DMX Lighting Control with Arduino and Node-RED Playful Technology 2026-09-23 | DMX Lighting Control with Arduino and Node-RED
Node-REDscape : 100% Free, Open-Source Escape Room Control Software Playful Technology 2022-11-25 | What is Node-REDscape? - Node-REDscape is software for controlling Escape Room games that runs locally on Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, Raspberry Pi, or on a cloud-based server.- Based on "Node-RED", a free, open-source platform originally developed by IBM, available from nodered.org. Node-RED has been installed on millions of devices worldwide, and is used in production environments in places like Siemens and AT&T. In short, it's really, _really_ good.What does Node-REDscape do?- Node-REDscape provides a set of templates, flows, and examples that turn Node-RED into a complete Escape Room automation system.- Manages a central game timer. Start/stop/reset or make manual adjustments for deductions or additions to game time. Display the time elapsed/remaining on one or more displays customised to match the theme of your room using animated backgrounds and CSS styles.- Monitor, reset, or override the state of all devices from a browser-based dashboard. There are examples provided for several common microprocessor-controlled escape room puzzles using Arduino, ESP8266, ESP32, and Raspberry Pi.- Send pre-defined or custom text messages, trigger audio or video content on in-game displays or other delivery mechanisms - a thermal printer, LCD display etc.- Create event-based gameflows, triggered after a certain amount of time, with a random chance, or on completion of certain pre-requisites, or define more complex automated logic using a simple drag-and-drop node-based editor.- Interface with lighting and sound systems using industry-standard communications such as DMX and MIDI, Philips Hue lighting, etc.- And much, much more!How much does it cost?- Nothing!Where can I get it from?- github.com/playfultechnology/node-redscapeTimings00:00:00 - 00:00:18 Introduction00:00:19 - 00:02:09 General approach and infrastructure00:02:10 - 00:03:17 Integrating a device with Node-REDscape00:03:18 - 00:05:30 Realtime GM dashboard demonstration00:05:31 - 00:06:37 In-Game timer/clue delivery display for players00:06:38 - 00:07:27 Github download
Escape Room Tech Puzzle Tutorial - Valves And Gauges Playful Technology 2022-10-27 | This video describes how you can create an electronic escape room puzzle using a set of levers and gauges, controlled by an Arduino, Raspberry Pi, ESP32, or other microprocessor.When the valves are opened, the gauge needles move. When every needle points to the correct section of the dial, the Arduino triggers a relay, which can release a maglock providing players with their reward.00:00:00 - 00:02:22 Introduction and Demonstration00:02:22 - 00:05:37 Hardware Overview00:05:38 - 00:13:47 Component Wiring 00:13:48 - 00:33:50 Arduino Code Explanation00:33:51 - 00:34:55 WrapupIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the code for the Arduino IDE, the wiring diagram, the STL models for 3D printing, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech#esp32 #arduino #escaperoom #puzzle
Make HEAVY DUTY analog inputs for Arduino / ESP32 / RaspPi projects using.... plumbing valves?! Playful Technology 2022-10-19 | Hey, you! Are you....- Disappointed by puny linear potentiometers or rotary knobs in your electronic projects?- Looking for a big, sturdy input method, made of heavy-duty steel and cast iron? - In need of a unique, customisable input for your Arduino / Raspberry Pi / ESP32 project?In this video tutorial, I'll explain how to turn any regular plumbing valve into an analog input that can be read on a microcontroller, using just an LED and a Light Dependent Resistor (LDR).
Floppy Disk Console Escape Room Puzzle Tutorial with ESP32 and RFID Playful Technology 2022-09-27 | Make an escape room puzzle inspired by the floppy disks (allegedly) used to store military nuclear launch codes! In this tutorial, I'll explain how to build a "launch console", into which players must load three different 3.5" floppy disks - selecting the correct calibration, navigation, and payload data to upload from each. Once all the correct data is uploaded, the system is activated, which can trigger a relay, display a code or other information, or display audio or video effects from an escape room control software.If you don't want the "nuclear strike" narrative, this prop can very easily be modified to other escape room themes that could involve uploading or downloading data - spy, space, medical - or pretty much any modern theme. I'll describe how you can modify the code for Arduino or ESP32 to change the behaviour and fit your story. Timings---00:00:00 - 00:03:01 Introduction and Demonstration00:03:02 - 00:05:53 Hardware overview00:05:54 - 00:16:43 Component wiring00:16:44 - 00:51:53 Arduino / ESP32 Code00:51:54 - 00:52:55 WrapupComponents Used---ESP32banggood.com/custlink/GvmKq6b0RtLCD2004 with I2C backpackbanggood.com/custlink/mG3EO6066YMFRC522 RFID readeraliexpress.com/item/1005004147866715.htmlRotary Encoderbanggood.com/custlink/G3Gp5RPtpeIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the code for the Arduino IDE, the wiring diagram, the STL models for 3D printing, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech#esp32 #arduino #escaperoom #puzzle
Make an RFID-enabled Floppy Disk! Playful Technology 2022-09-21 | Using retro tech is popular in escape rooms, and I needed some 3.5" floppy disks for a 1990s-themed escape room puzzle which players could insert into a computer and read and write files onto.But, rather than rely on the original magnetic media, I decided to modify the disks and replace the magnetic platter with an RFID chip which could be easily read from an Arduino and a cheap MFRC522 RFID module embedded in the drive instead. This video shows how I did it.
No more Directional Locks.... could this be the end for Escape Rooms?! Playful Technology 2022-08-24 | Love them or hate them, directional padlocks have been a staple feature of escape rooms pretty much since the beginning.But now that Masterlock have discontinued production of its iconic 1500iD "Speedlock" directional lock, and suppliers have sold the last of their existing stock, what does that mean for escape rooms that relied on these locks for players to enter a directional sequence from solving a puzzle?In this video, I'll demonstrate an alternative directional electronic lock I created using an Arduino. It might not have the compact form factor of a padlock, but it has customisable behaviour including audio and visual feedback of input, LCD display of the directional sequence entered, and either automatic or manual unlocking when the correct input is given. And it can be themed to make it appropriate to any escape room setting, from pirate cove to science lab!Timings---00:00 - 01:33 Introduction01:34 - 03:40 Pirate Compass Directional Lock 03:41 - 06:10 Space Joystick Directional Lock06:11 - 07:59 '90s Dance Mat Directional Lock 08:00 - 16:50 Component Wiring Diagram16:51 - 45:46 Arduino Code45:47 - 47:55 WrapupIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the Arduino code, the wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
How to make a Secret Bookcase Door (DIY Escape Room Tutorial) Playful Technology 2022-07-22 | Make a secret bookcase door that opens to reveal a hidden area when you pull the correct book(s) forward on the shelf!Inspired by spy movies and shows like "Scooby-Doo", and perfect for use in an escape room, this is my tutorial on how to create this fun physical interaction. Unlike other approaches I've seen which use direct mechanical locks, I'll be using an Arduino to read the state of one or more switches placed underneath particular books on the shelf. When those books have been set into the correct pattern (i.e. pulled forward or not), the Arduino triggers a relay module, which cuts power to an electronic maglock, allowing the bookcase to slide open and reveal a secret hidden area behind. This overcomes some of the shortcomings I've seen in other approaches, and also allows for much more flexible programming of the conditions required to "solve the puzzle" and open the bookcase up. I'll talk you through all the wiring and code, and show you how to customise it to your own design.Timings---00:00:00 - 00:01:11 Introduction00:01:12 - 00:02:38 Bookcase Construction00:02:39 - 00:09:07 Hidden Book Switch00:09:08 - 00:10:41 Puzzle Design Considerations00:10:42 - 00:14:14 Door Release Mechanism00:14:15 - 00:19:21 Wiring the Electronic Components00:19:22 - 00:42:18 Arduino Code00:42:19 - 00:44:09 WrapupIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the code for the Arduino IDE, the wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
