Embedded systems & microcontroller projects: top picks for 2026

Open-source WiFi sensing platform that uses ESP32 CSI signals to detect presence, breathing, heart rate and movement without cameras.

A simple C library for making videogames, with 2D/3D graphics, input, audio and cross-platform support, no external dependencies.

A lightweight personal AI assistant written in Go that runs on low-cost hardware and connects to many LLM providers and chat apps.

A free, MIT-licensed C UI library for building graphical interfaces on embedded devices, from small MCUs to Linux-based MPUs.

Slint is a declarative GUI toolkit for building native user interfaces in Rust, C++, JavaScript, or Python apps.

A lean Python 3 implementation that runs on microcontrollers and other resource-constrained devices, with hardware access modules.

A Go compiler built on LLVM that targets microcontrollers, WebAssembly (WASM/WASI), and command-line tools.

An open-source, in-process vector database that embeds directly into applications for low-latency similarity search without running a server.

Offline speech toolkit using onnxruntime for speech recognition, text-to-speech, VAD, diarization and more, across many platforms and languages.

Python/Java/Vue backend server for xiaozhi-esp32 ESP32 voice devices, supporting MQTT+UDP, WebSocket, MCP, voiceprint recognition and knowledge base.

Turns an ESP32 into a private, local Wi-Fi motion sensor that detects movement from changes in Wi-Fi signals, with no camera or microphone.

Open-source Rust software that runs a tiny biped duck robot, covering motion control, gamepad, updates and camera streaming.

Open-source, community-built e-reader firmware for ESP32-based e-ink devices, focused on EPUB reading and easy customization.

A tiny C++ library that sends small amounts of data between devices using sound, usable from Python, JavaScript, and microcontrollers.

A small, portable C library implementing X.509 certificates and the TLS and DTLS protocols, suited to embedded systems.

PyTorch's on-device inference stack for running exported models on phones, laptops, browsers, and microcontrollers.

An open-source, 3D-printable mini quadruped robot built on the ESP32 with an OLED face and servo-driven walking.

SDK for converting trained AI models to RKNN format and running inference on Rockchip NPU boards via Python and C APIs.

Lets an AI vision model operate a real iPhone using a $7 ESP32-S3 board that acts as an AirPlay screen receiver and USB HID mouse, with no computer needed at run time.

Open source SDKs and firmware for building your own Muse gadgets on ESP32 boards and Linux devices like Raspberry Pi.

Open-source ESP32-based quadcopter flight controller firmware and hardware design, built from general-purpose parts for education and research.

An ESP32 desk display that shows your Claude Code usage limits, with an animated mascot that reacts to prompts and alerts you when a session needs input.

A minimal C11 LLM inference engine that runs 1B-class LLaMA-architecture GGUF models on low-cost boards with about 45MB RAM, with no dependencies.

Java server and admin platform for Xiaozhi ESP32 voice devices, covering device monitoring, voice and persona management, and conversation logs.

A compact, pocket-sized digital camera built on a Raspberry Pi Zero, designed to be 3D printed and assembled from off-the-shelf parts.

A Rust engine for native cross-platform UI, letting you write apps in Rust or TSX and render with each platform's own widgets.

An open-source ESP32 emulator in Rust that runs real firmware on your computer or in a browser, without hardware.

A Linux kernel framework that lets you build virtual PCIe devices in userspace and test host drivers against them without real hardware.