T1E - E-Paper Watch

Time. For time's sake.

The T1E is an open-source ePaper smartwatch that lasts for days, not hours. Minimal. Hackable. Yours.

Because checking your phone for the time is so last decade. The T1E prioritises battery life over flashy animations. Built around an ESP32 microcontroller and a DS3231 RTC, it's designed for people who want their timepiece to actually keep time without requiring daily charging rituals.

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Features

• ePaper Display: Crystal clear in direct sunlight and uses minimal power.
• 4+ Days Battery Life: Target 16+ days using intelligent partial refreshes. Charge less, live more.
• Real-Time Clock: DS3231 maintains accurate timekeeping even when the main MCU sleeps.
• Deep Sleep Mode: Intelligent power management. [Not Implemented on IDF Yet!]
• Fully Hackable: 100% open-source hardware, firmware, and mechanical designs.
• Custom App Modes: Various watch faces, a Pomodoro timer, a dice roller, and Conway's Game of Life built in.

What's This Then?

This repository contains the full hardware designs, 3D-printable case models, and the official, native ESP-IDF firmware (built via PlatformIO) for the T1E E-Paper Watch.

Every design choice has a clear reason: the ESP32 wakes up just long enough to refresh the screen, while the external RTC handles timekeeping at micro-amp power levels.

Repository Contents

├── hardware/
│   ├── schematics/        # EasyEDA schematic files (and exported PDFs)
│   ├── pcb/               # PCB layout and gerbers
│   └── bom.csv            # Bill of materials
├── mechanical/
│   ├── case/              # 3D printable case files (STL/STEP)
│   └── assembly/          # Assembly instructions
├── firmware/              
│   ├── V2a/                # ESP-IDF Version (Experimental)
│   └── V1.1/               # Old Arduino-based code
└── docs/                  # Build guides and documentation

Technical Specifications

• MCU: ESP32-C3 / ESP32-C6 (RISC-V, Dual-core, WiFi/BLE)
• Display: High-contrast ePaper display
• RTC: DS3231 with integrated crystal
• Power: LiPo battery with BMS
• Connectivity: WiFi 2.4GHz & Bluetooth LE

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• PlatformIO
• 3D printer (for the case)
• Basic soldering skills
• Patience (surprisingly important for embedded development)

Hardware Assembly

1. PCB Assembly: Solder components according to the BOM and assembly guide.
2. Case Printing: Print case parts using provided STL files.
3. Final Assembly: Mount PCB in case, connect battery, install display.

(Detailed assembly instructions are in /docs/assembly.md)

Firmware Setup

1. Install PlatformIO.
2. Clone this repository.
3. Open the repository in PlatformIO.
4. Select your build environment (env:t1e-c3 or env:t1e-c6).
5. Build and flash the firmware to the ESP32 via USB.
6. Set the initial time via the serial console or by configuring the WiFi sync credentials.

Design Philosophy & Contributing

• Battery Life First: ePaper and an RTC combo for minimal power consumption.
• Hackable by Design: Built to be modified—not just used. Feel free to tweak the display update logic, design a new case, or implement a fresh display driver.
• Contributing: Pull requests are always welcome! Help is particularly appreciated with extreme power optimisation, new UI app modes, and alternative display drivers.

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License

• Hardware: CERN-OHL-W v2
• Firmware: MIT License
• Mechanical: CC BY-SA 4.0

Support & About

For questions, bug reports, or general discussion, open an issue on GitHub.

"There is never time in the future in which we will work out our salvation. The challenge is in the moment; the time is always now." — James Baldwin

The T1E is a project by Ampere Works - part of a mission to make hardware design approachable without dumbing it down.