Augmented Reality (AR) tutorial for beginners using Unity 2022 Playful Technology 2022-06-27 | This is a step-by-step tutorial illustrating how to create an Augmented Reality (AR) app for an Apple iOS device or Android mobile phone or tablet, using the latest version of Unity 2022.Augmented Reality is the technology you may have seen in games like Pokemon Go!, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, Snapchat filters, or home design apps that let you superimpose virtual objects on a video feed that track the location of objects in the real world. Unlike QR codes or barcodes, I'll show you how you can use image tracking that will detect the texture of any flat object - a poster, the page of a book, an album cover - and place a new image, object, or movie on top of it.I'll be using the Unity AR Foundation combined with native functionality on the device - Google ARCore on Android or Apple ARKit on iOS, to create a completely standalone app, with no internet access or third-party components required. And you can make it and deploy it yourself, completely for free, by downloading Unity from www.unity.comTimings---00:00:00 - 00:03:05 Introduction and example applications00:03:06 - 00:05:41 Downloading and installing Unity engine and modules00:05:42 - 00:10:24 Creating and configuring the Unity AR project00:10:25 - 00:12:36 Core components in an AR scene00:12:37 - 00:15:16 The AR Tracked Image Manager00:15:17 - 00:24:05 Adding custom functionality using C# script00:24:06 - 00:26:26 Creating a simple AR gameobject prefab00:26:27 - 00:27:34 Deploying the app to a device00:27:35 - 00:30:35 Creating AR video clips or animated 3D models 00:30:36 - 00:32:10 WrapupFor more information about this, or to access the downloads and resources for any of my other tech projects featured on this channel, please head over to patreon.com/playfultech
Create your own LARGE 7-segment LED display! Playful Technology 2022-05-26 | 7-segment displays are useful in many electronic projects, but the 4-digit modules commonly used in Arduino or Raspberry Pi tutorials (e.g. those using TM1637 or MAX7219 chips) are just... a bit small...So, I decided to create my own display using a WS2812B programmable LED strip. It uses a modular design, which means it can be scaled to accommodate pretty much any number of digits, of any size - you just need to use a longer length of LED strip! If you have access to a 3D printer, you can print an enclosure for each digit and diffusers for the individual segments (the version I demonstrate in the video are 8" high), but you can also create these on a CNC, or just layout LED strips by hand and use baking paper or thin white plastic sheet as a diffuser. And, because the LEDs have separate RGB components, you can even create animated colour-changing effects on the digits !To demonstrate the display, I've created an Arduino sketch that implements both a count-up stopwatch and also a countdown timer, displaying the time in MM:SS or SSSS format. This could be used in any kind of exercise challenge, escape room, or even as a timer to monitor how much screen-time allowance your kids have still got left :)Timings---00:00:00 - 00:02:13 Introduction00:02:14 - 00:05:22 Using WS2812B ("Neopixel") LED strips00:05:23 - 00:08:28 3D Printed modular 7 segment case00:08:29 - 00:10:41 Arduino stopwatch timer and countdown00:10:42 - 00:11:31 Fritzing wiring diagram00:11:32 - 00:39:55 Arduino code00:39:56 - 00:41:07 Wrapup and conclusionIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the code for the Arduino IDE, the wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
Header Pin Connections for Raspberry Pi, Arduino, ESP32, STM32 Micropocessors Playful Technology 2022-05-10 | Any non-trivial Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ESP32 electronics project is going to require additional external modules to be connected to the microprocessor: those might be inputs like switches, rotary encoders, sensors, or RFID readers, or they might be outputs such as LCD or LED displays, relays or motors.The most common way to connect modules such as this is using 0.1" (2.54mm) spaced header pins, and in this short tutorial video I'll introduce the different sorts of header pins you might come across (male, female, right-angled, double-height) and explain the situations in which you might want to use them.Then I'll give a practical demonstration of how to solder them. Many people find the idea of soldering a bit daunting at first, but it only takes a little practice, and I'll pass on some tips and techniques I use to try to make it easier!If you'd like to know how to crimp your own cables to connect onto these pin headers, please see the accompanying video at youtube.com/watch?v=8sHeR4UozckAs always, please ask if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer!Timings---00:00:00 - 00:00:46 Introduction00:00:47 - 00:02:23 Wire-to-Board connections00:02:24 - 00:03:27 Wire-to-Wire connections 00:03:28 - 00:04:05 Board-to-Board connections (e.g. Arduino shield)00:04:06 - 00:05:20 Pre-soldered male and female headers00:05:21 - 00:08:59 Unsoldered male and female headers00:09:00 - 00:11:01 Double height male/female headers00:11:02 - 00:15:13 Soldering header pins onto a board
Make your own wedding audio guestbook - a step-by-step guide! Playful Technology 2022-04-22 | In this tutorial, I'll explain how you can convert any telephone handset into an "Audio Guestbook" - a fun way for guests to leave recorded messages for you, and perfect for wedding receptions, events, or parties.I'm aware of a couple of companies that offer these kind of products - "After the Tone", "FêteFone", "Life on Record", "At the Beep", and others - but they typically cost ~$400 to hire the equipment, and then additional charges to obtain copies of the audio files afterwards!The guestbook I've built cost about £30 to make. It uses a Teensy microcontroller to save individual 16bit, 44.1kHz, CD-quality recordings to an SD card. Every time the handset is lifted, a new, numbered file is saved, which you can then load on your PC, and convert to MP3, save or share with your friends etc.You'll need to have a little knowledge of electronics and coding, but I'll describe the entire process step-by-step. If you have any comments or questions, please leave them below and I'll do my best to answer!Hardware used:- A telephone! You can pick one up second hand for ~£10. Doesn't need to be fully-working, just so long as the microphone and speaker work! e.g. ebay.co.uk/itm/194940719631 - Teensy 4.0, ~£18. I bought mine from coolcomponents.co.uk/collections/teensy/products/teensy-4-0-usb-development-board, but they're available from many suppliers, including Amazon.- Teensy Audio Shield, ~£14coolcomponents.co.uk/collections/teensy/products/teensy-audio-board-for-teensy-4-0- Screw terminal strips (A.K.A. Choc Block connectors), screwfix.com/p/3a-12-terminal-terminal-strips-10-pack/25545- 3.5mm jack breakout board, thepihut.com/products/sparkfun-trrs-3-5mm-jack-breakoutSoftware used (all free, open-source):- Audacity (audacityteam.org) - for recording your greeting message and loading raw audio recordings from the SD card.- Arduino IDE (audacityteam.org) - for creating the code.- TeensyDuino (pjrc.com/teensy/td_download.html) - an extension to the Arduino IDE that allows you to target the Teensy hardware.- SOX (sourceforge.net/projects/sox) - for batch conversion of all raw audio recordings on the SD card into WAV or MP3 format.Timings:00:00:00 - 00:01:47 Introduction00:01:48 - 00:08:12 Identifying Telephone Components00:08:13 - 00:10:46 Teensy Controller00:10:47 - 00:11:26 Fritzing Wiring Diagram00:11:27 - 00:15:06 Wiring the Telephone00:15:07 - 00:18:00 Installing TeensyDuino Software00:18:01 - 01:00:07 Programming the Teensy using the Arduino IDE01:00:08 - 01:02:13 Loading Recorded Messages using Audacity01:02:14 - 01:04:02 Batch conversion of Raw Audio Recordings using SOX01:04:03 - 01:05:17 WrapupYou can find the code on my GitHub account: github.com/playfultechnology/audio-guestbookA HUGE thankyou to my Patreon supporters who support me to create these video tutorials. If you're interested in finding out more, please do check out patreon.com/playfultech , and don't forget to like and subscribe to this channel for more playful project ideas :)
I bought a Robot Hand from Banggood... Playful Technology 2022-04-09 | Following my successful recent purchase of a Ring Accelerator Cyclotron from AliExpress (youtube.com/watch?v=8AMPxzp80MY), I thought I'd continue my bad habit of purchasing questionable electronic gadgets from Chinese internet sites with this robot hand from BangGood. Unfortunately, this one didn't turn out so well...
An LED Candle you can blow out? #tech #shorts Playful Technology 2022-03-29 | Based on an article by Paul Dietz in SigGraph2019 describing how LEDs can be used as a sensor, here's a simple LED that you can use to detect breathing, or "blow it out" in response to a sudden temperature change.Was originally researched to be part of an escape room puzzle, but I ended up using microphone sensors instead. See the result at youtube.com/watch?v=4Lbblqg8VQc#Electronics #Tech #Shorts
Blow Out Candles Arduino Escape Room Puzzle Tutorial Playful Technology 2022-03-25 | Learn how to create your own escape puzzle in which players blow out candles in the correct sequence to unlock a maglock, using an #Arduino Nano, some microphone sensors, LEDs, and a serial MP3 player module to provide sound effects.Perfect for those medieval dungeons, Egyptian tombs, or spooky haunted mansions!Timings---00:00:00 - 00:00:57 Introduction and demonstration00:00:58 - 00:08:14 Hardware overview00:08:15 - 00:16:19 Component wiring diagram00:16:20 - 00:38:11 Arduino code explanation00:38:12 - 00:39:35 Summary and wrapupIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the code for the Arduino IDE, the wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
I bought a Ring Accelerator Cyclotron from AliExpress.... Playful Technology 2022-03-13 | Do you get online adverts for seemingly "too good to be true" hi-tech products from AliExpress, BangGood etc.? I thought I'd order some and check them out for you. And the first product in my AliExpress haul is an unboxing and review of a "Ring Accelerator Cyclotron"! (No, I have no idea either, but it's basically a fancy executive desk toy).Watch the video to find out whether it lives up to expectations!
