ble News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

March 6, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

WiFi and Bluetooth LE can now be used simultaneously on Arduino boards with NINA-W102 (ESP32) module

Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect WiFi and Bluetooth

Today I learned that WiFi and Bluetooth LE could NOT be used simultaneously on Arduino boards featuring the ESP32-based u-blox NINA-W102 wireless module, impacting the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect, Arduino MKR WiFi 1010, and Arduino Nano 33 IoT boards. It’s a long-running problem since the first Arduino board with NINA-W10 was introduced in 2018, and meant you could use WiFi or Bluetooth LE, but not both simultaneously. The good news is that the issue has finally been fixed, thanks to a new firmware for the module and new WiFi and BLE libraries. More specifically, you’ll need the following libraries and firmware: WiFiNINA library version 2.0.0 or later ArduinoBLE library version 2.0.0 or later NINA-W102 firmware version 3.0.1 or later The libraries can easily be updated in the Library Manager in the Arduino IDE, and the firmware needs to be updated with the Firmware Updater Tool in Tools > WiFi101 / […]

February 25, 2026February 25, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Telink ML9118A – A 32-bit RISC-V IoT module with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 connectivity

Telink ML9118A is a wireless IoT module with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 (Zigbee/Thread/Matter) connectivity designed for smart home, smart lighting, and smart remote control applications. The module also features a 32-bit RISC-V microcontroller clocked at 160 MHz with 576KB SRAM, 4MB flash, and various peripheral interfaces such as SDIO 3.0, 19x GPIOs, I2C, SPI, UART, as well as I2S for audio. Telink ML9118A module (ML9118A-GAIA-M0-PG12) specifications: MCU – 32-bit dual-core RISC-V MCU @ 160MHz Memory – 576KB SRAM Storage – 4MB embedded ﬂash Wireless 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6 IEEE 802.11 b/g/n/ax with support for DL/UL OFDMA, RX STBC, TWT, etc… Bluetooth 5.4 LE up to 2 Mbps bit rate 802.15.4 radio for Matter 1.3, Zigbee 3.0 compatible with ZHA and ZLL, Thread 2.4GHz proprietary – Supports Matter over Wi-Fi and Thread Tx Power – 15dBm @ Bluetooth LE mode Rx Sensitivity -88dBm @ 11B CCK 11Mbps -76dBm @ […]

February 23, 2026February 23, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Silex SX-SDMAX6E tri-band Wi-Fi 6E + Bluetooth LE module features NXP IW623 SoC, comes in M.2 or LGA package

Silex SX SDMAX6E tri band Wi Fi 6E + Bluetooth LE module LGA(Right) M.2(Left)

Back in August last year, we wrote about NXP’s IW623 tri-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth LE Audio SoC, but at the time, there was no ready-to-use module based on it. Now, NXP has partnered with Silex Technology to launch the SX-SDMAX6E module, available in a surface-mount LGA package or an M.2 2230 Key-E card. The module supports Bluetooth 5.x connectivity via UART and Wi-Fi via SDIO. It operates from a 3.3V supply with 1.8V support on the LGA version. It has an industrial operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C and is designed for both high-throughput applications, such as video streaming, and low-power, battery-operated devices in harsh environments. It also supports various antenna options, fast roaming, and long-term lifecycle backing through Silex and NXP. Silex SX-SDMAX6E specifications: Wireless chipset – NXP IW623 tri-band SoC Connectivity Wi-Fi Tri-band Wi-Fi 6E (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz) IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax […]

February 23, 2026February 23, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

The Ambient IoT Alliance aims to promote and develop standards for batteryless IoT devices using energy harvesting

The Ambient IoT Alliance, or AIoTA, is a global, cross-industry coalition working to promote and develop standards for batteryless IoT devices relying on energy harvesting for power. Ambient Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a class of IoT devices powered by radio waves, light, motion, heat, or any other viable ambient energy source. It is an evolution of legacy IoT and RFID technologies that promises lower costs and high scalability through Bluetooth, 5G Advanced, and the IEEE 802.11bp ambient power communication (AMP) standard. The alliance says its mission is to “promote and support the development of an open, harmonized, and aligned multi-standard ecosystem”. Ambient IoT-enabled devices can gather location, temperature, humidity, and/r other data, and communicate with the wireless infrastructure through a nearby mobile device, wireless access points, domestic appliances, or other standard gateways using a compatible standard. This reduces maintenance costs since batteries do not need to be replaced, […]

February 11, 2026February 12, 2026 by Debashis Das - 3 Comments

Open Stack standalone 4G LTE IoT board runs RTOS on Quectel EC200U LTE module (Crowdfunding)

