Sidebar

Sidebar is a hardware-software system that lets a small group of children communicate via dedicated touchscreen devices without phones, accounts, or internet services. Each unit is an ESP32-S3 with a 2.8" display, microphone, and speaker. Kids tap a friend's name to call them, or tap Everyone to ring all units at once. The system uses encrypted audio over a private relay server with an allow-list roster.

Built for parents seeking simple, account-free communication tools for their children, Sidebar strips away feeds, algorithms, and usernames. The maker assembled the hardware and firmware with Claude as the engineering partner, documenting the process including failures like boot-loop OTA updates and diagnostic mistakes.