Fidget spinners are spreading across the Earth like a plague, and if we're going to give in to temptation, we hope the culprit has at least an attractive design. That brings us to Lightino, a fidget spinner equipped with an Arduino module and RGB lights. Lightino also serves as a programming platform, turning a superficial toy into a very valuable tool for young children's education.
The major companies in the market keep repeating that more programmers are needed. Traditional educational paths are not incorporating new technologies fast enough, which causes great concern for the future. On the other hand, it's not easy to get young kids interested in programming. At the end of the day, any piece of code looks strange and intimidating. Several initiatives have tried to remove that barrier through games. With well-defined tutorials and friendly environments, the possibility of learning to code by playing is very high. However, the folks at Maker Storage decided to give the concept an extra twist, using a fidget spinner.
Let's make room for Lightino, a fidget spinner compatible with the very popular Arduino Pro Micro. The idea is not that Lightino ends up confiscated by a teacher in a classroom, but quite the opposite. It can be programmed as you like, modifying the pattern of its RGB LED lights either in a fixed position or when it's in motion. The design uses a CR2032 battery as a power source (although I have no idea about the consumption), and originally integrated all the Arduino components on its PCB, but now it uses an external module that can be replaced with similar solutions as long as the pinout is compatible.
Lightino is open source, and I imagine it'll be a matter of time before some Chinese manufacturer reproduces the design and puts it on sale on eBay. Until that happens, each Lightino costs $39, and the number of available units is limited.
