Tab5 Field Console

A 16-app ESP-IDF and LVGL personal operating system for M5Stack Tab5, with one shared SD-card content engine.

HARDWARE2026PUBLISHED

MOD.01 / ENTRY 02

A 16-app personal operating system built for the Tab5—not a collection of disconnected demos.

Claude's firmware archive is now preserved here as the primary project record. It defines a portrait 720 × 1280 launcher, a real Chrono-Deck app, a shared SD-card content engine for the five MATCH modules, and an intentionally concealed device signature. Hardware-dependent telemetry remains clearly marked in source as future work.

DEVICE: M5Stack Tab5 · ESP32-P4
PLATFORM: ESP-IDF 5.4 + LVGL 9
SOURCE: 35 files · ~3,986 lines

[ 01 / SYSTEM SHAPE ]

05 FUNCTIONS

Tab5 firmware architecture and interface system workbench

16-App Registry

One static source of truth drives launcher tiles, detail sheets, status, and the quick-launch dock.

Launcher + Navigation

Tap to open, hold for details, filter by group, queue a build, and move through a managed back stack.

Chrono-Deck

The fully implemented default face combines time, system state, and honest telemetry placeholders.

One Content Engine

Journey, Kitchen, Works, Studio, and Living read separate JSON folders from the SD card without reflashing.

Hidden Sigil

Seven taps on the wordmark within four seconds reveal an unregistered, local-only signature screen.

[ 02 / BUILD STATE ]

SOURCE-VERIFIED

Implemented

Launcher, tile/detail system, navigation, Chrono-Deck, SD mounting, and the shared module content engine exist in source.

Intentionally stubbed

RTC and SNTP write-back, battery, temperature, CPU load, live weather, FFT, and checklist persistence remain TODOs.

Architecture

35 files · ~3,986 lines · 16 registered apps · 5 content modules · dual OTA partition layout.

[ 03 / ESP-IDF SOURCE ]

DOWNLOAD SOURCE .ZIP ↘READ FULL CODE RECORD ↗

Tab5, development board, and ESP-IDF firmware workbench

Registry as the source of truth

The launcher is data-driven rather than hand-wired screen by screen. Apps 11–15 deliberately share one content engine; adding material to a module means editing removable SD-card JSON, not rebuilding the firmware.

01Install ESP-IDF 5.4 or later and export the environment.
02Run idf.py set-target esp32p4, then idf.py build.
03Flash with idf.py -p COM7 flash monitor and copy sdcard/matchos to the card root.

typedef struct mos_app_s {
    uint8_t id;                  /* 1..16, shown on the tile */
    mos_group_t group;
    const char *name;
    const char *subtitle;
    const char *content_dir;     /* SD path for content apps */
    void (*open)(const struct mos_app_s *self);
} mos_app_t;

#define MOS_APP_COUNT 16
extern const mos_app_t MOS_APPS[MOS_APP_COUNT];

/* Apps 11..15 share app_matchos_open().
 * Their content_dir is the only difference: one JSON engine,
 * five MATCH//OS modules, no firmware rebuild for new content. */

NO LIVE CREDENTIALS FOUND · NOT HARDWARE-BUILD-VERIFIED HERE

[ 04 / HIDDEN SIGIL ]

7 TAPS · 4 SECONDS

Not in the registry.

Seven taps on the wordmark within four seconds open a local screen with no tile and no ordinary route. Its discovery count lives in device NVS, and nothing phones home.

#define MOS_EGG_TAPS_REQUIRED 7
#define MOS_EGG_WINDOW_US (4 * 1000 * 1000LL)

/* The private signature remains inside firmware .rodata. */
extern const char MOS_EGG_SIGIL[];

if (++s_taps >= MOS_EGG_TAPS_REQUIRED) {
    s_taps = 0;
    mos_egg_open();
}

SIGNATURE EMBEDDED · LOCAL ONLY