LILYGO DESK UNIT
A physical desk display that turns coding-session state and plan usage into a glanceable, always-on instrument.
In daily use · auto-starting service
Working one-off hardware system in daily studio use.
OVERVIEW
The LilyGO Desk Unit is a working physical companion for long coding sessions. It shows when a session needs attention, which projects are active, and how much plan usage remains without adding another desktop window.
It runs continuously on the desk and uses the same visual language as the studio: acid, magenta, cyan, hazard markings, compact status type, and a small animated GRANT_WORKS robot.
THE BUILD
Firmware on the ESP32-S3 renders the display and animations. A Python daemon owns the USB serial link, merges session and usage state, and sends compact frames to the device. A launchd service starts it at login.
The system handles unplug and reconnect events, stale data, token refresh, serial-port resets, receive-buffer pressure, and firmware lockups. A hardware watchdog and host supervisor provide the final recovery paths.
WHAT'S NOVEL
It converts an ambient software problem into a physical interface. Attention becomes a visible state on the desk instead of another notification buried behind the work.
The device is both a useful daily instrument and an end-to-end systems exercise spanning firmware, desktop automation, authentication, transport, resilience, and visual design.
INTERCEPT
THE SIGNAL
Get the monthly build log from the studio floor: system notes, shipped releases, and the occasional technical record. One email when it matters.