Updated
Updated · Boing Boing · Sep 1
Daniel Ansorregui Builds 1.54-Inch Solar E-Ink Watch With LoRa, GPS and WiFi
Updated
Updated · Boing Boing · Sep 1

Daniel Ansorregui Builds 1.54-Inch Solar E-Ink Watch With LoRa, GPS and WiFi

1 articles · Updated · Boing Boing · Sep 1

Summary

  • LightInk is a 200×200 e-ink wristwatch that Ansorregui says can run exclusively on solar power while adding WiFi, Bluetooth, LoRa and GPS to a compact ESP32-based wearable.
  • The project grew out of a 2019 effort to build a solar watch that could send LoRa packets to a home receiver, after existing hardware failed to meet his targets for design, radio support and endurance.
  • Watchy helped shape the early work, but Ansorregui said tests pairing it with a solar cell delivered only 40 days of uptime, pushing him toward new hardware and deeper display optimization.
  • The result revives the idea of classic solar watches in a low-cost connected device, with a 1.54-inch display and even enough capability to play the Tetris theme.

Insights

Could this open-source, cloud-free e-ink wearable with indefinite solar power become the ultimate tool for secure off-grid communication?
How did a hidden software trick give this DIY solar smartwatch infinite battery life, and why aren't major tech companies using it?