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September 13, 2025September 15, 2025 by Paisit Wongsongsarn - 10 Comments

XIAO Smart IR Mate Review – A compact smart infrared remote control hub for Home Assistant

SeeedStudio XIAO IR Test3 AirCon Mitsubishi Slim

SeeedStudio sent us a tiny Smart IR Remote hub for review: XIAO Smart IR Mate, or XIAO IR Mate for short. At first glance, it looks like any other WiFi IR blasters, but what makes it interesting is that the device is built on an open architecture using the XIAO ESP32C3 module and runs on ESPHome, working natively with the Home Assistant open-source home automation platform. As usual, SeeedStudio gives access to the source code, so it’s super convenient if you want to tweak the functions yourself to fit various needs. For those who are new to Smart IR, it’s a device that acts as an infrared (IR) control hub. The idea is to let you control legacy IR-based devices (old TVs, air conditioners, stereos, etc.) via a Smart Home system. We did several tests with several devices we had lying around, namely a Hatari oscillating fan, a Dyson blade-less […]

July 28, 2025July 27, 2025 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

ESP32-C3 based IR remote hub offers touch sensor, haptic feedback, 360° coverage

The XIAO Smart IR Mate is a compact circular-shaped IR remote hub/blaster built around the XIAO ESP32-C3 and designed for IoT applications. It comes pre-flashed with ESPHome and turns traditional IR-controlled appliances like TVs, air conditioners, and projectors into smart devices that can be automated, controlled, or integrated into home automation systems. The module includes three high-power IR LEDs for 360° transmission, a high-sensitivity IR receiver supporting up to 10 learned IR commands, and there’s also haptic feedback through a touch sensor and status LED. It supports Wi-Fi 2.4GHz & BLE, and is powered via USB Type-C. Measuring only 65 x 19mm, it can be a great tool for your DIY projects. XIAO Smart IR Mate specifications MCU module – XIAO ESP32C3 SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-C3 CPU – Single-core RISC-V microcontroller @ 160 MHz Memory – 400KB SRAM Storage – 384KB ROM Wireless Wi-Fi 4 & Bluetooth LE 5.0 […]

July 25, 2025 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

Industrial LoRa remote switches offer 3.5km range, real-time feedback

CDEBYTE EWD22S series industrial LoRa remote switchs

The CDEBYTE EWD22S series is a set of LoRa-based remote control switches designed for long-range industrial applications. The three key products of the series include the EWD22S-A01TR and EWD22S-D02XR relay modules, and the EWD22S-YK02A handheld remote. The EWD22S-A01TR module handles up to 30A/5kW loads, while the EWD22S-D02XR handles up to 10A/1kW. The EWD22S-YK02A handheld remote can be paired with the relay modules to control them remotely. The remote includes a 9V battery, a high-gain antenna, and multi-color LED indicators for signal confirmation, fault detection, and low battery alerts. The solution relies on LoRa in the 410–493MHz frequency band and offers a range of up to 3.5km in open environments. Protection features include zero-crossing detection, power isolation, and flame-retardant housing. The PCB features a tri-proof coating for protection against humidity, mold, and salt spray. Both relay modules support DIN rail and a screw mounting option for easy installation. EWD22S series specifications: Wireless […]

July 24, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

Remote.It adds Bluetooth assisted WiFi configuration to Raspberry Pi SBC’s

Remote.It, a company providing remote access services, has released an open-source project to enable Raspberry Pi WiFi network configuration using Bluetooth (BLE), so users can easily configure WiFi on the board by simply using their smartphone. Configuring WiFi on a Raspberry Pi usually involves either: Manual configuration – The user connects a monitor and keyboard to the Raspberry Pi to configure the wireless network directly on the device. Pre-configured SD cards, NVMe SSDs, or USB drives – The WiFi ESSID and password can be set in Raspberry Pi USB imager, and the Raspberry Pi will automatically connect to the network at boot time. That’s quick, but less flexible since the credentials can’t be modified after deployment, and it only works when using a single wireless network. Remote.It offers a third option for WiFi provisioning using Bluetooth LE. The Raspberry Pi can run headless or fully enclosed into a product, and […]

