MaKey MaKey Kit

MaKey MaKey Kit: how does it work?

We’ve rarely seen anything simpler than this creation kit: with MaKey MaKey, you have an HID (Human Interface Device) board for connection to your computer’s USB port with its mini-USB cable, along with a set of crocodile clips (essential, as you’ll soon see) and connecting cables.

On the front of your MaKey MaKey board, you’ll see 6 inputs: 4 directional arrows, a “Space” button and a “Left-click” button. The whole thing could easily be mistaken for a games console joystick.

Turn your board over and you’ll find 12 other inputs with new functions: positions for other keyboard keys or other mouse functions.

You can even program on Arduino without ever touching your computer keyboard! All you have to do is connect up your board to your computer, use the crocodile leads to connect whatever you want to your board, then play with the surfaces!
Objects connected in this way can become computer keys or joystick controls, piano keys, etc.

As your MaKey MaKey Kit is Arduino compatible, you can at any time change the way the positions on your board are assigned by reprogramming it.

In all, a really creative and instructional project!

WIG-11511 MaKey MaKey Kit: what can you do with it?

That’s what’s really brilliant about this little invention, imagined by two inventors, both students in the MIT Media-Lab: using the MaKey MaKey Kit, you can make your entire surroundings interactive!

There are countless examples of applications: turning a row of bananas into keyboard keys, playing Mario Bros with plasticine keys, using fruit or pasta as keyboard keys – or your cat’s water bowl as an image capture tool…

The only limits are your own imagination and your desire to have fun!

Technical specifications of the WIG-11511 MaKey MaKey Kit

The kit contains:

• 1 Arduino-compatible Makey Makey HID board (ATmega32u4 microcontroller with Leonardo bootloader)
• 1 mini-USB cable
• 1 set of crocodile clips
• 1 set of connecting cables

Resources for the MaKey MaKey Kit

Although the kit is extremely simple to implement and use, here are some links that will give you a few details about MaKey MaKey – and some new ideas for using it!

Makey Makey project website 

Makey Makey Kit: Quick start guide 

Makey Makey GitHub 

Schematic of the Makey Makey Kit 

Eagle Files - Makey Makey 

Driver for Windows 

Arduino add-on files