Obsidian ESP32 is an Espressif ESP32-based board in the familiar form factor of popular single board computers like Raspberry Pi. This allows you to use a wide variety of ready-made Raspberry Pi peripherals (or other peripherals) with the Arduino IDE, Espressif IDF, or MicroPython. The Raspberry Pi form factor also allows you to use cases and accessories that are already on the market. And you can do it all with low power consumption.
Leveraging the strong open source software community around the ESP32, Obsidian ESP32 is compatible with the published Espressif Arduino core and MicroPython, as well as the Espressif IDF.
Obsidian ESP32 consumes significantly lower power than typical Linux single-board computers because it uses a microcontroller running either user code on bare hardware or via a real-time operating system. This allows for a longer battery life and reduced operating energy footprint overall. It shares the form-factor with the popular Raspberry Pi and countless other single board computers, so the end-user can rest easy knowing their project has the flexibility to be easily ported to or from a Linux SBC as the need arises.
The Obsidian ESP32 was proudly designed in KiCad and its design files will be released under the CERN OHL v1.2.
A. Dual 3.3 V regulators for ESP32 and GPIO
B. ESP32-WROVER-B - 16 MB Flash
C. MicroUSB for power and programming
D. Analog inputs connecting to the ESP32’s SENSOR_VP and SENSOR_VN pins
E. TRS jack connected to ESP32 DACs
F. Remaining GPIO from I²C GPIO expander
G. Boot option and reset buttons
H. Address selection for I²C GPIO expander on "ID" line
G. 40-pin GPIO
The high-speed GPIO interfaces (I²C, SPI, UART, I²S) are all directly controlled by the associated ESP32 peripherals. The remaining GPIO that could not be filled by the ESP32 directly are controlled through an I²C IO expander.
Custom-made for Obsidian ESP32, the cases are constructed of a carbon-fiber reinforced nylon by a small company north of Detroit. The board fits snugly inside, while openings allow access to the GPIO. The case will come wth four screws and adhesive rubber bumper feet.
| Obsidian ESP32 | ESP-WROVER-KIT | Generic ESP32 Dev Board | Arduino Uno Wi-Fi Rev 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Module | ESP32-WROVER-B | ESP32-WROVER-B | ESP32 module | ATMEGA4809 | |
| RAM | 64 MBit PSRAM | 64 MBit PSRAM | Depends on board | 6144 Bytes | |
| Flash | 16 MB | up to 16 MB | up to 16 MB | 48 KB | |
| Form Factor | RPi A | Unique | Dual In-line Package | Arduino Uno | |
| Available expansion boards | Many (RPi compatible) | Few | Non-standard modules | Arduino shields | |
| Case Available | Yes (RPi and 3D-printed) | No | No | Yes (assorted) | |
| Screen | Available via HAT | Included, fixed to board | No provision | Available shield | |
| Audio | On-board TRS and I²S HAT | No provision | No Provision | No Provision | On-board TRS and I²S HAT |
| Power Consumption | Low | Low | Low | Low | High |
| Open Source | Full HW + SW | SW + Schematic | SW + Schematic | Full HW + SW | |
| Price | $35 | $40 | $4 to $20 | $45 |
The Obsidian ESP32 is designed to be a bridge between the microcontroller and single board computer worlds. Using MicroPython and the Arduino IDE allows for a lot of pre-existing projects to be easily ported to this specific board with minimal effort.
The Obsidian ESP32 will be manufactured by PCBWay and shipped to Michigan. There, they will be individually electrically tested and loaded with MicroPython before being distributed to backers by Crowd Supply. You can learn more about Crowd Supply’s shipping process in the Crowd Supply Guide. Be sure to keep your shipping address updated in your Crowd Supply account.
As with any venture, some risks are involved. The design is very stable at this point, so the risks are primarily in sourcing and logistics. The quality yield from PCBWay for this board is not entirely known (for example: how many PPM will have damage to soft plastic components like the TRS jack after running through the reflow oven, any cold joints/shorts on the fine pitch components, etc.) If the rate is too high, there would be a delay in delivery if a second batch needed to be ordered. A second risk is any shortage of components or delays in shipping/customs/etc. Delays will be communicated clearly and promptly with backers through updates to the project.
"The Obsidian ESP32 offer[s] a footprint compatible with Raspberry Pi cases and can be used with ready-made Raspberry Pi peripherals as well as supporting Arduino IDE, Espressif IDF, or MicroPython"
"It should be fairly simple just to port a lot of the code over to this ESP32-based board."
"Guardando compatibilidad de forma y conectores con la Raspberry Pi, esta placa ESP32 puede utilizar los periféricos pensados y desarrollados para la popular plataforma de placas de desarrollo, presentando ventajas frente a esta."
"The main benefit here is that you can use HATs designed for a Pi with the ESP32. That means you can combine real-time access with the low-power consumption of the ESP32."
Produced by Thomas McKahan in Detroit, Michigan.
Sold and shipped by Crowd Supply.
Obsidian board without the ESP32 module so you can build the board out to fit your needs.
One Obsidian ESP32 board
One Obsidian ESP32 board plus a custom 3D printed carbon fiber reinforced nylon case
Thomas is a long-time software and hardware tinkerer, beginning with Apple BASIC and 555 timers and working up to embedded Linux and system design. Having started out during a time where hardware was more difficult to obtain, the current open-source community is a breath of fresh air.
