Picotamachibi 2
Build a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 powered Virtual Pet with a 1.3" OLED display and some MicroPython
Videos
For every project I create, I often make a corresponding YouTube video. Sometimes, there might be more than one video for a single project. You can find these videos in this section.
Explore more through these this dedicated videos.
Version 2.0
The Picotamachibi 2 is a Raspberry Pi Pico 2 powered Virtual Pet with a 1.3” OLED display. It’s a fun project that combines hardware and software to create a digital pet that you can interact with.
The project uses a Pico 2, a 1.3” OLED display, and some MicroPython code to create a virtual pet that you can feed, play with, and take care of.
This is a follow up of the Picotamachibi 1 project, where we built a similar virtual pet using a Raspberry Pi Pico.
The Picotamachibi 2 takes things a step further by using the new Pico 2 board, which has more memory and a faster processor, allowing for more complex interactions and animations.
This project also features a custom PCB that makes it easy to connect the Pico 2 to the OLED display and other components. The PCB includes a breakout for the Pico 2, a breakout for the OLED display, and a breakouts for the 3 control buttons.
Bill of Materials
| Item | Description | Qty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pico | Raspberry Pi Pico 2 | 1 | £5.00 |
| 3x Buttons | 3x Tact switches | 3 | £0.50 |
| Solrde | solder | 1 | £0.50 |
| OLED Display | SSD1306 128x64 OLED Display | 1 | £16.00 |
| Custom PCB | Picotamachibi Custom PCB | 1 | £4.00 |
| Total | £25.00 |
Custom PCBs
The Custom PCBs will be available for sale soon. Please check back for updates.
Wiring
The wiring is pretty simple, though you may have to keep the wires short to fit everything in the case.
| Pico GPIO | Component |
|---|---|
GPIO00 |
SDA |
GPIO01 |
SCL |
3.3v out |
VCC |
GND |
GND |
GPIO04 |
Button A |
GPIO03 |
Button B |
GPIO02 |
Button X |
Assembly
The assembly of the Picotamachibi 2 is straightforward. You will need to solder the Pico 2 to the custom PCB, solder the OLED display to the PCB, and connect the buttons to the PCB.
Interface
The Picotamachibi 2 has a simple interface that allows you to interact with your virtual pet. The OLED display shows the pet’s status, such as its hunger level, happiness level, and health level.
There are 3 buttons to navigate the Toolbar at the top of the screen.
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| Button A | Moves the Toolbar selection to the right |
| Button B | Selects the current Toolbar item |
| Button X | Cancels the current selection |
Toolbar Icons
| Icon | Description |
|---|---|
| Food | reduces hunger and makes Baby happy |
| Lightbulb | makes baby sleep, increases energy, increases happiness |
| Game | not implemented yet, increases health and happiness, reduces energy |
| First aid | increases health |
| Toilet | cleans any poop onscreen (which decreases happiness and health) |
| Heart | check on the status of Energy, Happiness and Health |
| Call | Flashes when Baby wants attention |
