Development Hardware

OpticWorks provides various hardware resources for development, testing, and CI/CD purposes. This guide covers how to access and use our development hardware.

Hardware Inventory Overview

Category	Hardware	Purpose	Location
Dev Nodes	Intel N100 Mini PCs	Local CI, Home Assistant, testing	Office / Remote
Sensors	RS-1 Dev Kits	hardwareOS development	Office Lab
IoT	ESP32 + LD2410	Presence Engine development	Personal / Lab
Accessories	Various	Cables, power supplies, mounts	Office Lab

N100 Development Nodes

What are N100 Nodes?

Intel N100-based mini PCs that serve as local development servers, CI runners, and Home Assistant test hosts. These low-power (~15W) machines run 24/7 and provide:

Local GitHub Actions runners for hardware testing
Home Assistant instances for integration testing
Development databases and caches
Firmware flashing stations

Node Inventory

Node	Specs	Purpose	Owner
`n100-lab-1`	N100, 16GB, 512GB NVMe	Primary CI runner	Shared
`n100-lab-2`	N100, 16GB, 256GB NVMe	Home Assistant host	OSS Team
`n100-remote-ryan`	N100, 8GB, 256GB NVMe	Remote dev/flash	Ryan
`n100-remote-[name]`	Varies	Remote development	Individual

Accessing Lab Nodes

# SSH access (requires VPN or office network)
ssh developer@n100-lab-1.local

# Alternative via Tailscale
ssh developer@n100-lab-1.ts.optic.works

Common Services on N100 Nodes

n100-lab-1
├── GitHub Actions Runner (hardware tests)
├── Docker (local registry)
└── USB passthrough for RS-1 flashing

n100-lab-2
├── Home Assistant (test instance)
├── MQTT Broker (Mosquitto)
├── ESPHome Dashboard
└── PostgreSQL (test database)

Home Assistant on N100

Access the test Home Assistant instance:

URL: http://n100-lab-2.local:8123
Access: See Infisical for credentials
Purpose: Integration testing for Presence Engine

GitHub Actions on N100

The lab nodes run self-hosted GitHub Actions runners:

# Use self-hosted runner for hardware tests
jobs:
  hardware-test:
    runs-on: [self-hosted, hardware]
    steps:
      - name: Flash ESP32
        run: esphome run test-device.yaml

Requesting a Remote N100

For remote work with hardware testing needs:

Submit IT ticket with justification
Specify your home network setup
IT will ship pre-configured N100
Connect to Tailscale network
Access via n100-remote-[yourname].ts.optic.works

RS-1 Development Kits

What’s Included

Each RS-1 dev kit contains:

Item	Description
RS-1 Device	RV1106-based sensor fusion unit
USB-C Debug Cable	For serial console and flashing
Power Adapter	5V 3A USB-C power
Mounting Bracket	3D printed desk mount
Quick Start Guide	Setup instructions

Getting a Dev Kit

In Office:

Check out from the hardware lab
Sign the equipment log
Return when done

Remote:

Submit IT ticket for dev kit loan
Provide shipping address
Kit ships within 2 business days
Return when project completes

Connecting to RS-1

# Connect USB-C debug cable
# Find serial device
ls /dev/ttyUSB* # Linux
ls /dev/cu.usbserial* # macOS

# Connect via serial console
screen /dev/ttyUSB0 115200

# Or use minicom
minicom -D /dev/ttyUSB0 -b 115200

Flashing RS-1 Firmware

# Navigate to hardwareOS directory
cd ~/workspace/hardwareOS

# Build firmware
./tools/build.sh --type debug

# Flash via USB (device in boot mode)
./tools/flash.sh dist/firmware-debug.bin

RS-1 Boot Mode

To enter boot mode for flashing:

Disconnect power
Hold BOOT button
Connect power
Release BOOT button after 2 seconds
Device is now in flash mode

Debugging RS-1

# View live logs
ssh root@192.168.1.x 'journalctl -f'

# Debug fusion algorithm
./tools/debug.sh --component fusion

# Remote GDB session
./tools/gdb-remote.sh 192.168.1.x

ESP32 Development Kits

Bill of Materials

Standard ESP32 development setup for Presence Engine:

