ESP32-C3

Work Process Detail

1. Understanding the XIAO ESP32C3 Architecture

I started by studying the technical specifications of the XIAO ESP32C3 using the official Seeed Studio documentation. Some key highlights:

Specifications comparison​

This gave me an overview of the capabilities and use cases of the XIAO ESP32C3, particularly for wireless applications.

2. Blinking an LED Using Arduino IDE

Following the official Seeed Studio setup guide, I performed the following steps:

🔹 Setting Up the Arduino IDE

✅ Installed Arduino IDE and added the ESP32C3 board support package.

✅ Connected the XIAO ESP32C3 via USB-C and selected the correct board.

✅ Installed necessary drivers to ensure smooth communication.

🔹 Writing and Uploading the Blink Program

I wrote a simple LED blink program to test the microcontroller.

Code Used in Arduino IDE (C++)

void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin LED_BUILTIN as an output.
  pinMode(10, OUTPUT);
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(10, HIGH);  // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(1000);                      // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(10, LOW);   // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(1000);                      // wait for a second
}

✅ Successfully uploaded the code, and the onboard LED started blinking, confirming that the setup was working.

3. Blinking an LED Using MicroPython (Thonny IDE)

After working with Arduino IDE, I moved on to MicroPython following this tutorial.

🔧 Step 1: Install esptool on Windows

1. Open Command Prompt

   Press Windows + R, type cmd, and hit Enter.

2. Install esptool using pip

   Run one of the following commands:

   pip install esptool

   or

   python -m pip install esptool

3. Verify Installation

   After the installation completes, check that esptool is working by running:

   python -m esptool

📥 Step 2: Download MicroPython Firmware

1. Go to the official MicroPython page for the ESP32C3:

   https://micropython.org/download/esp32c3-usb/

2. Download the firmware specifically for Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3.

3. Extract the firmware .bin file to a known location on your Windows PC.

   (Example used: esp32c3-usb-20230426-v1.20.0.bin)

🚀 Step 3: Flash MicroPython Firmware

1. Connect the Board

   Plug in your XIAO ESP32C3 using a USB-C cable.

2. Navigate to Firmware Folder

   In Command Prompt, navigate to the folder where the .bin file is saved:

   cd C:\path\to\your\firmware

3. Erase Existing Flash

   Run this command (replace COM13 with your actual COM port):

   python -m esptool --chip esp32c3 --port COM8 erase_flash

4. Flash the New Firmware

   Then, flash the .bin firmware with:

   python -m esptool --chip esp32c3 --port COM8 --baud 115200 write_flash -z 0x0 esp32c3-usb-20230426-v1.20.0.bin

🔹 Writing and Uploading the Blink Program in Thonny IDE

• Download and open Thonny IDE.

• Under Tools > Options > Interpreter, choose:
  • Interpreter: MicroPython (ESP32)
  • Port: Your actual COM port (e.g. COM8)

✅ Wrote the LED blink program and executed it.

Code Used in MicroPython (Python)

from machine import Pin
from time import sleep
myLED = Pin(10,Pin.OUT)
while 1:
myLED.on()
sleep(0.5)
myLED.off()
sleep(0.5)

✅ The LED blinked successfully, confirming that MicroPython was set up correctly.