CodexPad-S10 is a Bluetooth Low Energy controller from the CodexPad series, designed specifically for makers and embedded developers.
Unlike conventional controllers that depend on an operating system’s Bluetooth stack, this product is built for OS‑less hardware platforms. It can establish peer‑to‑peer communication directly with bare‑metal BLE devices such as ESP32, ESP32‑S, ESP32‑C, STM32, nRF, micro:bit, Raspberry Pi, and similar boards — no operating system required. This makes it an out‑of‑the‑box remote physical input solution for robots, IoT devices, custom control panels, and more.
We provide a clean communication protocol, lightweight driver libraries, and a wide range of examples for supported platforms, so you can integrate the controller into your firmware quickly and focus on your core application.
- Number of buttons: 17
- Number of joysticks: 2
- Joystick type: dual‑axis analog
- Joystick resolution: 8‑bit (0 – 255)
- Charging voltage / current: 5 V / 500 mA (USB Type‑C)
- Battery capacity: 400 mAh
- Charging time: approximately 1.5 hours
- Battery life: approximately 8 hours under typical use
- Bluetooth version: Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3
- Transmission distance: up to 50 m (open area)
- Transmit power: ‑16 dBm to +6 dBm (adjustable)
- Communication protocol: open, lightweight binary protocol optimized for embedded systems
- Supported role: BLE peripheral (slave)
- Power on: Briefly press (click) the Home button in the centre of the controller. The No. 1 blue LED indicator will start blinking slowly, indicating the device is starting up.
- Power off: While powered on, long‑press the Home button for 3 seconds. The No. 1 blue LED indicator will turn off and the device will shut down.
💡 Tip: If the controller shows no LED response at all after you attempt to power it on, or the LEDs turn on but go out immediately, the battery is most likely fully drained and cannot support startup or stable operation. Please charge the controller with a USB Type‑C cable first, then try again.
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No. 1 Indicator (Blue): Operating status indicator
No. 1 LED Status Device Status Slow blinking (approx. 1 s on/off) Powered on, advertising, and ready to connect Solid on Powered on and successfully connected to a host device Off Powered off -
No. 2, 3, 4 Indicators (Green): Battery level and charging status indicators
Together these three LEDs form a three‑bar battery gauge that shows the remaining capacity or charging state at a glance.
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When the device is powered on and not charging, they display the current battery level:
LED Status (No. 2 / 3 / 4) Battery Level All three on (full bars) High No. 2 and 3 on, No. 4 off (two bars) Medium Only No. 2 on, No. 3 and 4 off (one bar) Low (charge recommended; may auto‑shutoff when reaching the minimum protection voltage) -
When the device is connected to a charger, they display the charging state:
LED Status (No. 2 / 3 / 4) Charging State The three LEDs cycle on in sequence (running‑light effect) Charging in progress All three on solidly Charging complete
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To conserve power, the controller will automatically shut down under the following two conditions:
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Low‑battery auto power‑off: When the battery drains to the minimum protection voltage, the controller powers off automatically and all LEDs turn off. This is a battery protection mechanism. Please recharge promptly. The controller will power on normally after charging.
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Broadcast timeout auto power‑off: After power‑on, if the controller remains in the slow‑blinking state (advertising and waiting for a connection) for more than 1 minute without being connected, it will turn itself off to save power.
💡 Tip: If the controller shuts down shortly after power‑on, first check the battery level indicators, or try to complete the Bluetooth connection as quickly as possible after turning it on.
When connecting to a CodexPad, you may need the device’s unique identifier: the Bluetooth Device Address. It acts like an “ID number” for the device, formatted as 12 hexadecimal characters separated by colons: XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX (where X is 0–9 or A–F), for example E4:66:E5:A2:24:5D.
The Bluetooth Device Address (BD_ADDR) is printed on the label located in the centre of the controller’s back panel. Please check and record it yourself.
To extend the lifespan of the built‑in lithium battery, follow these charging and care guidelines:
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Avoid overcharging; disconnect when full: Lithium batteries do not need a “12‑hour first charge” activation. When the green LEDs No. 2‑4 stay solid on (fully charged), disconnect the charger promptly. Avoid leaving the controller plugged in for extended periods (e.g., overnight or for several days) — staying at 100 % charge for a long time accelerates battery ageing.
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Charge as needed; avoid deep discharge: You don’t have to wait until the battery is completely empty to recharge. When the battery gauge shows low (only LED 2 is on), you can charge the controller. Frequent deep discharge (to auto‑power‑off) significantly shortens battery life.
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Use a suitable charger: Please use a standards‑compliant 5 V / 1 A (or 5 V / 500 mA) USB charger or a computer USB port. Avoid using fast chargers — excessive current may cause the battery to heat up, affecting safety and lifespan.
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Charge in a suitable environment: Whenever possible, charge at room temperature (0 °C – 35 °C). Extreme high temperatures (e.g. inside a car in summer) or very low temperatures will seriously reduce charging efficiency and harm battery health.
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Long‑term storage: If you plan not to use the controller for an extended period (more than one month), charge the battery to a medium level (around 50 %–60 %, i.e. LEDs 2 and 3 on, LED 4 off) and store it in a cool, dry place. Never store the controller for long periods either fully charged or fully drained.
| Hardware Platform Characteristics | Typical Representative Platforms | Documentation | Core Features |
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| Main controller has built-in BLE capability or a BLE coprocessor, and the software can directly call low-level BLE APIs to connect to devices |
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CodexPad Connection and Usage Guide: Using the Built-in BLE of Hardware Platforms | No external module required; libraries and examples provided for direct programming use |
| Main controller (e.g. STM32/Arduino) lacks Bluetooth and requires an external Bluetooth-to-Serial module (connected to TX/RX pins) |
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CodexPad Connection and Usage Guide: Using BLE to Serial Module | Passthrough mode; data forwarded via serial port |
| Main controller (e.g. STM32/Arduino) lacks Bluetooth and requires a CodexPad dedicated receiver on the I2C bus (under development) | Any hardware platform supporting I2C | CodexPad Connection and Usage Guide: Using the Dedicated BLE to I2C Receiver |