Your gateway to Helium.The RAK Hotspot V2 is back in stock. We’re opening our limited inventory with an exclusive 15% off just for you. Use code RAKEXCLUSIVE at checkout to claim your discount. At RAKwireless, we’ve worked hard to be a top manufacturer in the Helium ecosystem. The RAK Hotspot V2 is a ready-to-use indoor gateway for LoRaWAN® powered by the Helium LongFi™ Network. It is a trusted and well-loved classic Helium device, especially among our enterprise customers. To date, we have shipped over 200,000 of these hotspots. Why is it a good idea to get the RAK Hotspot V2?
Why is the RAK Hotspot V2 a perfect choice? Interested in deploying a fleet of hotspots? We offer special volume pricing. For more info, contact sales at [email protected]. RAK Hotspot V2 is officially certified by
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Ken Yu sees LoRaWAN IoT technology as a key area of high purpose and growth with many applications. April 24, 2022 /California Business Journal/ - Last year, RAKwireless raised $10M in a Series A funding round led by Creo Capital, the venture arm of NWS Holdings Limited, followed by Shunwei, a leading venture capital firm from China. The company supplies technology to household name IoT devices such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa. Q: What brought you to this industry? A: I worked for over ten years at one of the leading WiFi and chip vendors globally – Qualcomm Atheros. During that time, I fell in love with the world of WiFi connectivity and the endless possibilities that IoT can bring to improve people’s lives. I saw many customers asking about connecting meters, gas lines, and other things not usually part of the WiFi network. When founding RAKwireless – I made it my mission to help these customers solve that specific problem with more creative and agile solutions than those currently existing on the market Q: What made you want to start your own company? A: For me, being an entrepreneur is like looking for a light on a very dark night in a desert. It takes a lot of commitment, perseverance, and steadfast confidence that the company you are building will serve as a spark of light for others to follow. I wanted to start a company due to my passion for creating a connected world, support cities, communities, and people to improve their daily lives. Creating RAKwireless was my way to empower others to join me on this mission of making IoT easy and accessible for anyone. In a human-centric network such as “online,” brands continue to develop high-bandwidth technology to keep up with the increased amount of communication. But in the real world, several tangible things also need to be connected, such as water meters, gas meters, oil drums, streetlights, parking spaces, trash cans, manhole covers, pipes, fire hydrants, noise detectors, smoke detectors, and many other things. Most of them are not yet connected to any network due to the limitations of the available power supply on a deployment site, as well as connection availability. Similar challenges exist in rural areas where vast farmland and pastures are waiting to be connected. Eventually, all the cities will need to deploy infrastructure to facilitate this data interchange as a mandatory requirement for growth, generating massive demand for new tech developments in this area Q: Tell us about your story as a founder. What inspired you to start RAKwireless? A: A few years ago – in March of 2014 to be more specific – I had a conversation with a close friend who was also involved in the technology business, Terry Yan. At this time, IoT was a relatively new concept in the market but smart home products were developing rapidly, generating a significant interest on consumers and companies worldwide around the value of IoT and connected devices. People began to recognize why having IoT in their daily routine could bring substantial improvements to their lives. During that conversation, we thought about the future for other generations. How will IoT change the world as we get older? How will the market evolve? What are the barriers to entry? During that time, I thought about a new reality where humans work and live day-to-day in tandem with technology, living in a connected world enabled by IoT devices mining valuable data to improve the way we live and work. Based on this scenario there would be a considerable need for many sensors to be connected to the Internet – homes, manufacturing plants, smart cities, agriculture, transportation and mobility, healthcare, among others – ultimately everything would benefit from these sensors. Things (as we called them, sensors) like water meters, gas meters, electrical and medical equipment – all of these touchpoints in society will need to be connected to a network. The need for data interchange across different communities will grow in demand as more things that were traditionally ‘off the grid’ will now need to be interconnected. Based on all of this, I found a huge market opportunity growing – as a considerable number of sensors and industrial terminals will need to be available for consumers and companies alike. I started RAKwireless to connect communities worldwide through smart technology. Starting the company was an opportunity for me to help others easily use technology to improve their lives and work, collaborate and connect with others Q: Why do you believe in and support Helium as a technology? How did you build that relationship, and what are your future plans? A: When building a business, you must choose to work with strategic partners and customers that create technology you believe in. Technologies and brands that are not just passionate about what they do but do it well and take pride in constantly improving themselves. We saw that in Helium’s team, led by Amir Haleem and partners such as Shawn Fanning, of Napster fame. RAKwireless already works with many other organizations around community networks so we saw partnering with Helium as an obvious match from day one. To provide more context, Helium is bringing in a solution for simple, secure, and scalable IoT connectivity. Their products streamline the ability to deploy and scale a long-range wireless network that connects millions of end IoT devices, giving companies a simple way to intelligently and securely deliver data