Bosch Sensortec and Espressif collaborate on ESP SensairShuttle

Bosch Sensortec and Espressif have entered into a strategic agreement focused on a modular sensor development platform known as ESP SensairShuttle. The main objective of this collaboration is to streamline the process of prototyping and validating multi-sensor designs by combining Bosch Sensortec MEMS devices and algorithms with an Espressif wireless SoC serving as the controller.

The flagship hardware in this partnership is ESP SensairShuttle, which is based on Espressif’s ESP32-C5. This platform adopts a shuttle-board approach, where interchangeable sensor boards can be plugged into a common base that includes a touch display. This design allows for easy swapping of sensing options without the need to redesign the PCB.

Among the initial supported shuttles is an environmental board featuring the BME690 sensor for measuring temperature, humidity, pressure, and gas levels, providing outputs related to air quality such as VOC and CO2-equivalent values. Another option is a motion/heading combination that pairs the BMI270 IMU with the BMM350 digital compass, utilizing TMR technology for enhanced accuracy and reduced noise. The platform is available for shipping globally, with the exception of sanctioned territories.

When it comes to the ESP32-C5, it is positioned as the key component that enhances the platform’s utility beyond just laboratory settings. This 32-bit RISC-V design, running at speeds of up to 240 MHz, offers dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), Bluetooth LE, and IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee/Thread) support, along with standard embedded interfaces like I2C, SPI, and UART. This means that the sensor configurations being evaluated can seamlessly integrate into common IoT network setups, rather than just being connected via USB.

Additionally, the ESP32-C5 comes preloaded with Bosch “factory” firmware, enabling developers to immediately access real-time sensor data and leverage Bosch algorithms. As the development progresses from a demonstration to a finalized product code, developers can transition to ESP-IDF and Bosch’s software components for further customization and optimization.

Expanding beyond the ESP SensairShuttle, Espressif has introduced ESP-Spot, a second development board tailored for makers. This open-source hardware design is geared towards accelerating the validation of motion-centric interaction scenarios such as gesture recognition and low-power wake-up functionalities. Built on the ESP32-C5 platform, ESP-Spot integrates the BMI270 and BMM350 sensor combination, offering published hardware files and firmware to simplify the prototyping process.