home assistant News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

July 31, 2026July 31, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

reTerminal Sticky 3.97-inch touch ePaper display is supported by four open-source firmware projects (so far)

Seeed Studio’s reTerminal Sticky is a 3.97-inch “AI-powered” magnetic touch ePaper display powered by an ESP32-S3 microcontroller, which serves as a sticky-note alternative, an e-reader, a live dashboard, or a home automation controller. The 800 x 480 resolution display comes with 8MB PSRAM, 32MB Flash, a microSD card slot, and next/previous page buttons. It’s “AI-powered” through a microphone and an AI Voice button leveraging the ESP32-S3 Edge AI capabilities for a voice-to-note feature. It also features a temperature and humidity sensor and a 3-axis accelerometer, as well as a built-in magnet and a magnetic ring for easy mounting. reTerminal Sticky specifications: SoC – Espressif ESP32-S3R8 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration Memory – 8MB PSRAM Wireless – 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 LE Storage 32 MB flash MicroSD card slot (SanDisk recommended) Display 3.97-inch monochrome (B&W) ePaper 4-level […]

July 20, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Globalscale Case8 – A MediaTek Genio 520/720 cyberdeck for gaming, home automation, and education (Crowdfunding)

Case8 Platfrom with gaming, home automation, and education variants

Globalscale Technologies has launched the Case8 series of open-source cyberdeck-style computing platforms based on MediaTek Genio 520 and Genio 720 processors. The platform is offered in hacker (PCBA only), gaming, home automation, and education variants. The Case8 is built around an OSM-L compute module with a MediaTek Genio 520 or Genio 720 SoC with up to eight cores, a Mali-G67 GPU, and a 10 TOPS NPU. Depending on the configuration, it comes with 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB LPDDR5 memory and 64GB or 128GB UFS storage, along with Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, stereo speakers, microphones, and optional 4G/5G connectivity. Display options include a 5-inch panel for the gaming model and 7-inch touch or non-touch displays for the home automation and education variants, with camera configurations varying by model. Case8 cyberdeck platform specifications: OSM-L compute module (one or the other) MediaTek Genio 520 CPU – 2x Cortex-A78 up to 2.2GHz, 6x […]

July 20, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

IoTextra modular automation boards with 4 inputs, 4 outputs work with Raspberry Pi and ESP32 MCU boards

IoTsmart IoTextra modular automation boards

Last week, we wrote about the Olimex PICO-EVB automation board equipped with four relays and four isolated inputs and designed for Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible boards. Make Things Happy does something similar, but in a modular way, with the IoTextra family of carrier boards with four inputs and four outputs for automation, and supporting a range of IoTsmart MCU boards based on Raspberry Pi RP2350, ESP32-S3, etc… There are currently six IoTextra boards shipping or in development, all measuring 56×47 mm and featuring 3750 Vrms galvanic isolation per channel. All IoTextra modules support different MCU platforms via horizontally or vertically mounted IoTsmart SoM carriers based on Waveshare RP2350 and ESP32-S3 modules, Seeed Studio XIAO boards, and others, all connected via the HOST connector. All IoTextra 8-channel modules support several software ecosystems out of the box: IoTflow framework for no-code programming of distributed MCU nodes over MQTT and Node-RED; used to build custom […]

July 17, 2026July 21, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

Olimex PICO-EVB automation board adds high-voltage terminals to Raspberry Pi Pico family

Olimex PICO-EVB board for the Raspberry Pi Pico and compatible boards is designed for high-voltage automation with four 3.3-30V DC or 110-220V AC inputs and four 15V DC/220V AC relays. It features two 20-pin headers enabling users to connect their preferred Pi Pico-compatible board, a USB-C port for power and programming, a UEXT connector for I2C, UART, and SPI expansion, and status LEDs for the high-voltage signals. Olimex PICO-EVB specifications: Compatible boards Raspberry Pi Pico, Pico 2, Pico W, Pico 2 W Olimex RP2040-PICO30 USB – 1x USB Type-C port I/Os 4x 15A 24V DC/240V AC relays 4x optoisolated inputs taking 3.3 – 30V DC or 110-220V AC UEXT connector with I2C, UART, and SPI signals Unpopulated 18-pin GPIO header Misc 4x status LEDs for the relays 4x status LEDs for the inputs Power Supply – 5V power supply via screw connector, USB-C port, or Pico’s micro USB connector Dimensions […]

