ESP32-C6 is a WiFi 6 microcontroller that powers Beacon. It handles real-time sync with Kairo's cloud, runs the LED animations, and processes button presses—all while sipping battery. The C6 variant gives us WiFi 6 support, which means faster data transfer and better performance in crowded networks. Your Beacon stays connected without draining power like older IoT devices.
We chose ESP32 because it's the perfect balance of power and efficiency for a productivity device. It can handle ML inference locally for basic predictions, sync with our backend via secure HTTPS, and drive NeoPixel LEDs for visual feedback—all on a single chip. Plus, the ESP-IDF framework gave us low-level control over every aspect of the hardware, from power management to WiFi optimization.