Adafruit Unveils CircuitPython ‘Turbo’ for Faster Microcontroller Programming

Adafruit has introduced CircuitPython Turbo, a new workflow that compiles selected Python functions into native machine code on a computer before loading them onto compatible microcontroller boards. This innovation builds upon MicroPython’s Native and Viper emitters, aiming to significantly improve performance for specific computational tasks on resource-constrained devices. The announcement, made by Adafruit managing director Phillip Torrone, highlights that CircuitPython Turbo is now included in the latest official CircuitPython builds for RP2040 and RP2350 boards. The technology targets scenarios where boards spend significant time calculating, such as creating neopixel effects, drawing fractals, processing audio, filtering sensor readings, or preparing large numbers of pixels. According to benchmarks provided by Adafruit, the speedup in computation time can be substantial – in a Metro RP2040 fixed-point Mandelbrot test, Viper reduced computation time from 8.335 seconds to 0.423 seconds, achieving a 19.71x speedup over bytecode. The announcement emphasizes that while Turbo speeds up the busy Python parts of applications, it won’t make slow sensor or display connections faster. The technology allows developers to maintain the simplicity of Python programming while gaining significant performance improvements for computationally intensive tasks. Adafruit notes that this development is part of a broader ecosystem of open source projects including CircuitPython, MicroPython, PyMCU, compiler tools, and open hardware, all contributing to making embedded programming more accessible. The announcement also acknowledges the collaborative nature of open source development, where sharing pieces of work leads to collective progress. This update is particularly significant for educational contexts, as CircuitPython was initially targeted at students and beginners when it was released in 2017 as a derivative of MicroPython. The new Turbo feature makes it even more practical for creating interactive projects like LED light-up costumes that react to sound, sensor dashboards with animated graphics, or small games that handle physics calculations while rendering graphics. The announcement concludes by highlighting the collaborative spirit of open source development, where sharing pieces of work leads to collective progress and new possibilities for embedded programming.