Do you want to make your latest wearables project flash and sparkle but don’t want to take the time to build and program your own controller? Luckily the LilyTwinkle will do all the hard work for you with its preprogrammed twinkling routines!

If you want to take the LilyTwinkle to the next level, an ICSP header is available on the underside of the board to program in your own routines. This should only be tackled by the more advanced users who have experience with AVR programmers.

Note: A portion of this sale is given back to Dr. Leah Buechley for continued development and education of e-textiles.

Dimensions:

20mm outer diameter
Thin 0.8mm PCB

Documents:

8kBytes of In-System Self-Programmable Flash, 512 Bytes In-System Programmable EEPROM, 512 Bytes Internal SRAM. Two 8-bit timer/counters with PWM and prescaler, 10-bit ADC, I2C Interface, and debugWIRE for on-chip-debug. Up to 20 MIPS throughput at 20 MHz with an external oscillator. 1.8 – 5.5 V operation, 1.8V logic level available with an oscillator at 4MHz or below. Half the flash (4KB) version: ATtiny45 2KB version: ATtiny25

Specifications:

Program Memory Size – 8kB
RAM Size – 512B
Number of I /O – 6
Package / Case – 8-DIP (0.300″, 7.62mm)
Speed – 10MHz
Oscillator Type – Internal
Program Memory Type – Flash
EEPROM Size – 512B
Core Processor – AVR
Data Converters – A/D 4 (10 bit resolution)
Core Size – 8-Bit
Operating Temperature – -40°C ~ 85°C
Connectivity – USI
Peripherals – Brown-out Detect/Reset, POR, PWM, WDT
Voltage – Supply (Vcc/Vdd) – 1.8 V ~ 5.5 V

Cross-relation:

pin and feature compatible with tiny25, more memory.
pin and feature compatible with tiny45, more memory.

Here’s what the geniuses at AVRFreaks have to say about it!

This is a nice upgrade to the very popular ATtiny45 microcontroller, bringing up the Flash to 8kB! The ATtiny85 features: 8K Bytes of In-System Self-Programmable Flash, 512 Bytes In-System Programmable EEPROM, 512 Bytes Internal SRAM. Two 8-bit timer/counters with PWM and prescaler, 10-bit ADC, I2C Interface and debugWIRE for on-chip-debug. Up to 20 MIPS throughput at 20 MHz. 2.7 – 5.5 V operation. Also available in 1.8 V version (ATtiny85V). Smaller Flash versions available -> 4KB version: ATtiny45 2KB version: ATtiny25

Program Memory Size:	8KB
RAM Size:	512B
Number of I /O:	6
Package / Case:	8-DIP
Speed:	20MHz
Controller Series:	ATtiny
Oscillator Type:	Internal
Program Memory Type:	FLASH
EEPROM Size:	512B
Core Processor:	AVR
Data Converters:	A/D 4 (10-bit resolution)
Core Size:	8-Bit
Operating Temperature:	-40°C ~ 85°C
Connectivity:	USI
Peripherals:	Brown-out Detect/Reset, POR, PWM, WDT
Voltage – Supply (Vcc/Vdd):	2.7 V ~ 5.5 V

Cross-relation

pin and feature compatible with tiny25, more memory.
pin and feature compatible with tiny45, more memory.

Overview features

Flash	EEPROM	SRAM	Speed	Volts
8kB	512B	512B	0 – 20MHz	2.7 – 5.5V

The Trinket has to be one of the smallest USB enabled Arduino compatible microcontrollers we’ve seen yet! This pretty little thing is great for when you want to keep you electronics project hidden, low-cost, and simple.

Please note: that there is only 5.25K of usable programming space (6 times smaller than the Arduino UNO) which means that this board should only be used to program simple projects. Adafruit has done an amazing job by providing a bootloader that allows USB programming but because of this, the available programming room is decreased by 2.75K. Sometimes size really does matter!

