pimoroni-pico/micropython/modules/pico_unicorn

Pico Unicorn Pack - MicroPython

Our Pico Unicorn Pack offers 7x17 bright RGB LEDs driven by Pico's PIO.

We've included helper functions to handle every aspect of drawing to the display and interfacing with the buttons. See the function reference for details.

• Example Program
• Function Reference
  • init
  • set_pixel
  • set_pixel_value
  • is_pressed
  • get_width / get_height

Example Program

The following example sets up Pico Unicorn, displays some basic demo text and graphics and will illuminate the RGB LED green if the A button is presse

import math
import time
import picounicorn

picounicorn.init()

# From CPython Lib/colorsys.py
def hsv_to_rgb(h, s, v):
    if s == 0.0:
        return v, v, v
    i = int(h*6.0)
    f = (h*6.0) - i
    p = v*(1.0 - s)
    q = v*(1.0 - s*f)
    t = v*(1.0 - s*(1.0-f))
    i = i%6
    if i == 0:
        return v, t, p
    if i == 1:
        return q, v, p
    if i == 2:
        return p, v, t
    if i == 3:
        return p, q, v
    if i == 4:
        return t, p, v
    if i == 5:
        return v, p, q

w = picounicorn.get_width()
h = picounicorn.get_height()

# Display a rainbow across Pico Unicorn
for x in range(w):
    for y in range(h):
        r, g, b = [int(c * 255) for c in hsv_to_rgb(x / w, y / h, 1.0)]
        picounicorn.set_pixel(x, y, r, g, b)

print("Press Button A")

while not picounicorn.is_pressed(picounicorn.BUTTON_A):  # Wait for Button A to be pressed
    pass

# Clear the display
for x in range(w):
    for y in range(h):
        picounicorn.set_pixel(x, y, 0, 0, 0)

print("Button A pressed!")

Function Reference

init

Sets up Pico Unicorn. init must be called before any other functions since it configures the PIO and require GPIO inputs. Just call init() like so:

picounicorn.init()

set_pixel

Sets an RGB LED on Pico Unicorn with an RGB triplet:

picounicorn.set_pixel(x, y, r, g, b)

Uses hardware PWM to drive the LED. Values are automatically gamma-corrected to provide smooth brightness transitions and low values may map as "off."

set_pixel_value

Sets all elements of an RGB LED on Pico Unicorn to a single value:

picounicorn.set_pixel_value(x, y, v)

This lights an LED up white at varying intensity and is useful if you want to pretend Pico Unicorn is a monochrome display.

is_pressed

Reads the GPIO pin connected to one of Pico Unicorn's buttons, returning True if it's pressed and False if it is released.

picounicorn.is_pressed(button)

The button value should be a number denoting a pin, and constants picounicorn.BUTTON_A, picounicorn.BUTTON_B, picounicorn.BUTTON_X and picounicorn.BUTTON_Y are supplied to make it easier. e:

is_a_button_pressed = picounicorn.is_pressed(picounicorn.BUTTON_A)

get_width / get_height

You can get the width and height of the Pico Unicorn display:

width = picounicorn.get_width()
height = picounicorn.get_height()

This is useful where you're looping through the rows and columns to display a pattern- such as a rainbow using hsv_to_rgb.