micropython News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

January 29, 2026January 29, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

MicroPythonOS graphical operating system delivers Android-like user experience on microcontrollers

Yesterday, I wrote about Ariel OS RTOS for microcontrollers written in Rust, but there’s another interesting open-source operating system for microcontrollers that will be covered at FOSDEM 2026: MicroPythonOS. While Ariel OS is designed for secure, memory-safe, networked IoT applications on microcontrollers, MicroPythonOS targets applications with graphical user interfaces and is heavily inspired by Android and iOS, with an appstore, an LVGL-based touchscreen and button UI with plenty of widgets, gestures and theme support, and a wifi manager, as well as over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates. You’ll probably be astonished to learn that MicroPythonOS is written in… MicroPython. It’s comprised of a Thin OS which handles hardware initialization, multitasking, and UI, and everything else is an app, including system features like WiFi configuration and OS updates. MicroPythonOS highlights: Native MicroPython foundation Runs on ESP32 microcontrollers, but the FOSDEM 2026 talk mentions that it can run on anything that supports MicroPython, including […]

January 26, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

ACEBOTT QD023 ESP32-based gesture control glove tracks finger movements with potentiometers

ACEBOTT QD023 ESP32 Motion Sensing Glove

ACEBOTT QD023 is an ESP32-based wearable gesture control glove that tracks finger movements with potentiometers instead of more traditional flex sensors. The glove transmits data via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to control various robotics kits, such as bipedal walkers, mecanum-wheeled cars, and robotic arms. The glove integrates five potentiometers for finger bending detection, and a 6-axis MPU6050 IMU for wrist rotation, tilt, and hand posture detection in real time. Other Hardware features include a USB Type-C port for programming and debugging, four AAA batteries for power, buttons, LEDs, and more. Tutorials and assembly guides make it suitable for K-12 education, classrooms, and hobbyist robotics projects. ACEBOTT QD023 specifications: Wireless Module – ESP32-WROOM-32D (soldered on the backside of the PCB) SoC – ESP32 dual-core wireless microcontroller CPU – Dual-core Xtensa 32-bit microprocessor @ 240MHz Memory – 520KB internal SRAM Wireless – Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, and Bluetooth (4.2 and BLE) PCB antenna USB – […]

January 24, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

FOSDEM 2026 schedule – Embedded, RISC-V, Robotics, Rust, Open Hardware, and more

FOSDEM 2026 will take place on January 31-February 1, with thousands of developers meeting in Brussels to discuss open-source software & hardware projects. The free-to-attend “Free and Open Source Software Developers’ European Meeting” gets more traction every year, and in 2026, there will be at least 1,113 speakers, 1,016 events, 70 tracks, and potentially close to 10,000 attendees. As usual, I’ll create a virtual schedule with sessions most relevant to the topics covered on CNX Software from the “Embedded, Mobile and Automotive” and “Open Hardware and CAD/CAM” devrooms, but also other devrooms, including “RISC-V”, “Robotics and simulation”, and “FOSS on Mobile”, among others. I’m aware some of the talks overlap by a couple of minutes or so… FOSDEM 2026 Day 1 – Saturday, January 31 10:40 – 11:15 – RISC-V Vector optimisations in FFmpeg by Rémi Denis-Courmont FFmpeg is the most versatile multimedia codec and format support library, and was […]

January 16, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

XIAO ESP32-C5 – A tiny USB-C IoT board with dual-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, Zigbee, and Thread connectivity

Seeed Studio has just added a new member to its XIAO USB-C board family with the XIAO ESP32-C5 offering dual-band WiFi 6 (2.4 and 5.0 GHz), as well as Bluetooth 5.0 LE, Zigbee, and Thread connectivity for IoT projects and products. It still features a u.FL antenna connector, Reset and Boot buttons, two 7-pin GPIO headers, and 8 pads for JTAG or GPIOs on the back. Compared to the earlier XIAO ESP32C6, the new model is clocked higher (240 MHz vs 160 MHz), supports dual-band Wi-Fi, and offers more memory (384KB SRAM + 8 MB PSRAM vs 512KB SRAM) and storage (8MB vs 4MB flash), but exposes fewer analog pins (5 vs 7). XIAO ESP32-C5 specifications: Wireless MCU – Espressif Systems ESP32-C5HR8 CPU Single-core 32-bit RISC-V processor @ up to 240 MHz Low-power RISC-V core @ 48 MHz acting as the main processor for power-sensitive applications Memory – 384 KB […]

January 14, 2026January 24, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 8 Comments

