I am making a cool and easy-to-use RP2040 board that I want to deliver to many people.

Background and Purpose

This project started because I wanted to give back to many people by using the electronic parts I received when I won the Grand Prize at MOUSER MAKE AWARD 2024 in Japan. I focused on making a cost-effective RP2040 board that even beginners can use easily. It is a simple yet powerful Pico-compatible board that everyone can enjoy. By balancing cost reduction, ease of use, and good design, I want to bring the joy of electronics to many people.

MOUSER MAKE AWARD 2024 in Japan

Component Selection and Considerations

• Microcontroller: RP2040 - A good balance of performance and cost, suitable for beginners to advanced users, supporting C++ and MicroPython.
• Power Source: 3.3V regulator  IC- Reduced component count to prioritize cost savings. A simple regulator is used instead of a DCDC converter.
• Oscillator: Ceramic resonator (Ceralock) - Used instead of a crystal oscillator to keep costs down.
• USB Connection: USB Type-C connector made with PCB - to reduce component costs.

  USB-C receptacle connector made with PCB (design data on GitHub)

• PCB Design: EasyEDA - Simplified design with color silk screen to ensure visual appeal.

After distributing the board, this project was featured by the official Raspberry Pi

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Suzan won an electronic design contest hosted by Mouser Electronics and instead of buying Raspberry Pis with her winnings, she decided to design and produce her own RP2040-based boards.<br><br>The colourful silkscreen and electronic components were all hand-soldered and, because… <a href="https://t.co/kK3gvQpxyd">pic.twitter.com/kK3gvQpxyd</a></p>&mdash; Raspberry Pi (@Raspberry_Pi) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raspberry_Pi/status/1865027309759012983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>