Slipring Sword - Escape Room Puzzle Tutorial Playful Technology 2022-02-23 | Learn how to create an escape room puzzle in which players must rotate a sword to point at different Norse runes. Each rune triggers a sound effect, and causes a unique chase pattern to be displayed on a WS2812B "Neopixel" LED strip mounted on the sword, wired through a slipring to an Arduino. The different chase sequences can be used to associate a number, colour, sound effect, or order for the different symbols, which in turn can be used as the basis for a combination lock or cipher puzzle.Timings---00:00:00 - 00:03:04 Introduction and demonstration00:03:05 - 00:05:55 Hardware used00:05:56 - 00:12:47 Electronic wiring diagram00:12:48 - 00:42:15 Arduino code explanation 00:42:16 - 00:43:39 WrapupHardware Used--- - Arduino Nano (banggood.com/custlink/KvKDUmhTqI) - Slipring (aliexpress.com/item/1005003469962786.html) - 6× RC35 Magnet Sensor (ebay.co.uk/itm/363387069700) - Lazy Susan Mechanism (amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08NXB6RX8) - Neodymium Magnet (amazon.co.uk/pieces-Neodym-Magnet-Diameter-Magenesis®/dp/B06X977K8L) - WS2812B Neopixel strip (banggood.com/custlink/DmvYAqK6bJ) - Serial MP3 Player (banggood.com/custlink/D33dbzDe61) - 330Ω resistor - 6.3V 1000µF capacitorIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the code for the Arduino IDE, the wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech#escaperoom #arduino #puzzledesign
Automatic Self-Balancing Robot #tech #shorts Playful Technology 2022-02-06 | Are you worried about the rise of the machines, that robots will take control of the world? We already have intelligent A.I. systems, driverless cars, guided missiles, natural language devices in our home.... but what about the *really* important questions, like can I make a robot balance a vertical pole for longer than I can? To find out, I made an "inverted pendulum", which uses the same control system as self-balancing robots. An angular encoder (to which the pole is attached) detects the angle that the pole is currently pointing, and also the rate of change of that angle (i.e. the speed at which the pole is rotating/falling). These values are fed to a PID controller running on an STM32 microprocessor, which calculates where the base needs to be respositioned in order to counter any momentum in the pole and move the pivot point directly under the centre of mass. A motor drives a belt pulley to move the base to that position.#robotics #electronics #shorts
Understanding MAGLOCKS Playful Technology 2022-01-31 | If you're thinking of creating an escape room, you'll almost certainly end up needing to become familiar with electro-magnetic locks. Maglocks are used to control the flow of an escape room game - gating off hidden areas, creating surprise reveals, or keeping puzzles and components inaccesible from players until they solve certain required puzzles or tasks first. The lock can be released by a manual trigger from a button or switch, or automatically controlled by a microprocessor like an Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ESP32, or a PLC controller.In this video I'll share some tips and tricks I've learned from my experience of working with different maglocks - comparing "fail secure" and "fail safe" varieties, I'll reveal how they work internally, describe the situations in which each are suitable for use, and methods to use them safely and reliably by installing flyback diodes and switches to automatically cut power on release.Timings---00:00:00 - 00:00:50 Introduction00:00:51 - 00:04:01 Standard Fail-Safe Bar Maglock00:04:02 - 00:05:06 Mini Fail-Safe Bar Maglock00:05:07 - 00:08:13 Suppressing Back EMF with a flyback diode00:08:14 - 00:12:26 Fail-Secure Cabinet Maglock00:12:27 - 00:18:31 Fail-Secure Cabinet Maglock with automatic power cut-off00:18:32 - 00:19:01 WrapupFor more escape room-related tech projects, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, and do ask any comments or questions below!
Ultra Wideband Realtime Location System using ESP32 and Unity Playful Technology 2022-01-27 | In this video, I'll demonstrate my experience of attempting to create a Real-Time Location System using the Decawave DW-1000 Ultra-Wideband transceiver. I'll be using an ESP32 dev board made by MakerFabs, which you buy from tindie.com/products/makerfabs/esp32-uwbultra-widebandIf you'd like to create your own boards, you can view the PCB schematic of the board at: github.com/Makerfabs/Makerfabs-ESP32-UWB/tree/main/hardwareThe DW1000 chip will work with an Arduino or any other microprocessor with an SPI interface. The advantage of using the ESP32 is to take advantage of the built-in WiFi for transmitting data from the tag to a server.The server is running a Unity project that opens a socket and listens for incoming UDP connections, then reads distance data sent from the UWB tag, encoded as JSON. It uses trilateration to determine the position of the tag and displays that in a visual interface.You can access the ESP32 code and Unity project I demonstrate in this video at github.com/playfultechnology/UWBRTLPSAnd my modified version of the DW-1000 library can be found at atgithub.com/playfultechnology/arduino-dw1000Ultimately, I think it's an interesting tech demo but, unfortunately, I wouldn't be prepared to put this device to any production use right now. If you have any advice to help resolve the issues I have with accuracy, range, and robustness then I'd love to hear!Timings---00:00:00 - 00:02:57 Introduction00:02:58 - 00:05:55 Explanation of the UWB system00:05:56 - 00:09:12 Testing the ranging accuracy between tag and anchor 00:09:13 - 00:11:03 Measuring and compensating for errors00:11:04 - 00:31:41 ESP32 Code in the Arduino IDE00:31:42 - 00:43:49 Unity Project for visualisation 00:43:50 - 00:45:04 Demonstration00:45:05 - 00:48:12 Conclusions, wrapup, and disappointment!
Escape Room Puzzle Tutorial - Symbol Wheels Playful Technology 2021-12-16 | Learn how to create an escape room puzzle in which players must rotate a set of stone discs so that all the symbols along their touching edges match. The position of each disc is monitored by an Arduino and, when the puzzle is correctly solved, a relay is activated, releasing a key from a maglock. I'll illustrate how I used Inkscape to design and layout the symbols on the stone discs, which I cut on a CNC router (though you could easily create these using hand tools and paint the symbols on). I used Minizinc to model the puzzle logic and ensure that only one unique solution existed, and the Arduino IDE to program the puzzle controller. Timings---00:00:00 - 00:02:23 Introduction and demonstration00:02:24 - 00:08:21 Creating the design and layout00:08:22 - 00:19:12 Modelling the puzzle logic00:19:13 - 00:23:48 Building the prop hardware 00:23:48 - 00:27:45 Electronics wiring00:27:46 - 00:36:36 Arduino code00:36:37 - 00:37:48 WrapupSoftware Used (all free and open-source 😊❤️ )--- - Inkscape (inkscape.org) - Minizinc (minizinc.org) - Arduino (arduino.cc) - Fritzing (fritzing.org)Hardware Used--- - Maglock (banggood.com/custlink/m3KRB23LA9) - Arduino Nano (banggood.com/custlink/KvKDUmhTqI) - 5V Relay Module (banggood.com/custlink/mDD3bOqeP5) - 7× RC35 Magnet Sensor (ebay.co.uk/itm/363387069700) - Lazy Susan Mechanism (amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08NXB6RX8) - Textured Spraypaint (amazon.co.uk/Plasti-kote-9444-400ml-Stone-Touch/dp/B001GU6HKU) - 7× Neodymium Magnet (amazon.co.uk/pieces-Neodym-Magnet-Diameter-Magenesis®/dp/B06X977K8L)If you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the code for the Arduino IDE, the Minizinc puzzle logic constraint model, wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech#escaperoom #arduino #puzzledesign
Creating a CCTV Camera Escape Room Game Puzzle in Unity Playful Technology 2021-11-26 | Learn how to use the Unity video player component to create a "fake" CCTV camera app where players switch between multiple video feeds, scrubbing forwards and backwards on a common timeline as they spy on a sequence of events that form part of the game narrative.This can be used as the basis for many escape room puzzles, e.g.: - listen in on a conversation by switching between camera feeds to follow the speaker as they move around - trace out the path an actor follows by comparing it to a floorplan that shows the location of each CCTV camera - observe a password that someone enters, or a secret panel that they activate in footage recorded in the same room that players are in - you can even mix genuine live camera feeds alongside pre-recorded ones to add to the immersion - and players will have no way of knowing which is which!Unity allows you to create the app for PCs or tablets that can be used in a real-life escape room, or use WebGL to deploy it to a website that can be played in the browser as part of an online game.Software Used: - unity.com for creating the app - shotcut.org for preparing videoclipsTiming:00:00:00 - 00:02:46 Introduction and demonstration00:02:47 - 00:22:39 Creating the Unity project 00:22:40 - 00:51:48 Coding the C# video controller script00:51:49 - 00:56:25 Preparing the videoclips in Shotcut00:56:26 - 00:58:05 WrapupResources:If you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the Unity project or resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
