CamThink NeoEyes NE101: A Modular AI Vision Camera with ESP32

CamThink NeoEyes NE101 ESP32-S3 AI Camera Module

CamThink NeoEyes NE101 is a modular, battery-powered ESP32-S3 Vision AI camera designed for low-power, event-triggered image capture. It supports WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 by default, with optional 4G LTE Cat 1 and WiFi HaLow modules, making it suitable for industrial monitoring, predictive maintenance, and smart agriculture.

The camera in the device is a 5MP OV5640 sensor with LED flash, microSD storage, USB-C port, PIR and alarm inputs, and a 16-pin header with I²C, SPI, and GPIO expansion capabilities. The lens of the device is replaceable; on top of that, there are also snap/boot/reset buttons for quick access. The device can be powered with 5V USB-C  or up to four AA batteries and comes with a 3D-printable enclosure for easy use.

NeoEyes NE101 Overview (Top)

NeoEyes NE101 Overview (Bottom)

CamThink NeoEyes NE101 Specifications

• Processor/SoC: ESP32-S3 dual-core Tensilica LX7 @ up to 240 MHz
• Memory: 512KB SRAM, up to 8MB PSRAM
• Storage:
  • 16MB onboard flash
  • MicroSD card slot
• Wireless connectivity:
  • WiFi 4 (802.11 b/g/n)
  • Bluetooth 5.0 LE
  • LTE Cat 1 with global support (Optional)
  • WiFi HaLow 868 or 915 MHz (Optional)
  • PCB antenna
• Camera:
  • FPC camera connector (default 5MP OV5640 module)
  • Lens options: 120° wide-angle or 60° narrow-angle
  • Near/far focus variants
  • LED fill light
  • 4-pin USB camera connector
• USB: 1x USB Type-C port (power and UART)
• I/O and expansion:
  • 1x UART connector
  • 16-pin female header with I²C, SPI, GPIO
  • PIR input connector
  • Alarm input connector
  • Snap, Boot, and Reset buttons
  • Hardware trigger, software trigger, or free-run mode Synchronization
• Power supply:
  • 5V via USB-C
  • 4x AA batteries
  • Consumption ≤1W on standby
• Dimensions: 77 × 77 × 48mm (plastic housing)
• Operating temperature: -20°C to +50°C
• Certifications: CE, FCC, RoHS

CamThink provides 3D-printable files for the housing along with open-source firmware for custom mounts and features like low-power modes, MQTT data, scheduled capture, and lighting control. There is also a built-in web interface that handles connectivity, image, and capture settings, with documentation and source code available on GitHub.

The ESP32-S3-based AI camera module can be purchased from the company’s store page, priced around $69.90 to $112.00 (depending on the variant). More information is available on the products page.

Images courtesy of CamThink.AI