Give AI models physical hands to measure, control, and debug real hardware.

BugBuster is an open-source hardware platform that bridges the gap between AI models and the physical world. Through a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, AI assistants like Claude can autonomously measure voltages, drive outputs, capture waveforms, analyze digital signals, and debug embedded targets — using a single USB-C connection to a purpose-built PCB.

One board. 61 AI-callable tools. A full electronics bench in your AI's hands.

AI models are exceptionally good at reasoning about electronics — reading datasheets, interpreting schematics, diagnosing faults. What they lack is the ability to touch the real world. BugBuster closes that loop.

You:    "The output is wrong"
AI:     "Can you measure pin 3?"
You:    *probes pin 3* "It's 1.8V"
AI:     "Expected 3.3V. Check the regulator input."
You:    *probes regulator* "Input is 5V"
AI:     "Check the enable pin..."
        ...20 more round-trips...

You:   "The output is wrong. Debug it."
AI:    *reads all 4 channels*
       *detects 1.8V where 3.3V expected*
       *checks supply rails — input is 5V*
       *reads enable pin — HIGH, correct*
       *captures ADC snapshot on output*
       "Found it: your 3.3V regulator
        output sags to 1.8V under load.
        Input is fine, EN is high — likely
        thermal shutdown or current-limit."

More scenarios: Docs/Scenarios.md.

If you find BugBuster useful and would like to support its ongoing development, hardware prototyping, and maintenance, you can donate via PayPal:

†HAT expansion board required.

flowchart TB
  HOST["Host<br/>(Claude / Desktop / Python)"]

  subgraph BB["BugBuster main board"]
    direction TB
    ESP32["ESP32-S3<br/>(dual-core)"]
    SPI["SPI bus<br/>AD74416H · 4× ADGS2414D MUX"]
    I2C["I²C bus<br/>DS4424 · HUSB238 · PCA9535"]
    ESP32 --- SPI
    ESP32 --- I2C
  end

  subgraph HAT["RP2040 HAT (optional)"]
    direction TB
    RP["RP2040<br/>(debugprobe fork + LA)"]
    PIO0["PIO 0 — SWD"]
    PIO1["PIO 1 — LA capture (125 MHz)"]
    RP --- PIO0
    RP --- PIO1
  end

  HOST -->|"USB CDC #0 — BBP v8<br/>control plane (MCP / desktop)"| ESP32
  HOST -->|"WiFi HTTP REST<br/>(token-paired)"| ESP32
  ESP32 -->|"HAT UART 921600 8N1<br/>(HAT_Protocol.md)"| RP

  HOST -->|"USB vendor bulk<br/>EP 0x06 OUT · 0x87 IN<br/>LA data plane @ ~1 MB/s"| RP
  HOST -->|"USB CMSIS-DAP v2<br/>(direct — no proxy)"| RP
  HOST -->|"USB CDC — target UART bridge"| RP

flowchart LR
  subgraph Host["Host machine"]
    Desktop["Desktop app\n(Tauri + Leptos)"]
    MCP["MCP server\n(bugbuster_mcp)"]
    PyLib["Python lib\n(bugbuster)"]
  end

  subgraph ESP["ESP32-S3"]
    BBP["BBP v8\nUSB CDC #0"]
    HTTP["HTTP REST\nWiFi / USB"]
  end

  subgraph HAT["RP2040 HAT"]
    UART["HAT UART\n0xAA framing"]
  end

  Desktop -->|"BBP v8 / COBS+CRC-16"| BBP
  MCP     -->|"BBP v8 / COBS+CRC-16"| BBP
  PyLib   -->|"BBP v8 / COBS+CRC-16"| BBP

  Desktop -->|"JSON REST"| HTTP
  PyLib   -->|"JSON REST"| HTTP

  BBP  --> UART
  HTTP --> UART

Two independent USB paths when the HAT is attached:

• ESP32 USB CDC — control plane (BBP v8 binary protocol over COBS + CRC-16). MCP server, desktop app, and Python library all speak this.
• RP2040 USB vendor bulk — Logic Analyzer data plane. The ESP32 is not in the LA data path; this decouples capture throughput from the BBP control stream and is what makes sustained 1 MHz / 4-ch streaming possible. Details: Docs/LogicAnalyzer.md.

