M5Stack ESP32 Core Ink Development Kit w/ 1.54-Inch e-Paper Display

To power on the Core Ink, press and hold the physical PWR button on the side for approximately 2 seconds. The device will boot from its integrated 390mAh LiPo battery or from USB Type-C power if connected. For a complete shutdown, you must use the provided software API to enter deep sleep or press the reset button located on the back of the unit, as the PWR button only controls power-on.

To prevent irreversible damage to the e-ink screen, avoid high-frequency refreshes. The manufacturer recommends a minimum refresh interval of 15 seconds per update. Also, protect the display from prolonged exposure to direct ultraviolet light, which can degrade the electrophoretic ink. For static content like sensor readings or labels, update only when data changes to maximize battery life and screen lifespan.

Program the Core Ink using the Arduino IDE with the ESP32 board package installed or via Espressif's ESP-IDF framework. Connect the board via the provided USB Type-C cable. In Arduino, select 'M5Stack-CoreInk' from the board manager. The onboard GPIO pins (G25, G26, G36, etc.) are accessible for sensors, and libraries for the e-paper display, RTC, and buttons are available through the M5Unified or M5CoreInk libraries to simplify development.

Yes, the Core Ink provides multiple expansion ports for external sensors. It features an HY2.0-4P connector, an M-BUS female connector, and a standard pin header array exposing GPIOs like G25 and G26. These interfaces support a wide range of M5Stack's modular units (Units) for environmental sensing, as well as custom I2C or analog sensors. Ensure external peripherals operate within the 3.3V logic level of the ESP32.