DIY Bruce Device is a portable ESP32-S3 based multifunction wireless toolkit running Bruce Smoochie firmware. It combines NRF24, CC1101, IR TX/RX, RFID, GPS, SD card support, and a 1.9-inch IPS TFT display into a compact handheld device with multiple wireless and automation features.

Features include:

1. RF tools
2. IR transmit/receive
3. RFID functions
4. GPS utilities
5. Script runner
6. Slide changer
7. SD card browser
8. USB/HID features
9. Built-in games
10. Wireless utilities

This project demonstrates how multiple communication modules can be integrated into a single ESP32-S3 platform using Bruce firmware.

Sensors and Modules

1. ESP32-S3 Dev Board
2. NRF24L01 Module
3. CC1101 Module
4. IR Transmitter
5. IR Receiver
6. 1.9-inch IPS TFT Display
7. GPS Module
8. RFID Module
9. SD Card Module
10. Push Buttons
11. 10kΩ Resistors
12. Jumper Wires
13. MicroSD Card
14. USB-C Cable

Tools

1. Soldering Iron
2. Solder Wire
3. Wire Cutter

Why ESP32-S3?

The ESP32-S3 was selected because it provides:

1. Dual-core processing
2. Large GPIO availability
3. USB support
4. WiFi and Bluetooth
5. High-speed SPI interfaces
6. Excellent compatibility with Bruce firmware
7. Sufficient memory for graphics and scripts

Initial Preparation

1. Inspect the ESP32-S3 board.
2. Verify USB connectivity.
3. Install required USB drivers if necessary.
4. Test power functionality.

Display Functions

The 1.9-inch IPS TFT display acts as the primary graphical interface.

1. Menu navigation
2. Tool visualization
3. File browser
4. Status monitoring
5. Game interface
6. Feature interaction

Display Connections

The display is connected through SPI communication.

Typical Pins Used

1. VCC - VCC
2. GND - GND
3. SCL - 18
4. SDA - 17
5. RES - 16
6. DC - 15
7. CS - 7
8. BLK - 6

Button Functions

1. Up
2. Down
3. Left
4. Right
5. Select

Pull-Up/Pull-Down Configuration

10kΩ resistors are used for stable button input detection.

Important Notes

1. Keep SPI wiring short for stability.
2. Ensure proper 3.3V compatibility.
3. Verify display driver configuration in firmware.
4. Use short wiring.
5. Secure buttons mechanically.
6. Test all navigation inputs before enclosure assembly.

The NRF24L01 module enables 2.4GHz wireless communication capabilities.

NRF24 Applications

1. Wireless packet communication
2. RF experimentation
3. Signal testing
4. Wireless utility functions

Wiring Notes

The NRF24 module uses SPI communication.

Important Recommendations

1. Use stable 3.3V power.
2. Add decoupling capacitor if instability occurs.
3. Avoid powering from noisy rails.

The CC1101 module provides sub-GHz RF capabilities.

Supported RF Operations

1. RF scanning
2. Signal transmission
3. Frequency experimentation
4. Sub-GHz communication testing

CC1101 Integration

The module shares the SPI bus with other peripherals while using its own CS pin.

Important Notes

1. Proper antenna orientation improves performance.
2. Keep RF modules away from excessive interference.
3. Use reliable wiring connections.

Infrared functionality allows the device to interact with IR remotes and appliances.

IR Features

1. Signal capture
2. Remote cloning
3. Signal replay
4. Device control

IR Receiver Purpose

The IR receiver captures incoming infrared signals.

IR Transmitter Purpose

The IR transmitter sends infrared commands to compatible devices.

Best Practices

1. Place IR components facing outward.
2. Avoid direct sunlight interference.
3. Ensure correct signal pin assignment.

The SD card module provides external storage for scripts, files, and configurations.

SD Card Usage

1. Script storage
2. Payload management
3. Configuration files
4. Media storage
5. Firmware resources

Wiring Interface

The SD card module uses SPI communication.

