EncroPi: USB stick based on the RP2040 with a display arrives as a secure SD card reader

SB Components has presented the EncroPi on Kickstarter, which is based on the RP2040. Introduced last year, the RP2040 is a microcontroller with dual ARM Cortex-M0+ cores and 264 kB of embedded SRAM. Also equipped with GPIO and USB 1.1 connectivity, plus support for SPI flash. According to SB Components, it has managed to utilise the RP2040 for a USB key that can read, store and encrypt data.

Specifically, the EncroPi measures 25 x 74 mm and also features the DS3231, a real-time clock (RTC) module. Additionally, the EncroPi has a CR1220 3V battery for powering the RTC, allowing the device to maintain its clock without USB power. Moreover, SB Components has included a 1.14-inch LCD screen that operates at 240 x 135 pixels for displaying the current time and even for some light programming.

As marketing images show, the EncroPi has a microSD card slot for storing data, to which and from which it can transfer via its USB 2.0 Type-A port. For reference, SB Components states that the EncroPi supports AES, Twofish, Triple DES and RSA encryption methods or as a hardware key for authentication. Incidentally, the EncroPi ships with a temperature sensor too. Currently, the EncroPi is orderable on Kickstarter for £35 as a single unit. Alternatively, you can purchase five units for £50, supposedly representing a £150 saving. SB Components hopes to begin shipping the EncroPi from September 2022; the company has already reached its modest Kickstarter campaign goal.

Purchase the Seeed Studio XIAO RP2040 microcontroller on Amazon