July 9, 2024July 10, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

WisGate Soho Pro RAK7267 LoRaWAN gateway supports LTE Cat 1 and WiFi 4 connectivity, solar battery kits

WisGate Soho Pro RAK7267 LoRaWAN gateway with solar battery kit

Designed for both indoor and outdoor deployments, RAKwireless’ WisGate Soho Pro RAK7267 is an 8-channel LoRaWAN gateway with LTE Cat 1 and WiFi 4 connectivity and support for 9V-36V DC input compatible with the company for solar battery kits. The LoRaWAN gateway is based on the MediaTek MT7628 MIPS processor with 256MB RAM and 32MB flash, runs a fork of OpenWrt with a dashboard for configuration, and integrates with WisDM cloud-based IoT management platform. WisGate Soho Pro RAK7267 specifications: SoC – MediaTek MT7628 MIPS processor at 580MHz System Memory – 256MB RAM Storage – 32MB NOR flash, microSD card socket LoRaWAN connectivity to sensors Semtech SX1303 LoRa Concentrator for up to 8 channels Frequencies 868 MHz – EU868/ IN865/ RU864 9150 MHz – US915/ AU915/ KR920/ AS923 Rx Sensitivity – At least -139 dBm Tx Power – Up to 27 dBm LoRaWAN v1.0.3 LoRa Frame filtering (node whitelisting) Buffering of […]

May 8, 2024May 8, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 16 Comments

Raspberry Pi Connect software makes remote access to Raspberry Pi boards easier

Raspberry Pi Connect software, currently in beta, aims to make remote access to the Raspberry Pi boards even easier and more secure by using a web browser and minimal configuration needed. It’s been possible to access Raspberry Pi boards remotely through VNC forever, and the X protocol used to be an option before the switch to Wayland, but both can be somewhat hard to configure especially when wanting to access the machine on a different local network or from the internet. Raspberry Pi Connect aims to change that. Under the hood, we’re told the web browser and the Raspberry Pi device established a secure peer-to-peer connection with the same WebRTC communication technology found in programs such as Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. The Raspberry Pi runs the “rpi-connect” daemon that listens to screen-sharing requests from the Raspberry Pi Connect website and establishes a secure, low-latency VNC instance directly between […]

July 11, 2023 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 8 Comments

“Drive from Work” remote driving services are now a thing

I’ve been following autonomous cars’ progress for many years, but it’s taking longer to bring the technology to market than expected. So some companies are now offering “Drive from Work” services where they hire drivers that sit in an office to remotely drive passengers around. That seems insane, but that’s what Fetch does in the UK with their drivers remotely controlling cars from the head office using cellular network connectivity, 360-degree cameras, and a “workstation” with a steering wheel and pedals as well as four displays. It looks like a game, but this is real life… The service is now only offered in Milton Keynes, UK, and has been trialed for 18 months so far. This could pave the for cheaper drivers based overseas, but I suppose the lag is an issue as is the potential loss of connection, so the Hackaday article that informed us of this option also […]

September 5, 2022September 5, 2022 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Telink energy harvesting wireless module to enable batteryless remote controls

Telink Energy Harvesting Multi protocol Wireless module TV remote control

Telink TLSR8273-M-EH is a multi-protocol wireless connectivity module with energy harvesting capabilities implemented through Nowi’s PMIC, and designed for batteryless devices (or ones with “forever batteries”) such as TV remote controls, but also wearables, and electronic shelf labels among others. The solution is based on a 48MHz RISC microcontroller that supports Bluetooth 5.1 LE, 802.15.4 (Zigbee/RF4CE/6LoWPAN/Thread), and 2.4GHz proprietary protocols. With a single module integrating all main components required for batteryless operation, Telink says its solutions reduce BOM and size, as well as supply chain complexity, and improves user-friendliness by removing the need for battery swaps. Telink TLSR8273-M-EH specifications: Core – 32-bit RISC microcontroller @ up to 48 MHz (CoreMark 1.25/MHz) Memory – 64 KB SRAM with 32 KB retention Storage – 512 KB flash RF Bluetooth 5.1 LE up to 2 Mbps, with AOA/AOD support, Bluetooth Mesh IEEE 802.15.4 radio for Zigbee, RF4CE, 6LoWPAN, Thread 2.4GHz proprietary protocols RX […]