Neuro Play Ground (NPG) Lite#
An expandable 3-channel wireless BioAmp for HCI & BCI

Overview#
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.

Neuro Play Ground (NPG) Lite#
With the addition of Playmate boards 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.

3 Channel Data using Chords Web#
Features & Specifications#
Feature |
Details |
---|---|
Bio-signal channels |
3-channel BioAmp (ECG, EMG, EOG, EEG) |
Microcontroller |
ESP32-C6 (RISC-V) with 8 MB flash |
Wireless I/O |
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, 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 |
Board Layout & Pinout Diagram#

Neuro Play Ground (NPG) Lite annotations#

Neuro Play Ground (NPG) Lite Pinout#
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 VibZ Playmate#
VibZ Playmate introduces a vibration motor for haptic feedback, a buzzer for auditory feedback, a QWIIC port for easy I2C sensor integration, an ON/OFF slide switch, 2.54 mm electrode header pins and common negative electrode option. With these Playmates, users can customize their setup for specific applications, whether in research, education, or interactive biofeedback experiments. This modular approach ensures flexibility, scalability, and better user experience.

Neuro Play Ground (NPG) Vibz Playmate#
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.

Chords Web Landing Page#
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.

Chords Python Landing Page#
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.

Chords LSL Connector Landing Page#
To know more about Chords LSL Connector watch the YouTube video.
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.

NPG Lite Flasher Landing Page#
To know more about NPG Lite Flasher watch the YouTube video.
Select Your Kit#
Identify your kit from the three options below, then let’s walk through the setup:
Project Tutorials#
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.
Each of these projects runs on the BLE firmware
, which you can flash using the following flasher tools:
We recommend using NPG Lite Flasher for flashing BLE Firmware.
Alternatively, you can use Arduino IDE to manually upload the firmware.
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.
Note
To learn about this project, visit our Instructables page for detailed guide: Muscle Melody: Create Music With Your Muscle Movements (EMG)
Visit the Web Interface to visualize in real time.
This project 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.
Note
To learn about this project, visit our Instructables page for detailed guide: Monitor ECG and Heartrate on Your Mobile Phone
Visit the Web Interface to visualize in real time.
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.
Note
To learn about this project, visit our Instructables page for detailed guide: Controlling Keyboard With Eye Blinks Using Neuro PlayGround Lite
This project 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.
Note
To learn about this project, visit our Instructables page for detailed guide: Pop Bubbles With Your Mind (EEG) | Neuro PlayGround (NPG) Lite
Visit the Web Interface to visualize in real time.
Cuboid is a neurofeedback-powered game that turns your focus into action. Using real-time brainwave data from the NPG Lite device, the game challenges you to move a geometric cuboid upward by maintaining mental focus. With multiple difficulty levels, live EEG streaming, and visual feedback, Cuboid transforms concentration into an immersive, brain-controlled experience.
Note
Visit the Web Interface to visualize in real time.
Muscle Strength Game transforms your physical efforts into insightful data. Simply connect to any muscle group you want to focus on, and you’ll instantly visualize the raw electrical activity your muscles generate. But it’s more than just raw data; the game also processes this information to display your real-time muscle strength. This allows you to track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and engage with your workouts in a whole new, data-driven way. Whether you’re an athlete, rehabilitating an injury, or just curious about your body, this project offers a unique window into your muscular capabilities.
Note
Visit the Web Interface to visualize in real time.
CortEX is an open-source neurofeedback meditation platform that combines EEG and ECG signals to provide real-time feedback on your mental and emotional state. Designed to enhance mindfulness, it visualizes brainwave activity, heart rate, and hemisphere balance to help you meditate more effectively - all from your browser, using the NPG Lite device.
Note
Visit the Web Interface to visualize in real time.
Neuro-Playground Lite C3 (Obsolete)
Overview
Neuro Playground (NPG) Lite is a multichannel wireless bio-potential signal amplification device designed for recording EMG, ECG, EOG, and EEG. It comes in a compact Adafruit feather form factor and offers WiFi/BLE wireless connectivity. With the addition of daughter boards called Playmates, users can easily enhance the device’s capabilities, enabling the students/researchers/hobbyists to create awesome Human-Computer Interface (HCI) and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) applications.

Neuro Play Ground (NPG) Lite C3#
Features & Specifications
No. of channels |
3 |
Power options |
USB type C or LiPo battery |
Microcontroller |
ESP32-C3 (RISC-V) with 4MB Flash |
Power supply |
600mA LDO with filtering |
Connectivity options |
WiFi, Bluetooth, USB |
Debugging options |
JTAG, UART |
LEDs |
User LED, charging LED, 6 addressable RGB LEDs |
Buttons |
Reset & user button |
BioPotentials |
EMG, ECG, EOG and EEG |
Compatible hardware |
NPG Playmates & FeatherWing boards |
Protection |
Built-in patient & USB ESD protection |
Board Layout

Neuro Play Ground (NPG) Lite C3 annotations#
Playmates
Playmates are modular expansion boards designed to enhance the functionality of Neuro Play Ground (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).
VibZ
The first Playmate, VibZ, introduces haptic feedback, a buzzer, a QWIIC port for easy sensor integration, an ON/OFF switch, and electrode header pins. With these Playmates, users can customize their setup for specific applications, whether in research, education, or interactive biofeedback experiments. This modular approach ensures flexibility, scalability, and better user experience.

VibZ Playmate#
Features & Specifications
2.54mm Dupont header pin for electrode connection |
Vibration motor for haptic Feedback motor |
Buzzer for audio feedback |
QWIIC / STEMMA QT I2C port |
ON/OFF Switch |