In a world with tiny development boards such as the Arduino Nano, or even the Raspberry Pi Zero (if you want to apply that definition quite liberally), there is still something really amazing about the ATtiny85 chip. It’s so small that you could easily lose it on the floor, but if you need a limited number of I/O it can be very cost-effective.
Another downside to a chip like this is that, as opposed to many Arduino boards, you can’t just plug a USB cable into it and program. You’ll need to use an in-system programmer (ISP), which, incidentally, can actually be an Arduino.
Once programmed, you still have to think about how you’re going to power it as a standalone device. Actually, this is a bit of a problem with any chip or dev board, but the Fish Bowl shield provides a solution for both “Tiny” challenges.
The board connects the ATtiny85 chip to an Arduino, allowing it to be programmed, then powers it with a coin cell battery. This means that once it’s programmed, you just pop the board off and let it do whatever you had in mind.
At one time, there was a Blinky Fish available that was meant to work with this “bowl.” Although no longer available to purchase, you can find the retired listing here, perhaps inspiring your own creations!
