ATtiny13A PCB Star Wearable – A Tiny Twinkling Ornament
At Adiva Tech Services Pvt. Ltd., we love seeing how electronics can turn into eye-catching, functional art. One of the most charming examples is this ATtiny13A-powered PCB star wearable — a 4x4 cm twinkling star that combines creative design with compact electronics engineering.
Originally built for a Christmas decoration design challenge, this project has been repurposed into a stylish wearable that lights up with festive flair.
Components Used
- Custom PCB (fabricated at JLCPCB)
- ATtiny13A microcontroller
- LEDs (OSRAM LY L29K, OPTOSUPPLY, LiteON)
- CR1225 coin cell battery + holder
- Passive components – 100nF capacitor, 68Ω resistor
- ISP Programmer for uploading code
- Arduino IDE for programming
The star’s shape was first created in Figma, then converted into a PCB outline using Gordon Williams’ SVG-to-Eagle CAD tool. Once the design was ready, the PCBs were ordered from JLCPCB, which handled the precise star cuts with impressive quality.
Assembly was done manually, with LEDs carefully placed around the star to create a twinkling effect. The back of the PCB includes solder pads for hooks, making it easy to wear as a festive accessory.
The LEDs are controlled by a Microchip ATtiny13A microcontroller, programmed using Arduino IDE with the MicroCore ATtiny13A core. Key considerations included:
- ISP pads placed on the back for convenient programming via USBasp.
- Brown-out detection (BOD) disabled to ensure LEDs stay on as the battery discharges.
- Simple code uploaded to create dynamic LED twinkling patterns (available on GitHub).
Powered by a 3V CR1225 coin cell battery, the star remains lightweight and wearable. Its compact 4x4 cm design makes it suitable as a badge, accessory, or festive ornament.
The finished PCB star is both elegant and playful — glowing with soft LED twinkles while showcasing what’s possible with creative PCB design and microcontrollers.
This project is a great inspiration for electronics hobbyists and designers who want to merge aesthetics with functionality.
Projects like this highlight how PCB design goes beyond traditional industrial applications. With the right creativity, tools, and components, electronics can become part of fashion, festivals, and everyday art.
At Adiva Tech Services Pvt. Ltd., we specialize in PCB design, assembly, prototyping, and hardware development — whether for small wearables, consumer electronics, or large-scale industrial solutions.