Integrated motor driver and controller bundles ESP32-S3 and TMC2209 for IoT applications

PD Stepper USB-C

The PD Stepper is a NEMA 17 integrated stepper motor driver and controller board powered by USB power delivery that combines an ESP32-S3 wireless microcontroller, the Trinamic TMC2209 ultra-silent motor driver, and other components onto a single board for Smart Home and automation applications. The maker, Josh R., states that the PD Stepper isn’t another “just because we can” project. It addresses the need for an integrated motor driver and controller module that can used in compact or space-constrained designs. The ESP32-S3 SoC controls the other components on the board and provides wireless connectivity as well as access to development tools and libraries such as ESPHome and ESP-Now. The motor driver IC, Analog Devices’s Trinamic TMC2209, offers efficient, noiseless control of two-phase stepper motors. Other onboard components and connectors include an AS5600 magnetic rotary position sensor, a 3.3V buck converter, a Qwiic/Stemma QT connector, a motor connector, and an AUX […]

Review of Napcat wireless NVR with solar-powered security cameras

Napcat solar-powered wireless NVR review

After I reviewed the NapCat smart video doorbell last June, the company asked me to review a wireless NVR with solar-powered security cameras and I understood I would receive a kit with four solar-powered cameras and an NVR with storage preinstalled. In this review, I’ll go through an unboxing, a quick teardown of the NVR, the installation process, and my experience with the Napcat NVR user interfaces (connected to HDMI) and the Napcat Life Android app which I also used with the video doorbell. Napcat wireless NVR N1S22 kit unboxing The package I’ve received reads “N1S22” model of a “Solar-powered Security Camera System” and is quite smaller than I expected. One reason for the small size is that my kit only comes with two cameras instead of four, and the company also did a good job of making everything take as little space as possible. On the net, you’ll see […]

ESP8266-powered Netgotchi network security scanner aims to protect your home network

netgotchi security scanner

The Netgotchi network security scanner is a simple, compact device based on an ESP8266 wireless microcontroller with a single goal: to defend your home network from intruders and potential bad actors. It is described as “Pwnagotchi’s older brother,” a network guardian that keeps your network safe instead of penetrating it. If you are unfamiliar with Pwnagotchi, it is an A2C-based (advantage actor-critic) “AI” that can penetrate Wi-Fi networks using WPA key material obtained from passive sniffing or de-authentication attacks. The Netgotchi is a reverse Pwnagotchi that alerts you to intruders or breaches in your network. It runs on a simple microcontroller and cannot employ reinforcement learning like the Pwnagotchi. Rather, it pings the network periodically and reports any new potential security threats. The device’s design is as simple as its purpose. It is an ESP8266 microcontroller connected to an OLED display and running an Arduino .ino script, enclosed in a […]

WiCAN Pro – An ESP32-S3-powered OBD scanner for vehicle diagnostics with Smart Home integration (Crowdfunding)

wican pro

MeatPi Electronics introduced the WiCAN Pro, an ESP32-S3-based OBD scanner, and the successor to WiCAN-OBD. Equipped with an OBD-II interface IC, it provides full support for all legislated OBD-II protocols. It offers compatibility with multiple CAN Bus protocols, including three standard CAN Bus and single-wire CAN Bus. The previous generation WiCAN module came in an OBD or USB-based version. The WiCAN Pro only has an OBD interface, but another significant difference from the previous product is that it features a USB host port. This port can power USB devices up to 1.5 amps at 5 volts and enables capabilities like adding GPS or cellular-based radios, like with meatPi’s ESPNetLink add-on.   WiCAN Pro specifications: Wireless Module – ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N16R8 SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3R8 dual-core Tensilica LX7 @ up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration, 512KB RAM, 8MB PSRAM Storage – 16 MB flash Wireless – 2.4 GHz WiFi […]

Flipper Zero hacking tool gets ESP8266 Deauther add-on for Wi-Fi security and research

