The project specs called for an Arduino-based toy platform with an off-the-shelf A4988 stepper motor driver and the ability to drive a WS2812B addressable LED strip.
Arduino Nano and their clones run about $2 USD and the A4988 stepper driver runs around $1.50. The toy was designed to power a NEMA 1.7 stepper motor to spin a feather toy around. The addressable LED provides a spinning RGB light toy capability.
There is also a port for a servo motor to provide some tilt control over the stepper motor. The whole thing runs off of a 12 VDC wall transformer.
BoredKitty v2 will likely be ESP32 based with a corresponding control app via Bluetooth control.
What’s so special about it is that the two plug-ins are off-the-shelf Arduino Nano and generic A4988 stepper motor driver boards available on-line for ~$2.00 USD each. Add a stepper motor, and LED string and you’ve got yourself the basis for a cool pet toy.