Creating a Biometric Hand Scanner Real-Life Escape Room Game Puzzle Playful Technology 2021-10-21 | In this video tutorial, I explain how to use Unity to create a fake "Biometric Hand Scanner" Android app for use in a high-tech escape room puzzle. Even though the app doesn't really scan your hand, pressing the fingerprints in the correct sequence really does open a door, just like in a futuristic sci-fi movie!The door is secured by a maglock, controlled by a ESP8266-powered Wemos D1 Mini. When a player presses their fingerprints in the correct order, the Unity app sends a wireless trigger to a webserver running on the Wemos, which triggers a relay and cuts power to the door lock. Components Used---- Unity (unity.com free!)- Wemos D1 Mini (~£5 from banggood.com/custlink/v33RJLItSj )- Wemos D1 Mini Relay Shield (~£2 from banggood.com/custlink/Dvvdgkvjnn )- 12V Maglock (~£20 from banggood.com/custlink/m3KRB23LA9 )Timings---00:00:00-00:01:47 Introduction and Demonstration00:01:48-00:03:30 Hardware Overview00:03:31-00:04:20 Wiring Diagram of maglock to Wemos D1 Mini relay shield00:04:21-00:28:31 Creating the Unity project00:28:32-00:44:00 Wemos D1 Mini code in the Arduino IDE00:44:01-00:47:58 Modifying the code to host a Wireless Wi-Fi hotspot00:47:59-00:49:08 WrapupIf you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the Unity project, code for the Arduino IDE, wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
Heart Transplant Escape Room Puzzle Tutorial Playful Technology 2021-09-26 | This is a video tutorial explaining how to create a "Heart Transplant" Escape Room puzzle, using RF communication between two Arduinos.One Arduino, placed inside a model heart, must be connected to a battery pack. This causes it to start beating, lighting up a programmable WS2812B Neopixel LED strip in a heartbeat animation, and also transmitting a regular "pulse" message from a 433MHz RF transmitter.When this radio signal pulse is detected by a receiver module attached to a secondary Arduino contained within the ribcage of the skeleton, it causes a relay to be energised deactivating a maglock and releasing a key. RF radio transmitter/receivers are not designed as proximity detectors, but by tuning the effective transmission range through a combination of hardware and software methods described, they can provide an interesting and useful alternative short-range detection method to more traditional magnet/RFID sensors used in escape rooms. The method described can be used to determine whether two powered devices are within a range of somewhere from 10cm up to a few metres in distance from each other, which makes it favourable for use in large-scale props compared to other sensors that require much more precise positioning.Timings---00:00:00 - 00:02:22 Introduction and Demonstration00:02:23 - 00:05:55 Overview of Puzzle Mechanics00:05:56 - 00:11:23 RF Communication00:11:24 - 00:15:38 Puzzle Hardware00:15:39 - 00:22:09 Component Wiring 00:22:10 - 00:44:45 Arduino Code Listing00:44:46 - 00:46:49 WrapupHardware Used---- 433MHz RF Radio Receiver/Transmitter modules banggood.com/custlink/DGGEgOwcA0- 5V relay module banggood.com/custlink/mDD3bOqeP5- 2x Arduino Nano banggood.com/custlink/KvKDUmhTqI- 12V 60kg Maglock ebay.co.uk/itm/164952553832- WS2812B "Neopixel" LED strip banggood.com/custlink/3G3KMmYfzN- 12V LED ring banggood.com/custlink/3m3E0O7W1R- 3D Heart model thingiverse.com/thing:932606- Bob the Skeleton is of unknown origin... would you believe, I found him in my closet! But he appears similar to this amazon.co.uk/Crazy-Bonez-POSE-N-STAY-Skelton-Halloween/dp/B01INAY2MA If you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe to this channel! And, if you'd like to download the Arduino code, wiring diagram, or other resources used in this and all the other escape room projects shown on this channel (and support me to continue making more tutorials in the future!), please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
Using Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFDs) with an Arduino Playful Technology 2021-09-16 | I recently salvaged an 20x2 character Vacuum Fluroescent Display (VFD) unit from an old Epson point-of-sale display that was being thrown away to landfill. In this video, I'll explain how I repurposed it to work as a realtime display for an Arduino instead, where it can provide a quirky alternative to an LED or LCD dot matrix display - and fond memories for anyone used to electronics from the 1980s or 90s!I used a cheap MAX3232 board to take the 0V-5V serial output from the Arduino and convert it into the +15V - -15V voltage range of the RS232 serial standard used by the display. The code is available for download from my Github account: github.com/playfultechnology/arduino-VFD-RS232Timings---00:00:00 - 00:01:31 Introduction and Demonstration00:01:32 - 00:03:20 How Vacuum Fluorescent Displays work 00:03:21 - 00:05:50 Understanding the Epson DM-D110 datasheet00:05:51 - 00:07:50 Differences between Arduino TTL and RS-232 serial data00:07:51 - 00:11:34 Component Wiring00:11:35 - 00:16:29 Arduino Code Listing
Escape Room Design Tutorial - Blow the Bloody Doors Off! Playful Technology 2021-08-26 | In this tutorial I'll explain how to create an escape room scenario in which players need to place explosive charges and then activate a detonator to "blast open" a door (by releasing an electromagnetic lock, accompanied by a suitable explosion sound effect). This is a commonly-used escape room effect that might be how players break into a bank vault, break out of a jail, or open the entrance to Aladdin's cave or an abandoned mine, for example.Timings---00:00:00-00:00:34 Introduction and Demonstration00:00:35-00:04:42 Mounting the maglock and door release poppers00:04:43-00:08:15 Creating the magnetic explosive charges00:08:16-00:10:26 Dynamite detonator mechanism00:10:27-00:13:13 Emergency Release Switch00:13:14-00:14:35 Components00:14:36-00:18:58 Wiring Diagram (including DIN Relay)00:18:59-00:25:50 Schematic00:25:51-00:27:29 WrapupComponents Used---Unlike most of my projects, this requires *no* Arduino or other microprocessor - the logic is controlled purely through relays and magnetic Reed switches. The full list of components I'm using is as follows: - Maglock:banggood.com/custlink/m3GdBFIvKQ - N42 Neodymium Magnets with countersunk hole:first4magnets.com/rectangular-c35/25-x-20-x-5mm-thick-x-4-5mm-c-s-n42-neodymium-magnet-9-8kg-pull-p3656 - 12V Automotive Relay:ebay.co.uk/itm/154145024929 - Spring Nuts / Door poppers:bolts.co.uk/spring-nuts-c-4522banggood.com/custlink/3G3y05IGvd - DFPlayer MP3 Player:banggood.com/custlink/3m3heH8KhG - External Amplifier:banggood.com/custlink/GKGE4PIDyy - 12V Regulated DC Power Supply:ebay.co.uk/itm/162562112782 - 12V-5V DC stepdown convertor:ebay.co.uk/itm/142407861263 - Normally Open Magnetic Reed Switch:amazon.co.uk/sourcingmap-Recessed-Security-Contact-Magnetic/dp/B07F5XVQN2 - Large arcade push button (for dynamite plunger):banggood.com/custlink/GGGE0F9DZv - Normally Closed emergency exit button:ebay.co.uk/itm/153919958885I'm a professional game designer and have been creating escape rooms for five years, and making tutorials about them since 2017. If you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, please like and subscribe! If you'd like to check out my other escape room projects, or support me to continue making more tutorials in the future, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech
The Decanting Problem Escape Room Tech Puzzle Playful Technology 2021-07-28 | This is a video tutorial explaining how to create an electronic version of the "decanting problem" (also sometimed called a "water-pouring problem": en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_pouring_puzzle), which is a great puzzle for use in an escape room.It uses different length WS2812B ("Neopixel") programmable LED strips to represent containers of differing capacities, and an audio cable to represent a "filling loop" which must be connected to transfer liquid between containers. The code is run by an Arduino UNO, which releases a maglock when the chosen target value is attained in one of the containers.Timings---00:00:00 - 00:03:34 Introduction and Demonstration00:03:35 - 00:09:27 Hardware Overview00:09:28 - 00:19:59 Fritzing Component Wiring Diagram00:20:00 - 00:51:38 Arduino Code Explanation00:51:39 - 00:54:28 WrapupComponents used--- - WS2812B programmable LED strips - Illuminated arcade button - Relay Module - 12V fail-secure maglock - 1N4007 diode - 1/4" audio cable - 3x 1/4" audio jacks - Arduino UnoSupport Me! (or let me support you :) )---This video is made possible with the generous support of my Patreon donors - thankyou! For more details of this project, and to download Arduino code, wiring diagrams, and additional resources and support for all my escape room technology projects, please go to patreon.com/playfultech
