June 2026 Meetup
Matt delivers the news roundup
News Round-up
Headlines
Running Python code in a sandbox
Simon Willison experiments with Running Python code in a sandbox with MicroPython and WASM.
Since it’s related to AI tooling - and Simon is one of the most prolific devs writing on the topic - this generated quite a fuss. It turns out that LLMs can write Python code well…but they can also abuse it by executing code that can break out of the environment and make unexpected and undesirable changes. The idea here is to build MicroPython with WASM and host it as a sandbox for the LLMs to use to develop Python solutions. It’s a much smaller attack surface and harder to do damage.
Simon is also embedding his micropython-wasm in other tools (like the excellent datasette) so Python scripting can be used safely.
Snakie, MicroPython IDE
Kevin McAleer announces Snakie, a modern, MIT-licensed, cross-platform IDE built in Electron to support MicroPython development. You can see more screenshots in his discord post.
Check out Snakie on GitHub.
Matts New Hardware
AMYboard
Discussed last month, I received an AMYboard recently! It’s an amazing little board and packs a heck of a punch!
I hadn’t realised how rich the web interface, AMYboard Online, is
- and just how tightly integrated the community is to the system. It’s very easy to share ‘sketches’ with AMYboard World which is an excellent way to experiment with sound creation.
I may need to get a cheap MIDI keyboard to really put this thing to work…
ManT1S pack
I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while; we first covered Patrick Van Oosterwijck’s ManT1s back in August 2025. Since then, the ManT1S Crowd Supply campaign was successful and I received a package a couple of weeks ago!
The ManT1S is a device that provides Ethernet 10BASE-T1S connectivity; that means that both power and a 10Mb signal can be transmitted over a twisted pair of wires. So it’s slower than modern Ethernet but wiring looms can be dramatically simplified; this is really a technology to challenge the likes of CAN and RS485.
The ManT1S website has been published and is full of useful information, including how to use MicroPython to control the devices. The board definition is available on MicroPython’s download page.
LilyGo T-2CAN
LilyGo released the T-2CAN recently and I added one to the collection. In short, it’s an ESP32-S3 with 2x CAN ports which I thought would be useful for testing systems at work where CAN is a commonly-used bus.
LilyGo actually released two models, one provides ‘regular’ CAN, the other CAN FD. Of note is that one channel is directly driven from the ESP32-S3, the other is controlled by a SPI-connected peripheral.
I’ve also been working on an ESP32
implementation
of machine.CAN…let me know if you can help test!
US$25
LilyGo T-SPE
Released with little fanfare, the LilyGo T-SPE is another Ethernet 10BASE-T1S board that I want to try interoperating with the ManT1S. It lacks some of the polish of the ManT1S but is very affordable and doesn’t skimp on some hardware, including 16MB flash, 8MB RAM and a 5-75V input range.
US$25
M5Stack Keyboard for the Tab5 Keyboard
Getting the Keyboard for the Tab5 was a no-brainer!
US$11
M5Stack M5Paper Color
Discussed last month, the M5Paper Color is a lovely little device.
Hardware News
M5Stack Stopwatch Dev Kit
- ESP32-S3, 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM
- 1.75” AMOLED touch display, 466x466
- 6-axis IMU
- Mic, I2S audio
- RTC
- 450mAh Battery
US$45
Other news
RP2Touch
Peter Hinch has extended his excellent asyncio library with an RP2Touch button.
Seeed Studio XIAO Series
Seeed Studio have amassed a large catalog of XIAO microcontrollers, all conforming to the same pinout, and we’ve covered them numerous times in the past. I only recently discovered there’s a GitHub repo that pulls together all of the information for the entire series, so if you’re interested in these micros, you’ll want to visit OSHW-XIAO-Series.
Model Train Automated Level Crossing
Pater Practicus shared that he has automated his model train level crossing system using Raspberry Pi Pico’s. There are sensors to detect the train, servos controlling the level crossing and flashing lights that are all synchronised.
Diffraction Clock
Final Thoughts
The Flapulator is gorgeous
Midjourney fun
A micro python at a level crossing…
