Seeed Studio has released two new ePaper display DIY kits aimed at makers building low-power projects like digital signage, electronic labels, and smart home dashboards. The XIAO ePaper DIY Kit-EN04 uses a Nordic nRF52840 microcontroller with Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and 802.15.4 connectivity, while the XIAO ePaper DIY Kit-EE04 is built around an Espressif ESP32-S3 with Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.0 LE, 8MB PSRAM, and 16MB flash storage. Both boards support 24-pin and 50-pin ePaper displays ranging from 3.9 cm (1.54 inches) to 19.1 cm (7.5 inches).
The kits include a battery connector with power switch, built-in charging IC, a reset button, and three user buttons. Both models work with Arduino IDE, PlatformIO, and ESPHome for Home Assistant integration. The ESP32-S3 variant adds support for Seeed's SenseCraft HMI, a no-code UI platform for creating interfaces without programming. Documentation and getting started guides are available on Seeed's wiki.
Seeed recommends the nRF52840 version for battery-powered applications like smart name badges, dynamic price tags, and portable checklists, while the ESP32-S3 model suits plugged-in use cases including smart home dashboards and energy monitoring. The base kit sells for $10 (€9) without a display. Adding an ePaper panel brings the total to $16 (€15) for a 1.54-inch display or up to $55 (€51) for a 7.5-inch model.
