SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus C is a development platform for ESP32. Based on Espressif’s ESP32, Thing Plus C is a Wi-fi compatible microcontroller. Furthermore, this $21.95 board supports both Bluetooth Classic (i.e., SPD) and Bluetooth low-energy (BLE, BT4.0, Bluetooth Smart). SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus C – ESP32 WROOM is an updated version of SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus – ESP32 WROOM and has more features than the previous one. Besides, this board comes under SparkX products, which are experimental and not produced regularly.
SparkFun Thing Plus C- ESP32 WROOM Peripherals:
The SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus C has a USB C that provides up to 2A. There is a CH340 USB to serial IC driver. Thus, the board does not require a programmer to access the processor. Also, the board has an upgraded 16MB flash ESP32 WROOM module. SparkFun Thing Plus C has an onboard fuel gauge IC and addressable LED. These peripherals help one know the battery levels and suit the multi-status LED purpose. For the SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus C, designers have added a dedicator regulator to the Qwiic connector. This regulator enables software power control of Qwiic bus which is notable for low power logging.
Other peripherals include capacitive touch sensors and hall sensors. Further, the board supports ethernet and Qwiic connector. Thing plus C has 21 I/O pins and high-speed SPIs. Also, there are UARTs, I2C and I2S ports on the board. The device has 16MB of flash memory, 520kB internal SRAM and dual-mode Bluetooth capabilities. The board has an integrated 802.11 BGN Wi-Fi transceiver and a JST connector. One can plug in a LiPo battery using the JST connector. In addition, there is a micro-SD connector on the rare side of the board.
ESPRESSIF ESP32:
“A feature-rich MCU with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for a wide range of applications.” ESP32 is characterized by a robust design. It has an operating temperature range of about –40°C to +125°C. It also adapts well to changes in external conditions. The ESP32 has three more features. Firstly, Ultra-Low Power Consumption. It works at low power and includes state-of-the-art features. Such features include fine-grained clock gating, various power modes and dynamic power scaling. Secondly, ESP32 has a high level of integration. It has in-built antenna switches, RF balun, power amplifier, low-noise receiver amplifier, filters, and power management modules. Lastly, ESP32 is a Hybrid Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip. “ESP32 can interface with other systems to provide Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality through its SPI / SDIO or I2C / UART interfaces.”
One can purchase the Open source SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus C from SparkFun’s official site. More details about SparkFun Thing Plus ESP32 and Esprssif’s ESP32 can be obtained at their official sites. The SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus costs about $20.95. Also, SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus C comes under SparkX. “ SparkX products are rapidly produced to bring you the most cutting-edge technology as it becomes available. These products are tested but come with no guarantees.” Sources for all pictures and technical details are on the official sites.
Sanskriti Sawant is a student of Electronics and Telecommunication engineering. She is passionate about Computer architecture, VLSI and plans to major in them. She is working on HDL languages and FPGA’s.
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