I decided to take a mini keychain slot machine and give it a modern twist! In this project, I replaced the original mechanical internals with an LCD screen and a microcontroller, transforming it into a tech-enhanced version of itself.

In this video, I’ll walk you through the process of modifying the slot machine, including the components used, the challenges faced, and the final result. Whether you're into electronics, retro gadgets, or just enjoy creative mods, this is one you won’t want to miss!

Let me know what you think in the comments, and if you’ve ever done a similar project yourself!

00:00 Project summary and intro 00:51 Disassembly of original mini slot machine keychain 01:15 Replacement parts 02:59 Building breadboard circuit 04:50 Getting components to work with XIAO module in Arduino code 08:03 Showing slot machine symbols on LCD screen 12:05 Placing all components into the enclosure 18:20 Drilling holes 18:52 Showcase of finished project

Links in the video:

GitHub repository project: https://github.com/marekl123/MiniSlotMachine

Seeed Studio XIAO wiki: https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/getting_started_xiao_ra4m1/

Slot machine keychain: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006989916728.html

RA4M1 schematics: https://files.seeedstudio.com/wiki/XIAO-R4AM1/res/XIAO-RA4M1_SCH_PDF_v1.0_240719.pdf

Battery charging circuit inside RA4M1 https://www.sg-micro.com/rect/assets/e95e555a-a8a2-4761-b86a-6554dff2d8ed/SGM40567.pdf

RGB-565 format: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monochrome_and_RGB_color_formats

RGB-565 color picker: https://www.tricolors.org/rgb565/

Attribution icons: https://www.flaticon.com/free-icons/slot-machine

Attribution music: https://www.no-copyright-music.com/cinematic/