Known as “FLORA,” Adafruit’s wearable electronics platform is built around Atmel’s Atmega32u4 MCU. The microcontroller boasts built-in USB support, eliminating the need for pesky special cables and extra parts.
According to Adafruit’s Limor Fried, FLORA is extremely “beginner-friendly.” Indeed, the device is difficult to accidentally destroy by connecting a battery backwards, thanks to a polarized connector and protection diodes. Meanwhile, an onboard regulator ensures even connecting a 9V battery won’t result in damage or tears.
As previously discussed on Bits & Pieces, numerous Makers are using the versatile FLORA to design a wide range of creations, including the Adafruit team itself which recently debuted a pair of LED sneakers dubbed “Firewalker,” courtesy of Becky Stern and Phillip Burgess (aka Paint Your Dragon).
Key project specs include two Atmel-powered FLORA main boards, velostat, two meters NeoPixel 60-LED strip in black or white and yes, a pair of sneakers. You can read more about Adafruit’s latest project here on the official Firewalker page.
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