Flipper Zero ESP8266 Deauther board

PCB Studios has just launched the “Flipper Zero ESP8266 Deauther” adapter board for Flipper Zero that enables users to conduct de-authentication attacks on Wi-Fi networks. Running a modified version of SpacehuhnTech’s ESP8266 Deauther software, this board has a variety of actions for testing 802.11 wireless networks. Its primary function, deauthentication, sends deauthing packets to the target network, disconnecting devices from their 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks. In our last post about Flipper Zero, we wrote about Flipper Add-On CANBus a CAN bus hacking tool that can sniff, send, and log CAN bus packets. Other than that we have seen similar tools like the M1 multitool and HackBat which can be considered as Flipper Zero alternatives with STM32H5 and Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCUs and Wi-Fi connectivity. We have also written about various ESP8266 and ESP32-based Deauther tools like the DSTIKE Deauther Watch X, the Cheap Evil Tech Deauther board, and ESP32 Marauder […]

LILYGO T-QTC6 – An ESP32-C6 IoT controller with a 0.85-inch touchscreen LCD

ESP32-C6 IoT controller

LILYGO T-QTC6 is a cute little IoT controller based on an ESP32-C6 WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 LE, and 802.15.4 wireless microcontroller and a 0.85-inch touchscreen color LCD that can be powered via USB-C or a LiPo battery with the board also supporting charging. The device, sometimes called “T-QT C6” (with a space), also comes with an 8-pin female connector with five GPIOs and a Qwiic connector for UART modules. It’s another addition to the T-QT family with ESP32 wireless microcontrollers and a tiny 0.85-inch display such as the T-QT Pro or the T-QT V1.1. But note that those are development boards, while the T-QTC6 feels more like a complete device. LILYGO T-QTC6 specifications: Wireless Module – Espressif Systems ESP32-C6-MINI-1U SoC – ESP32-C6-FH4 32-bit RISC-V microprocessor up to 160 MHz with 320KB ROM, 512KB HP SRAM, 16KB LP SRAM, 4MB flash Memory – 4MB PSRAM (TBC) Wireless 2.4 GHz WiFi 6 […]

Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 board combines Raspberry Pi RP2350 MCU with ESP32-C6 WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 LE module

Raspberry Pi RP2350 board ESP32-C6 WiFi module

You don’t need to wait for the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W to get a Raspberry Pi RP2350 board with WiFi and Bluetooth thanks to the Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 board that combines an RP2350A microcontroller with an ESP32-C6 module offering 2.4 GHz WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.4 LE connectivity. The board follows the Adafruit Feather form factor with 28-pin through holes for I/Os making it compatible with FeatherWings add-on boards. It comes with a USB-C port for power and programming, and a JST connector plus a charging circuit for people wanting to connect a LiPo battery. Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 specifications: Microcontroller – Raspberry Pi RP2350A MCU CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 processor @ 150MHz Dual-core 32-bit RISC-V processor @ 150MHz Only two cores can be used at a given time Memory – 520KB internal RAM 8KB OTP Storage Package – QFN-60; 7×7 mm Memory – 8MB PSRAM Storage – 8MB SPI […]

MechDog AI Robot Dog features ESP32-S3 controller, supports Scratch, Python, and Arduino programming

MechDog Hiwonder AI robot dog

Hiwonder’s MechDog is a compact AI robot dog powered by an ESP32-S3 controller that drives eight high-speed coreless servos. It features built-in inverse kinematics for precise and agile movements and has ports for various I2C sensors such as ultrasonic and IMU sensors. The robot is equipped with a durable aluminum alloy frame and a removable 7.4V 1,500mAh lithium battery for power. MechDog integrates with the ESP32-S3 AI vision module, supporting dual-mode network communication either AP Hotspot Direct Connection Mode or STA LAN Mode so that users can access a designated URL webpage via an app or PC for real-time monitoring using a high-definition camera. Also, this robot dog supports various sensor modules, including a touch sensor, light sensor, dot matrix display, and programmable MP3 module, allowing for secondary development and expansion, offering extensive creative possibilities. Previously, we wrote about the Waveshare UGV AI Rover, which features a 2mm thick aluminum […]

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