Why I Did It

I had never worked with electronics. Never connected wires, programmed microcontrollers, or built something that actually worked. I just wanted to make something work.

The word-learning function was just an excuse. The real goal was to assemble components, write code, and get a working device.

📷 Image: First experiment with ESP32

Getting Started

I used an ESP32, 128×64 display, and a few buttons. No tutorials—I wanted to figure things out myself, even if it meant making mistakes.

The idea:

• The screen shows a word and three translations.
• The user selects the correct one.
• The device continues without interruption.

But the real challenge was getting it all to work.

📷 Image: First wiring attempts

Interface

The small screen required careful planning:

• Main word – Large and easy to read.
• Three answer choices – Short and clear.

I tested fonts, sizes, and highlight effects.

📷 Image: UI sketches and font tests

Making It Work

I used U8g2lib to render text. The first goal was just to display something.

• Word font: Lucida, 14 px.
• Answer font: 8 px, with Cyrillic support.

At first, nothing appeared. Then errors. But when the first word showed up—it finally worked.

📷 Image: First successful text display

What’s Next

Now I can improve the device:

• Add sync and statistics.
• Improve answer selection.
• Test different learning methods.

But the hardest part is done—I built my first electronic device.

📷 Image: Current prototype

Conclusion

This project wasn’t about learning words. It was about learning to make things work.

At first, nothing did. But now I know: if you experiment, troubleshoot, and keep going, you can build anything.

This is a good start.