Bela: Low-Latency Audio + Sensor Cape for PocketBeagle

Categories: Intermediate

Originally published at https://www.hackster.io/112305/bela-low-latency-audio-sensor-cape-for-pocketbeagle-1615e0.

Bela Mini is the latest evolution of Bela, the open-source platform for ultra-low latency audio and sensor processing. Bela is a cape for the Beaglebone Black and Bela Mini a cape for the PocketBeagle. Bela features a browser-based IDE that allows you to program the board in a variety of languages (c/c++, Pure Data, Supercollider, FAUST, Csound) and debug sensor and audio streams using a browser-based oscilloscope.

Bela Mini.

What is Bela?

Over the past two years Bela has been used to create hundred of interactive audio projects worldwide from musical instruments to sound installations, from e-textiles to assistive technology, as well as kinetic sculptures, research experiments and teaching tools. If you’re interested in creating interactive projects that use sensors and sound, then Bela is the platform for you. You can see many projects built with Bela
on our blog
.

The original Bela board.

Bela Mini

Bela Mini is based on the PocketBeagle “key-fob computer”, an ultra-tiny open-source computer. The Bela Mini cape adds stereo audio I/O, 8x 16-bit analog inputs and 16 digital I/O. Bela Mini is completely compatible with all the great software features of the original board including the browser-based IDE with oscilloscope, support for multiple coding languages, libraries of examples, and easy connectivity with various sensor types. For more info on the tech specs of the board
see here
.

Demonstration of Bela Mini size.