, with an accompanying website offering audio visualizers, a drum kit, and a Harmonic Table. Running CircuitPython firmware, the board can be programmed like a Raspberry Pi Pico, and its default pentatonic scale can be customized by editing note values in code. Two expansion ports allow additional sensors to be added, and each pad is paired with a NeoPixel LED that changes color on touch. Notably, any conductive material — including fruit, copper tape, or pencil graphite — can extend the touch inputs, effectively turning everyday objects into playable instruments.

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