micropython News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

November 17, 2025November 17, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

HackStar – An RP2040 or ESP32-S3-based USB hacking cable/dongle (Crowdfunding)

HackStar is an ethical hacking tool based on Raspberry Pi RP2040 or ESP32-S3 in a USB cable or dongle form factor for education, pentesters, and makers. While the email I received claimed the HackStar was the “first-ever production-ready ethical hacking product on Kickstarter”, we’ve written about a range of hacking devices based on ESP8266, ESP32, and/or RP2040 microcontroller(s) such as the popular Flipper Zero, the BUG USB stick, nRFBOX V2 ESP32 wireless hacking tool, ESP32 Marauder Double Barrel, HackyPi USB adapter, and many others. What’s relatively new, or at least less common (see HackCable project), here is that the HackStar is also available as a USB Type-A to USB Type-C WiFi hacking cable… HackStar Cable hardware specifications: Wireless SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 dual-core LX7 processor @ 240 MHz with 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 and Bluetooth LE/dual mode USB Type-A male connector USB Type-C male connector Length – TBD HackStar […]

November 11, 2025November 16, 2025 by Kumpee Teeravech - 1 Comment

LattePanda IOTA review – An Intel N150 + RP2040 SBC tested with Windows 11, UPS expansion, PoE, NVMe SSD, and more

I’ve received a review sample of the LattePanda IOTA single-board computer (SBC) from DFRobot. It is a compact, palm-sized SBC powered by an Intel Processor N150 quad-core Twin Lake CPU, and featuring 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 64 GB of onboard eMMC storage. It also integrates a Raspberry Pi RP2040 co-processor for handling I/O operations, providing greater flexibility for embedded and automation applications. LattePanda IOTA unboxing The parcel was shipped from China and arrived safely in a standard cardboard box. Inside were several smaller boxes containing the following components, with foam padding that was slightly loose but still provided adequate protection. All components arrived in good condition. I received a total of seven items from DFRobot, which are listed below. LattePanda IOTA (8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC flash) Smart UPS Expansion Board: A plug-and-play UPS module for the LattePanda IOTA that provides stable, continuous power with intelligent management and supports […]

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

HackBEE is a Raspberry Pi RP2350 USB-C dongle for developers (Crowdfunding)

Hack the Board’s HackBEE is a tiny programmable USB-C dongle and development platform powered by the Raspberry Pi RP2350 Arm Cortex-M33/Hazard3 RISC-V microcontroller. It supports USB host and device modes, has side buttons, and includes a multi-color RGB LED for feedback. The device can be used as a programmable HID device (keyboard/mouse/media controller), a USB host or device for testing and prototyping, an automation tool for repetitive tasks, a compact input emulator, or a teaching tool for C/C+, MicroPython, and embedded systems education. HackBEE specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2350A CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @ 150 MHz with Arm Trustzone, Secure boot OR Dual-core RISC-V Hazard3 @ 150 MHz Either two cores can be used. Memory – 520 KB on-chip SRAM Package – QFN-60 Storage – Not disclosed USB – 1x USB Type-C host/device port Security – Arm TrustZone for Cortex-M33 cores, optional boot signing (OTP), protected OTP storage, SHA-256 […]

October 26, 2025October 26, 2025 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

CrowPanel Advance 7-inch ESP32-P4 HMI display supports Zigbee, LoRa, and 2.4GHz radio modules

CrowPanel Advanced 7 inch ESP32 P4 HMI AI Display

The CrowPanel Advance 7.0-inch ESP32-P4 HMI AI display is an ESP32-P4 HMI terminal that is similar to the GUITION 7-inch touchscreen display. It also adds an ESP32-C6 module for WiFi 6, Bluetooth LE, and 802.15.4 connectivity, and is suitable for Smart Home, industrial automation, and AIoT applications. It features a 7-inch 1024×600 IPS capacitive touchscreen and optional AI vision and audio through a 2MP MIPI-CSI camera for face and object recognition, and a speaker header and a dual microphone array for interactive voice applications. The smart display also supports interchangeable wireless expansion for Zigbee/Thread, LoRa, and 2.4 GHz proprietary (nRF2401) connectivity. CrowPanel Advance 7.0-inch display specifications: Microcontroller – Espressif Systems ESP32-P4 CPU Dual-core RISC-V HP (High-performance) CPU @ up to 400 MHz with AI instructions extension and single-precision FPU, 768KB of on-chip SRAM Single-RISC-V LP (Low-power) MCU core @ up to 40 MHz with 8KB of zero-wait TCM RAM Memory – […]