Colour Sequence Puzzle Playful Technology 2021-06-23 | This video tutorial explains how to create an Arduino-based escape room puzzle, inspired by the Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes "Memory" game. In this game, players are presented with a numeric prompt, and must follow a set of convoluted instructions to press the correct coloured button in response.e.g."If the prompt shows "2" press the 3rd button","If the prompt shows "4" press the green button", etc.Simple right?Except that the colours of the buttons swap places after each input. And, players also have to remember the state of the puzzle and their responses on previous turns, which leads to instructions like:"If the prompt shows "1" press the button that's the same colour as you pressed two turns ago", or"If the prompt shows "3" press the button in the same position as the blue button in the first turn"...So, it becomes a little bit like a maniacal version of the "Simon" game - a test of memory, coordination, and ability to follow rules. And, if those rules are physically separated from the inputs (e.g. written on a plaque in a different part of the room), then it also involves coordination and co-operation between several players so it involves a nice mix of puzzle-solving skills - perfect for an escape room prop!Timings---00:00:00-00:03:03 Introduction and Demonstration00:03:04-00:10:01 Hardware: Colour-changing LEDs, stage and prompt display00:10:02-00:25:19 Wiring diagram00:25:20-00:59:25 Arduino code listing walkthrough00:59:26-01:01:45 WrapupComponents used--- - PL9823 programmable LEDs - Illuminated arcade buttons - MAX7219 LED Driver chip - 10 segment LED bargraph - 7 segment common cathode LED display - Arduino NanoSupport Me! (or let me support you :) )---This video is made possible with the generous support of my Patreon donors - thankyou! For more details of this, and to access downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources and support for all my escape room technology projects, please go to patreon.com/playfultech
How to Create an Analog Arduino Escape Room Puzzle Playful Technology 2021-05-14 | Most escape room tech puzzles (and electronic systems in general) use *digital* inputs and outputs - those that can only have one of a discrete range of values: a button is either pressed or it is not pressed; a rotary switch can only be in one of a number of fixed positions; a maglock is either secured or it is open, etc.But, in this video, I'll describe how to create an Arduino-based escape room puzzle that uses *analogue* inputs and outputs - sliding linear potentiometers and ammeters that can express a smooth, continuous range of values, with an almost limitless degree of precision. These allow you to create puzzles that require a different sort of interesting interaction for players, but they do also present some interesting challenges - I'll cover some of the trickier aspects of using the built-in Arduino Analogue-To-Digital Converter (ADC) to convert analog input into a digital value, and how to use Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) on GPIO pins to control an analog output. Timings---00:00:00-00:00:13 Introduction 00:00:14-00:02:17 Puzzle Demonstration00:02:18-00:04:40 Comparing Analog -vs- Digital signals00:04:41-00:11:20 Retrieving Analog Input using "Ax" pins and the Arduino Analog-to-Digital Convertor (ADC)00:11:21-00:18:49 Sending Analog Output using "~x" pins and Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)00:18:50-00:23:20 Grounding, noise, and isolation of analog components00:23:21-00:26:53 Wiring Diagram00:26:54-00:51:40 Arduino Code00:51:41-00:53:20 Wrap upComponents Used---- 4x 1mA Ammeter, ~£2 each from aliexpress.com/item/10000020296910.html- 4x Slide Potentiometer, buy 5 for $12 from banggood.com/custlink/vGGdLOO1zU- Arduino UNO, $10 from amzn.to/2ZcuS82- 4x LED ($0.01 each, from almost anywhere)- 4x220 and 4x 4.7kohm resistors ($0.01 each, from almost anywhere)- 5V 1-channel Relay Module, $2 from aliexpress.com/item/32905958885.html- Conductive Copper Strip, $5 for 3m from ebay.co.uk/itm/184340220340Support Me! (or let me support you :) )---This video is made possible with the generous support of my Patreon donors - thankyou! For more details of this, and to access downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources and support for all my escape room technology projects, please go to patreon.com/playfultech
Programmable Wildlife / Security / Timelapse Camera Projects with an ESP-32 CAM Playful Technology 2021-04-26 | This video describes the hardware and software code required to program an ESP32-CAM board to create a wide range of camera functionality:- Create timelapse videos- Trigger photographs to be taken with a switch, when movement is detected by a PIR sensor, or any other input- Trigger a photograph to be taken when a HIGH signal is sent from an Arduino or other microprocessor- Use onboard LED as a flash- Save photos to onboard SD card, or send them as an email attachment - Power the ESP-32 from a single 3.7V Li-Po battery packYou can customise this code to make it suitable for, e.g. a wildlife camera, a security camera, or a camera triggered to take "reaction" shots in an Arduino-controlled escape room game. The ESP32 chip can be programmed using the familiar Arduino IDE, or whatever development environment you prefer. For full details of the functionality of the OV2640 camera sensor used in these boards, see the datasheet at uctronics.com/download/OV2640_DS.pdfTimings---00:00:00-00:03:31 Introduction00:03:32-00:04:44 Example Applications00:04:45-00:12:31 Hardware: Camera, Aerial, External Programmer, Portable Battery Pack00:12:32-00:18:05 Wiring diagram00:18:06-01:09:43 Software Code in the Arduino IDE01:09:44-01:11:37 WrapupHardware Used---ESP32-CAM: banggood.com/custlink/33KEli3R0UESP32-CAM programmer board: aliexpress.com/item/1005001872947921.htmlFTDI programmer: banggood.com/custlink/3KKYoIGR6fAM312 PIR sensor: ebay.co.uk/itm/20262556714618650 Li-Po battery shield: banggood.com/custlink/mGDROiH4GBThis video is made possible with the generoud support of my Patreon donors - thankyou! For more details of this, and all my escape room technology projects, see patreon.com/playfultech
Building a Portable Hadron Collider (previously an -Escape Room-In-A-Box-) - Part Ten Playful Technology 2021-04-19 | This video is part of a development diary series as I attempt to create a boxed escape room game.I'll be honest and say I've had a bit of a creative block over the last few weeks, and couldn't really decide what direction to go in with the game... I kept on accidentally gravitating towards making "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes", which wasn't really my intention. However, I'm pleased to say I had a moment of inspiration...Imagine if, in a moment of drunken internet purchasing, you clicked to buy a Large Hadron Collider over the internet advertised by "Wish". And, what arrived wasn't quite the right size, or fitted together very well, or looked at all safe to operate. Well, that's what the box is going to be. I'll explain this new theme and storyline that I've decided to follow, and the impact that's had both on artisitic decisions about the graphic identity and design, and how it can provide a justification of the player motivation *why* there are tasks that need to be performed within a certain time, and giving them a meaningful consequence of the outcome if they succeed or fail in solving those puzzles/tasks.Created with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
How to use a Digital Oscilloscope to debug Arduino Projects (or ESP8266, ESP32, Raspberry Pi etc.) Playful Technology 2021-03-24 | This is a video demonstrating how you can use basic functionality of an oscilloscope to analyse data being sent from and to the GPIO pins on an Arduino. I used this to help diagnose some faulty behaviour in an escape room-in-a-box game I'm currently building, but this is a really useful tool for analysing any kind of data sent between Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ESP8266/32 devices, or a sensor connected via an SPI, I2C, or Serial interface, for example.Whereas a multimeter allows you to check voltage, resistance, or continuity between two points of a circuit, an oscilloscope presents a realtime graphical display of the voltage on a signal line. It not only allows to to check *whether* any data is being sent/received, but the timing and frequency of messages, and to visualise the quality of the data signal - whether you've got nice crisp edges giving precise HIGH and LOW values, or whether you've got soft, blurry values or background noise, which are common causes for problems in communication between devices!I'm using a DS212 Digital Storage Oscilloscope, which costs around £65 from banggood.com/custlink/GmvRay3VkBIt's portable, rechargable, and has two channels (so you can monitor, say, the clock signal and data signal of an interface at the same time). You can get much more complex (and more expensive!) bench oscilloscopes, but so far this has proved sufficient for my needs.