Specifications:

Atmel ATtiny85 8-bit 8MHz Processor
8K (only 5.25K usable) Flash Memory
512 bytes RAM Memory
512 bytes EEPROM Memory
5 I/O pins – 3 analog and 3 PWM shared between the pins
1 I2C
1 SPI
Available in both 3.3V and 5V
On board power and indicator LEDs
Reset button for entering bootloader or restarting the program
Dimensions: 1.2″ x 0.6″ x 0.2″ / 31mm x 15.5 x 5mm
Weight (no headers): 1.85 grams

Specifications

Atmel ATtiny85 8-bit 8MHz Processor
8K (only 5.25K usable) Flash Memory
512 bytes RAM Memory
512 bytes EEPROM Memory
5 I/O pins – 3 analog and 3 PWM shared between the pins
1 I2C
1 SPI
Available in both 3.3V and 5V
On board power and indicator LEDs
Reset button for entering bootloader or restarting the program
Dimensions: 1.2″ x 0.6″ x 0.2″ / 31mm x 15.5 x 5mm
Weight (no headers): 1.85 grams

The ATtiny45 and 85 are great “chewing gum” solutions to many electronics problems needing just a little code and some smarts. This programmer (designed by Arduino-team member David Mellis of MIT) is a compact plug-into-USB solution, with a programing socket for your IC.

Load up an ATtiny into the programmer, pop it into the USB port, boot up your Arduino environment, and you’ll be generating a solution for your project in short order (be aware, you have to manually load up some board definitions to your Arduino design environment).

The ISP header is also broken out, so you can use the programmer for other AVR compatible projects. Along with a handful of AVR chips, it’s an inexpensive, handy solution for many electronics issues.

Note: You’ll need to install the USBTinyISP drivers if you don’t have them yet, you can find them in the documents below!

Useful Links:

Hookup Guide
GitHub

We made the SB-Firefly as a ATtiny85-based blinky light / “chewing-gum & duct-tape problem solver”, that is also Digispark shield compatible. We also made the Star Controller 3-watt RGB LED kit as an easy way to tame bright and power-hungry LEDs.

We put them together with a 3-day* power supply and diffusing container, add a 10% savings, and TaDAAAH: The Northern Lights Bundle! And it’s well documented too! With version 2 of the SB-FireFly we’ve also updated the code to include a new “Rainbow” mode, perfect for color shifting through all the primary and secondary colors! It also now has the ability to save modes. If you ever unplug it and bring it elsewhere, plug it back in and it stays in the mode you originally set.

If you’d like to make this bundle into a night light and keep it on mains power, we recommend hooking it up to a 5V power adapter which conveniently plugs right into the 2.1mm jack and you’ll never worry about batteries again… It’s almost like we planned it that way.

What do you get in the bundle?

60140 SB-Firefly kit
60160 Star Controller RGB 3-watt LED kit
52242 2.1mm barrel jack/plug pair
17020 3AA battery holder
8025 diffusion container
Double-sided tape
5-conductor wire

Start with our instructions to build a mobile blinky-dome of doom (mount it on your bicycle helmet – everybody will see you coming), or modify it. The SB-Firefly is programmable with the Arduino programming environment (with a suitable in-circuit programmer), so you can use the remaining 2 available I/O pins to blend it into your project!

*Northern Light will blink for 3 days when in Regular Firefly Mode with fresh Duracell Alkaline batteries.

This is a demo of the new code for Northern Lights Bundle called Rainbow which is designed to smoothly color cycle an RGB LED. See code in Documentation tab:

How often do you get a kit where the battery is included? This super small microcontroller is a ready to go ATtiny85 application board that is a smoothly routed, small form factor, through-hole soldering kit. Don’t know how to solder? No worries, this is a great place to start; we have a quick soldering guide in the manual to walk you through the soldering process as long as you have the tools to do it. The kit includes everything, even the battery, to make your own blinky LED project!

We are now on version 2 of SB-FireFly and it is now Digispark (the wildly successful kickstarter project) layout compatible, so you can add Digispark shields onto it. We walk you through building it into this configuration in our newly revised manual (under the Documentation tab). If you don’t have that much of a desire to hack the board feel free to just build the SB-FireFly as it was originally intended, all the instructions are still there. With version 2 we’ve also updated the code to include a new “Rainbow” mode, perfect for RGB LEDs (like in the Northern Lights Bundle) and it now also has the ability to remember the last mode you set if you ever power it down! If you have the previous version of the FireFly not to worry as the code is backward compatible, and located under the Documentation tab.

It has tons of potential, including wearables, – place the it on your clothes then from the other side, apply a magnet to the back of the battery area and you’ll have a SB-FireFly badge! It can also be placed onto a small key ring for a blinky keychain or lanyard, or thread a small string through it for a necklace.