Open Stack — Standalone 4G LTE IoT & Connectivity Module

Open Stack is a standalone 4G LTE IoT connectivity board designed to run RTOS-based C applications directly on the Quectel EC200U series LTE module, meaning you don’t need an external MCU like Arduino, ESP32, or Raspberry Pi. By removing the MCU, the board reduces power consumption, bill-of-materials (BOM) cost, and physical footprint. The board supports multi-band LTE with GSM fallback, GNSS, and Bluetooth 4.2, as well as IPv4/IPv6 client and server modes. It also includes a USB Type-C port, a Nano SIM card slot, LTE/GNSS/BLE antenna connectors, an OLED information display, status LEDs, control buttons, and a 40-pin Raspberry Pi HAT-compatible GPIO header. Networking support includes TCP/UDP, SSL/TLS, HTTP/HTTPS, MQTT, LwM2M, CoAP, FTP/FTPS, and PPP, making it suitable for asset tracking, industrial monitoring, BLE-to-LTE gateways, remote infrastructure, and always-connected IoT deployments without additional controller hardware. Open Stack specifications: Cellular Module – Quectel EC200U-CN series (EC200UCNAA-N05-SGNSA) module Cellular Connectivity: LTE FDD […]

February 9, 2026February 8, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

86-type Smart Home control panel features a 3.5-inch display, physical buttons, Bluetooth SIG Mesh gateway

The Tuya WiFi 3.5-inch Smart Center Control Panel (CCP-S05) is designed to replace traditional 86-type switches while adding a Bluetooth SIG Mesh gateway, a touchscreen interface, and three buttons for smart homes, apartments, and small commercial spaces. Compared to other 86-type control panels such as the Luckfox-Pico-86-Panel, Dusun DSGW-130, and Waveshare’s ESP32-P4 Smart 86 Box, the Tuya device follows a hybrid approach, combining a capacitive touchscreen with three physical buttons for instant local control. Tuya WiFi 3.5-inch Smart Center Control Panel (CCP-S05) specifications: SoC – Unknown (potentially based on Allwinner F1C100s ARM9 application processor, slightly more powerful Rockchip or Allwinner SoC) Display – 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen Audio – Built-in microphone and speaker Networking Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) Bluetooth Mesh USB – USB Type-C port for debugging only Relays – 3x independent relay channels (200 W per channel max 600W) Misc 3x programmable physical buttons Reset button (on the bottom side) RTC […]

February 5, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments

Texas Instruments to acquire Silicon Labs

Texas Instruments will acquire Silicon Labs for $231.00 per share, representing a total enterprise value of approximately $7.5 billion. The transaction is expected to complete in the first half of 2027, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and other conditions. Silicon Labs wireless chips are fairly popular in Smart Home applications with Zigbee, Thread, and Matter connectivity, as well as low-power Bluetooth LE wearables and industrial Sub-GHz or 2.4 GHz IoT applications. I can still remember when Silicon Labs purchased Energy Micro in 2013, taking over the EFM32 Gecko MCU family, and about 13 years later, the company is changing hands again. Texas Instruments explains the rationale behind the solution as follows: The acquisition will create a global leader in embedded wireless connectivity solutions by combining Silicon Labs’ strong portfolio and expertise in mixed signal solutions with Texas Instruments’ leading analog and embedded processing portfolio and internally owned technology and […]

January 26, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

ACEBOTT QD023 ESP32-based gesture control glove tracks finger movements with potentiometers

ACEBOTT QD023 ESP32 Motion Sensing Glove

ACEBOTT QD023 is an ESP32-based wearable gesture control glove that tracks finger movements with potentiometers instead of more traditional flex sensors. The glove transmits data via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to control various robotics kits, such as bipedal walkers, mecanum-wheeled cars, and robotic arms. The glove integrates five potentiometers for finger bending detection, and a 6-axis MPU6050 IMU for wrist rotation, tilt, and hand posture detection in real time. Other Hardware features include a USB Type-C port for programming and debugging, four AAA batteries for power, buttons, LEDs, and more. Tutorials and assembly guides make it suitable for K-12 education, classrooms, and hobbyist robotics projects. ACEBOTT QD023 specifications: Wireless Module – ESP32-WROOM-32D (soldered on the backside of the PCB) SoC – ESP32 dual-core wireless microcontroller CPU – Dual-core Xtensa 32-bit microprocessor @ 240MHz Memory – 520KB internal SRAM Wireless – Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, and Bluetooth (4.2 and BLE) PCB antenna USB – […]