We are excited to announce the release of Microsoft Expressive Pixels!
Microsoft Expressive Pixels empowers people to create, express, connect, and share animated visualizations in their own unique way. With Expressive Pixels users can make and show both static and animated images on LED displays and other digital devices, such as a PC.
Expressions allow us to show others how we feel and to share our ideas and beliefs. Humans express themselves to be understood and feel a sense of connection. However, we all express differently. Verbal expressions may be challenging for some due to speech disabilities or because they feel less comfortable. Often, a visual statement through creative and artistic expression can communicate as much, if not more, than words.
Watch our welcome video (opens in new tab) to learn more about Expressive Pixels, and this music video (opens in new tab) to see how expressivity and eye-gaze music work together in harmony to create an inspiring experience.
Download (opens in new tab) the app from Microsoft Store for Windows and start the journey. Learn tips and tricks (opens in new tab) to create animated visualizations, check out our online Community Gallery for inspiration and see what is possible. Shine a light on your creativity by making new images and animations or building on top of existing ones to make them your own.
Expressive Pixels is an open source release, so Makers everywhere can realize their own ideas and create. The app’s online Community Gallery is powered by Microsoft Azure to enable the community to share animations. The images created on Expressive Pixels come alive on readily-available LED displays from 3rd parties such as Adafruit (opens in new tab) (64×32), Adafruit DotStar (8×8), Adafruit Featherwing DotStar (6×12), Sparkfun (opens in new tab) (32×32), Sparkfun 8×8, and SiliconSquared (opens in new tab) high resolution RGB displays.
We are also introducing the integration with MakeCode (opens in new tab) in this release, to offer additional entry points into programming devices. Microsoft MakeCode is an incredible learning platform for future programmers. It is a framework for creating interactive and engaging programming experiences for those new to the world of programming, in a way that is approachable and inviting. MakeCode devices can be connected to LED displays and integrated into new creations. Animations created in the Expressive Pixels app can be easily integrated within MakeCode programs by incorporating its Extension Package. This provides new and fun ways and capabilities for MakeCode programmers to light up their creations along their programming and creative journey.
If you are a developer, check out our GitHub forum (opens in new tab), share with us your input and help take the app to the next level. If you are a Maker, explore our open source APIs (opens in new tab). We hope the app will help open compelling scenarios for those creating new devices and Maker experiences.
We hope you are as excited about Microsoft Expressive Pixels as we are. Download (opens in new tab) the app today and start to create, express, connect, and share. We would love to hear your feedback and make the app better. Share your thoughts in the Microsoft Community Forum (opens in new tab).