Nintendo may be the undisputed king when it comes to handheld systems, but there were times when rivals gave the company a run for its money. Namely, we have Sony’s PlayStation Portable and the PlayStation Vita, while the rest are modern portable gaming PCs. Meanwhile, a fascinating DIY project called PlayBot surfaces for the Playdate.
Although not as mainstream as other names in the video game business, Panic Inc. successfully crowdfunded its venture. The device resembles a Game Boy, but with enough distinctive elements to set it apart. There’s the vibrant yellow housing, a monochrome Sharp Memory LCD screen, and a mechanical crank.
The Playdate is originally for gaming. Nevertheless, it also doubles as an open-source platform for budding or professional developers to mess around with. Meanwhile, Guillaume Loquin pushes the envelope even further. Given the popularity of smart desk toys such as interactive robots, the PlayBot turns the handheld console into one.
In a post on Github, the guy behind this quirky endeavor states: “PlayBot is an unofficial, experimental accessory for Panic Inc.’s Playdate handheld console, which transforms your console into a lovely little desktop robot. With its integrated charging capabilities, it can serve as a charging dock for your Playdate.”
3D printing snags the spotlight yet again as it’s used to fabricate parts of the dock. At the core of it all is a Teensy 4.1 microcontroller. In addition to the Playdate’s built-in microphone and accelerometer, the Playbot incorporates more components. These include sensors for TOF distance, IR, and ambient light.
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Images courtesy of Guillaume Loquin