The GPS module provides real-time location data.

GPS Features

1. Coordinate display
2. Position tracking
3. Navigation support
4. GPS monitoring

Connection Method

The GPS module communicates using UART serial communication.

Important Notes

1. GPS requires outdoor signal visibility.
2. Initial satellite lock may take time.
3. Keep antenna unobstructed.

The RFID module enables RFID card and tag interaction.

RFID Features

1. UID scanning
2. Card reading
3. RFID testing

Interface

The RFID module communicates through SPI.

Important Notes

1. Keep RFID antenna unobstructed.
2. Avoid metal interference.
3. Test with multiple RFID cards.

Since the project is designed as a portable handheld toolkit, proper power management is important for stable operation of all wireless modules and peripherals.

The ESP32-S3, TFT display, NRF24, CC1101, GPS, RFID, and SD card module can draw significant current during operation, especially when multiple wireless features are active simultaneously.

Power Options

The device can be powered using:

1. USB-C cable
2. Power bank
3. Li-ion battery
4. Li-po Battery
5. TP4056 for safety

For this project, a USB power bank is the easiest and most reliable portable solution.

Lithium Battery + TP4056

For a more compact custom build:

Required components:

1. 18650 Li-ion battery or Li-po Battery
2. TP4056 charging module
3. 5V boost converter

This setup allows:

1. onboard charging
2. battery protection
3. fully integrated portable operation

Important Power Notes

1. Use a stable 5V supply.
2. Avoid weak USB cables.
3. NRF24 modules may become unstable with insufficient current.
4. Large current spikes can occur during WiFi or RF transmissions.
5. A quality power source improves wireless reliability.

Power Stability Tips

Recommended improvements:

1. Add capacitors near RF modules
2. Keep power wires short
3. Separate noisy RF wiring when possible
4. Use quality USB power banks

After integrating all modules, assemble the complete hardware system.

Assembly Recommendations

1. Group SPI modules neatly.
2. Separate RF antennas where possible.
3. Secure all modules firmly.
4. Avoid loose jumper wires.
5. Use cable management.

Power Considerations

Multiple wireless modules can increase power demand.

Recommended:

1. Stable USB power source
2. Quality USB cable
3. Proper voltage regulation

Step 11: Flashing Bruce Smoochie Firmware

The easiest way to install Bruce firmware on the ESP32-S3 is by using the official online web flasher from Bruce Computer. No complicated setup or manual flashing tools are required.

Open the Web Flasher

Use the official Bruce Web Flasher:

Bruce Web Flasher

[bruce.computer]

Flashing Steps

1. Connect the ESP32-S3 board to your computer using a USB-C cable.
2. Open the Bruce Web Flasher in a Chromium-based browser:
3. Google Chrome
4. Microsoft Edge
5. Brave
6. Click Flash.
7. Select the ESP32-S3 serial port.
8. Choose the latest firmware release.
9. Wait for the installation to complete.
10. Restart the board.

The firmware should boot directly into the Bruce graphical interface.

If the Board Is Not Detected

Some ESP32-S3 boards may require entering download mode manually.

Common Method

1. Hold the BOOT button.
2. Press and release RESET.
3. Release BOOT.
4. Retry flashing.

Why Use the Web Flasher?

Advantages include:

1. No Arduino IDE setup
2. No manual esptool commands
3. Fast firmware installation
4. Automatic firmware selection
5. Easy firmware updates
6. Beginner-friendly flashing process

Media to Include

1. Screenshot of the Bruce Web Flasher
2. Firmware installation image
3. Boot animation video
4. First startup menu image

Bruce officially recommends the Web Flasher as the easiest installation method.

Testing Checklist

After flashing the firmware, verify each module individually.