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Nine Playful Technology 2021-03-21 | This video is part of a development diary series as I attempt to create a boxed escape room game.In this part, I'm going to be iterating over the physical design and aesthetics of the game, which will involve revising the layout in Inkscape, some laser cutouts, and a bit of scrollsaw and woodworking. It probably won't be the final version, but I think it's starting to take shape now and look slightly more like a playable game than a rough prototype.Created with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Eight Playful Technology 2021-03-12 | This video is part of a development diary series as I attempt to create a boxed escape room game.One of the key game design decisions I made early on for my Escape Room In-A-Box was that I wanted the system to be modular - for different sorts of puzzles to be swappable in and out, to make the game replayable and customisable, and for the game controller to detect and adapt seamlessly based on the modules that had been installed.In this video I'll demonstrate the ESP32 and Arduino code which I've started to develop to enable this (it's actually pretty straightforward) - I'm looping through a range of possible device IDs on the PJON network, and sending a single "PING" packet of data to each one. Then, the controller listens and sees which ones reply. It's much like dialling down a list of telephone numbers, increasing the digit by one each time and seeing if anyone answers... and that lets me know what modules have been installed in the box, and to adapt the gameflow accordingly. I then describe how I've separated out the specific functionality of each puzzle controller from the generic functionality, which I've moved out into a seperate library, from where it can be included into each individual sketch. That means that, as I change and add to the functionality, I only need to edit it in one place and it will automatically be incorporated in every controller's sketch file, and I can be certain that every individual puzzle will behave in exactly the same way in response to commands like RESET, SOLVE, DISABLE, and that any messages sent *by* them will also follow a standard defined interface. This kind of common agreed base functionality is essential for the modular system to work. At the moment, when each puzzle controller receives the PING message from the controller on startup, they populate and reply with a little config structure that gives their name and current status. Again, this can be extended to include things like uptime, number of attempts made, any hints available etc.Created with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
Programming a DSTIKE ESP8266 Smart Watch with Arduino IDE Playful Technology 2021-03-10 | In this video I'll demonstrate how you can reprogram a "DSTIKE Deauther Watch" (which I bought for just under £20 from Banggood) with custom code to create a wearable, portable Wi-Fi enabled device with built-in RGB LED, perfect for monitoring or controlling any other WiFi wireless devices!Product link is banggood.com/custlink/vvmY8U1FT6The watch itself is based around an ESP8266 chip, powered by a 500mAH Li-Po battery. It also features a built-in WS2812B ("Neopixel") RGB LED, a secondary white LED, a 1.3" 128px x 64px OLED screen, an IPEX aerial connector, and a rotary button - quite a neat range of features to pack onto your wrist! It comes with pre-installed "Deauth" software, but you can replace this by uploading any new code you want using the Arduino IDE, together with some common libraries such as FastLED (http://fastled.io) and lcdgfx (github.com/lexus2k/lcdgfx). In the last part of the video, I'll demonstrate how I use the watch as a remote control to activate and de-activate the ESP32-powered Escape Room-in-a-box controller which I'm currently in the process of building.Timings---00:00:00-00:01:19 Introduction00:01:20-00:04:59 Opening it up and examining the components00:05:00-00:18:32 Writing custom code using the Arduino IDE00:18:33-00:20:21 Demonstration and testing the hardware00:20:22-00:23:31 Summary and example of ESP32 escape room controller interface over Wi-FiFor more playful technology and escape room tech projects, check out patreon.com/playfultech
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Seven Playful Technology 2021-03-05 | In this video, I'll describe the latest progress of my Escape Room In-A-Box build, and particularly describe two problems I encountered with the ESP32 controller unit. Hopefully this might help explain a little of the process about how to debug errors you encounter in your own projects (and also why you shouldn't make last-minute changes to your design when you transfer from a breadboard to a soldered board or PCB!): a.) Firstly, I decided to move the controller onto a protoboard and solder the connections to make the wiring more secure and create convenient connectors for each of the peripheral components on the edges of the board. However, in the process of doing this I foolishly decided to change the design *slightly* from that which I had tested on the breadboard - moving the input pin to which the activation button was wired in to from GPIO15 to GPIO36 so that the wire runs were shorter and pins were physically closer to the connector they used. An innocent-enough change, I thought.... but oh, foolish me!Unlike an Arduino, in which every GPIO pin can be used as a digital input, on an ESP32 different pins have different properties and behaviours.... Some are INPUT only. Some have PULL_UP resistors. Some have PULL_DOWN resistors. Some have neither. Some of them are HIGH on bootup, and some are LOW. And some of them will cause the boot up to fail if they are pulled HIGH or LOW.... the new pin I chose did not have pullup resistors attached, so even though I was specifying pinMode(36, INPUT_PULLUP) in my code, the input was actually a floating pin and my button behaved erratically - flicking between HIGH and LOW. Once I realised this, the solution was quite straightforward - I just installed an external 10k pullup resistor to 3.3V on each of the pins 34-36 where this applies.b.) The second problem was a software problem - I'm using the PJON networking library, which generally seems very well-written, but it was interfering with my digital input in some way. Stepping into the code I narrowed this down to the bus.begin() function, so looking at the library itself I followed a trail of functions to find the culprit: although I can't see it documented anywhere, the PJON initialisation procedure begins by taking an analog reading of pin A0 to set a random seed. This is a fairly common approach to seeding the random number generator based on background electrical noise in the environment. However, on an ESP32, Pin 36 = Pin A0! So although I'd initialised Pin 36 as a digital INPUT (and now fixed the issue with the external pullup resistor), PJON was overriding my settings by taking an analogRead(), and changing the pin mode which caused a false LOW reading, as if the button had been pressed.Again, the solution was pretty straightforward - there's a PJON method called set_random_seed() which allows you to specify a different pin to read, and doing that before calling begin() fixed the problem.So, two problems that actually both had pretty straightforward quick solutions in the end, but finding my way there took some time!Created with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Six Playful Technology 2021-03-03 | Now that I've got some of the basic infrastructure set, it's time to get on and start making some playable elements so that this starts to look more like a game rather than a networking test. In this video:00:00:00-00:03:56 Resolving the 5V-3.3V PJON level shifting issues - logic level convertor with pulldown resistors, or voltage divider with diode - but don't get distracted by the pursuit of the "optimum" solution, just get something that works and move on!00:03:57-00:10:49 Selecting an LED to display the status of each module to assist in development and in gameplay. I'm hoping to use PL9823 progammable LEDs, which work like Neopixel (WS2812), but come in a standard 5mm LED form factor. So they can be animated between any RGB values, flashed etc. as a way to indicate the different status of each puzzle. 00:10:50-00:16:20 Updating the puzzle controller Arduino code to include the PJON network registration and indicating the puzzle status through different LED patterns. On startup, the master controller attempts to pin every device ID and keeps track of which ones respond (in much the same way an I2C scanner detects the address of any connected I2C device) so it knows which modules are in use. Modules are initially brought online in a disabled state, but these can be brought online by the master controller, and the LEDs change pattern to guide the player as to what the current "head" of the game progress is and be able to have some sort of directed gameflow (rather than all the puzzles be available and solveable from the outset).00:16:20-00:22:40 Rewiring the network into a centralised "star" network design and supplying a separate power supply to prevent trying to draw current to power all the separate puzzle controllers via USB and the thin traces of the ESP32 Vin port 00:22:41-00:27:50 Demonstration of system initialisation, puzzle solving, and reset, with status indicators and network messaging.Created with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Five Playful Technology 2021-03-01 | In this episode, I'm going to reply to a few questions and comments that have been raised so far. Hopefully this will help answer some questions that folks may have had, and also help me by using this opportunity to use you as my "rubber ducky" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging) .I'll talk a little bit more about the serial interface I'm using between the ESP32 and the Arduino (only to then say that it's probably going to get ditched on the next iteration of the hardware anyway...), "Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes", and laser safety.Created with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Four Playful Technology 2021-02-27 | Having done the first iteration of the hardware, software, and physical design, I'm now going to start the process of iteratively revisiting them and improving them, adding in new features, ironing out bugs etc.In this part, I'm going to combine the PJON networking functionality (from Pt1) with the Timer Countdown display (from Pt2). The problem is that the network runs at 5V, while the ESP32 that controls the displays and game control runs at 3.3V.... this presented me with a couple of different possible workarounds, but the one I went for is to create a serial interface between the ESP32 and an Arduino Nano on the master controller, and hand off all networking functionality to the Arduino, which simply passed messages between the ESP32 and the slave devices.I'm not 100% convinced this is the right solution since it certainly adds a degree of complexity, but I'm happy with it for now...Timings---00:00:00-00:02:59 Introduction and recap00:03:00-00:09:23 Creating a wiring "save point"00:09:24-00:16:52 Hardware redesign00:16:53-00:27:58 Improving the Arduino/ESP32 code00:27:59-00:30:57 Testing the new featuresCreated with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Three Playful Technology 2021-02-25 | In this part I start to look at the physical design of how the puzzle modules might be arranged into the box, and lay out the countdown displays into a first draft of the master controller panel. I cut this out on my laser cutter but, if you don't have access to one of them, you can still use Inkscape to create your design and print it onto a paper template that you then cut around.Timings---00:00:00-00:01:50 Introduction00:01:50-00:14:00 Laying out the components in Inkscape00:14:00-00:19:03 Sending the design to the laser cutter with LaserGRBL00:19:03-00:22:18 Assembling the components and testing