from any device to the cloud and applications. They have created a decentralized public network built for the Internet of Things (IoT) using Blockchain technology, complemented with a modern reward system built around a new kind of cryptocurrency, the Helium Token (HNT). To make all this possible, they required reliable and top-class hardware capable of handling the processes and delivering the desired connectivity, something RAKwireless already had a great track record of doing. Helium’s vision of the world is very similar to ours – we both see strength in building great products and empowering a community of enthusiasts that recognize and love our products. The “People’s Network,” is a community concept we fell in love with since the beginning, and we are proud to be part of their exponential growth from the start. A Network for the People powered by the combination of RAKwireless’s product development expertise and Helium’s revolutionary, user-friendly software to encourage network deployments and IoT businesses at scale. Helping to build this community has been a real privilege for us. We have a continuous product plan to align with the Helium strategy pipeline and focus on the years ahead to keep growing together. Q: How has the company been able to thrive during the past year? What are some obstacles the team has overcome? A: The past year has been one of the most challenging times for global businesses that we may never see again in our lifetime, hopefully. With record unemployment, economic upheaval, and tremendous disruption to the supply chain – maintaining equilibrium for any entrepreneur has been challenging. At RAKwireless, our saving grace has been the fact that our customers genuinely recognize the importance and value of our products. Our community saw first-hand our steadfast commitment to manufacturing and fulfilling orders even in times of crisis. One challenge we faced was widespread supply chain disruption. What helped us during these challenging times were transparent and strong relationships with suppliers and partners – these are groups we have worked with for years, who trust us, and want to keep growing next to us. We were able to share resources and facilities with these groups to meet our goals and fulfill orders. WisBlock, one of our most transformative technologies, is an excellent example of how we are supporting developers in bringing products to market quickly. When chips were challenging to get a hold of, we could handle deliveries and maintain a high quality of development of these items. Our mission to empower developers’ communities to create new things with ease and simplicity has guided that “North Star” during the last year. Q: What are two trends in the industry you see right now? Where are some unexpected areas of growth? A: 1. The growth of domain-specific network applications Rather than relying on all-encompassing super apps, devices, or networks designed by a committee, which rarely meet real criteria that people truly need, our products bring in bespoke, application-oriented, tools and network technologies helping customers be more productive, more efficient, and truly enjoy their journey. We are helping these customers connect to established networks under different services be it Helium, Things Industries, AWS, and Loriot, or even create a private network for their application or community. Ultimately we empower customers to tailor their network and even the edge nodes – with Wisblock – to have the best fit with what their use case requires. This example is a piece of evidence to the growing market trend of customizable network and domain requirements. At RAKwireless, we see so many developers, companies, and makers crafting their own unique IoT networks, and we’re inspired by the creativity of these groups. 2. Removing Barriers to Entry and Making IoT Accessible for All Another key area powering our growth is our work on documentation, education, and open-source transparency to make IoT accessible for all. The IoT industry is young, and its technology is complex. The promise of IoT is only made real when companies create practical, cost-efficient, easy-to-use products, and today, the barriers are too high. Too many great ideas never see the light of day because IoT is not accessible to those looking to build life-changing technology. Our mission is to eliminate barriers between under-networked enterprises and communities to build and deploy IoT products with its leading-edge platforms that connect hundreds of millions of things worldwide. From a granular level, removing barriers to entry and maintaining transparency starts with two key areas: 1) open access and 2) removing silos in networks for better integrations. The “open-source” movement has expanded beyond just source and code, but we’re now seeing open “data access” and “open hardware.” These transparent capabilities have allowed new communities to form, and people come together to collaborate and create incredible things. Removing silos in networks has improved access for more seamless integration processes. On the hardware side specifically, there is a trend of making hardware work more like software. Our developer community, or as we call them RAKstars, is an excellent example of that. Our goal at RAKwireless is to act as a supplier to the growth, collaboration, and success of the transparent communities and partners we serve. Q: What part of the IoT industry are you most excited about in the next year? Which areas (smart homes, cellular LTE, 5G, etc.) do you predict to see the most growth? A: LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technology is an IoT field that we are very excited about. It is a breakthrough technology that is ripening from a niche product to accessible technology and is used to change the way societies across the world develop and thrive. The technology is designed to allow ultra-low powered devices to communicate with Internet-connected applications over long-range wireless connections. This means that smaller, more affordable devices can communicate over longer distances in any part of the world greatly reducing deployment and running costs. The speed at which we see LoRaWAN solutions grow in a range of different sectors presents a fantastic opportunity for the technology in years to come.