October 16, 2025October 16, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 8 Comments

$4 Shrike-lite FPGA board combines 1120 LUTs Renesas ForgeFPGA with Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU

Shrike Lite Renesas ForgeFPGA RP2040 board

Shrike-lite is an ultra-cheap FPGA board based on a 1120 LUTs Renesas ForgeFPGA device (SLG47910V) and also equipped with a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller. The board also features a USB-C port for power and programming, two 18-pin headers and a 12-pin PMOD-compatible header for I/Os, as well as Boot and Reset buttons, but not much else since it’s designed as a minimal development board. Shrike-lite and Shrike boards specifications: FPGA – Renesas ForgeFPGA (SLG47910V,1120 LUTs) 1120 5-bit LUTs 1120 DFFs 5 kb distributed memory 32 kb BRAM Configurable through NVM and/or SPI interface Package – STQFN-24 MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ microcontroller @ 125 MHz with 264KB SRAM FPGA/ MCU interface – 6-bit high-speed bridge Storage – QSPI flash for configuration and storage USB – USB Type-C for programming & power Expansion 2x 18-pin headers for RP2040 and ForgeFPGA’s I/Os 12-pin PMOD compatible header Misc Boot and Reset buttons […]

October 9, 2025October 8, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

upyOS modular MicroPython-based OS for microcontrollers works with ESP32, RP2040, etc…

upyOS is a modular, lightweight MicroPython-based operating system (OS) that provides a Unix-like experience on low-resource microcontrollers such as Espressif Systems ESP32/ESP32-C3/ESP32-S3, Raspberry Pi RP2040, and others. Inspired by smolOS, upyOS offers remote development tools, OTA updates, and a built-in web server. Its modular architecture separates system functions into reusable components, instead of large, monolithic programs. Key Features: Modular architecture: Commands and system functionality are broken down into small, independent modules to reduce memory usage. Built-in shell environment: Execute commands and scripts directly, providing a Unix-like CLI experience. Startup and shutdown scripting: Configure boot and shutdown behaviors using /etc/init.sh and /etc/end.sh. Recovery mode: A built-in failsafe mechanism lets users recover the system when booting fails. Background execution: Supports threads and asyncio for background tasks, along with & sufix, hold, resume, kill and killall commands for process control. Remote development support: Telnet and FTP servers allow file transfer and terminal access over […]

September 29, 2025November 2, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Olimex RP2350-PICO2 open hardware boards expose all 48 GPIOs for breadboard prototyping

Olimex RP2350 PICO2 BB48 Open Source Development Board

Olimex RP2350-PICO2-BB48 and RP2350-PICO2-BB48R open hardware development boards are built around the Raspberry Pi RP2350B MCU, and expose all 48 GPIOs in a 0.6-inch dual-inline PCB layout. Compared to the earlier PICO2-XL and PICO2-XXL boards, this new board features a breadboard-friendly design with options for PSRAM and microSD on the BB48R version. Other features include USB-C power/data, BOOT and RESET buttons, a 2A 3.3V regulator, UEXT and Qwiic/Stemma connectors, status LED, and debug pads. With pre-soldered headers, it can be plugged directly into a breadboard, making it ideal for DIY projects, IoT, retro computing, and hardware prototyping. Olimex RP2350-PICO2-BB48 and RP2350-PICO2-BB48R specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2350B CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @ 150 MHz with Arm Trustzone, Secure boot OR Dual-core RISC-V Hazard3 @ 150 MHz Either two cores can be used. Memory – 520 KB on-chip SRAM Package – QFN-80 Memory – 8 MB external QSPI PSRAM (only on […]

September 12, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

WiFIRCard – A credit card-sized WiFi and IR-controlled dual relay board (Crowdfunding)

WiFIRCard is a credit card-sized ESP32-S3 board designed for home automation with two relays and a few GPIOs (headers and screw terminals) that can be controlled over WiFi 4 or an IR (infrared) remote control. The board also features a microSD card slot for data logging or other storage uses, a buzzer for audio feedback, a USB-C port for power and programming, and a few buttons and LEDs. WiFiRCard specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 with Xtensa® LX7 dual-core 32-bit SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 up to 240 MHz with vector extension for AI/ML workloads RAM – 512KB SRAM, up to 8MB PSRAM Storage – Up to 16MB flash Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth LE 5 Antenna – PCB antenna Storage – MicroSD card slot for data logging/storage USB – 1x USB Type-C port for power and programming Relays 2x HLS8L-DC5V-S-C relays 10A/250V AC, 15A/120V AC, […]