A 3D-printable boom box for children and everyone else

Aflowerbox is a boom box you can build yourself with a 3D-printer and a bit of electronics tinkering. The user interface is intentionally kept simple to work for children from age 2. At the same time it offers features which enable it to be used long beyond that age as a normal boom box.

Aflowerbox is currently under development and I will share updates continuously. All files will be made available under an open source licenses and everyone is welcome to build their own Flowerbox with a 3D-printer and some tinkering.

If you are interested in contributing, please reach out to me.

Features

The following features are planned for version 1.0 of Aflowerbox. Many are still under development:

• Kid-friendly interface (big arcarde buttons with and integrated LED)
• RFID-reader: to choose music by a card or figurine
• RGB-LEDs as an input indicator and music visualizer
• Touch screen for more complex input
• Carry handle
• Voice/music recording interface
• Web-App: to remotely control the music from your local WiFi
• Rechargable battery with USB-C charger
• Parental controls (from App)
• Customizable (colors, top-covers, speaker-covers, panels)
• Tinker-friendly (modular & extensible)
• 3D-printable
• Built with widely available electronics components

3D-printable case

The case is fully 3D-printable. It's optimized to be printed on common FDM-style printers with PLA filament.

Design principles:

• Modular architecture to customize and replace parts individually
• Assembly friendly with M3 and M4 hex screws
• Printable with as little supports as necessary
• Very few parts (mostly decorative) require glueing
• Tight, but realistic tolerances
• Screws and seams are mostly hidden for a clean apprearance

Raspberry-Pi based electronics

The core of the electronics is a Raspberry Pi Zero W. It runs the software and is used to connect controls and audio hardware. Apart from audio modules the Raspberry Pi already has built-in most modules to realize the project:

• GPIO for input buttons & LED lights
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• File-storage via SD-Card
• USB interfaces

Dedicated audio modules need to be connected to allow audio input, output and amplification.

Additionally the top panel contains an RFID-Module to allow RFID-card or RFID-enabled figurines to be placed on top. This is a very kid-friendly way of choosing their own music. But also for adults it can be a high quality interface which replaces scrolling through endless music libraries and resembles haptic CD or vinyl-records.

Centrally on top a RGB-LED ring serves as a universal feedback indicator to make the user interface more intuitive and visualize the music.

In order to allow complex user interactions and information display, Aflowerbox also has a touch screen on the front.

Aflowerbox OS

At the core of Aflowerflox is also a software which operates the hardware and brings everything to live. Aflowerbox OS is a python based software to operate the Raspberry Pi and the connected hardware. Running on Raspberry Pi OS, it is using VLC media player via python-vlc.

Given all the great open source and linux based software and the huge community supporting Raspberry Pis, Aflowerbox OS can enable a lot of improvements via software updates.

Web-app

Aflowerbox does also have a companion app which allows you to control the device via your local Wifi connection. The app comes shipped with Aflowerbox OS and can easily be opened via a browser on a mobile phone or computer.

Features:

• Media control
• Media configuration (e.g. Radio channels, MP3 updload)
• Management for RFID cards/figurines
• Parental controls
• General configuration (e.g. Wifi connections)

Bill of meterials (BOM)

This list is still incomplete and inaccurate. I will extend it during development. My goal is to use components which are widely available in many shops and often by multiple vendors. All links are just for reference. No affiliate program is used.

• 3D-printed parts
• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W
• 2x JVC Speaker CS-J420X
• 4x Arcarde buttons 30mm
• 2x Push buttons 12mm
• 2x MAX98357A I2S Amplifier
• Pn532 NFC Reader RFID module V3
• NeoPixel Ring mit 24 WS2812 5050 RGB LEDs
• 1x Waveshare ESP32-S3 5" Touch Screen
• USB Power-Bank
• USB power cable with Micro-USB (for Raspberry Pi)
• 4x Rubber feet 18mm
• M3 + M4 Hex-Screws (DIN 912)
• Square nuts
• Threaded inserts
• 15cm of 4mm brass or aluminium pipe
• 20cm of 15mm aluminium pipe

In Germany in 2025 all parts (including filament) roughly cost 100-150€. I'm planning to build a smaller, cost optimized version in the future which will probably not include a touch screen and large speakers. Currently the touch screen, speakers and filament cost are significant cost drivers.

Future ideas

While even core features are waiting to be implemented, here's already a collection of ideas for the future:

• Bluetooth headphones & microphone can be connected
• Usable as a Bluetooth speaker
• Compact versions with smaller speakers
• Multiple variants for control panels (customization)
• Cost optimized version
• IR Remote control
• Midi-input (synth)
• Use as power-bank
• Offline music library
• Stream capturing
• Spotify connection
• Project community

Links

• Onshape 3D model
• TBD: Github project
• TBD: Project website aflowerbox.eu