All-in-1 Tiny Robotic Brain

Name: CodeCell C6 Drive
Brand: Microbots
SKU: MB-MM-CD-11
Price: 32.99 EUR
Availability: InStock

Miniaturized Robot-Building Made Easy

ARDUINO ESP32C6 LIPO CHARGER 9-AXIS MOTION IMU LIGHT/PROXIMITY DUAL DRIVER

CodeCell C6 Drive

€32,99

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CodeCell C6 Drive adds motor-drivers, battery charging, 10+ sensor readings & a wireless ESP32C6 - All packed in one tiny module with an easy-to-use Arduino library! The result? Less wiring, smaller builds, cleaner robots

Batterie

swatch-aucun-cable

Aucun (+câble)

swatch-batterie-lipo-170-mah-20-c

Batterie LiPo 170 mAh 20 C

Quantité

+10 Sensory Readings

Light
Proximity
Rotation
Compass
Step Counter
Activity
Tap Detector
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Move Detect

ESP32-C6 Core

8MB Flash + 512KB SRAM
Wi-Fi 6 + BLE 5 + Zigbee
Easy-to-use Arduino Library
Connects to our MicroLink App

Power & Ports

Dual H-Bridge Motor Drivers
LiPo charging
Safe battery connector
USB-C for Serial UART
Arduino programming

Description

CodeCell Description Section

The CodeCell C6 Drive is a compact, all-in-one robotics module built to serve as the brain of your next robotic project. It can directly drive two independent DC motors or actuators from its onboard pins, and at just 2.25 cm wide, it’s powered by an Arduino-compatible ESP32-C6 microcontroller (ESP32-C6-MINI-1-H8 with 8 MB Flash and 512 KB SRAM). It supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth LE 5, and Zigbee, enabling seamless wireless control, whether through Home Assistant or our MicroLink Bluetooth app.

Just like the standard CodeCell C6, it includes onboard battery charging, ambient light and proximity sensing, and a 9-axis IMU, giving your projects robust sensing and motion capabilities in an incredibly small form factor. What makes the C6 Drive different is its built-in dual H-bridge drivers, allowing you to directly drive DC motors, buzzers, and actuators - This makes it the ultimate all-in-one robotics controller – no extra motor driver boards required. In fact this is the same module that powers our ProtoBot Robotic Platform - with the combination of onboard sensors, wireless connectivity, and driving 4 geared dc-motors!

⚠ Note: The dual onboard H-bridge drivers can directly drive a wide range of loads such as DC motors (for example our ProtoBot N20 motors), FlatFlap, CoilPad, other linear/rotary actuators, buzzers, and high-power LEDs. Some of our other modules, such as MotorCell and CoilCell, already include their own onboard drivers. In those cases, a standard CodeCell C6 or C3 is sufficient, and no additional motor driver is required. Please note that MotorCell is not compatible with the CodeCell C6 Drive, as MotorCell uses a 3-phase motor driver and its motor speed feedback cannot be read through the C6 Drive’s H-bridge outputs.

The CodeCell C6 Drive includes a VCNL4040 light sensor providing ambient light sensing and proximity detection up to 20 cm. It also include a BNO085 9-axis IMU combining an accelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetometer with onboard sensor-fusion. Together, they deliver orientation (roll, pitch, yaw), motion detection, activity classification, tap detection, step counts, linear acceleration, and more – enabling robots to sense and react to their environment in real time.

For low-power applications, the C6 Drive supports multiple wake-up sources: timers, light interrupts, proximity interrupts, and tap detection. This optionally lets your projects remain efficient.

To simplify development, the CodeCell.h Arduino library offers easy-to-use functions with examples and tutorials. The CodeCell C6 Drive also pairs with our free app, letting you add wireless controls (sliders, buttons, joystick), view real-time sensor feedback, and even display messages on a 20-character live display – ideal for robotics debugging and control.

Each box includes the CodeCell C6 Drive, a set of four M1.2 screws, and an optional pin-header. A 1.25 mm pitch battery cable is also provided, along with the optional 170 mAh 20C LiPo battery. The optional battery measures 23 × 17.5 × 8.7 mm, weighs 4.6 g, and comes pre-wired with a 1.25 mm female connector that plugs directly into the onboard connector. See the full battery datasheet here. Schematics for this module are available here.

This module uses the ESP32-C6-MINI-1-H8, which is certified for FCC, CE, TELEC, and Wi-Fi Alliance compliance. The CodeCell C6 Drive is also RoHS compliant and follows the IPC-A-600 II standard. Please note that the CodeCell C6 Drive is intended as a DIY maker kit. For commercial use, please contact us.

We designed the C6 Drive to help you build robots in the smallest possible form factor — and we hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.

Happy Robo-Building!

