Synthesizing Robot Sounds
Makes R2-D2-style robot sounds from a single GPIO pin by switching it on and off at different speeds, with no audio chip and no stored recordings.
Key part: XPT8871 amplifier board (kit photo still needed)
Key Features
- Lab: Lab 1: Build the Sound Circuit
- Lab: Lab 2: Sliding Pitches
- Lab: Lab 3: Shaping the Volume
- Lab: Lab 4: Sounds From Measurements
- Lab: Lab 5: Add the Button
- Lab: Lab 6: The Sound Jukebox
Key Benefits
- Free, open lessons. The STEM Robots textbook has the kit page, wiring, and MicroPython code.
- Ready-made curriculum. 6 additional lab pages walk students through the build step by step.
- Budget. About $3 for a small 8 ohm speaker on eBay, added to a robot.
Parts
| Part (price) | Role |
| Raspberry Pi Pico ($4) | Microcontroller |
| Cytron Maker Pi RP2040 | Microcontroller |
| 10K Potentiometer | Input knob |
| MAX98357A I2S Amplifier ($0.99) | Audio amplifier |
| Momentary Push Buttons | Input button / switch |
| Piezo Buzzer / Speaker | Sound output |
| 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 STEM Robots collection.
Source: STEM Robots
Source: STEM Robots