Main Content

RC Mini Car

This blog entry doesn’t have anything to do with optimization, but due to the interest shown for my Twitter posts about it, I’ll make an exception. The M5Stack company has been prolific in creating modules and fun accessories around the ESP32 processor. Something that recently caught my eye is their Beetle-C mini car. It mates with their M5Stick-C mini computer to make a tiny “smart” remote controlled car. Their concept for the car is to control it over WiFi with an app running on an Android phone. I had a different plan. I imagined that I could just wire my own MCU to the 8-pin header on the car and do it My Waytm. I’ve also been experimenting with connecting BLE HID controls to the Nano 33 BLE, so I figured it would be a fun project to combine the two. Here is the parts list:

M5Stack Beetle-C
Arduino Nano 33 BLE
ACGAM R1 “VRBLE HID controller
DC-DC 5V boost converter
3x7cm tinned perfboard
8-pin female 0.1” header
Male 0.1” headers (I used 2 x 8-pin + 1-pin)
30AWG silicone coated wire
Battery (I used a 150mAh LiPo)
Power Switch”

Link to article