The SB-FireFly features an Arduino-accommodating ATtiny85 microcontroller, so with a minor adjustment (thanks to those smart MIT people) to your Arduino programming IDE, you can reprogram it to suit your whim (check out the instructions in our manual). It also is a handy development/application board to make practical use of this small microcontroller. If you wanted to use AVR studio with a avr programmer by all means you can go that route as well.

The board also has a cleverly hidden 3-pin expansion port usable for project enhancement!

Here are the modes the SB-FireFly comes pre-programmed with (toggled via the button):

Firefly Modes:	Press1	Press2	Press3	Press4
Blink All	Slow	Regular	Fast	Sleep
Metronome	Slow	Regular	Fast	Sleep
Disco	Slow	Regular	Fast	Sleep
Fading Eyes	Slow	Regular	Fast	Sleep
Firefly	Slow	Regular	Fast	Sleep
Rainbow	Slow	Regular	Fast	Sleep

Applications:

Place in translucent jars to float down the river
Robot eyes
Add blinky LEDs to a party or other large social gathering
Introductory soldering project
Wearable as a ring, badge, necklace, key chain or sew it onto clothes
Put into a small lantern and use for special holidays

The Kit includes:

Specifications:

Operating range: 2.0 – 5.5VDC
Clock Frequency: 8MHz
Sleep current: 0.0002mA
Normal current draw (LEDs blinking): 8mA
On-time with 2032 battery: at regular speed Firefly mode will last >12hrs straight before the blue LED can’t be seen anymore
Max current draw: 40mA per pin up to 200mA for entire ATtiny85
OSHW (Open Source Hardware)

This open-source project was originally developed as a local collaboration with an Awesome Calgary micro grant winner: Illuminated Landscapes. Here’s some history on how this project began:

Want to change what the SB-FireFly can do? No prob, besides an LED blinker the SB-FireFly is a fully functional ATtiny85 development/application board which has all of the ATtiny pins broken out for your hacking convenience! Not only is this an open-source hardware product but it also has sample code which is able to be modified to your liking. Use this tutorial to program it within the Arduino IDE! Check under our documentation tab where we give you sample Arduino code that features Software PWM (doesn’t use hardware timers), Sleep (0.0002mA draw), Randomize and Interrupt code which can be used on other avr chips such as the common ATmega328 on Arduino/Freeduino boards. Plus we’ll add more code for different projects as we make & write them. Check out the Documentation section for some recent code samples & hacks!

Hacklications:

Pulse and fade RGB LEDs hooked up to the LED outputs + change modes with the button
Use the GVS header + a potentiometer to do a servo tester (you’ll have to supply it 5V)
Emit 38kHz thru an Infrared (IR) LED for a tiny TV remote control
Use an IR LED + a TSOP4038 for a Remote code recorder + retransmitter
Use a TSOP4038 as a remote control decoder, beam break detection, or reflective object detection
Control LED strips by adding high power transistors or FETs
Add a piezo buzzer for sounds and/or Chiptunes
Add a PIR sensor for automatic lighting applications
Use IR LEDs as a WiiMote Infrared source

Here’s a few tips that will help you hack the SB-FireFly:

Not only is the top of the device great for mounting but it’s also a Ground-Voltage-Signal (GVS) breakout header that is pinout compatible with things such as analog sensors and servo motors.
If you’d like to change the LED color be aware that you may have to increase the R2 resistor value to limit more current to make the battery last longer or lower the value to get the LEDs brighter.
Place machine socket pins in the board in order to quickly swap in and out resistor values
If you use IR LEDs be aware that you may need to increase the R2 resistor value as we have had issues being able to program the board with a 47ohm resistor plus IR LEDs, we used a 100ohm resistor just fine.
The Reset line (top of R1) can be used as another input/output pin, we tied it high with a 10K pullup resistor in order to diminish the possibility of a false reset, but feel free to use it as you’d like.

Please Note: Due to the outdated avr-gcc compiler bundled with Arduino 1.0 the ATtiny85 throws up an “R_AVR_13_PCREL” error when trying to use the upper half of the 8kB of code space. If you need this code space when your program goes above 4kB apply a quick fix found here. Applying the fix will give you access to the full 8kB.

Check out this video of Stringxels controlled by SB-FireFly:

Please note: LEDs may not be as pictured, varies according to stock levels.