A low-power, open source, 2.7-inch IoT display powered by an ESP32-S2 module and featuring SHARP's Memory-in-Pixel (MiP) screen technology

The Newt is a battery-powered, always-on, wall-mountable display that can go online to retrieve weather, calendars, sports scores, to-do lists, quotes…really anything on the Internet! It is powered by an ESP32-S2 microcontroller that you can program with Arduino, CircuitPython, MicroPython, or ESP-IDF. It's perfect for makers:

• Sharp’s Memory-in-Pixel (MiP) technology avoids the slow refresh times associated with E-Ink displays
• A real-time clock (RTC) was added to support timers and alarms
• The Newt was designed with battery operation in mind; every component on the board was chosen for its ability to operate at low power.

Newt was designed to operate 'untethered,' which means it can be mounted in places where a power cord would be inconvenient, for example a wall, refrigerator, mirror, or dry-erase board. With the optional stand, desks, shelves, and nightstands are also good options.

Newt is open source, and all design files and libraries are available for review, use, and modification. However, doing that is not required. Each Newt is delivered with working code with the following features:

• Current weather details
• Hourly and daily weather forecast
• Alarm
• Timer
• Inspirational quotes
• Air-quality forecast
• Habit calendar
• Pomodoro timer
• Oblique Strategy cards

Only following the Wi-Fi provisioning instructions is needed to get started. No app downloads are required.

Specifications

Microcontroller

• Espressif ESP32-S2-WROVER Module with 4 MB flash and 2 MB PSRAM
• Wi-Fi capable
• Supports Arduino, MicroPython, CircuitPython, and ESP-IDF
• Deep sleep current as low as 25 μA

Display

• 2.7-inch, 240 x 400 pixel MiP LCD
• Capable of delivering high-contrast, high-resolution, low-latency content with ultra-low power consumption
• Reflective mode leverages ambient light to eliminate the need for a backlight

Time Keeping, Timers, and Alarms

• Micro Crystal RV-3028-C7 RTC
• Optimized for extreme low-power consumption (45 μA)
• Able to simultaneously manage a periodic timer, a countdown timer, and an alarm
• Hardware interrupt for timers and alarms
• 43 bytes of non-volatile user memory, 2 bytes of user RAM
• Separate UNIX time counter

Buzzer

• Speaker/buzzer with mini class-D amplifier on DAC output A0 can play tones or lo-fi audio clips

User Input

• Power switch
• Two programmable tactile buttons for Reset and Boot
• 10 capacitive touchpads

Power

Newt is designed to operate for one to two months between charges using a 500 mAH LiPo battery. The exact run time varies. (Heavy Wi-Fi use, in particular, will reduce battery charge more quickly.)

• USB Type-C connector for programming, power, and charging
• Low-quiescence voltage regulator (TOREX XC6220) that can output 1 A of current and operate as low as 8 μA.
• JST connector for a Lithium-Ion battery
• Battery-charging circuity (MCP73831)
• Low-battery indicator (1 μA quiescence current)

Software

• Newt hardware is compatible with open-source Arduino libraries for ESP32-S2, Adafruit GFX (fonts), Adafruit Sharp Memory Display (display writing), and RTC RV-3028-C7 (RTC)
• Arduino libraries and sample programs are under development and will be available in our GitHub repository before launch
• CircuitPython libraries and registration are on the roadmap, with the development of a CircuitPython library for the RV-3028 real-time clock as a key dependency

Included

• Phambili Newt – Fully assembled with pre-loaded firmware
• Laser-cut desktop stand
• Mini-magnet feet
• Required screws

Support & Documentation

• Full instructions for use
• GitHub: Arduino Library and Codebase
• GitHub: Board schematics
• Videos of prototypes or demos (build tracked on Hackaday)