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SparkFun Thing Plus - ESP32-S2 WROOM
The SparkFun ESP32-S2 WROOM Thing Plus is a highly-integrated, Feather form-factor development board equipped with a 2.4 GHz WiFi System-on-Chip (SoC), from Espressif. The ESP32-S2 WROOM module addresses the security flaws in the original ESP8266 and ESP32 by featuring transparent external flash and RAM encryption, secure boot features allowing only signed firmware, as well as included HMAC and Digital Signature modules that use software inaccessible keys to generate SHA-MAC and MAC signatures! With the ESP32-S2's IoT and connectivity based application focus, this board provides a robust option for connected projects and applications.
All of that can sound a little daunting, but we assure you that the ESP32-S2 Thing Plus is anything but! SparkFun's Thing Plus footprint only adds to the board's feature set with the LiPo charging & power circuit making it perfect for home automation or wearable tasks. Possibly the biggest change for the S2 is the ULP (RISC-V) Co-processor. This allows you even more options to balance performance with power consumption over the original ESP32.
Additional new features of the ESP32-S2 include dedicated output pins for, DVP Camera Interface, LCD Interface, and integrated temp sensor. If your project needs even more peripherals, we have included a Qwiic connector on board for easy integration into any of SparkFuns Qwiic ecosystem equipped sensors and accessories. You will also find that this Thing Plus utilizes a USB-C connector instead of the microB USB found on its predecessor.
Keep in mind that while the ESP32-S2 does include an Integrated 802.11 b/g/n WiFi Transceiver allowing for speeds up to 150Mbps, it lacks the Bluetooth® capabilities of the original ESP32 module. Additionally, the SRAM & ROM have been reduced. However, the support for larger external storage should easily be able to compensate for this.
The SparkFun Qwiic Connect System is an ecosystem of I2C sensors, actuators, shields and cables that make prototyping faster and less prone to error. All Qwiic-enabled boards use a common 1mm pitch, 4-pin JST connector. This reduces the amount of required PCB space, and polarized connections mean you can’t hook it up wrong.
SparkFun Thing Plus - ESP32-S2 WROOM Features
- ESP32-S2 Module
- 21 Available GPIO
- 16x 12-bit ADC Channels
- 2x 8-bit DAC
- 14x Capacitive Touch Sensing
- 4x SPI (only one is configured by default in the Arduino IDE)
- 1x I2S
- 2x I2C (only one is configured by default in the Arduino IDE)
- 2x UART (both are configured by default in the Arduino IDE, one UART is used for bootloading/debug)
- 8x PWM Channels
- 21 Available GPIO
- Thing Plus (or Feather) Form-Factor:
- Dimensions: 2.55" x 0.9"
- Two Mounting Holes:
- 4-40 screw compatible
- 28 PTH Pins
- USB-C Connector
- 2-pin JST Connector for a LiPo Battery (not included)
- 4-pin JST Qwiic Connector
- LEDs:
CHG- Yellow battery charging indicator13- Blue status/test LED (GPIO 18)
- Buttons:
0Reset
- JTAG/SWD PTH Pins
ESP32-S2 WROOM General Features:
- Xtensa® Single-Core 32-bit LX7 Microprocessor (up to 240MHz)
- RISC-V ULP Coprocessor
- 128KB ROM and 320KB SRAM
- 4MB of Embedded SPI Flash Storage
- Cryptographic Hardware Accelerators
- AES, ECB/CBC/OFB/CFB/CTR, GCM, SHA, RSA, and ECC (Digital Signature)
- Physical Security Features
- Transparent external flash and RAM encryption (AES-XTS)
- Secure Boot feature ensures only signed firmware (with RSA-PSS signature) is booted
- HMAC and Digital Signature modules use software inaccessible keys to generate SHA-MAC and MAC signatures
- Integrated 802.11 b/g/n WiFi 2.4GHz Transceiver (up to 150Mbps)
- Integrated Temperature Sensor (-20°C to 110°C)
- Operating Voltage: 3.0 to 3.6V
- WiFi: 310mA (peak)
- Light-Sleep: 550µA
- Deep-Sleep: 20-235µA
- Schematic
- Eagle Files
- Board Dimensions
- Graphical Datasheet
- Hookup Guide
- Hardware Component Information:
- Qwiic Info Page
- GitHub Hardware Repository
- Compare Thing Plus Boards
SparkFun Thing Plus - ESP32-S2 WROOM Product Help and Resources
ESP32-S2 Thing Plus Hookup Guide
April 8, 2021
Looking to use the more secure ESP32-S2? Follow this hookup guide to get started.
Core Skill: Programming
If a board needs code or communicates somehow, you're going to need to know how to program or interface with it. The programming skill is all about communication and code.
Skill Level: Competent - The toolchain for programming is a bit more complex and will examples may not be explicitly provided for you. You will be required to have a fundamental knowledge of programming and be required to provide your own code. You may need to modify existing libraries or code to work with your specific hardware. Sensor and hardware interfaces will be SPI or I2C.
See all skill levels
Core Skill: Electrical Prototyping
If it requires power, you need to know how much, what all the pins do, and how to hook it up. You may need to reference datasheets, schematics, and know the ins and outs of electronics.
Skill Level: Rookie - You may be required to know a bit more about the component, such as orientation, or how to hook it up, in addition to power requirements. You will need to understand polarized components.
See all skill levels
Comments
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Customer Reviews
4 out of 5
Based on 3 ratings:
So good so far
Excellent shield
The reset button is sensitive
I pushed the reset button a few too many times and it broke off and popped out. Still resettable with a pin or a pen! The ESP32 is excellent.
Does it get any easier than this?
I had not used MCU's for many years and there was quite a bit of work getting them programmed, this blows my mind.
Install a driver on my PC. Plug USB C cable to unit. Install the IDE and go through a few steps to get the board library. Load an example. Click upload sketch. A few moments later the board is connected to my wifi and hosting a web page to blink an LED!
Does adding this to an existing setup via the Qwiic connector also supply power to the ESP32-S2? Or would the ESP32-S2 still require power via a battery or USB-C cable? Thank you!
Will the board charge the LiPo batt via the USB-C power source?
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/esp32-s2-thing-plus-hookup-guide/all#hardware-overview
Can you advise on why you would use the native ESP32 USB vs. default through the CP210x to ESP32 TX0, RX0? (via jumper)
Native USB allows HID usage, emulating keyboard input.
Would all the added security features make it harder for a noob to use?
I don't think it would. It still supports Arduino.
There is CircuitPython support for the 'S2. There isn't a board package for it yet, but it's pretty easy to add. You would need to obtain a USB PID for it, but SparkFun would probably give you one, or you could go to Espressif or pid.codes.