Rotary Spinner Box
A hand-held light-up box with a 12-LED strip that students control with a spinning knob (rotary encoder) and two buttons.
Rotary Spinner Box
Key Features
- Run your first program on a real computer chip
- Read a button press and a knob turn in code
- Make a light move along the strip
- Use a variable (a named box that holds a value) to change a pattern
- Build a state machine (a program that can be in one of several modes)
Key Benefits
- Free, open lessons. The Moving Rainbow textbook has the kit page, wiring, and MicroPython code.
- Ready-made curriculum. 13 additional lab pages walk students through the build step by step.
- Classroom friendly. Built on a solderless breadboard or no-solder connectors.
- Real-world data. Students read sensors and turn measurements into decisions.
- Budget. About $15.
Parts
| Part (price) | Role |
| Raspberry Pi Pico ($4) | Microcontroller |
| Momentary Push Buttons | Input button / switch |
| KY-040 Rotary Encoder | Input knob |
| WS2812B NeoPixels | LEDs |
| 830-Point Breadboard ($1.10) | Breadboard |
| Micro-USB Data Cable ($2.50) | Power and programming cable |
Microcontroller listed first. Prices shown only where known; see the source book for quantities, wiring, and current prices.
About this kit: From the Moving Rainbow collection.
Source: Moving Rainbow
Source: Moving Rainbow