The LoRaWAN technology is particularly well suited for building independent “Smart Communities.” These are areas where technology works in tandem with residents – acting as a vehicle to improve communication and efficiencies. It is changing the lives of consumers and making communities safer. For example, LoRaWAN IoT devices used in farming to monitor crops can help improve their ability to grow. Done at scale, better, more efficient agriculture means we can help feed more of those in need. Another example of this same technology is tracking forest fires and mitigating environmental threats for rural communities. Ken Yu is the founder and CEO of RAKwireless. He worked for 10+ years at Qualcomm Atheros, one of the leading WiFi and chip vendors globally. During that time, Yu fell in love with the world of WiFi connectivity and the endless possibilities that IoT can improve people’s lives. He made it his mission to make IoT solutions easy. Through RAKwireless, Yu creates solutions that would take one’s IoT solution a step further ––– not just to solve existing problems but also addressing potential ones that may evolve during deployment stages. Through IoT, a connected world with connected cities, communities, and people is what Yu dreams of. He intends to extend the reach of RAKwireless through valued partnerships with companies and organizations to cater to customized needs worldwide. In the information age, various types of intelligent equipment such as computer rooms, agricultural monitoring, and air purification are widely used in our lives. Due to special materials and performance, intelligent equipment has extremely strict requirements on temperature and humidity. Therefore, choosing a temperature and humidity sensor has naturally become the top priority of equipment installation. There are also many factors that need to be considered, including the monitoring performance of the temperature and humidity sensor, transmission distance, applicable scenarios, and ease of installation. Therefore, the temperature and humidity sensor kit is very necessary. The appearance of the kit can not only greatly reduce the trouble of construction, but also make us more effective and multi-application with one kit. For example: RAK LoRaWAN temperature and humidity sensor kit that many people like to use. 1. Multi-faceted technical support, Xiaobai can also get startedThe RAK LoRaWAN temperature and humidity sensor kit is a LoRa gateway and node experience kit launched by RAK. The kit provides a complete IoT LoRa temperature and humidity environment monitoring solution. It mainly monitors changes in ambient temperature and humidity through the LoRa sensor, and uploads the data to the gateway. The data will be notified visually on the terminal webpage to help users realize remote information monitoring. It can help deploy specific applications, including hardware, software, cloud connectivity, and so on. In addition to the high-quality performance and practicality of the kit, its configuration is also very simple. The temperature and humidity sensor plus a LoRa indoor gateway is a complete kit. Cooperate with Tencent Cloud Server and Tencent's Mini Program to realize visual information query. In addition, RAK also provides long-term technical support, a rich resource library and document tutorials, RAK Gateway, Node, Sensor, Tencent Cloud operation guide, hundreds of products, N multiple example tutorials, and a series of courses from introductory to proficient system. These technical support and tutorials can let users understand a RAK LoRaWAN temperature and humidity sensor kit in the shortest time, and help you choose the applicable IoT solution simply and quickly according to the actual needs of the scene. These technologies can also guide users to connect a complete set of terminal devices and cloud platforms, so as to integrate devices more efficiently and conveniently, simplify deployment processes, and realize application learning of complete IoT solutions. The various technical support provided by RAK can not only allow users to get started quickly, but also can be used for teaching. These technologies and tutorials can let beginners and students who are just getting started quickly get started. Students can understand the application control of LoRaWAN sensing in the scene more quickly by using the temperature and humidity sensor kit, and they can also learn to install and deploy. 2. Simple and fast deployment, multi-scenario application The deployment and installation method of the RAK LoRaWAN temperature and humidity sensor kit is very simple, and the application scenarios are also very extensive. It can be applied to scenarios such as smart agriculture monitoring, computer room temperature and humidity detection, air purification and control, weather stations, drying/heating/cooling/ventilation systems, building automation, and smart construction sites. When used in agriculture, it can help realize the functions of fine management, remote control and disaster warning of modern agricultural production, and further promote the construction of "smart greenhouses". The technician can directly control the command through a computer or a mobile phone at home. If it is found that the temperature in the shed has exceeded 35 degrees, the technician can directly turn on the fans in the entire facility shed through the remote control of the mobile phone. If the soil moisture is lower than 35%, start sprinkling irrigation immediately, and start replenishing water immediately, so that the greenhouse can be controlled at any time and any place. Using the greenhouse model, the remote management mode of the intelligent greenhouse is realized. It can also be used to detect the temperature and humidity of the central computer room. The central computer room is an important place for some companies and related institutions to store, process and share data. Since the computer room is mostly electronic equipment, the ambient temperature and humidity will directly affect its working conditions, so the temperature and humidity The sensor is an indispensable part of the comprehensive monitoring system for the environment of the computer room. The temperature and humidity sensor is used to detect the ambient temperature. When the temperature and humidity are too high, measures to cool and dehumidify the computer room can be started to ensure that the ambient temperature and humidity are normal. It is used for air purification temperature and humidity control. In the air purifier, the purifier will control the amount of humidification according to the data, which can ensure that the indoor environment is within a certain humidity range to maintain a fairly comfortable humidity. Use digital integrated temperature and humidity sensors to analyze air quality through data collection, and control humidification devices and air purification devices for air purification. It can carry out real-time monitoring of indoor air quality, is sensitive and has corresponding treatment measures. High-precision, high-stability temperature and humidity sensors are selected to provide real-time and high-quality air quality monitoring, and the MCU can independently detect and judge the environment, and the air purification device and ultrasonic humidifier can be activated in time to achieve the purpose of energy saving and energy saving.
