DeskNode is an open-source, modular control panel for PCs, designed for makers and hobbyists. It provides physical control over boot selection, volume/mute, power/reset, and expands USB connectivity.
- 3-way toggle switch for boot selection (e.g., Linux, macOS, Windows)
- Boot configured via Raspberry Pi Pico, writing
bootchoice.txtto a USB drive read by rEFInd - Volume and mute control via APDS-9960 gesture sensor
- Power and reset buttons for PC
- Four-port USB extension hub
- Fully open-source and modular
DeskNode integrates:
- Controller: Raspberry Pi Pico
- Controls:
- 3-way toggle switch for boot selection
- Gesture-based volume and mute control using APDS-9960
- Power and reset buttons
- USB Hub: 4-port USB extension
- Connections: Direct integration with PC motherboard for power/reset/boot signaling, plus USB for rEFInd boot selection
- Optional: USB drive for configuration updates
Wiring diagrams and schematics are provided in the
/hardwarefolder.
- Firmware: CircuitPython sketches for Raspberry Pi Pico
- Boot selection logic: Pi Pico writes the chosen boot option to
bootchoice.txton a mounted USB drive. rEFInd reads this file to select the boot OS automatically. - Volume/mute control: Reads gestures from APDS-9960 sensor and sends appropriate commands
- Open-source license: MIT recommended
Firmware files can be found in the
/firmwarefolder.
- Boot selection: Set the 3-way toggle switch before powering on. The Pi Pico writes the selection to USB, which rEFInd uses to boot the chosen OS.
- Volume/mute: Control audio output via gestures detected by APDS-9960
- Power/reset: Use dedicated buttons
- USB hub: Plug devices into DeskNode USB ports
- Configuration updates: Insert USB drive with firmware/config files
DeskNode is licensed under the MIT License, making it fully open source.
See LICENSE for details.
Contributions are welcome! Please:
- Fork the repository
- Create feature branches
- Submit pull requests with clear descriptions
- Maker and DIY hardware communities
- Adafruit APDS-9960 tutorials and examples
- rEFInd boot manager documentation
- Open-source microcontroller projects for inspiration