MicroPython Thread not exiting (Pi Pico) - python-multithreading

Question

I'm attempting to write a fairly simple class to handle some relays for a robot costume. The user should be able to push some buttons to activate different sets of lights/EL wire. A basic thread seemed the best way to handle this, but maybe I'm missing something about the micropython implementation...
Here's the relevant two functions:
def run(self):
"""Start the default state"""
self.current_state.start_new_thread(self.activate_emotion, (self.state,))
def change_state(self):
"""Kill the old state (if applicable) and start a new one"""
print('Exiting thread...')
self.current_state.exit()
print('Starting new thread...')
self.current_state.start_new_thread(self.activate_emotion, (self.state,))
print('Done.')
When my script starts, run() throws "OSError: core1 in use", but the "default" state begins to run. It does this even after a fresh startup. When my button press is detected and activates change_state(), I get the output: "Exiting thread...", and it just hangs there indefinitely. What am I missing here? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Here's the entirety of my script:
from machine import Pin
import utime
import _thread
import random
class LowRelay(Pin):
def turn_on(self):
self.low()
def turn_off(self):
self.high()
def test(self):
self.turn_on()
utime.sleep(0.5)
self.turn_off()
class Ariel():
def __init__(self):
self.happy_button = Pin(10, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_DOWN)
self.sad_button = Pin(11, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_DOWN)
self.scared_button = Pin(12, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_DOWN)
self.thinking_button = Pin(13, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_DOWN)
self.happy_relay = LowRelay(2, Pin.OUT)
self.sad_relay = LowRelay(3, Pin.OUT)
self.scared_relay = LowRelay(4, Pin.OUT)
self.thinking_relay = LowRelay(5, Pin.OUT)
self.group1_relay = LowRelay(6, Pin.OUT)
self.group2_relay = LowRelay(7, Pin.OUT)
self.group3_relay = LowRelay(8, Pin.OUT)
self.group4_relay = LowRelay(9, Pin.OUT)
self.led_groups = ['group1', 'group2',
'group3', 'group4']
self.off_led_groups = ['group1', 'group2',
'group3', 'group4']
self.on_led_groups = []
self.state = 'default'
self.current_state = _thread
def full_test(self):
""" Self test """
print('Testing....')
self.group1_relay.test()
self.group2_relay.test()
self.group3_relay.test()
self.group4_relay.test()
self.happy_relay.test()
self.sad_relay.test()
self.scared_relay.test()
self.thinking_relay.test()
print('Test complete.')
utime.sleep(1)
def test(self):
"""Quick Test"""
self.all_relays_off()
utime.sleep(1)
self.all_relays_on()
utime.sleep(1)
self.all_relays_off()
def run(self):
"""Start the default state"""
self.current_state.start_new_thread(self.activate_emotion, (self.state,))
def change_state(self):
"""Kill the old state (if applicable) and start a new one"""
print('Exiting thread...')
self.current_state.exit()
print('Starting new thread...')
self.current_state.start_new_thread(self.activate_emotion, (self.state,))
print('Done.')
def watch_and_wait(self, seconds):
"""Sleep while an effect processes, watching for a state change."""
start_state = self.state
ticks = int(float(seconds)/0.25)
for x in range(ticks):
self.check_buttons()
if self.state != start_state:
print('Changing state...')
self.change_state()
continue
utime.sleep(0.25)
def check_buttons(self):
"""Set states based on button presses"""
if self.happy_button.value():
self.state = 'happy'
if self.sad_button.value():
self.state = 'sad'
if self.scared_button.value():
self.state = 'scared'
if self.thinking_button.value():
self.state = 'thinking'
def swap_groups(self):
"""
Pick one of the two LED groups that is not on, and one that is.
Swap them. If none are on, turn on two.
"""
off_lg = self.off_led_groups
on_lg = self.on_led_groups
on_candidate = off_lg.pop(random.randrange(len(off_lg)))
off_candidate = on_lg.pop(random.randrange(len(on_lg))) if on_lg else None
on_lg.append(on_candidate)
if off_candidate:
off_lg.append(off_candidate)
if len(on_lg) < 2:
on_lg.append(off_lg.pop(random.randrange(len(off_lg))))
for x in self.led_groups:
r = getattr(self, '%s_relay' % x)
if x in on_lg:
r.turn_on()
else:
r.turn_off()
def all_relays_on(self):
"""Turn off all relays"""
self.happy_relay.turn_on()
self.sad_relay.turn_on()
self.scared_relay.turn_on()
self.thinking_relay.turn_on()
self.group1_relay.turn_on()
self.group2_relay.turn_on()
self.group3_relay.turn_on()
self.group4_relay.turn_on()
def all_relays_off(self):
"""Turn off all relays"""
self.happy_relay.turn_off()
self.sad_relay.turn_off()
self.scared_relay.turn_off()
self.thinking_relay.turn_off()
self.group1_relay.turn_off()
self.group2_relay.turn_off()
self.group3_relay.turn_off()
self.group4_relay.turn_off()
####################
# define states
# default - turn off EL wire, swap LED groups every second
# emotions - turn off other LEDs, and turn on relevant EL wire
####################
def activate_emotion(self, emotion):
"""Activates the selected emotional state"""
print('Entering %s state...' % emotion)
self.all_relays_off()
if self.state == 'default':
while self.state == 'default':
self.swap_groups()
self.watch_and_wait(1)
else:
r = getattr(self, '%s_relay' % emotion)
r.turn_on()
self.watch_and_wait(5)
self.state = 'default'
print('Changing state to default.')
self.change_state()
ariel = Ariel()
ariel.test()
while True:
ariel.run()
pass