Neuro PlayGround Lite (NPG Lite) is a multichannel Adafruit feather form-factor wireless bio-physiological signal acquisition board.
It can be used for Electrocardiography (ECG), Electromyography (EMG), Electrooculography (EOG), or Electroencephalography (EEG). Its compact footprint and hassle-free setup ensure portability, quick deployment and a clutter-free experience, making it ideal for research, education and wearable applications.

With the addition of Playmate boards (Proto Playmate, VibZ Playmate and VibZ+ Playmate) and 3rd party FeatherWing boards, users can easily enhance the device’s capabilities, enabling them to create awesome Human-Computer Interface (HCI) and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) applications. Its extensive compatibility lets you equip your device with features like a vibration motor for haptic feedback, a buzzer for audio feedback, and I2C connectivity, making it highly versatile for a wide range of applications.

It leverages our powerful open source, cross-platform Chords software suite (Chords-Web, Chords-Python, Chords LSL Connector and NPG Lite Flasher), letting users visualize captured bio-physiological signals in real-time, apply filtering, perform FFT analysis, and much, much, more. Because of its expandability, wide array of applications, and robust networking capabilities (using Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi, or Thread for mesh networking), NPG Lite lets you capture bio-physiological signals how you want and where you want it.

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Features & Specifications

Feature	Details
Bio-signal channels	3 to 6 channel BioAmp (ECG, EMG, EOG, EEG)
Microcontroller	ESP32-C6 (RISC-V) with 8 MB flash
ADC Resolution	12 Bit
Wireless I/O	Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE 5, Thread, Zigbee
USB & Programming	USB-C for power, charging & programming; UART, JTAG
LEDs	6 addressable RGB LEDs, User LED, Charging indicator LED
Buttons	Reset button + User/Boot buttons
Power Options	USB-C or LiPo battery
Power Regulation	600 mA LDO with LiPo battery charging onboard
Battery Connector	PicoBlade LiPo
Form Factor	Standard Adafruit Feather (GPIO, Power, RX/TX pins)
Protection	On-board patient & USB ESD protection
Compatible hardware	NPG Playmates & FeatherWing boards

Watch the YouTube video below for a full walkthrough of the NPG Lite, including all its features and specifications.

Board Layout & Pinout Diagram

Playmates

Playmates are modular expansion boards designed to enhance the functionality of Neuro PlayGround (NPG) Lite. These add-ons seamlessly integrate with the core system, allowing users to extend their capabilities to create awesome Human-Computer Interface (HCI) & Brain-Computer Interface (BCI).

NPG Lite Playmates are add-on boards that expand the functionality of the NPG Lite system.

• The Proto Playmate includes a prototyping area, electrode connector interface, ON/OFF slide switch, and a QWIIC port.
• The VibZ Playmate adds haptic and auditory feedback via a vibration motor and buzzer, along with an electrode connector interface, ON/OFF slide switch, and QWIIC port.
• The VibZ+ Playmate builds on the VibZ by adding an additional 3-channel BioAmp, enabling a total of 6 channels. It is designed for applications that require higher-resolution biosignal input or more spatial coverage.

Compatible Software

Chords Web

• Visit Chords Web for real-time biopotential signal visualization (EEG, EMG, ECG, EOG), featuring advanced plotting, filtering, snapshotting and CSV recording.

• To know more about Chords Web click here or watch the YouTube video.

Chords Python

• Chords Python is an open-source bag of tools for recording biopotential signals like ECG, EMG, EEG, or EOG, along with visualization using BioAmp hardware.

• To know more about Chords Python watch the YouTube video.

Chords LSL Connector

• Chords LSL Connector is a Rust based bridge that streams data from devices running Chords firmware into the Lab Streaming Layer (LSL), enabling synchronized acquisition and analysis with BCI/EEG software.

• To know more about Chords LSL Connector watch the YouTube video.

Chords LSL Visualizer

• Chords LSL Visualizer is a Rust based program to stream NPG Lite data over Lab Streaming Layer.

NPG Lite Flasher

• NPG Lite Flasher is a cross-platform, flashing utility for the Neuro PlayGround Lite board, providing seamless firmware updates over serial or DFU via a simple CLI.

• To know more about NPG Lite Flasher watch the YouTube video.

Create wireless Human-Computer Interfaces (HCI) & Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI)

NPG Lite, with its multi-channel BioAmp, wireless connectivity, battery operation, and expansion interface, allows users to create HCI and BCI applications with ease. We’ve created projects leveraging ECG, EMG, EOG, and EEG signals to inspire you, but the possibilities cover so many more use cases.

1. Make Muscular Music

This is a human-computer interface (HCI) that uses 3-channel EMG data to detect muscle signals from the left hand, right hand, and chest to control virtual musical instruments. When muscles contract, each channel triggers a distinct sound effect, transforming your body into an organic orchestra.

Checkout complete project tutorial on Instructables. 

2. Track Your Heartbeat

This demo focuses on capturing electrocardiogram (ECG) signals to calculate heart rate using Neuro PlayGround Lite and displaying them in a Chrome-based browser on a mobile phone in real-time via a Bluetooth LE connection.

Checkout complete project tutorial on Instructables.

3. Jump In the Blink of an Eye

Instead of using the keyboard, you can control a game simply by blinking. The setup detects EOG signals from the eyes, sends the data over Bluetooth LE to the PC, detects eye blinks, and then takes the eye blink as a trigger to emulate the spacebar keystroke. You can configure the code to simulate any other keystroke as well.

Checkout complete project tutorial on Instructables.

4. Pop Bubbles With Your Mind

This demo showcases a brain-computer interface (BCI) application that utilizes EEG (electroencephalography) signals to operate an interactive bubble-popping game in a web browser. The system identifies beta wave activity (12–30 Hz), indicating concentration and attention levels. Bubbles appear and pop as the user maintains focus, but they cease to pop when concentration wanes.

Checkout complete project tutorial on Instructables.

Advanced HCI & BCI Demos

We are committed to providing ready-to-use, open-source applications that showcase the true potential of NPG Lite:

• Control a Custom BLE Car with EMG + EEG: Drive a Bluetooth-enabled car using both muscle and brainwave signals.
• EEG Smart Plug Control: Toggle any AC appliance ON or OFF through mind-generated EEG signals.
• EEG + IR Remote Control for Appliances: Manage devices like TVs or fans using EEG combined with infrared signaling.
• EEG + ECG Assistive Meditation App: EEG for brain data and ECG for HRV analysis to guide and enhance mindfulness through real-time brain-heart coherence.
• ECG-Based Heart Ailment Detection: Real-time cardiac health monitoring and anomaly detection using our robust ECG processing software.
• EXG for supportive tech Using single channel EXG for blink detection, focus, and jaw clinching detection for supportive tech.
• EMG gesture recognition Multi-channel EMG based gesture recognition interface for AR, games, and prosthetics control.