G'day,

A few backers asked me to write a bit more about the content of individual STEM Boxes so I'll tell you something about Spencer's components.


Spencer, it's time to meet your maker (pun)



I've just created a brief overview of the essential parts you'll get with your Spencer: 

1. Speaker - makes sound and Spencer needs this one to talk. It's plugged with a small cable into the motherboard (number 14)

2. Acrylic casing - 6 sheets of plastic that protect Spencer's guts

3.Brain board - this circuit board has an on-board ESP32 (dual core CPU with RAM, FLASH, and Wi-Fi built-in), RTC (real time clock), power supply circuitry, Micro USB port and a Micro SD card socket

4. Brass spacers - they ensure spencer's casing is sturdy

5. Audio connector 3.5mm - you'll need to solder this one by yourself so that you can connect Spencer to an external speaker

6. Male headers - these are used for connecting the front panel PCB (7) with the motherboard (14)

7. Front panel PCB - this one has a beautiful grid of 128 individually-addressable RGB LEDs. The LEDs that we're using are called WS2812 and they're actually quite interesting because every LED has a small chip controller that communicates with Spencer's brain using a digital communication protocol usually dubbed "1-wire".

8. Female headers - used for connecting the front panel with the motherboard

9. Sound board - this PCB has an integrated 3.4W amplifier and a DAC (digital to analog converter). It communicates with Spencer's brain using an I2S protocol which is basically a digital communication protocol invented especially for audio transfer.

10. THT (through hole technology) resistors - Spencer needs these to work and you'll solder them by hand

11. Big red button - lights up and makes a click click sound

12. Screws and nuts - righty tighty, lefty loosey

13. 1000uF electrolytic capacitor - this big capacitor is needed for Spencer's amplifier to work. You'll solder this one by hand.

14. Motherboard - this PCB connects the Brain board with the Sound board, front panel PCB, big red pushbutton and also has a microphone onboard


Spencer!



Stay tuned for more info!

- Albert and the crew