Josh On Design

I’m really enjoying using no_std Rust for embedded programming on the Lilygo T-deck and I want to share what I’ve learned so far. There are many excellent tutorials and docs on Embedded Rust in general and the ESP32 in particular, so I’m going to cover things that are specific to the T-deck or that I’ve found to be under documented. Today let’s start by looking at the T-deck’s signature feature, the keyboard.

I've been having a lot of fun with this little device called a LilyGo T-Deck. It's built on an ESP32-S3, has a 320x240 touch screen, a funky little track ball, built in wi-fi, and a seriously nostalgia-inducing physical keyboard. I bought the T-Deck about a year ago but because I was sick (with undiagnosed Type 1 Diabetes) and haven't done much with it until the past few weeks.

It's been a bit since I've posted on my round screen watch project. Most of my time has been taken up by work, travel, and family stuff, but I did have a few seconds to add a feature or two.

I’m continuing to work on a little smartwatch prototype using a little round LCD and I want to have nice looking text. The default font for CircuitPython is fine, but it’s very tiny. This LCD has a pretty high DPI compared to other hobbyist screens( > 200 ppi), so I need to find a new font. CP has a way of importing new fonts, but there are a few pitfalls and tricks I discovered, so that’s what I’m covering today.

For my next project with the WaveShare Round LCD I want to create an animation of Dr Strange's Eye of Agamotto. Here is my first attempt in JS (looks more like the comics than the movies). Not bad, I think.

I'm enamored of all of cheap and hackable screens and embedded CPUs coming onto the market. I'm frustrated, however, that despite embedded computing being more accessible than ever, the mass manufacturers products are all becoming more and more the same. Where are the phones with oval screens? Where are the steam punk pocket calculators? We have the technology to make devices that are ever more niche and increasingly creative and different, yet what you can actually buy is more glowing rectangles. I'd like to fix this.