Tamagotchi (Year 8 Digital Design)

  • SOI: Designers enhance the form of a product to meet the needs of communities
  • Key concept: Communities
  • Related concept: Form
  • Context: Identities and relationships (adaptation, form)
  • Assessed criteria: A
  • Key technology: Shaper3D, ESP32, LCD, Wifi / BLE, MicroPython

Using the form of a wearable or a keychain for your school bag, create a community of interactive STC Tamagotchis. Use wifi / BLE to meet/socialise with other Tamagotchis nearby to earn life points. Design and 3D print your protective case to your own style and needs.

Watch the trailer

Video 1: Connect your device

Download the all the files you need as a ZIP file

Or download them individually:

Video 2: Text, colours, coordinates

Video 3: Variables, loops, timers

Video 4: More loops, detect touch, increase counters

Video 5: If statements, touch coordinates, multiple variables

Video 6: Creating functions to organise your code

Video 7: Converting and displaying images

Code to convert PNG/JPG images to RAW

# Utility to convert images to raw RGB565 format.
from PIL import Image
from struct import pack
from os import path
import os
import sys

def convert_file(in_file, out_file):
    # Sha Tin's CYD devices require BGR format RAW files
    print('Converting: ' + in_file)
    img = Image.open(in_file).convert('RGB')
    pixels = list(img.getdata())
    with open(out_file, 'wb') as f:
        for pix in pixels:
            r = (pix[2] >> 3) & 0b00011111 # 5 bits
            g = (pix[1] >> 2) & 0b00111111 # 6 bits
            b = (pix[0] >> 3) & 0b00011111 # 5 bits
            f.write(pack('>H', (r << 11) + (g << 5) + b))
    print('Saved: ' + out_file)

def convert_all_images_in_folder(folder=None):
    if not folder:
        folder = os.getcwd()
    files = os.listdir()
    for ssource_file in files:
        if ssource_file.lower().endswith(".png") or ssource_file.lower().endswith(".jpeg") or ssource_file.lower().endswith(".jpg"):
            target_file = ssource_file.split(".")[0]+".raw"
            convert_file(ssource_file, target_file)

convert_all_images_in_folder()

Video 8: Connect to wifi, download and display data

Video 9: Start your project, connect to Virtual Pet API 

POST https://api.pbaumgarten.com/pets/register

headers = {
    "X-API-KEY": "PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHER",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}
data = {
    "pet_name": "NAME FOR THE SYSTEM TO REMEMBER FOR YOUR PET"
}

response = {
    "pet_name": "YOUR PET NAME",
    "owner_name: "YOUR NAME",
    "pet_id": "YOUR PET ID NUMBER",
    "points_balance": 0 // balance of points earnt so far
}

Video 10: Show the weather 

GET https://api.pbaumgarten.com/pets/weather

headers = {
    "X-API-KEY": "PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHER"
}

response = [
    {
        "Day": "Name of today",
        "Info": "Weather description",
        "Max": "Maximum temperature",
        "Rain": "Likelihood of significant rain":
    },{
        "Day": "Name of tomorrow",
        "Info": "Weather description",
        "Max": "Maximum temperature",
        "Rain": "Likelihood of significant rain":
    }
]

Video 11: Show your timetable 

    start_dates = {
        (2025,  8, 11): 0,
        (2025, 10, 13): 0,
        (2025, 11, 17): 0,
        (2026,  1,  5): 0,
        (2026,  2, 23): 0,
        (2026,  4, 13): 5
    }
    timetable = [
        ["12 CS",    "10 CS",    "11 CS",    "13 CS",  "9 DD 7"],
        ["13 CS HL", "13 CS HL", "7 DD 3",   "",       "9 DD 1"],
        ["",         "9 DD 3",   "12 CS",    "9X2 WB", ""],
        ["11 CS",    "",         "10 CS",    "",       "12 CS"],
        ["12 CS",    "10 CS",    "13 CS",    "",       "8 DD 2"],
        ["11 CS",    "",         "13 CS HL", "9 DD 3", ""],
        ["12 CS",    "12 CS",    "",         "10 CS",  "11 CS"],
        ["",         "7 DD 3",   "",         "9X2 WB", ""],
        ["13 CS",    "9 DD 1",   "",         "11 CS",  "10 CS"],
        ["12 CS",    "9 DD 7",   "8 DD 2",   "",       "13 CS"]
    ]

Video 12: Feed your pet a virtual meal 

POST https://api.pbaumgarten.com/pets/meal

headers = {
    "X-API-KEY": "PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHER"
}

response if successful = {
    "status": "success",
    "points_balance": 999,
}

response if too soon = {
    "status": "too soon"
}

Video 13: Navigation menu

Video 14: Say hello to other pets 

POST https://api.pbaumgarten.com/pets/hello

headers = {
    "X-API-KEY": "PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHER"
}

response if successful = {
    "status": "success",
    "responder": "their pet name",
}

response if waiting for another player = {
    "status": "acknowledged"
}

POST https://api.pbaumgarten.com/pets/hello-check

headers = {
    "X-API-KEY": "PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHER"
}

response if successful = {
    "status": "success",
    "responder": "their pet name",
}

response no other player = {
    "status": "no responses"
}

Video 15: Paper rock scissors 

POST https://api.pbaumgarten.com/pets/prs

headers = {
    "X-API-KEY": "PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHER"
}

response if successful = {
    "status": "match",
    "result": "win", "tie", or "lose"
    "your_choice": "rock", "paper" or "scissors",
    "their_choice": "rock", "paper" or "scissors",
    "opponent": "their pet name"
}

response if waiting for someone else = {
    "status": "waiting for opponent"
}

POST https://api.pbaumgarten.com/pets/prs-check

headers = {
    "X-API-KEY": "PROVIDED BY YOUR TEACHER"
}

response if successful = {
    "status": "match",
    "result": "win", "tie", or "lose"
    "your_choice": "rock", "paper" or "scissors",
    "their_choice": "rock", "paper" or "scissors",
    "opponent": "their pet name"
}

response no response = {
    "status": "no opponent found""
}

Video 16: Screensaver mode (inactivity timer)

Video 17: Error handling (wifi issues etc)

Copyright © Paul Baumgarten.