Yo-Yo Machines Kit 2 - Speed Dial

by Pimoroni

The Speed Dial kit lets you make a pair of mood barometers to share with a friend or family member. Move the pointer to indicate your choice from a set of options, and your partner can respond with theirs.

Different dials give different options -- use one of ours or make your own, you can be as serious or silly as you want.

About Yo-Yo Machines

It’s important to stay in touch while physically separated, but teleconferencing tools like Zoom and Teams can be a lot of work. What if you just want to send somebody a wave, or a smile, without demanding too much attention?

That’s what Yo–Yo Machines are for. Simple devices you can make yourself, they connect across the Internet to let you send a signal that you’re thinking of somebody, and give just enough control to play around, or maybe invent a secret language.

How to use Speed Dial

Speed Dial devices are connected in pairs. To use them, agree on a dial backing with your partner to mount on your devices. Then use the capacitive touch controller to select one of the options, your choice will be sent over the internet and your partner’s device will point to the same option. You can change your dials to play with new options and keep things fresh. What will your Speed Dials look like?

This kit contains everything you'll need to make your personal barometer communicator!

  • 2 x microUSB cable
  • 2 x ESP32S board
  • 2 x Mini breadboard
  • 2 x Servo Motor
  • Male to male jumper lead selection

The USB cables that are included in the kit will let you power your units from any USB port. If you'd rather plug your device/s into a plug socket you can use a microUSB power supply to do that (not included, but we sell ones that will work here).

Click here for the full build instructions.

Speed Dial communicators are simple, but designed with enough control to let you play with them in different ways:

Speed Dials are designed to let you share your state of mind with a friend or family member. Once you’ve set the pointer it will stay where it is until you’ve moved it – we think they’re more about sending moods than messages. You can play with them at the same time, or leave a setting for your partner to find later. Replaceable dials means there’s a huge range of possibilities to choose from:

  • Use the barometer dial to indicate your emotional weather. Are you feeling stormy, clear, or perhaps in the midst of a change?
  • Use an activity dial to share that you’re busy, or eating, out of the house, ready for bed, or wanting a call. Speed Dial can help you coordinate at distance.
  • Choose the song that is the perfect comment on your day.
  • You could just trade insults with each other, with a few compliments just to keep you guessing.

Depending on what dial you choose, you can use Speed Dial to be serious or practical, silly or thought-provoking.

We have created instructions to build two distinct designs for the Speed Dial device. Click on the instructions link above to find out more.

Who we are

We’re from the Interaction Research Studio, a team of designers and technologists at Goldsmiths, University of London. UKRI is supporting us to develop Yo–Yo Machines to show how research can have real-world impacts.

Visit our Yo-Yo Machines Website for more information about the project.

Contact us via email interaction@gold.ac.uk or share your designs in the Answers Forum.