Upgrade ESP32 Module

[rdrahozal]

Description:

Our current design uses an older model of the ESP32 module (ESP32-WROOM-32E). This means it does not have a built-in USB-to-UART converter needed to program the MCU. This is why we needed the CP2102 external USB-to-UART converter. However, this IC is a pain to solder onto the PCB and requires extra space and cost.

This semester, we plan to upgrade the ESP32 module to the S2 or S3 version, which has an integrated USB-to-UART bridge. This allows us to run the USB data lines directly into the MCU, rather than the CP2102 IC. It essentially cuts out the middleman, leading to lower costs and a simpler design.

This project's responsibilities:

• Research the different ESP32 models to find which version works best for our design
• Create/update the Altium schematic to reflect the new ESP32 module and its pinout

References:

• The FES Hardware team is also making this upgrade to a newer ESP32 module. Coordinate with them to decide on a version so we can be consistent across teams.
• We still want the MCU to have WIFI/Bluetooth capability even if we're not currently using it. This means the new ESP32 module needs to have an integrated PCB antenna.
• Take a look at this website for details on the different ESP32 modules available (Hint: we will likely go with the ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 model)
• Ideally, all you will have to change is the USB data pins. However, there may be differences between the S1 and the S3 versions, so you will have to double-check the pinout of the ESP32 module you select to see if there are other pins you need to update in the schematic.