The actual operation of the RAK LoRaWAN temperature and humidity sensor kit is also very simple. It only takes three steps to easily complete the connection and deployment. In the next article, we will explain to you in detail: how to operate, and the different deployment processing methods when applied in different scenarios. For more information, please visit the official website of RAKwireless Technology, or send an email to [email protected] for consultation. In battling the Coronavirus, and all other diseases for that matter, the LoRa technology and the LoRaWAN protocol in particular can be used for a base for developing solutions to strengthen the humanity’s defense against this pandemic.
LoRaWAN can be of great help in every aspect of our lives, why not healthcare as well? Let us see a few use cases, small things that make a big difference. Medical Gas Valve Monitoring Medical Gas Valves are responsible for the much needed oxygen supplies in the fight with the Coronaviruses. As its name suggests, the valve controls the flow of oxygen by either turning it on or off. By incorporating LoRa to this, the medical gas valves attached with smart digital pressure gauges for monitoring and data transmission become wireless controlled assets. Medical professionals are now able to monitor and control the oxygen flow to the patient, while collect and analyse data. At the same time, notifications are sent when the oxygen cylinders need replacement and can prevent shortages caused by bad management. Asset Temperature Monitoring and Tracking One crucial part of vaccine, blood, and sample transportation and preserving is the temperature. Guaranteeing that vaccines will not spoil, maintaining a certain temperature at all times is a must. Therefore, more and more solutions in this direction are made. LoRaWAN Starter Kit to collect, store, and transmit the data from sensor and tracking systems installed to assist in monitoring the location and temperature levels of the storage spaces. As a result, the risk of goods and samples going to waste is minimized. Infection Risk Reduction in Hospitals The place that treats Covid-19 patients is the most high-risk place of all. As the Coronavirus spreads, keeping hospitals free from spread of infection may be done through implementing LoRaWAN solutions. Occupancy and feedback monitors, bed occupancy monitors, asset tracking, air quality, and water monitoring are small but effective tools in controlling the spread of the virus. Infrared Temperature Sensors Instead of the individual checking of temperature that takes time and requires personal contact, a smarter and safer solution is possible. Infrared temperature sensors with integrated LoRa Gateway functionality are already being manufactured and distributed around the world. A simple add-on that improves on this procedure through thermal sensors that immediately distinguish the individuals with normal body temperature from those with a higher temperature reading, transmit that data to the nearest gateway, and from there to the responsible staff, simple and remote. All of these use cases can be implemented at once with just one expanded LoRaWAN network that focus on detection, prevention, and reduction of disease spreading. A series of gateways and various sensors, at first glance - simple devices, can make all the difference in saving lives. Through the technology, developers will continue to adapt and provide solutions that strengthen the defense against this pandemic for the whole world. Smart hospitals are the obvious next step in the Smart City direction. Disasters are unforeseen and uncontrollable, but it does not mean that we should let it be. Preparation and prevention are paramount to the survival and the continued livelihood of humans. In the event that trouble arises, it is best to know what to do and be prepared.
