One use case is developing reference boards for homebrew hardware.
https://santroller.tangentmc.net/ is an open source firmware for plastic instruments (think Rock Band and Guitar Hero). Their primary target is the Raspberry Pi Pico.
Each iteration of the games came with their own bespoke controllers, with different circuits; yet at the end of the day, they're all just bags of buttons attached to a microcontroller. Santroller teaches the RP2040 how to convert those button presses to the format various gaming systems expect. Individuals can buy a Pi Pico and some wires to mod their own controller with Santroller. Or, you can go on Etsy, where people have had boards printed for specific guitars. Instead of soldering to a Pi Pico, you can plug the ribbon from your Guitar Hero World Tour guitar onto a RP2040 board that someone had made to accept the ribbons from that specific guitar.
https://santroller.tangentmc.net/ is an open source firmware for plastic instruments (think Rock Band and Guitar Hero). Their primary target is the Raspberry Pi Pico.
Each iteration of the games came with their own bespoke controllers, with different circuits; yet at the end of the day, they're all just bags of buttons attached to a microcontroller. Santroller teaches the RP2040 how to convert those button presses to the format various gaming systems expect. Individuals can buy a Pi Pico and some wires to mod their own controller with Santroller. Or, you can go on Etsy, where people have had boards printed for specific guitars. Instead of soldering to a Pi Pico, you can plug the ribbon from your Guitar Hero World Tour guitar onto a RP2040 board that someone had made to accept the ribbons from that specific guitar.