Controlling NeoPixel using Bluefruit Connect on CircuitPython

So, let’s dive into the world of connecting your smartphone to NeoPixels using Bluefruit technology! The main idea here is to use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for seamless control of those colorful lights.
You’ll be managing NeoPixels on an Adafruit Feather expansion board, and all you need is a smartphone that’s sporting the NRF 52840 chip to get started.
To kick things off, just pop in the module and grab an adapter cable—the setup is pretty straightforward and mirrors what we’ve done before.
Once you’ve got your adapter cable, plug it into the male NeoPixel side, and then connect the three-pin connector into pin Y1 for everything to work together nicely..

Alright, so if you want to use Bluefruit with CircuitPython, the first step is to get those Bluefruit Connect library files onto your CircuitPython board.
Just click on the “Download Code” button from the link provided to snag the files.
Once you’ve downloaded them, unzip the file to find a folder called Adafruit Bluefruit Connect .
You’ll want to pop that whole Adafruit Bluefruit Connect folder into the library folder on your CircuitPython board drive.
And don’t forget to open up your previously used code and double-check that all the configurations are set correctly.
That’s it, you’re all set to go!.

Alright, let’s kick things off by ditching any unnecessary import statements.
Instead, you’ll want to make sure to bring in the BriRadio module since it’s super important for our code integration.
Once you’ve got that sorted, head to the library root and import Bri for advertising.
You’ll also need to pull in either Service or Advertisement from Adafruit to set up standard services in your system.
Don’t forget to import the Nordic UART service from the Adafruit Bluefruit Connection, along with the packet to help everything mesh perfectly.
Next up, make sure to import the radio and rename it, and set your device to Smart Mode —this step is key for smooth sailing in the network.
Finally, create a NeoPixel instance and connect the Y11 pin to board A2, using up to 30 pixels and starting with a brightness of 0.1 for that initial setup.
Sounds easy, right?.

So, first up, the system kicks into advertising mode.
This is crucial because it guarantees that the advertising function is up and running, all while keeping an eye out for any connections in an ongoing loop.
Once a connection is made, it’s game on—packets start flowing in through the Nordic UART service, then get converted into color packets to be displayed just right.
To get started with testing, don’t forget to snag the Bluefruit Connect app from either Google Play or the iPhone App Store; you’ll find that it doesn’t even require any special permissions to get rolling.
Inside the app, you’ll discover a super handy color picker, letting you choose your favorite colors, and guess what? NeoPixel shows them almost exactly as you picked, thanks to some sharp color transmission magic from Bluefruit Connect..

So, the Bluefruit Connect app is all about those vibrant colors! It really brings shades like orange, purple, blue, and aqua blue to life, each with its unique vibe.
Plus, there’s a keen eye for detail here; every color isn’t just pretty, it’s technically spot on, which really boosts how accurately things are displayed.
And the cool part? You can dive into analyzing and interpreting color data, and even mix in functionalities like sending and receiving sensor info or control commands.
It’s like taking color processing to a whole new level!.

So, in this session, we had some fun with CircuitPython and learned how it works with the Bluefruit Connect protocol to control those awesome Neopixels .
It’s pretty exciting to think about all the new and diverse content that’s coming our way, right? This section wraps things up nicely and encourages everyone to stay engaged for future learning opportunities.
So keep your eyes peeled for what’s next!.