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part Two Playful Technology 2021-02-24 | In this part, I'm going to build the hardware and software for the game timer and countdown display, which will be one of the main functions of the "master" control device of the portable escape room in a box I'm building. I try out three different display types - a 4 digit, 7-segment display, a 64x8 LED matrix, and a 128x64 LCD display, but can't decide which is more suitable so decide to keep them all in for now, and write code for the code that will allow me to switch between them.In doing so, I realise that I'm going to have to upgrade from an Arduino UNO to an ESP32, and also I take a suprisingly long time to program what sounds like a relatively simple countdown function....Timings---00:00:00-00:05:13 Objectives for this part00:05:13-00:44:44 Software coding for the countdown displays00:44:44-01:06:38 Wiring the display hardwareCreated with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
Building an Escape Room-In-A-Box - Part One Playful Technology 2021-02-22 | This is the first video in a new "development diary" which is going to document my attempts to (hopefully!) create a portable, modular, electronic Escape Room In-A-Box.This is not intended to be a step-by-step tutorial, but something more like a "fly on the wall" documentary that is a pretty complete, honest portrayal of the approach I take to design and create tech puzzles for escape rooms. I'm not going to filter out the mistakes I make, poor design decisions, and wasted effort I'm inevitably going to suffer from along the way! In this first part, I'll describe a little bit about what my aims for the project are and a first draft at the hardware infrastructure I plan to use. I'll try to post fairly regular, shortish updates, so please follow me if you want to see how the project develops over the next few weeks :)Created with the generous support of my amazing Patreon donors. You can find more details about all my escape room tech projects at patreon.com/playfultech
DIY Wireless Smart Dice with ESP8266 and Node-RED Playful Technology 2021-01-25 | In this video tutorial, I'll explain how you can build your own "Smart Dice" - wireless cubes that use the MPU6050 linear accelerometer on a GY-521 board to detect which way up they are, and broadcast that information via an MQTT message to a Node-RED broker.You can use these to build an escape room puzzle where players need to arrange a set of dice to make a certain total of the face-up sides, or rotate them in a particular way to follow a numeric sequence, for example.I'm using a Wemos D1 Mini, ESP8266-based board which is ideal for portable escape room props, because:- it's physically small- it has a convenient battery shield to provide portable power from a single Li-Po cell- it has built in Wi-Fi- it runs at 3.3V logic, which means that there is no logic-level conversion required on the I2C wires between the processor and the (3.3V) sensorHowever, you can also follow exactly the same steps described here to connect the MPU-6050 sensor an ESP32 board, or an Arduino UNO or Nano (even though that won't have Wi-Fi unless you add a suitable Wi-Fi shield). To demonstrate how you can create code that is portable between several different target devices, I'm also not going to use any third-party libraries designed for the MPU-6050 chip - instead I'll teach you how you can write and read values directly to any I2C component using the built-in, generic "Wire" library. This is useful information to know should you ever find yourself wanting to use an I²C component in a project and these is not an existing library available!Components---GY-521 board (MPU-6050 chip), banggood.com/custlink/v33hSP1shTWemos D1 Mini (ESP8266 chip), banggood.com/custlink/v33RJLItSjD1 Mini Battery Shield, banggood.com/custlink/mvGhSFfsh2Total cost = ~$7Timings---00:00:00-00:03:23 Introduction and Demonstration00:03:23-00:07:17 Hardware Overview00:07:18-00:19:02 Wiring and power requirements00:19:03-01:00:07 Arduino/ESP8266/ESP32 Code01:00:08-01:15:36 Node-RED flow01:15:37-01:17:28 WrapupCode & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to support me making more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all my other tech projects.
Long-range RFID Vicinity Sensor Christmas Escape Room Puzzle Tutorial using PN5180 and ESP32 Playful Technology 2020-12-21 | RFID ("Radio Frequency Identification") technology is widely-used in all sorts of applications - ID cards, inventory tracking, pet microchips - and it's also the "magic" behind escape room interactions where a door opens (or any other action) after players position a series of items in the correct positions to solve a puzzle. Each item has an embedded RFID tag with a unique ID, and when tags of the correct ID are positioned in front of an array of sensors, a relay is triggered which powers the desired output. Now, if we want players to suspend their disbelief that they are not really positioning props embedded with RFID cards but actually placing objects with some mystical power, we need those RFID tags to be detected as smoothly and seamlessly as possible. The sorts of RFID sensors typically used in an escape room are based on the ISO14443 protocol for proximity sensors, which require tags need to be positioned accurately within only a few centimetres of the sensor (as if holding up an ID card to a security-controlled door access panel) - and this can limit the player's experience.In this video, I'll demonstrate how you can use a PN5180 sensor that uses ISO15693 *vicinity* sensors instead: these work in almost exactly the same way as a regular RFID proximity sensor - by detecting passive tags that can be embedded in props - but have a significantly greater detection range. The setup shown can reliably detect tags up to around 20cm-30cm from each sensor, they do not have to be axis-aligned, and you can build it yourself for around $30. Timings---00:00:00-00:02:06 Introduction00:02:07-00:06:09 Hardware Overview00:06:10-00:09:01 Demonstration with Debug Output00:09:02-00:17:42 Hardware In Detail00:17:43-00:29:14 Wiring00:29:15-01:03:37 Arduino IDE Code Listing01:03:38-01:05:51 WrapupHardware Used---- ESP32. I'm using an ESP32 board with a 38-pin NodeMCU-32s pinout, such as banggood.com/custlink/mvKdtuWZHH . ESP32 dev boards come in many varieties with different pin layouts. If you are using a 36-pin board, such as banggood.com/custlink/Gv3EPwWSFZ , please be sure to use the appropriate pins!- PN5180 RFID Sensors: aliexpress.com/item/32840851498.html- RJ45 Breakout Board banggood.com/custlink/33DdPfJiqo- MP3 Player banggood.com/custlink/mGmhH7WngV- 5V Relay Module banggood.com/custlink/mmGRtfrnQv(Sorry - I don't have a link to the particular Christmas lights I'm using - they came down from the loft!)Code & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to support me making more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all my other tech projects.
Arduino Capacitive Touch-Free Touch Sensor Tutorial Playful Technology 2020-11-25 | This is the fourth video in a series in which I'll be considering various methods that can be used to replace a traditional Arduino button input with a touch-free interface instead, requiring no physical contact. This is just one possible consideration of how you can make an escape room (or any other public-facing Arduino interface) more "Covid-secure".In this part I'll be looking at an "Capacitive Touch Sensor" CAP1188 component, which costs around $10, can be purchased from several online suppliers and is easy to wire and code on an Arduino, ESP32, or other Microprocessor using an I2C interface.They can be purchased from, e.g. banggood.com/custlink/3v3dtHzIyUThough some capacitive sensors work by physical touch (e.g. those on a mobile phone screen), by increasing the sensitivity of the board (which can be done by writing a registry value through code), it is possible to detect a hand (or a glass of water, metallic object, or any other object with sufficient capacitance) at a distance of about 15cm from the sensor, with no need for contact. There are 8 different inputs, each with an onboard LED and corresponding output pin, and the readings can be extracted via SPI or I2C interface.
Arduino Laser Time-of-Flight Sensor Touch-Free Input Tutorial Playful Technology 2020-11-24 | During the current Coronavirus pandemic we're all being encouraged to reduce the number of shared surfaces that we touch in order to reduce the risk of virus transmission. So, this is the third video in a series in which I'll be considering various methods that can be used to replace a traditional Arduino button input with a touch-free interface instead, requiring no physical contact. This is just one possible consideration of how you can make an escape room (or any other public-facing Arduino interface) more "Covid-secure".In this part I'll be looking at a "Laser Time-of-Flight Sensor" VL53L0X component, which cost around $12 and can be purchased from several online suppliers, such as, e.g. banggood.com/custlink/KvvhHITJARIt uses an I2C interface, and there are corresponding libraries available for Arduino, ESP32, or other Microprocessors.Unlike a simple IR sensor (as demonstrated in this earlier video in the series: youtu.be/Y6sGoqSujlQ ), which detects the *intensity* of infra-red light reflected off an object, a time-of-flight sensor detects the *phase shift* between the modulated laser signal sent and the reflected signal received back. This gives an accurate reading of the distance from the sensor to the object, which is more reliable than that typically obtained from an ultrasonic range sensor.Timings---00:00:00-00:00:29 Introduction00:00:30-00:03:48 Demonstration00:03:49-00:06:05 Hardware Wiring00:06:06-00:17:27 Arduino Code Listing00:17:28-00:18:23 SummaryCode & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to support me making more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all my other tech projects.
