🔧 Tool of the Week
pico-usb-wifi
Turn a Raspberry Pi Pico W into a driverless USB Wi‑Fi adapter (enumerates as CDC‑NCM, bridges layer‑2 frames). Fast to build, useful for embedded test rigs where you need a simple USB‑attached network without host drivers. Good for Linux/macOS/Windows/Android hosts; throughput is limited by the RP2040 Full‑Speed USB link but the design is straightforward to hack and extend. 🔗 https://gitlab.com/baiyibai/pico-usb-wifi. (gitlab.com)
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🛒 Deals & Finds
- Waveshare ESP32‑C6 1.54" LCD dev board
– Cheap, battery option, built‑in mic/speaker and 240×240 LCD — ready for quick UI or voice experiments. 🔗 https://www.waveshare.com/esp32-c6-lcd-1.54.htm. (waveshare.com)
- Waveshare ESP32‑C6 1.54" e‑Paper AIoT dev board
– e‑paper energy profile for ultra‑low‑power IoT frontends; good for badges and once‑a‑minute updates. 🔗 https://www.waveshare.net/shop/ESP32-C6-ePaper-1.54-EN.htm. (waveshare.net)
- Waveshare ESP32‑C6 GEEK / docs & demos
– If you pick a C6 board, grab the vendor demos (LVGL/UI, audio, Wi‑Fi examples) to get going fast. 🔗 https://docs.waveshare.com/ESP32-C6-GEEK. (docs.waveshare.com)
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🧪 Cool Build
Optocam Zero — a Pi Zero 2 W pocket camera
Compact DIY digital camera built around a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, small LCD, and 3D‑printed body — a solid example of using an SBC as a camera platform when you need more flexibility than off‑the‑shelf modules. Good reference for anyone making a handheld camera or viewfinder project. 🔗 https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/06/22/optocam-zero-a-raspberry-pi-zero-2-w-based-diy-digital-camera/. (cnx-software.com)
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📚 Worth Reading
- Raspberry Pi Pico W becomes a driverless USB Wi‑Fi adapter – Deep, practical writeup of pico‑usb‑wifi: how it bridges layer‑2, limitations, and implementation notes. 🔗 https://news.lavx.hu/article/raspberry-pi-pico-w-becomes-a-driverless-usb-wi-fi-adapter-with-this-firmware. (news.lavx.hu)
- ESPHome 2026.5.0 release notes – ESPHome’s new Device Builder and early support notes for ESP32‑H2 / C6; handy if you use ESPHome for device provisioning. 🔗 https://noticias.mechatronicstore.cl/electronica/esphome-202650-released-with-new-esphome-device-builder-beta-performancememory-o-e1637507019f. (noticias.mechatronicstore.cl)
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⚡ Quick Hits
- DIY robot actuator teardown — solid notes on cycloidal gearbox tradeoffs and a repo with CAD. 🔗 https://hackaday.com/2026/06/17/building-and-testing-a-diy-robot-actuator/. (hackaday.com)
- Notebookcheck roundup: Waveshare’s ESP32‑C6 LCD board covered (quick product brief and context). 🔗 https://www.notebookcheck.net/ESP32-C6-with-1-54-inch-display-Versatile-IoT-board-for-makers-with-WiFi-and-optional-battery.1329888.0.html. (notebookcheck.net)
- Waveshare demos & example zips — download the vendor demo to avoid driver‑hunt pain with C6 boards. 🔗 https://www.waveshare.com/wiki/ESP32-C6-LCD-1.69. (waveshare.com)
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📺 Cool Videos
- Robot actuator build (demo)
– Short build video linked from the Hackaday piece — good for motion, gearbox and winding technique reference. 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CDH4NMT_Pc. (hackaday.com)
- Waveshare ESP32‑C6 demo (vendor demos & examples)
– Vendor demo zips and example runs (LVGL, audio, Wi‑Fi) — useful to flash as a baseline. 🔗 https://docs.waveshare.com/ESP32-C6-GEEK/Resources-And-Documents. (docs.waveshare.com)
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Notes: links above point to the projects, vendor docs and short explainers I checked this week — lean, hands‑on items you can grab and use in a build in an afternoon. If you want a short how‑to for building pico‑usb‑wifi UF2 and flashing a Pico W, I can draft a 5‑step checklist next issue.