WeAct CAN485 – A low-cost ESP32 board with CAN Bus and RS485 interfaces

WeAct CAN485 is a low-cost ESP32 board with CAN Bus and RS485 interfaces implemented through transceivers with 2.5kV isolation from Shanghai Chipanalog Microelectronics Co., Ltd. or Chipanalog for shorts. The board supports WiFi and Bluetooth LE through the ESP32 microcontroller and also features a microSD card slot, three switches for 120 Ohm termination and pull-up/pull-down resistors, Reset and User buttons, a USB-C port for programming, and a 2-pin terminal block taking 5 to 36V DC input power. WeAct CAN485 specifications: Wireless SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-DOWD-V3 CPU – Dual-core processor @ 240MHz Memory – 520 KB SRAM, 16 KB SRAM in RTC Storage – 448 KB ROM Wireless – WiFi 4 and BLE connectivity Storage 8MB flash (W25Q64JVSSIQ) MicroSD card slot (SPI); note: the card needs to be removed when flashing the firmware. USB – USB Type-C port for power and programming ( via CH343P USB to TTL bridge) Serial […]

January 10, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

XIAO ePaper DIY Kit – EE02 – An ESP32-S3 board designed for 13.3-inch Spectra 6 color E-Ink display

XIAO ESP32-S3 13.3-inch E-ink Spectra 6 color display kit

Seeed Studio’s XIAO ePaper DIY Kit EE02 is an ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth board designed specifically for the 13.3-inch Spectra 6 color E-Ink display provided by the company. It’s based on a similar design as the XIAO ePaper DIY Kit-EE04 (ESP32-S3) and XIAO ePaper DIY Kit-EN04 (nRF52480) introduced last December, which are suitable for smaller 1.54 to 7.15-inch ePaper displays. Like the previous models, the new EE02 model also includes a battery connector with a power switch, a built-in charging IC, and comes with one reset and three user buttons. With support for a larger 13.3-inch color ePaper display, it’s especially well-suited for digital frames and information boards. XIAO ePart DIY kit – EE02 specifications: Wireless board – XIAO ESP32S3 Plus SoC – Espressif ESP32-S3R8 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration Memory – 8MB PSRAM Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth […]

December 27, 2025 by Debashis Das - 5 Comments

ESP32-C6 development board features 1.8-inch AMOLED touch display, built-in mic and speaker, IMU, RTC, and more

Waveshare ESP32-C6-Touch-AMOLED-1.8 is an ESP32-C6-based touch display development board featuring a 1.8-inch capacitive AMOLED display, a 6-axis IMU, RTC, audio codec, microSD card slot, USB-C for power and programming, power/boot buttons, and various I/Os including I²C, UART, USB, and GPIO pads. Compared to boards like Waveshare ESP32-S3-LCD-1.28, ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.69 (based on ESP32-S3), and ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-3.4C/4C (based on ESP32-P4), this board is based on the ESP32-C6 wireless SoC with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 LE, Zigbee, and Thread connectivity. It also includes a 16 MB external flash and a 368 × 448 AMOLED display with 16.7 million colors and capacitive touch support. Power is managed by an AXP2101 PMIC for Li-ion battery support and charging. Typical applications include smart home control panels, wearable and handheld IoT devices, voice-enabled assistants, data loggers, portable dashboards, and HMI-focused embedded prototypes. Waveshare ESP32-C6-Touch-AMOLED-1.8 specifications: SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-C6 CPU Single-core 32-bit RISC-V clocked up to 160 MHz […]

December 23, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

HackyPi 2.0 hacking tool gets ESP32-S3 for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity (Crowdfunding)

HackyPi 2.0 USB Hacking and penitration testing tool

HackyPi 2.0 is an ESP32-S3-based USB hacking and automation tool designed for both coders and non-coders. It features AI-assisted control, HID keystroke injection, BadUSB, and a no-code interface for learning, automation, ethical hacking, and overall system interaction. Compared to the original Raspberry Pi RP2040-based HackyPi, the HackyPi 2.0 adds Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, remote access, AI integration, and automatic OS detection, making it far more flexible. It keeps support for BadUSB and HID keystroke injection and also adds features such as mouse jiggler mode, child-safety website blocking, RGB status lighting, and LVGL-based UI support. Everything can be controlled through a beginner-friendly, no-code visual interface, while there is also an option to run commands, scripts, and automated workflows when deeper control is needed. HackyPi 2.0 specifications: Main SoC – ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core LX7 microprocessor @ up to 240 MHz with Vector extension for machine learning Wireless – WiFi 4 and […]