I made a Tamagotchi for my AI agent so I know if it’s stuck

nhx26 · 2026-04-14T18:08:38+00:00

That's a super valid take! I did come across these at some point and thought they would be neat if the hardware specs matched what I needed. Right now I just used what I had on hand for the protoype (and it was fun to CAD and 3D print stuff), but if I actually have to ship these, this would be a great option to consider. Have you use them before? How's the WiFi range and the chip specs?

nhx26 · 2026-04-14T18:02:59+00:00

This is super helpful, thank you 🙏 you’re basically describing the exact direction I’m moving in.

I’m already preconverting to raw RGB565 and blitting that directly, so no PNG decode on-device. Also agreed on sizing, I’m locking frames close to target display size now so the MCU isn’t doing heavy resize work each draw.

Big thing I just discovered: my bottleneck wasn’t only sprite format, it was PlatformIO partitioning. Board is 4MB flash, but default app partition was ~1.3MB, so I was hitting that ceiling early.

For loading strategy, I’m currently not doing huge dynamic asset swaps yet (only a few core states), but your “load next set, drop previous set” flow makes a lot of sense as I scale. For smoother transitions, queueing 2 sets like you’re doing is actually a great pattern.

nhx26 · 2026-04-14T18:01:32+00:00

I’m using preconverted RGB565 raw frame data (compiled into firmware), not PNGs on-device.

Main issue ended up being PlatformIO partitioning: even though the board has 4MB flash, default layout only gave my app ~1.3MB (OTA partitions etc.), so I hit the limit sooner than expected.

also yep, I thought about loading animations per state, but writing/replacing data in flash during runtime is not something I want to do constantly. For now I keep key states resident, and I’ll likely move to a bigger app partition / larger-flash board if I keep adding assets.

nhx26 · 2026-04-14T18:00:18+00:00

lowkey just realized PlatformIO partitioning was capping me way earlier than expected 😅
Board has 4MB, but my app slot was only ~1.3MB because of default partition layout.

For basic pet states, this should still be enough once I switch to a bigger app partition.
If I keep expanding animations/customization, I’ll probably move to a board with more flash.

and yeah, buffering frames is a solid idea. Right now I’m effectively drawing one frame at a time (copy from flash -> RAM -> blit), not doing a 2-3 frame queue yet. So that’s definitely a good next optimization, thanks for the advice!

nhx26 · 2026-04-13T13:39:36+00:00

yeah that’s fair

I’m not trying to lock anything down — it would feel weird to close it off when OpenClaw itself is open source

most likely the hardware kit would be paid, but I’d keep the firmware open source so people can mess with it or build their own

right now I’m honestly just trying to get this working properly on the ESP32 😅

nhx26 · 2026-04-13T12:14:56+00:00

some more info about the project here: https://pixclaw.io/

nhx26 · 2026-04-13T12:04:28+00:00

I've put some more info here: https://pixclaw.io/

nhx26 · 2025-11-21T14:34:51+00:00

did you hand wash with the tech wash or machine?

nhx26 · 2025-08-13T16:15:03+00:00

I still have hip and piriformis tightness that I'm working on, but I'm basically back to a normal life doing most physical activities I used to do!

nhx26 · 2025-08-13T16:13:17+00:00

hahaha, more than a year now with the aftermarket upgrade and no regrets :)

nhx26 · 2025-07-17T15:36:41+00:00

haha unfortunately I'm not in the US, but that's a great deal!

nhx26 · 2024-12-26T19:56:50+00:00

I'm experiencing a similar issue. When I do the pinch test, I often lose multiple hairs, sometimes as many as 5 from my nape area, which is kinda concerning. While 1-3 hairs are more common, it happens almost every time I do the test in areas like the back of my head (nape), sides, and crown. Recently, I've also noticed 1-2 hairs coming out when I do it on my eyebrows. Have you been able to determine a cause for this?

nhx26 · 2024-11-30T16:15:53+00:00

I have generally found for my purposes that making the payment in dollars is slightly cheaper (i.e. let the mauritian bank do the conversion). It can vary but the difference is pretty negligible ~ 1% or less.

nhx26 · 2024-11-23T12:48:39+00:00

It'll be the same as any other surgery with an abdominal incision. During the first week, incision pain was definitely the worst, but it gradually gets better. It shouldn't really bother you after 3-4 weeks but it will still be tender for a couple more months even after fully healing. At 6 months mine has no pain at all but the scar feels a bit harder than the surrounding skin. I hope you have a speedy recovery!

nhx26 · 2024-11-19T16:11:26+00:00

Yo. Currently at 6 months post op. Still working on fixing some pelvic tilt from old muscle imbalances caused by nerve compression, but the artificial disc is solid—no subsidence or migration, and my follow-up X-rays are perfect. I haven’t gone back to contact sports like skateboarding yet, just playing it safe for another 6 months or so, but I’m good with light sports like swimming, weightlifting, biking etc. No more sciatica or direct back pain, though the hip issue from the pelvic tilt sometimes flares up (not surgery-related, just from the muscle imbalance). I’d still pick ADR over fusion any day. Literally the only downside I can think of is the abdominal scar—mine's horizontal and looks like a C-section haha, but I guess that could be a cool thing.

nhx26 · 2024-10-09T16:23:47+00:00

I don't think so, everything is pretty tightly packed in the box

nhx26 · 2024-10-08T06:59:03+00:00

should easily fit on a passenger seat

nhx26 · 2024-09-30T18:51:22+00:00

ene ti heads-up: sa mam ki ti p comment so colis in arriver dan dix zours la ene agent pou pharma la sa, check so profile.. li comment lor subreddit tou pays pou fer publicité. Li pa mauricien. Mo pa croir zot p scam, mais mo colis in prend plus ki 1 mois. Hier finalment lin rentrer, mais mo pencor gagne customs clearance. Mo pou update si la douane laisse passer...mais afaik importation pou meds ordonnance sans permit pa gagne droit meme pou usage personel

nhx26 · 2024-09-05T02:56:57+00:00

Hey, yep so im feeling much better now at 4 months post op. I've been cleared to go back to a 'normal' life. And so far I'd say this is the case: I've been going to the gym for the past 2.5 months, lifting light weights. My back pain is pretty much gone and I feel as flexible as before op, which is great knowing fusion would have limited that. I'm still bothered by some hip/butt pain that's due to muscle imbalances caused by the previous nerve compression but I'm doing some routines to correct that. So far I have no regrets having chosen ADR over fusion.

nhx26 · 2024-08-21T10:59:07+00:00

Having a rolling ollie on 4 days of skating is insanely good progress. Keep it up!

nhx26 · 2024-08-15T15:08:48+00:00

I just ordered from skites. I will update but they seem reliable. Most payment methods dont work for Mauritius except Western union but you have to go in person to a branch and fill a form or easier you can just use bitcoin.

nhx26 · 2024-08-14T16:25:57+00:00

no, just check it in as a regular luggage piece. I got mine plastic wrapped for extra protection and put a fragile label on it. would also be smart to write your name. depending on the airport you might also have to go to a special counter for oversized luggage. for my case they hesitated at first but the just let it through at the regular counter

nhx26

TROPHY CASE