Hardware Reference
Everything the workshops in this section use, in one place: what to get, what each part is called, and what substitutes work. Each component also has its own page with specs, pinouts, quirks, and datasheets.
What you need
Parts are named the way a supplier lists them, so the name below is the search term. These are commodity components sold by many vendors, so this page names the part rather than a shop.
| Part | Search for | Needed by |
|---|---|---|
| Microcontroller | ESP32-C3 development board with USB-C. The workshops use the "Super Mini" form factor. | All workshops |
| Board with screen | ESP32-2432S028R, widely sold as the Cheap Yellow Display or CYD: an ESP32 with a built-in 2.8" TFT and resistive touch. | Workshops 02, 04, 05 |
| Display | 1.3" 128x64 monochrome I2C OLED with an SH1106 controller. An SSD1306 module is a common substitute and needs only a driver change in the sketch. | Workshop 03 (alternative to the CYD screen) |
| Sensor | AHT10 temperature and humidity sensor, I2C breakout. The AHT20 is a drop-in upgrade. | Workshop 03 |
| Actuator | Single-channel relay module with opto-isolation, rated for 3.3V logic. | Workshop 02 |
| Actuator | WS2812B addressable RGB LED ring, 12 LEDs. Sold as NeoPixel-compatible. | Workshop 02 |
| Cabling | Breadboard, jumper wires, and a USB data cable (many cheap cables are charge-only and will not program the board). | All workshops |
An ESP8266 or an original ESP32 works for most lessons, with pin numbers and occasionally a library differing from what the sketches use.
Component reference
Boards
- Cheap Yellow Display (CYD) - ESP32 with an integrated 2.8" TFT touchscreen. Used in Workshops 02, 04, and 05.
- ESP32-C3 - RISC-V SoC with WiFi and Bluetooth 5 (LE). The default board across all five workshops, and the page carries the WiFi transmit-power workaround the Super Mini variant often needs.
Displays
- 1.3" OLED Display (SH1106, I2C) - compact monochrome OLED, used in Workshop 03 as an alternative to the CYD's TFT.
Sensors
- AHT10 Temperature & Humidity Sensor (I2C) - used in Workshop 03 to read environmental data and put it on-chain.
Actuators
- Relay Module 3V, 1 Channel - switches AC or DC loads from a 3.3V microcontroller. Used in Workshop 02's "Light up the Tree" lesson.
- WS2812B LED Ring (12 LEDs) - addressable RGB ring used to build the Epoch Clock in Workshop 02.
If a board will not accept an upload or the serial monitor prints nothing, Troubleshooting covers the cable, driver, and baud-rate causes before you suspect the hardware.
Adapted from the CardanoThings project, originally produced under Project Catalyst Fund 11. Source: github.com/CardanoThings.