July 16, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

OpenInfrared Point is an ESP32-S3 powered universal remote hub with Infrared, BLE, NFC, audio streaming (Crowdfunding)

OpenInfrared Point is a universal remote hub built around ESP32-S3 that lets users control compatible devices from a smartphone by scanning a QR code or tapping an NFC tag, eliminating the need for dedicated remote controls. Powered via USB-C, the Point hub can learn IR codes from existing remote controls and supports infrared, IP (HTTP), and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) device control, with RF support planned as a future add-on. Hardware features include an IR output for external emitters, an audio input for private TV audio streaming, built-in NFC, QR-code access, and support for controlling TVs, projectors, AV receivers, air conditioners, streaming devices, and other compatible equipment. OpenInfrared Point specifications: Wireless Module – ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 up to 240 MHz with vector extension for AI/ML workloads RAM – 512KB SRAM; 8MB PSRAM Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth LE 5 Storage – 16MB […]

July 14, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

IoTLabs wM-Bus gateway – An ESP32 device with Wireless M-Bus connectivity for Home Assistant

IoTLabs wM-Bus Gateway is an ESP32 device supporting the Wireless M-Bus (wM-Bus) standard for receiving data from compatible meters and sensors, designed for full integration with Home Assistant. Wireless M-Bus (Wireless Meter Bus) is a wireless protocol specifically designed for remote reading of smart meters, generally gas, water, or electricity meters, and typically used by utilities, but the wM-Bus gateway allows you to deploy the standard for your home automation solution, meters, and sensors. wM-Bus gateway specifications: Main controller – ESP32 dual-core microcontroller with Wi-Fi and BLE connectivity Display – 1.3-inch OLED for live measurements and status wM-Bus – 868 MHz radio receiver; Semtech SX1276-based RFM95/RFM96 according to the code Supports T1 and C1 frames, compatible with the wmbusmeters library Antennas Built-in 2.4 GHz antenna for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth External SMA antenna for wireless M-Bus; important: must be connected before powering the device to avoid damage Misc Top button to […]

July 9, 2026July 9, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Makerfabs MaUWB for Home Assistant – An ESP32-S3 UWB module with PoE and enclosure

Makerfabs MaUWB for Home Assistant is an ESP32-S3-based Ultra-Wideband (UWB) module designed for indoor positioning and Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS). It runs ESPHome for Home Assistant integration, enabling it to be used as part of a UWB-based positioning system to track tagged devices in homes, offices, and other indoor environments. The module combines an ESP32-S3 with a MaUWB UWB module based on the Qorvo DW3000, featuring a PA/LNA for long-range ranging. Compared to the earlier ESP32-S3 version, it drops the OLED and adds a WIZnet W5500 Ethernet controller that supports PoE. The module also supports Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0, and comes in an enclosure for fixed installations. Makerfabs MaUWB for Home Assistant specifications: Wireless Module – ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 up to 240 MHz with vector extension for AI/ML workloads RAM – 512KB SRAM; 8MB PSRAM Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth LE 5 […]

July 4, 2026 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

BIGTREETECH Panda Sense Pro 8-in-1 smart air quality monitor works with Home Assistant and Klipper for 3D printers

BIGTREETECH Panda Sense Pro 8-in-1 Air Quality Monitor for 3D Printers

BIGTREETECH (BIQU) has introduced the BIQU Panda Sense Pro, an 8-in-1 smart air quality monitor designed for 3D printing environments such as home workshops, maker spaces, and print farms. It continuously measures airborne particles, gases, temperature, and humidity, helping users monitor indoor air quality while printing. The device also integrates with Klipper-based printers and smart home platforms, making it suitable for both standalone monitoring and automated environmental control. It combines laser particle, NDIR CO₂, and electrochemical formaldehyde sensors to monitor PM2.5, PM10, CO₂, HCHO, eTVOC, AQI, temperature, and humidity in real time. The monitor features a 3.5-inch 480×320 TFT display, 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi with MQTT, USB Type-C power, 24-hour and 30-day data logging, and upcoming app-based remote monitoring. It integrates with Moonraker (Fluidd/Mainsail) and Home Assistant for automation, such as controlling fans or air purifiers based on sensor readings. The enclosure files are open-source, which means you can customize and […]