Ultrasonic Range Sensor Touch-Free Input Tutorial for Arduino / ESP32 Playful Technology 2020-11-23 | This is the second video in a series in which I'll be considering various methods that can be used to replace a traditional Arduino button input with a touch-free interface instead, requiring no physical contact. This is just one possible consideration of how you can make an escape room (or any other public-facing Arduino interface) more "Covid-secure".In this part I'll be looking at an "Ultrasonic Range Sensor" HC-SR04 component, which can be easily purchased online for only a dollar or so from, e.g. banggood.com/custlink/vDvdtPQLrg It's a cheap, readily-available module that's easy to wire and code on an Arduino, ESP32, or other Microprocessor.Timings---00:00:00-00:00:21 Introduction00:00:22-00:04:44 Demonstration00:04:45-00:05:39 Hardware Wiring00:05:40-00:19:11 Arduino Code Listing00:19:12-00:20:09 SummaryCode & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to support me making more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all my other tech projects.
Infrared Obstacle Avoidance Sensor Tutorial for Arduino / ESP32 Playful Technology 2020-11-22 | During the current Coronavirus pandemic we're all being encouraged to reduce the number of shared surfaces that we touch in order to reduce the risk of virus transmission. So, this is the first video in a new series in which I'll be considering various methods that can be used to replace a traditional Arduino button input with a touch-free interface instead, requiring no physical contact. This is just one possible consideration of how you can make an escape room (or any other public-facing Arduino interface) more "Covid-secure".In this first part I'll be looking at an FC-51 "Infrared Obstacle Avoidance Sensor" component, which can be easily purchased online for only a dollar or so. It's a cheap, readily-available module that's easy to wire and code on an Arduino, ESP32, or other Microprocessor, using only a single digital input pin, and it's capable of simulating when a button is pressed, held, or released.You can buy this sensor from, e.g. banggood.com/custlink/3KGdtHNjduTimings---00:00:00-00:01:03 Introduction00:01:04-00:06:45 Demonstration00:06:46-00:07:11 Hardware Wiring00:07:12-00:16:08 Arduino Code Listing00:16:09-00:16:58 SummaryCode & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to support me making more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all my other tech projects.
How to Build an Automated Arduino-Controlled Ouija Board Playful Technology 2020-10-26 | In this tutorial, I'll show you how you can create a spooky Ouija board or chess board on which the pieces move by themselves - great for an Escape Room prop!It uses an Arduino to send G-Code messages to a CNC controller running GRBL software, which moves a magnetic head controlled by stepper motors on an aluminium frame. You can build the mechanics yourself using the following hardware, which allows to choose the exact dimensions of the frame (e.g. to be installed under an existing table):2040 Aluminium Extrusion uk.banggood.com/custlink/KKDyVJ8555GT2 Timing Pulley / Belt uk.banggood.com/custlink/vKvRVrIFH8NEMA17 Stepper Motors uk.banggood.com/custlink/mvKYtWIHHnCNC Shield uk.banggood.com/custlink/K3vYtJZ5IhOr, you may find it simpler to just buy a complete ready-to-assemble kit containing all the above + necessary screws etc:Eleksmaker A3 Machine banggood.com/custlink/mv3EVCrS8TThe board on the CNC controller itself runs "GRBL" software. It probably already come pre-installed with your CNC shield, but if not you can download from github.com/gnea/grbl and follow the comprehensive instructions at github.com/gnea/grbl/wiki/Compiling-Grbl to install it. Note that you might have to change the baud rate on line 42 of config.h to match the baudrate defined by the AltSoftSerial connection in CNCController.ino, e.g.:#define BAUD_RATE 9600You can view a full list of commands at github.com/gnea/grbl/wiki/Grbl-v1.1-CommandsThe most important ones to note are: - G90 (Use absolute coordinate values) - G91 (Use relative/incremental coordinate values) - $J= (Issue a "jog" command) - G01 X... Y... F... (Linear movement to specified X/Y coordinates at specified F rate) - G04 P... ("Dwell" - i.e. pause for specified number of seconds)Timings---00:00-02:58 Introduction and Demonstration02:59-05:04 Behind-the-Scenes05:05-09:24 Wiring and Components09:25-38:24 Arduino Code38:25-42:56 WrapupCode & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to download the code and other resources used in this project, and support me to make more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for all my other tech projects.
Arduino-Controlled Rotary Telephone (DIY Escape Room Prop Tutorial) Playful Technology 2020-09-22 | In this video, I'm going to revisit and redesign an idea from a tutorial I made a few years back - the rotary phone escape room prop. I didn't realise it then, but my last project ended up being quite specific to handsets on the UK telephone network (with assumptions about particular timing patterns, wiring etc.), and so ended up being not as portable as I hoped - apologies to anyone who had difficulties following along from other countries!So, for this project, I'm taking a completely different approach - wiring an Arduino (or ESP8266 / ESP32 or any similar microprocessor) directly to the mechanical components of an original 1970s phone - the rotary dial, the hook switch, the solenoid that rings the bells, and the microphone and earpiece speaker. This should be completely portable between handsets, whatever public telephone network they were designed to be used on.Then, using a DFPlayer Mini MP3 module to handle the audio output, I'll show you how to program completely custom behaviour of the telephone as a Finite State Machine (FSM): you can trigger incoming calls (manually, via a switch in the control room or from control software such as Node-RED/M3/ERM) that makes the telephone ring and, when answered, delivers a specific message to players. Or you could have players dial an outgoing call to any one of thousands of different numbers, of any length, each one mapped to a unique MP3/WAV audio file on the SD card inserted into the DFPlayer. And, you can have the behaviour of those numbers change dynamically during play - to play different messages, or for certain numbers to be engaged or unobtainable at different points in the game, for example. This provides many different opportunities to integrate into an escape room game prop. Since the entire behaviour is running on an Arduino, it's also easy to program in the ability to control any other external hardware - to release a maglock or power any other device via a relay etc. I believe this makes this the most flexible and feature-rich rotary telephone prop tutorial available.Timings---00:00-00:45 Introduction00:44-03:35 Demonstration of incoming and outgoing calls03:36-06:56 Hardware design decisions06:57-15:27 Identifying components of the telephone handset15:28-26:11 Wiring the telephone hardware to the Arduino26:12-29:28 Using a Finite State Machine (FSM) to model telephone behaviour29:29-01:06:01 Arduino (ESP8266/ESP32) code listing01:06:02-01:07:07 WrapupResources Used---Rotary Pulse Dial telephone, ~$10 ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2499334.m570.l1313&_nkw=gpo+746&_sacat=985 DFPlayer Mini MP3 Module, ~$3 banggood.com/custlink/Kv3yCUiv3AMini Motor Shield, ~$3 banggood.com/custlink/v3KdCwGCLAArduino Nano, ~$2 banggood.com/custlink/mGGmwdTDmUCode & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to support me making more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all my other tech projects.
How to Build a Defuse the Bomb Escape Room Puzzle with Node-RED, MQTT, Arduino, ESP8266, and DMX Playful Technology 2020-08-26 | This is a tutorial explanation of how to build your own DIY fake bomb (NOT A REAL EXPLOSIVE DEVICE) that can be used as a puzzle prop in an escape room. Players have to cut the correct coloured wire(s) before the countdown runs out to defuse the bomb and avert disaster. Cutting an incorrect wire leads to a time penalty, and when the countdown gets to zero... BOOM!Now, the severity of an explosive device detonating is a bit hard to convey by just displaying the word "BOOM!" on a small 4-digit LED display, which is why this prop uses the Wi-Fi capability of a Wemos D1 Mini ESP8266 device to publish an MQTT message to a Node-RED server. That server, in turn, sends a message to a connected Arduino UNO which controls a series of DMX lighting and sound effects, providing a much more dramatic theatrical effect, and giving the players a more immersive experience.For more information on controlling DMX devices from Node-RED via Arduino, see my previous tutorial at youtube.com/watch?v=nPNFbN80pSgTimings---00:00-02:39 Introduction02:40-05:51 Demonstration05:52-13:34 Hardware and Design Considerations13:35-20:19 Wiring Diagram20:20-53:02 Wemos D1 Mini (ESP8266) Code53:03-01:00:34 Node-RED Flow01:00:35-01:06:23 Arduino DMX Controller Code01:06:24-01:08:55 WrapupResources Used---- Wemos D1 Mini, ~$2.50 from e.g. banggood.com/custlink/v33RJLItSj- TM1637 4-digit LED display, ~$3 from e.g. banggood.com/custlink/GDD3zSq2qk- Arduino UNO, ~$3 from e.g. banggood.com/custlink/KD3ErLZzY9- Conceptinetics DMX shield, ~$20 from e.g. tindie.com/products/Conceptinetics/25kv-isolated-dmx-512-shield-for-arduino-r2(other shields are available - e.g. thepihut.com/products/dmx-shield-for-arduino. It's also possible to create your own DMX shield using a MAX485 chip, as explained at playground.arduino.cc/DMX/DMXShield )- RGB Stage Lighting Cans with DMX interface: £70 for 4 - amzn.to/34yeHA3- Node-RED - nodered.orgCode & Wiring Downloads---If you'd like to support me making more video tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all my other tech projects.