Component	Model	Quantity	Source
Microcontroller	ESP32-WROOM-32 DevKit	1	Amazon/AliExpress
Radar Sensor	HLK-LD2410	1	AliExpress
Jumper Wires	Female-to-Female	4	Amazon
USB Cable	USB-A to Micro-USB	1	Any
Breadboard	Half-size (optional)	1	Amazon

Approximate Cost: $15-20 per kit

Wiring Diagram

ESP32                   LD2410
┌─────────────┐        ┌─────────────┐
│         3V3 │────────│ VCC         │
│         GND │────────│ GND         │
│      GPIO17 │────────│ RX          │
│      GPIO16 │────────│ TX          │
└─────────────┘        └─────────────┘

Flashing ESP32

# Install ESPHome
pip install esphome

# Navigate to presence engine repo
cd ~/workspace/presence-detection-engine/esphome

# Create secrets file
cp secrets.yaml.example secrets.yaml
# Edit with your WiFi credentials

# Compile and flash
esphome run base.yaml

Viewing Logs

# Serial logs (USB connected)
esphome logs base.yaml --device /dev/ttyUSB0

# OTA logs (WiFi)
esphome logs base.yaml

Common ESP32 Issues

“Failed to connect to ESP32”

Hold BOOT button while flashing begins
Check USB cable (some are power-only)
Try different USB port

“LD2410 not responding”

Verify wiring (TX→RX, RX→TX)
Check 3.3V power (not 5V)
Baud rate should be 256000

Hardware Lab

Location

The hardware lab is located at [Office Address]. Access requires badge.

Lab Resources

Resource	Description
Oscilloscope	Rigol DS1054Z for signal debugging
Logic Analyzer	Saleae for UART/SPI analysis
Soldering Station	Hakko FX-888D
3D Printer	Prusa MK3S+ for enclosures
Power Supplies	Bench PSUs for testing
Component Storage	Resistors, capacitors, connectors

Lab Rules

Sign in/out on the lab log
Return equipment to designated locations
Report any broken equipment immediately
Clean up your workspace
No food or drinks at workbenches

Booking Lab Time

For dedicated lab sessions:

Check the Lab Calendar in Google Calendar
Book 2-4 hour slots
Include project name in booking
Cancel if plans change

Remote Development Setup

Minimum Hardware for Remote Work

Project	Required Hardware
Store	None (software only)
Presence Engine	ESP32 + LD2410 kit
hardwareOS	RS-1 dev kit + N100 node

USB Passthrough for VMs

If developing in a VM:

# VirtualBox - pass USB device to guest
VBoxManage modifyvm "VM Name" --usb on
VBoxManage modifyvm "VM Name" --usbehci on

# Add USB filter for ESP32
VBoxManage usbfilter add 0 --target "VM Name" \
  --name "ESP32" --vendorid 10c4 --productid ea60

WSL2 USB Access

Windows users with WSL2:

# Install usbipd
winget install usbipd

# List USB devices
usbipd list

# Attach ESP32 to WSL
usbipd attach --wsl --busid 1-4

Requesting Hardware

How to Request

Submit IT ticket with:
- Hardware type needed
- Project/justification
- Duration of loan
- Shipping address (if remote)
Approval from:
- Team lead (standard equipment)
- Engineering lead (expensive items)

Turnaround Time

Request Type	Turnaround
Check out from lab	Same day
Ship to remote	2-3 business days
Purchase new equipment	1-2 weeks

Returning Equipment

Clean and test before return
Include all cables and accessories
Note any issues on return form
Ship back via prepaid label (provided)

Purchasing Guidelines

Pre-Approved Items

These can be expensed directly:

USB cables and adapters (<$30)
ESP32 dev boards (<$20)
Common sensors and components (<$50)

Requires Approval

Submit purchase request for:

N100 mini PCs
Oscilloscopes and test equipment
3D printing filament (bulk)
Anything over $100