Display Test

1. Menu loads correctly
2. Brightness works
3. UI navigation functional

NRF24 Test

1. Detection successful
2. RF tools operational

CC1101 Test

1. RF scanner operational
2. Frequency operations working

IR Test

1. IR receive functional
2. IR transmit functional

SD Card Test

1. SD detected
2. Files readable
3. Scripts accessible

GPS Test

1. Coordinates displayed
2. Satellite lock successful

RFID Test

1. RFID tag detection operational

Button Test

1. Navigation stable
2. No false triggers

Features of Bruce Smoochie Firmware

The Bruce Smoochie firmware transforms the ESP32-S3 into a multifunction wireless toolkit with support for WiFi, BLE, RF, IR, RFID, scripting, storage management, and USB automation.

WiFi Features

1. WiFi scanning
2. Access Point mode
3. Beacon spam
4. Deauthentication tools
5. Evil Portal / Captive Portal
6. Wardriving support
7. RAW packet sniffer
8. TCP client/server tools
9. Host scanning
10. ARP spoofing
11. ARP poisoning
12. Packet capture support (PCAP)
13. WiFi signal monitoring
14. WiFi signal analyzer
15. WiFi channel jammer support
16. Handshake capture utilities
17. Web-based management interface

BLE Features

1. BLE scanning
2. Bad BLE support
3. BLE keyboard emulation
4. iOS spam
5. Android spam
6. Windows spam
7. Samsung spam
8. BLE automation utilities

NRF24 Features

1. NRF24 communication tools
2. 2.4GHz spectrum analyzer
3. NRF jammer
4. MouseJack support
5. RF packet experimentation

CC1101 / RF Features

1. Sub-GHz RF scanning
2. Signal analyzer
3. RF replay
4. RF capture and copy
5. Custom frequency configuration
6. Spectrum analyzer
7. RF jammer modes
8. RAW signal reading
9. RF signal transmission

Infrared Features

1. IR receiver
2. IR transmitter
3. TV-B-Gone
4. Remote cloning
5. IR replay
6. Multi-protocol IR support

RFID / NFC Features

1. RFID tag reading
2. UID scanning
3. RFID cloning
4. NDEF writing
5. RFID emulation
6. Save/load RFID dumps
7. 125kHz support

GPS Features

1. GPS coordinate tracking
2. Wardriving integration
3. Location monitoring
4. GPS data display

Script & Automation Features

1. JavaScript interpreter
2. Script runner
3. SD card payload execution
4. Automation workflows
5. HID automation
6. Ducky script support

USB / HID Features

1. USB keyboard emulation
2. BadUSB features
3. HID payload execution
4. USB automation

SD Card Features

1. File browser
2. Script storage
3. Payload storage
4. File viewer
5. Media playback
6. Configuration management

Utility Features

1. Web UI interface
2. Device diagnostics
3. File manager
4. QR code generator
5. Audio playback
6. LED control
7. Mic spectrum analyzer
8. LittleFS manager

Entertainment Features

1. Dino game
2. Interactive UI animations
3. Media controls
4. Slide changer mode

Slide Changer

The slide changer feature allows remote presentation control.

Possible functions:

1. Next slide
2. Previous slide
3. Media control
4. Wireless presentation navigation

Dino Game

The firmware also includes an integrated dinosaur game.

This demonstrates:

1. Display responsiveness
2. Button handling
3. Embedded graphics capability

Display Not Working

1. Verify SPI pins
2. Check display driver
3. Confirm power supply

NRF24 Instability

1. Add capacitor near VCC/GND
2. Improve power stability
3. Reduce wire length

CC1101 Not Detected

1. Verify SPI CS pin
2. Check antenna connection
3. Confirm firmware configuration

SD Card Errors

1. Format card as FAT32
2. Verify SPI wiring
3. Use quality SD card

GPS No Signal

1. Move outdoors
2. Wait for satellite lock
3. Verify UART pins

RFID Read Failure

1. Test different cards
2. Verify SPI communication
3. Check module voltage