Puppet Cyberdeck W/ Arduino Uno Q

My Cyberdeck project is built around the Arduino Uno Q - which brought to mind "Avenue Q" (my favorite puppet filled musical from the early 2000’s) and made me nostalgic for a time when technology was simple and fun.

What's A Cyberdeck?

A Cyberdeck is a custom DIY computer - and although they’ve been around a while, Cyberdecks have been popping up all over the internet lately and the current trend has been particularly aesthetic and particularly female. It comes at a time when our experience with technology has become exhausting - so the movement is about taking control and designing our computers our way.

If you’re not familiar, Avenue Q is a musical parody of Sesame Street but with adult themes to help us grown ups cope with the real world. For me, this show represented a time when technology was simple, fun and functional.

So I decided my Cyberdeck would include everything I wanted it to be:

A personally curated media player
A working puppet
A puppetry practice device
& an adorable purse!

It's the exact opposite of boxy mass produced computer - a computer inside a round and fuzzy puppet. Cyberdecks show that we can take control, create our own tools, and that computers can be anything we design them to be.

Supplies

Arduino Supplies:

Cyberdeck Computer Supplies:

Craft Supplies:

*Some links are affiliate links, which help me create more projects like this. :)

Watch: Project Overview & Complete Timelapse

Arduino UNO Q Cyberdeck: Solving Power, Space and Cable Challenges

I Put a Computer Inside My Puppet - Complete Timelapse with Arduino Uno Q

Don't let the cuteness fool you!

To make this multi-functional project I had to work through many design challenges.

Watch the first video for a detailed explanation of how I put together the electronics, structure, and overall look.
Watch the second video to see a time-lapse of my complete build where you’ll see me work through the design of the puppet enclosure, figure out how to fit all electronics inside this puppet head (and leave room for my hands to puppeteer it), and then watch me cover up with some fur and finishing touches to make it super cute!

Setting Up the Arduino Uno Q to Make a Cyberdeck

The setup for the Q was simpler than I thought - it’s pretty much plug and play. I unboxed the Q, plugged in the dongle and filled it with the keyboard’s USB, the HDMI cable and USB power from the monitor, and powered the whole thing from my laptop’s power supply during setup.

Plugging in the power cable is all you need to do to turn the Arduino Uno Q on, and after a minute it boots to a screen where you can change your passwords and enter your wifi credentials to get the computer online.

For this project, I’m making a media player, so I installed the video and audio player VLC using the command

sudo apt install VLC

Now that everything is connected and working, it’s time to make it into a puppet!

Making the Puppet Enclosure

To honor both Q’s - Arduino and Avenue, I thought it would be fun to design the puppet to look like the orange furball from the original Avenue Q logo. I used a chocolate mold that I bought at the craft store a few years ago that became the perfect enclosure. The components and my hand would fit inside and it’s just strong enough to hold its shape without being heavy.

For the interior of the mouth, I reused some heavy duty sign boards to hold up the keyboard and monitor. I traced the monitor and keyboard and cut those shapes away to make them sit flush with the foam board, then built up a second layer for added strength.

One of the hardest parts of this build was figuring out how to connect, redirect and extend the connections between components. I tried several types of 90 degree connectors and extenders, and made a small platform to place everything on to allow room for my hand to be inside while puppeteering. After some cable management, I was able to fit it all inside the Dome.

I used some gaff tape to make the hinge in the mouth, and created a similar structure to make space for my thumb on the bottom of the jaw. Then, I used the foam board to create a circular base for the computer to sit nicely on the table, and provide a circular front for the bag - more on that later.

Making It Fuzzy and Functional

I made a fur pattern by covering the whole structure in plastic wrap and tape, then transferred that pattern to orange fur, cutting it out, and sewing it together. (Watch this process in more detail in the videos above.)

To make an opening for my hand when I’m puppeteering and a convenient closure for the puppet purse, I created a double zipper and sewed in strips of felt to prevent the fur from getting tangled in the zipper. I also added some D rings to attach a purse strap to later.

Making the Interior Look Sleek

For the inside of the mouth, I used adhesive- backed velvet flocked paper.

Adding a Webcam!

With the addition of this telescoping rod and a tiny webcam, I could turn any location into a puppet practice place, then stow the extender and the webcam inside when I’m done and be on the go. So, I made a hole in the “nose” of the project so the rod could slip through, used a USB splitter to add one more USB connection for my webcam, and secured the connections with zip ties so that I could access them in the future.

To use the webcam, I installed cheese, a program that gives you a simple graphic interface for viewing and recording video with a USB camera.

sudo apt install cheese

The Eyes Are the Window to the Cyberdeck

I made the eyes from the domes of extra large googly eyes, then sanded and painted them with a mixture of paint and matte Mod Podge. I added felt circles to the back and glued on the pupils.

The Arduino Uno Q is more than a single board computer - it’s a microcontroller - so I experimented with the idea of making the pupils of the eyes move on servos. However, this wasn’t on theme with the original Avenue Q look and so it wasn’t right for the project.

Just because a technology gives you capabilities doesn’t mean using it is the right choice!

Pursification

I was a fan of Avenue Q at the time when fuzzy purses were in style, and I always thought the Avenue Q logo would make a great purse, so I used this as an opportunity to make all my dreams come true. :p

I made a vector of the Q and cut it out on my Cricut - then I added it to the bottom, and my Cyberdeck / Computer / Puppet / Media Player / Purse was complete!

It's a Media Player

To use my Puppet Cyberdeck as a media player, I took a trip down memory lane and loaded a hand-selected collection of my favorite movies onto the SD card, which is accessible in the file browser and plays with VLC.

It's a Puppet Practice Puppet

And, as a puppet practice purse, it’s been fun popping up anywhere with friends to have some puppet fun - even at the bar!

Now Build Your Own Version!

Hear me out: You should build a Cyberdeck for your next project!

I know building a Cyberdeck feels trendy right now, but I hope the trend turns into a standard - where the norm is considering our possibilities, making intentional choices, and embracing our individuality and expression when choosing what technology we use.

So whether you’ve built 1000 tech projects or 0, add building a cyberdeck to your list. :)

I’m working on absolute beginner videos for many platforms to help you get started on a Cyberdeck or other personal tech projects, and if you build one, please tag me. I want to see what you make!

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