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.

We consider Newt to be the next step in the evolution of low-power display boards. Perfect for makers, Sharp’s Memory-in-Pixel (MiP) technology avoids the slow refresh times associated with E-Ink displays. To support timers and alarms, we’ve also added a real-time clock (RTC). And finally, we’ve designed Newt with battery operation in mind – every component on the board was chosen for it’s ability to operate at low power.

It’s Cordless!

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

Works Right Out of the Box

Newt is open source, and all design files and libraries are available for review, use, and modification. That being said: sometimes you just want something that works, without having to upload or modify code. Each Newt is delivered with working code with the following features:

• Current weather details
• Hourly and daily weather forecast
• Alarm
• Inspirational quotes
• Air-quality forecast
• Habit calendar

Users only need to follow the Wi-Fi provisioning instructions (no app downloads required) to get started.

Useful Anywhere

Newt was originally designed as a multi-function smart device meant to display weather reports, agendas, and shopping lists right there on your refrigerator. Since it’s creation, the maker community has weighed in with additional use cases…

Home Applications

• Kitchen timer
• Bedside alarm
• Habit tracker
• Weather station
• Sports-score or news-headline display
• Daily quotation, vocabulary word, bible verse, etc.

Professional Applications

• Meeting room status (occupied, available, date when last cleaned, etc.)
• User-productivity (integration with project-management tools, task lists, etc.)

More Complex Applications

Some of which might require integration with third-party services…

• Fitbit stats
• Google calendars, to-do lists, or fitness data
• Alexa to-do and shopping lists (require the development of Alexa smart skills)
• Display of current traffic conditions and arrival-time estimates for work, school, etc.
• Movie clips and animations

Features & 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 uA

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 nA)
• 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 touch pads

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 uA.
• JST connector for a Lithium-Ion battery
• Battery-charging circuity (MCP73831)
• Low-battery indicator (1 uA quiescence current)

Dimensions

• 91 x 61 x 9 mm

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

Optional Hardware for Mounting & Desktop Use

• Desktop stand made of engineered wood mounting
• Four mini-magnet feet to affix Newt to metallic surfaces (magnetic dry erase boards, refrigerators, etc)
• M3 hardware for the desktop stand and magnet feet

Comparisons

Support & Documentation

• Board schematics
• Other design files
• Videos of prototypes or demos (build tracked on Hackaday)

Links to software examples and firmware will be added soon.

Manufacturing Plan

We are working with a contract manufacturer to build, test, and package Newt. We believe outsourcing this to experts will minimize defects. We will create the accompanying desktop stand in house using a 40 W laser cutter. We are able to produce these components at scale, and we believe that creating them in-house will keep costs down while allowing us to maintain a high standard of quality.

Fulfillment & Logistics

After testing and packaging the production batch of Newt boards, we will send them on to Crowd Supply’s fulfillment partner, Mouser Electronics, who will distribute them to backers worldwide. You can learn more about Crowd Supply’s fulfillment service under Ordering, Paying, and Shipping in their guide.

Risks & Challenges

The largest risk is availability of components due to the ongoing chip shortage. Fortunately, all parts currently show plenty of stock available, so we don’t foresee any problems in that area. We have also identified alternative parts that we can use if the originally specified components begin to run low. The only part that cannot be substituted is the Sharp Memory In Pixel display, and we have confirmed availability of that display with a number of overseas manufactures.