LINUX Unplugged 658: Automated Love Crunch
30 snips
Mar 16, 2026 They reverse-engineer and automate a Chinese diesel heater using ESP32s, ESPHome, UART research, and transistor-switched button control. They show using OpenCode and signal analyzers to debug firmware, ADC voltage feedback, and loop optimizations. Another segment explores browser Model Context Protocol for agent-driven automation and practical workflows in Chrome and Firefox.
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Use A Transistor To Emulate Micro Button Presses
- Use a transistor to emulate a physical micro button instead of bulky relays for clean programmatic button presses.
- Wire the transistor to short the micro switch and have the ESP respect required press durations for on (1s) and off (3s).
ESPHome Takeover For Home Assistant Integration
- Chris plans to migrate the working ESP firmware into ESPHome so Home Assistant gains sensors and controls for the heater.
- That will expose run hours, gear, temperatures, and control toggles for remote heating and maintenance alerts.
Agents Driving Your Real Browser Session
- Wes experimented with browser Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to let agents drive a real browser session with credentials and UI context.
- He had an agent connect to Chrome and reliably search and add items to a live shopping cart, visible on-screen.