Tanmatsu
Tanmastu is the dream terminal device for hackers, makers, and tech enthousiasts. Based around the powerful ESP32-P4 microcontroller, this device provides an accessible way to make, hack, and tinker on the go.
Tanmatsu lets you program in Python, JavaScript, and C on the go, it lets you communicate over long distances using LoRa, whilst also providing advanced connectivity and extendability options for hardware hacking and development.
Origins: WHY2025
Tanmatsu is the community driven continuation of the adventure that starts with the WHY2025 badge project. Nicolai Electronics has helped drive the design and development effort for this awesome event badge together with a big group of volunteers. The badge version of the Tanmatsu will be handed out at WHY2025, a hacker camp and conference taking place in Geestmerambacht from the 8th to the 12th of August 2025. Tickets for the event will be available starting December of 2024.
Usually after a hacker event ends and the volunteer group of developers that made the badge a reality disbands support ends up resting on the shoulders of a few unpaid people. This results in updates, bugfixes and general support slowing down.
Tanmatsu will be the first device with badge origins to be fully supported long after the event. Negating the risk of creating ewaste completely.
If you’re interested in hacker events be sure to grab a ticket at WHY2025.
Community version
Not everyone can visit the WHY2025 hackercamp, and we’d love to see that the device gains a wider audience and following even after the event. By making the device available to the community directly we make further development and sustained production of the device possible. While enabling the devices functionality and capabilities to be expanded and maintained along the way.
The goal of the community version project is:
- Extending reach and keeping the Tanmatsu available for everyone
- Safeguarding maintenance and development
Timeline
We’re building a roadmap for the Tanmatsu project, you can find it here.
Features
Tanmatsu is based around the upcoming ESP32-P4 SoC by Espressif: their most powerful RISC-V microcontroller yet. With its 400MHz dual-core processor and 32MB of built-in PSRAM it makes the ideal platform for powerful processing on the go whilst still maintaining the ease of use one expects form a microcontroller platform.
In addition to the powerhouse ESP32-P4 application processor we have included an ESP32-C6 WiFi, Bluetooth Low Energy, and IEEE802.15.4 wireless radio module. This module enables wireless internet access, as well as access to local mesh networking like Thread and ZigBee in a very hacker friendly way.
A LoRa radio module provides access to LoRa networks such as long distance mesh network services and (G)FSK modulated classic 433 or 868MHz communication, depending on the LoRa module installed.
The device has 16MB of built-in flash storage for firmware and applications, expandable using a micro SD card. The micro SD card socket supports SD cards at 3.3v and 1.8v voltage levels (SDIO 3).
A big MIPI DSI display and the QWERTY keyboard make for great ease of use both in the workshop and on the go.
In addition to all the built-in functionality the device allows for expansion modules using its two expansion ports. The back facing expansion port allows for expanding functionality using what we call “personality modules”. While the side facing expansion port allows for easily connecting a wide variety of PMOD and SAO accessories.
A QWIIC style expansion connector allows connecting the device to a wide range of sensors available from manufacturers such as Sparkfun and Adafruit, it supports both the I2C and the new I3C communication bus standards.
Included with the community version of the Tanmatu is a case. This sturdy case will allow the device to be used everywhere whilst keeping the electronics safe and protected.
Software
The firmware provides basic tools for creating applications directly on the Tanmatsu itself. In addition it provides access to a marketplace for applications where developers can publish their creations. Apps can be downloaded and installed directly on the device and launched from the launcher menu.
Hardware features - summary
- ESP32-P4 dual-core 400MHz RISC-V microcontroller with 32MB of built-in PSRAM
- ESP32-C6 radio module for WiFi, BLE and IEEE 802.15.4 mesh networking connectivity
- Ai-Thinker Ra-01S or Ra-01SH module for long range communication using LoRa modulation and generic (G)FSK modulation for short range classic wireless radio applications at 433MHz or 868MHz respectively
- 16MB of built-in flash storage for firmware and applications
- Fast and big 800x480 MIPI DSI display
- QWERTY keyboard
- Lithium polymer battery
- Audio output via headphone jack and speaker
- I2C and I3C connectivity via Qwiic compatible JST SH style connector
- SD card socket supporting SD cards at 3.3v and 1.8v voltage levels (SDIO 3)
- Side facing expansion port with both SAO and PMOD capabilities
- Back facing expansion port for expanding functionality using personality modules
Software features - summary
- Launcher menu for easy access to multiple applications and firmwares
- Access to user generated content and applications repository via the store app
- Built-in text editor for writing notes and code on the go
- Python interpreter application
- Javascript interpreter application
- C compiler application
- Meshtastic compatible LoRa messenger application
Open source
The hardware design is fully open source and available under a permissive license (CERN-OHL-P). The design was made in the open source PCB CAD application Kicad, allowing everyone to edit the design without any roadblocks. We’ve also included manufacturing files so people could order the design themselves if they wish to experiment.
The firmware is also fully open source, enabling modifications and improvements by the community and granting users and developers complete freedom and control over the hardware they own.
Personality modules
Whilst the base Tanmatsu device already provides lots of functionality we plan on creating and making available multiple personality modules for extending the functioality in ways useful to you.
More information about the planned personality modules will be made available soon.
The risks and challenges
Enough interest needs to be raised among the community to allow for a production run to be viable.
The mainboards contain many electronic components from a long list of suppliers, potential unavailability of any part used in the production of the Tanmatsu might result in delays in delivery due to re-design effort required to replace such unavailable parts.
The community version of the Tanmatsu will be fully tested to make sure all requirements of CE compliance are followed.