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June 12, 2026June 12, 2026 by Debashis Das - 3 Comments

$7.99 Seeed Studio Wio-S3 WiFi, Bluetooth LE, and LoRa IoT module combines ESP32-S3 and SX1262 RF transceiver

Seeed Studio Wio-S3 is a compact (21.6 x 16.5 x 3.3 mm) wireless module that combines an ESP32-S3R8 dual-core WiFi 4 and Bluetooth LE MCU and a Semtech SX1262 LoRa transceiver. The module includes 16MB Flash and 8MB PSRAM, and supports LoRa (EU868/US915) with up to +20.9 dBm transmit power and -137 dBm sensitivity. It also supports Wi-Fi 4 and BLE 5.0, and comes with two IPEX connectors for external antennas. With interfaces such as UART, I2C, SPI, ADC, and USB, and support for -40°C to 85°C operation, it is designed for remote monitoring, industrial automation, smart agriculture, and IoT data logging. Seeed Studio Wio-S3 module specifications: SoC – Espressif ESP32-S3R8 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration Memory – 8MB PSRAM Wireless – 2.4 GHz 802.11b/g/n WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 LE + Mesh connectivity Storage – 16MB external SPI flash […]

May 26, 2026May 26, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

PolyCast5 – An ESP32-C5 multi-tool remote with dual-band WiFi 6, BLE, ESP-NOW, LoRa, and Infrared Tx/Rx (Crowdfunding)

PolyCast5 is a portable, hackable ESP32-C5-based multi-tool remote to control devices through five different core wireless technologies: WiFi 6, Bluetooth LE, ESP-NOW, LoRa, and infrared Tx/Rx. The all-in-one controller can be used for cybersecurity work, a standard IR learning remote control, a voice-enabled password manager, a robotic arm controller, an AI keyboard using the built-in microphone and Bluetooth connectivity, a long-range LoRa remote control, DIY electronics projects through a 4-pin GPIO header, and more. PolyCast5 specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-C5-WROOM-1 SoC – ESP32-C5 CPU Single-core 32-bit RISC-V processor @ up to 240 MHz Low-power RISC-V core @ 40 MHz acting as the main processor for power-sensitive applications Memory – 384 KB SRAM on-chip, 8MB PSRAM Storage – 320 KB ROM Wireless Connectivity Dual-band (2.4GHz/5 GHz) 802.11ax WiFi 6, with 802.11b/g/n WiFi 4 standard fallback Bluetooth 5.0 Low Energy (LE) 802.15.4 radio for Zigbee 3.0 and Thread 1.3 (note: support not […]

May 26, 2026May 26, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

RAKwireless WisMesh Pi HAT RAK6421 turns your Raspberry Pi 4/5 into a modular Meshtastic gateway

RAKwireless WisMesh Pi HAT RAK6421 meshtasticd HAT for Raspberry Pi

RAKwireless WisMesh Pi HAT RAK6421 is a modular Meshtastic gateway expansion board for Raspberry Pi 4/5 that adds support for the company’s WisBlock ecosystem. Designed for users running meshtasticd (the Linux-native Meshtastic service), it enables scalable, always-on Meshtastic base stations, MQTT gateways, and backbone relay nodes. Unlike other LoRa solutions based on Raspberry Pi, the RAK6421 takes a modular approach. Instead of a built-in radio, it offers two WisBlock IO slots and four sensor slots, allowing users to easily plug in or swap modules. This means you can choose between standard LoRa modules like the RAK13300 or higher-power 1W versions like the RAK13302, without dealing with messy USB adapters or breadboard wiring. RAK6421 WisMesh Pi HAT RAK6421 specifications: Compatibility Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 5, and Raspberry Pi Zero 2W SBCs Potentially other SBC with standard 40-pin Raspberry Pi GPIO header (HAT+ compliant) Expansion 2x WisBlock IO slots for LoRa radio […]

April 30, 2026May 1, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

M5Stack Cardputer goes off-grid with new Mesh Kit featuring LoRa, GNSS, and Meshtastic support

M5Stack has just launched the Cardputer Mesh Kit, a portable, card-sized Meshtastic communication terminal built around the ESP32-S3-powered Cardputer-Adv controller and a new LoRa expansion module (CapLoRa-1262). The kit is essentially a modular upgrade to the original Cardputer, where the base unit handles the UI via a 56-key keyboard and a 1.14-inch LCD. The added “Cap” module adds a Semtech SX1262 transceiver and an AT6668 GNSS module, allowing for off-grid text messaging and GPS location tracking without relying on cellular networks. Cardputer Mesh Kit specifications: Core Controller (Cardputer-Adv): Wireless MCU module – M5Stack M5Stamp S3A with SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3FN8 CPU Dual-core 32-bit Xtensa LX7 microcontroller with AI vector instructions up to 240MHz RISC-V ULP co-processor Memory – 512KB SRAM Storage – 8MB flash Wireless – 2.4GHz WiFi 4 (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE + Mesh 2.4GHz 3D antenna USB – 1x USB Type-C port Expansion connectors for I/Os such as SPI, I2C, […]