cd python
pip install -e ".[mcp]"

# Find your port: ls /dev/cu.usbmodem*   (macOS) or ls /dev/ttyACM*  (Linux)
python -m bugbuster_mcp --transport usb --port /dev/cu.usbmodemXXXX

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "bugbuster": {
      "command": "/path/to/python",
      "args": ["-m", "bugbuster_mcp", "--transport", "usb",
               "--port", "/dev/cu.usbmodemXXXX"]
    }
  }
}

rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown
cargo install trunk tauri-cli

cd DesktopApp/BugBuster
cargo tauri dev       # hot-reload
cargo tauri build     # release bundle

# ESP32-S3
cd Firmware/ESP32
pio run -e esp32s3 -t upload
pio run -e esp32s3 -t uploadfs   # web UI to SPIFFS

# RP2040 HAT
cd Firmware/RP2040
git submodule update --init --recursive
mkdir build && cd build
cmake -DPICO_BOARD=bugbuster_hat .. && make -j
# hold BOOTSEL, then: cp bugbuster_hat.uf2 /Volumes/RPI-RP2

import bugbuster as bb
from bugbuster import ChannelFunction

with bb.connect_usb("/dev/cu.usbmodemXXXX") as dev:
    dev.set_channel_function(0, ChannelFunction.VOUT)
    dev.set_dac_voltage(0, 5.0)
    print(dev.get_adc_value(1))

Giving an AI control of real hardware demands hard boundaries. BugBuster enforces them at the tool layer — the AI cannot bypass these even if instructed:

• MUX exclusivity — each IO has exactly one active signal path.
• E-fuse auto-arm — configuring any output arms overcurrent protection.
• Current limit — 8 mA default; full 25 mA requires allow_full_range=True.
• Voltage confirmation — supplies above 12 V require confirm=True.
• Board-profile rail lock — VLOGIC / VADJ1 / VADJ2 can be locked per-board via a JSON profile; see Docs/board_profiles.md.
• Risk gates — mux_control, register_access require i_understand_the_risk=True.
• Post-action monitoring — every output operation triggers an automatic fault check; warnings propagate back to the AI.

Full rule-by-rule matrix: python/bugbuster_mcp/README.md.

Overview — live 4-ch readings, SPI health, temperature

Logic Analyzer — 1–4 ch @ up to 125 MHz, UART/I²C/SPI decoders

21 tabs total — full screenshot gallery and tab reference in DesktopApp/BugBuster/README.md.

BugBuster/
├── Firmware/
│   ├── ESP32/                   ESP-IDF firmware (PlatformIO) — main controller
│   ├── RP2040/                  HAT firmware (Pico SDK + debugprobe fork)
│   ├── BugBusterProtocol.md     BBP v8 wire format (USB CDC + HTTP REST)
│   ├── HAT_Protocol.md          ESP32 ↔ RP2040 UART framing
│   ├── HAT_Architecture.md      HAT board architecture reference
│   └── FirmwareStructure.md     Cross-firmware reference
│
├── DesktopApp/BugBuster/        Tauri v2 + Leptos 0.7 (21 tabs)
│
├── python/
│   ├── bugbuster/               Control library (USB + HTTP, 170+ methods)
│   ├── bugbuster_mcp/           MCP server (61 tools, 4 prompts, 6 resources)
│   └── examples/                Annotated example scripts
│
├── tests/                       pytest — unit, simulator, hardware-in-the-loop
│
├── Docs/                        Architecture, Scenarios, Hardware, LA, board profiles
├── PCB Material/                Altium schematics + layout
└── Scripts/                     One-off test and automation scripts

The HAT PCBs were provided by JLCPCB for free to support the open-source community.

AGPL-3.0 — see LICENSE.

BugBuster is free to use, modify, and self-host. If you distribute a modified version, or run a modified version as a network service, you must release the corresponding source under the same license. For closed-source or commercial-OEM use, contact the maintainer for an alternative license.