Spooky Halloween Pumpkin - dumpling—li - CodeCraft Hub
Scene: Maker. Edge AI application on CodeCraft Hub for Maker use cases.
Maker application on CodeCraft Hub. Spooky Halloween Pumpkin uses dual Seeed XIAO ESP32-S3 and round displays to create dynamic "eerie eyes" in a laser-cut pumpkin. Using CodeCraft AI, users generate complex animations like eye movement and pupil changes via simple prompts to power up a uniquely eerie, eye-catching Halloween outfit.
Documentation
This project combines cutting-edge IoT open-source hardware with Halloween, using two sets of ESP32-S3 mainboards paired with round color displays to build a realistic, eerie "scary electronic eyeball" dynamic animation. The enclosure utilizes custom laser-cut wood/acrylic pumpkin-shaped panels, with the two round screens precisely embedded into the pumpkin's "eye" openings. Through the CodeCraft AI conversational programming platform, the eyes achieve uncanny left-right panning, pupil constriction, and creepy eye-contact effects, creating an intensely immersive, ominous atmosphere for Halloween parties or tech maker spaces. Effortlessly write code using AI natural language prompts to build your own exclusive interactive Halloween tech gadget.
Deploy steps
- Project Overview
Target Audience: Intermediate and advanced makers, youth STEAM coding students, open-source hardware developers, and digital fabrication enthusiasts.
Format: 1 set of hardware per person (including dual ESP32-S3 and dual round screen kits); independent hands-on experience covering "laser-cut enclosure assembly -> round screen direct plugin -> AI animation programming -> overall hardware/software debugging".
Estimated Duration: Approx. 2 to 2.5 hours.
Master Round Color Displays: Learn how to convert video into GIFs, slice them into continuous image frames, and smoothly play cool animations on 240x240 round screens.
AI Prompt Engineering: Master natural language prompting in CodeCraft AI to guide the AI in generating complex eye-tracking and movement animation code.
Hands-on Digital Fabrication: Experience assembling laser-cut enclosures, seamlessly blending hard-tech functionality with hand-crafted aesthetics to create high-quality festive art pieces.
- Materials List
Mainboard: Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32-S3 Development Board × 2
Display Element: Seeed Round Color Display × 2
Power Supply: Independent 3.7V Lithium Battery × 2 OR Dual-Port USB Power Bank × 1
Enclosure & Structure: Halloween Pumpkin-shaped Laser-cut Panel × 1 Set
Computer: Chrome or Edge browser
Data Cable: Type-C Cable × 2 (must support data transfer)
Accessories: Paper Tape / Jelly Glue
- Hardware Overview & Connection
The XIAO ESP32-S3 features a modular direct plug-in design. Hardware installation and key considerations:
Direct Plugin: Align and securely insert the XIAO ESP32-S3 directly into the header socket of the SPI round color display expansion board without manual wiring.
Power Switch Alert: Once firmware flashing is complete, make sure to toggle the side power switch on the XIAO development board or expansion board to the ON position so the screen receives power and lights up.
⚠️ Note: Ensure correct pin alignment when inserting or removing the mainboard, and never plug/unplug while powered; verify power supply voltage specifications (use corresponding 3.3V/5V interfaces to avoid overvoltage).
- CodeCraft AI Programming & Debugging
Open the CodeCraft online platform, create a new project, and select ESP32-S3 as the target device.
" I am using the XIAO ESP32-S3 board with the Seeed Studio round color display. Please write code to display the uploaded image fully on the screen."
"I have uploaded 9 new images. Please write code to play them sequentially in a continuous loop to create a smooth eyeball animation effect."
Once the core logic is complete, try these customization ideas:
Sensitivity Tuning: Adjust the animation trigger frequency or movement step size in your prompts to match different interactive sensitivity requirements.
Custom Graphics: Replace default eyeball assets or background patterns by importing your own 240x240 BMP/PNG artwork to create unique spooky characters.
Animation Tweaks: Instruct the AI to alter eye rotation speeds, introduce color-changing effects, or produce exaggerated parallax visuals during rapid movements.
- Enclosure Assembly & Wearing
Enclosure Assembly: Interlock the laser-cut pumpkin wood/acrylic panels following the slot layout, using a small amount of adhesive to secure the frame.
Electronic Eye Mounting: Secure the plugged XIAO ESP32-S3 and round screen modules onto the back bracket, precisely aligning them so the round screens fit flush inside the pumpkin's eye cutouts.
Concealed Power & Cable Routing: Secure the dual Type-C power cables or batteries inside the inner slots of the pumpkin frame, ensuring only the glowing electronic eyes remain visible from the front.
- Testing & Demonstration
Independent Power Test: Toggle the power switch to ON, plug in power, and verify that the eye animations render smoothly on both round screens.
Low-Light Demo: Place the pumpkin gadget in a low-light Halloween party setting to test display contrast and eerie visual appeal.
- Flashing Firmware
Click "Upload" in the CodeCraft web interface, select the corresponding serial port, and flash the code into each of the two XIAO ESP32-S3 mainboards. Flash Firmware image Connect your XIAO ESP32-S3 with this computer via USB, press down the reset switch 2 times to enter flashing mode. Having issues? Go to Wiki Flash Firmware
Flash firmware to your device (in-app tool on CodeCraft Hub).
- Open-Source Sharing
Export Firmware: Export the generated .bin firmware file from the CodeCraft platform.
Community Post: Share your project overview, BOM, laser-cutting vector files, CodeCraft prompts, and demo video on maker communities to connect with fellow creators worldwide!