I’ve been designing a HandiNAVI-inspired USB macropad, with a colour LCD, four buttons, and a red case with custom black button caps. It’s inspired by various screenshots I found while googling for inspo, it has been built before by other people (some functioning, some as a prop). The design that caught my eye was this 3D model.

So far, I’ve set up the project folders and built the schematic in KiCad, using a Seeed XIAO RP2040, four tactile switches, and an eight-pin connector for the planned ST7735S display. I assigned the button and display signals, connected power and ground, and resolved the electrical-rule checks. I haven’t done many hardware projects before, and I figure that what I’m making doesn’t differ too much in functionality as a macropad. So I’m kinda following the hackpad guide, hence the use of the RP2040.

For the PCB, I created a 65 × 100 mm outline, added four mounting holes, and positioned the components alongside reference outlines for the display and button caps. I routed the connections across both copper layers and added ground planes. After fixing unconnected switch pads and silkscreen issues, the DRC report showed zero violations, unconnected pads, or footprint errors under the enabled checks.

I’ve exported the PCB as a STEP file and imported it into FreeCAD, which is the current stage I’m at.