Specifications

CodeCell Specifications

Electrical:

Processor: ESP32-C6-MINI-1-H8 32-bit RISC-V Single-Core
Memory: 8 MB (Flash), 512 KB (SRAM)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6 + BLE 5 + Zigbee
Clock Speed: 160MHz
Sensors: Light/Proximity + 9-Axis IMU
GPIOs: 6 GPIO (3 ADC, 6 PWM) + I2C
Antenna Range: ≈40 meters
LiPo Battery Charge Current: 90mA
Maximum Output Power: 1500mA (Battery) / 450mA (USB)
Maximum Drive Current: 1500mA single driver / 750mA dual driver
Minimum Sleep Current: RTC Timer (≈40uA), Brightness (≈290uA), Darkness (≈290uA), Proximity (≈425uA), Tap (≈1730 uA)

Mechanical:

Dimensions: 9.4mm H x 22.5mm L x 18.5mm W (+5.2mm antenna)
Castellated Pins Pitch: 2.54mm
Screws: M1.2 (included)
Weight: 3.7 grams

3D Model

Frequently Asked Questions

CodeCell FAQs

How do I get started?

CodeCell comes with well explained tutorials and multiple examples. All tutorials can be found here: CodeCell Tutorials.

To install the CodeCell library, go to 'Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries' - the 'Library Manager' should open up. Just type "CodeCell" and click 'Install' to download the latest version of the CodeCell library.

We are continuously updating and adding new features to this library, so make sure you're using the latest version. To quickly get familiar with this library, go to 'File > Examples > CodeCell,' where you'll find multiple examples you can use and modify for your projects. We recommend starting with the 'GettingStarted' example, which contains just a few lines of code but explains all the sensing functionalities available with CodeCell.

What's the maximum drive current?

The CodeCell C6 Drive includes dual H-bridge drivers for powering DC motors, buzzers, and actuators (like the CoilPad or FlatFlap) – no extra motor boards required! Each driver can theoretically support up to 1.8A, but the actual limits depend on the CodeCell's power management chip: up to 1500 mA when powered by a LiPo battery, and up to 450 mA when powered through USB. With a LiPo battery, this means each driver can provide around 750 mA.

It’s important to keep these limits in mind when designing robots. For example, our ProtoBot uses this same module to drive four N20 motors. At certain loads, this could exceed the current limits, so we limit the current to 90% in software to stay within safe operating levels.

How can it wake-up from sleep?

The new CodeCell C6 supports both RTC-timer and interrupt-triggered sleep wake-ups. Here are the available options and their typical sleep currents:

RTC-timer Triggered Wakeup: around 40uA in Sleep Mode
Proximity Interrupt Wakeup: around 425uA in Sleep Mode
Darkness Interrupt Wakeup: around 290uA in Sleep Mode
Brightness Interrupt Wakeup: around 290uA in Sleep Mode
Tap Interrupt Wakeup: around 820uA in Sleep Mode

You can select a wake-up source depending on your project’s needs and the desired battery life. If long battery life is the main priority, the RTC-timer wake-up source is the most efficient option (≈40 uA), since it put both sensors into sleep mode. If your project requires light- or tap-based wake-ups, you can enable those instead, though they come with higher sleep current.

To estimate battery life, divide your battery capacity by the average current draw of your project:
Battery Life (hours) = Capacity (mAh) ÷ Current (mA)

For example, a 170 mAh battery with RTC-wakeup could theoretically last about 6 months in standby. In practice, this value will be lower because active usage and wake-up checks needs to be also factored in.

What are the Shipping Details?

CodeCell can be shipped using all our available shipping methods. However, if you choose the 170mAh LiPo battery option, it can only ship via DHL or FedEx due to regulations. This may increase your cart total, but it’s express and reliable. You can also add other items to the same shipment to make the most of it. We appreciate your understanding 😊

What ages is it suitable for?

CodeCell is suitable for anyone curious about electronics! It comes with well-explained Arduino examples that make it easy for kids and teenagers to get started. For children under 12, we recommend that any soldering is done under proper adult supervision and guidance. Please also note that the package includes small parts, such as screws, so care should be taken when handling them.

Does it support MicroPython?

Yes, you can flash CodeCell with MicroPython since it’s based on the ESP32-C6, which supports MicroPython just like other ESP32-based boards. However, please note that our official CodeCell library is written in C++, designed for use with the Arduino IDE. If you plan to use MicroPython, you may need to write custom drivers to interface with the onboard sensors and peripherals

What about the BOOT Pin?

Some ESP32 development boards include both a RST (Reset) button and a BOOT button to manually put the device into programming mode. However, the ESP32-C6, such as the one on the CodeCell module, can automatically enter boot mode through the serial interface when using the Arduino IDE. This means the CodeCell doesn't need dedicated RST or BOOT buttons, which allowed us to make it as small as it is.

In the rare case that your CodeCell freezes or encounters an exception (causing it to continuously reset), you can manually force it into boot mode to reflash the firmware. To do this, simply follow these steps:

Connect a wire between the SCL pin and the GND pin.
Unplug the USB and switch off the battery (if connected).
Reconnect the USB port.
Reprogram your CodeCell with new code - make sure your code doesn't contain the bug that created the issue.
Remove the shorted wire between the SCL pin and the GND pin. Power your battery back on if connected.

Following these steps will restore your CodeCell back to life.

Does the motion sensor justify the price?

The optional advanced IMU sensor is a pricey upgrade, but we believe it's well worth the investment! It upgrades the CodeCell’s capabilities with an integrated 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, and 3-axis magnetometer. The BNO085’s advanced sensor fusion algorithms combine data from these sensors to accurately determine motion data, such as: