SPOKE - Capacitive Touch Controller Board

by VulpesLabs

Turn almost any conductive material or object into a computer input. 

SPOKE is a plug-and-play capacitive touch board built around the Raspberry Pi RP2040. Plug it into any computer and it immediately shows up as a MIDI controller or re-code it to have it as a keyboard/mouse emulator or serial device - no drivers, no setup, no faff. It can control music software, video, lighting, games, or pretty much any application that accepts MIDI, HID, or OSC input, straight out of the box.

But you don't need a DAW, an IDE, or any specialist software to use it! The SPOKE website has web-based tools for playing and recording music, editing your code, and building new interactions, all running in a browser. Just plug in, open a tab, and start making things. The barrier to entry is about as low as it gets.

If you do want to go deeper, the firmware is CircuitPython and lives on the board as a plain `code.py` file. Tweak it in any text editor, IDE, or right there in the browser tool, to remap inputs, change modes, or build something entirely new.

Features

  • Powered by Raspberry Pi RP2040
  • 27 capacitive touch inputs
  • NeoPixel RGB LEDs
  • JST connectors for extended wiring
  • USB-C, plug-and-play — no drivers needed
  • USB-MIDI by default; also supports HID keyboard/mouse, OSC, and Serial
  • Web-based tools for music making, sound recording, and code editing — no DAW or IDE required
  • Runs CircuitPython — just edit code.py
  • Open-source hardware and firmware
  • Polyphonic MIDI with configurable notes, scales, and modes

Resources

Find full firmware instructions and code examples at spokeboard.com.