April 26, 2026April 26, 2026 by Debashis Das - 13 Comments

LightInk – An ESP32-based, solar-powered E-ink smartwatch with up to 10 months of battery life

Daniel Ansorregui has developed LightInk, an open-source solar-powered E-ink watch inspired by 90s solar digital watches. It features a 1.54-inch e-paper display and supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LoRa, and GPS, running on a 100mAh battery. The project integrates a custom low-quiescent-power design using a TPS63900 buck-boost converter, capacitive-touch input, and deep-sleep-driven firmware, along with ultra-fast partial e-ink updates (<1 ms active time) and precise RTC timekeeping with drift calibration. It also supports solar-first operation (no dedicated charging IC) and dynamic power gating of peripherals, enabling around 9–10 months of operation on a small battery supplemented by solar power. LightInk specifications: System-in-package – ESP32-PICO-D4 SiP CPU – Dual-core processor @ 240MHz Memory – 520KB SRAM Storage – 4MB flash Wireless – 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 4 up to 150 Mbps and Bluetooth 4.2 BR/LE connectivity Display – 1.54-inch 200×200 B/W e-Paper panel (GDEH0154D67 or compatible) Audio – 10-15mm piezo electric disc speaker Connectivity […]

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

Melody Machine firmware transforms LILYGO T-LoRa Pager into a portable MP3 player and Internet radio

Melody Machine is an open-source firmware that converts the ESP32-S3-based LILYGO T-LoRa Pager into a portable MP3 player and internet radio rather than a LoRa-based messenger running Meshtastic or Meshcore. Highlights of the Melody Machine firmware: LVGL-based graphical user interface with four themes WiFi Manager — Non-blocking WiFi with network list, password entry via on-screen keyboard, and auto-reconnect MP3 playback from SD card with folder browser, shuffle, repeat modes, and seek Internet Radio via M3U over WiFi (ICY metadata support) Seek — rewind / fast-forward MP3 tracks with the rotary encoder (±5 s per step) Dual-core audio/task design MP3 decoding runs on Core 0 via FreeRTOS UI and WiFi manager on Core 1 Settings — Saved as JSON on SD card in /melody_machine/settings.json; survives reboots and reflashes Auto power-off – Configurable idle power-off timer: 15 minutes to 2 hours The rotary encoder and built-in keyboard allow plenty of controls: Rotary […]

April 20, 2026April 20, 2026 by Debashis Das - 3 Comments

LILYGO T-Watch Ultra – An IP65-rated ESP32-S3 smartwatch with 2.01-inch AMOLED, LoRa, and GNSS

LILYGO’s T-Watch Ultra is an ESP32-S3-based smartwatch development platform that appears to be an upgrade over the previous T-Watch-S3 Plus (1.3-inch display and a 940mAh battery), with a larger 2.01-inch AMOLED touch display, a higher-capacity 1,100mAh battery, and an IP65 waterproof and dustproof rating. The device integrates a u-blox MIA-M10Q GNSS module for positioning, a SX1262 LoRa transceiver for long-range communication, and a Bosch BHI260AP smart sensor for motion-based AI applications. Additionally, it features an RTC chip, NFC, a built-in microphone, a haptic driver, a microSD card slot, and a USB Type-C port for programming and charging. The watch targets applications such as Meshtastic nodes, GPS tracking, wearable IoT interfaces, edge AI sensing, and custom smartwatch firmware development. LILYGO T-Watch Ultra specifications: SoC – Espressif ESP32-S3R8 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 microcontroller up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration Memory – 512KB SRAM, 8MB PSRAM Wireless – WiFi […]

April 13, 2026April 14, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Trail Mate open-source firmware leverages Meshtastic and MeshCore for ESP32 off-grid handhelds

vicliu624’s Trail Mate is an open-source firmware for off-grid communication and GPS coordinates sharing, leveraging the Meshtastic, MeshCore, and other projects, and designed for ESP32 handhelds such as LILYGO’s T-LoRa Pager or M5Stack’s Tab5 with a LoRaWAN module. The Trail Mate firmware provides a fixed north-up GPS map, direct LoRa text messaging through Meshtastic or MeshCore mesh networks without relying on a smartphone, and prioritizes stability, efficiency, and interoperability over feature density. Trail Mate user interface highlights: Simple main menu with four icons: GPS, LoRa chat, tracker, and system utilities. GPS map Fixed North-Up map orientation (no rotation) Fully offline map rendering from SD card tiles (png/jpg files) Three switchable base layers: OSM / Terrain / Satellite Optional contour overlay for terrain shape awareness Real-time position marker for the current GPS fix Discrete zoom levels optimized for embedded systems Simple breadcrumb trails for path awareness Fast in-page layer switching via […]