The CodeCell C6 Is a Tiny Feature-Packed Dev Board

Once upon a time, the only options for microcontroller development boards were confusing, expensive engineer-oriented evaluation boards. Then Arduino came along and now, a couple of decades later, we’re blessed with multitudes of low-cost options — so many options that many new models aren’t even noteworthy enough for a short blog post. But among the recent releases is a model you may want to consider: the Microbots CodeCell C6.

Microbots was originally all about itty bitty little rover robots, but they’ve since expanded to suit all kinds of applications and projects. Their “cells” are the different modules you might need to build a Microbot robot. The MotorCell, for example, is a high-speed PCB motor. Remember Carl Bugejo and his innovative PCB motors? This is where those lead.

The CodeCell is intended to be the “brain” of a robot. But in practical terms, it is a microcontroller development board. The original CodeCell C3 is a tiny development board based on the ESP32-C3 and designed to consume very little power while providing a great deal of the auxiliary hardware, like sensors, that a Microbot might require.

The new CodeCell C6 is similar and, as you might guess, is built around an ESP32-C6. It is a little bit more capable than the CodeCell C3, with more flash memory (8MB vs. 4MB) and more SRAM (512KB vs. 400KB). But the big advantage is much lower current draw in the sleep state, which means it can last dramatically longer on a single battery charge. That pairs nicely with improved sensor-based hardware interrupt wake options.

If you’re building a Microbot, you’ll want the CodeCell C6. But even if you don’t care about Microbots at all, you should consider the CodeCell C6 for other low-power projects. The plethora of built-in sensors and the extremely low power consumption make it desirable for many other applications.

The CodeCell C6 is available right now for €29,99 (about $35.55 USD).