Disaster Risk Reduction Management delves on strategic planning in order to lessen risks, reduce casualties, and promotes the presence of mind in a given situation. Examples of these are evacuation drills, emergency routes, and emergency kits, which are good practices, however, we can do more. LoRaWAN® gateway providers can now make monitoring and sensing systems available, thus disaster risk reduction management can elevate its way of planning and preparing. Here’s how LoRaWAN gateway kits can assist in Disaster Risk Reduction Management: Data Gathering The first step before planning is to know what you are up against or what you should look out for. LoRaWAN gateway providers, like RAKwireless, offer sensor systems that can measure temperature, wind, air quality, humidity, smoke, and water levels which can be reported to the public for them to prepare for a typhoon, fire, hurricane, or other disasters. Information Dissemination LoRa® gateway kits can become efficient communication networks to ensure real-time updates and clear directions are communicated to the public on what they should do. Disseminating information regarding emergency routes or locating evacuation centers are just some of the possibilities that LoRa gateway providers and kits can do in the event of an emergency. Locating at-risk areas can be pinpointed through tracking systems powered LoRa gateway kits, reducing casualties and bringing more peopl into safety. One part of disaster risk reduction management is Disaster Recovery, and LoRaWAN gateway providers can assist in this by offering real-time updates on the situation and giving certainty once the places affected are safe to go back to. These are just a few of what it means to become E-resilient, and what LoRa gateway kit can offer when incorporated into disaster risk reduction management. In gist, prevention is better than cure, and there is nothing wrong with being prepared for what may come. Source: https://hbr.org/2017/12/how-the-internet-of-things-can-prepare-cities-for-natural-disasters Alibaba Cloud provides an Internet of Things platform to improve IoT communication access services. So, how do we connect our own gateway with Alibaba Cloud's IoT platform ? Two steps are required: Step 1: Register the gateway on Alibaba Cloud. But at this time, the gateway is only registered to Alibaba Cloud's IoT platform , but the gateway is not actually connected to Alibaba Cloud. Therefore, a second step is required. Step 2: Connect your own gateway device to the Internet. After connecting to the Internet, you can see that your gateway is "online" on Alibaba Cloud. At this time, the gateway is indeed connected to Alibaba Cloud. The specific operation is as follows. Step 1: Register the gateway on Alibaba Cloud1. Visit Alibaba Cloud Internet of Things management platfor 2. The steps to enter the registered gateway are shown in Figure 2. After entering the Internet of Things network management platform, click “Build and Share Network” to start building in the quick start On the interface shown in Figure 2, after clicking "Start Building", the interface shown in Figure 3 will appear. At this time, we see the "Registration Gateway" displayed on the interface of Figure 3, which is the goal of our step one Too. On the interface in Figure 3, click "Register Gateway", and the interface shown in Figure 4 appears. On the interface of Figure 4, fill in the corresponding gateway information according to the label picture on the device. Step 2: Connect your own gateway device.The gateway device is connected to the Alibaba Cloud IoT platform through the network . Therefore, you need to connect your own gateway device to connect it to Alibaba Cloud.
To connect the gateway device to the network, you first need to log in to the gateway device on the computer. For the method, see the article How to Log In to the Raspberry Pi Gateway on the Computer. Second, configure the gateway device with the help of the computer's display interface, so how to connect the gateway to the external network. See how to connect the Raspberry Pi Gateway to the external network. After the gateway is connected to the network, wait a moment, the gateway status displayed on the Alibaba Cloud IoT platform will be updated to the "online" status. LoRa modules often have built-in related sensor products. For example, RAK7204 is a temperature and humidity LoRaWAN sensor product. He has built-in various environmental sensors that can collect temperature, humidity, air pressure and indoor air quality parameters. Different users and different application scenarios may lead to different actual needs of users for sending and receiving data at this node. Usually as an embedded engineer, I start to develop an IoT product. For the selection of IoT modules, there are usually several ways, including serial port AT command, serial port transparent transmission, if you want to get lower power consumption and better cost , You can choose to use the MCU built into the module as your own application. However, the OpenMCU approach requires module suppliers with strong SDK integration capabilities and good supporting documentation. For example, RAKwireless has multiple LoRa modules to allow users to conduct secondary development, and also provides multiple The secondary development application examples of power consumption design can help users achieve lower system cost and lower system power consumption. Users can refer to these examples and modify them slightly according to their actual needs to achieve their own application purposes. This article introduces the specific steps of LoRa module module secondary development for developers who are using LoRaWAN module products for the first time and want to use OpenMCU for secondary development. There are two ways to do secondary development inside the IoT module. The usual approach is to integrate an SDK that can be developed. According to some of the SDK's configuration interfaces to implement their own applications, this approach requires users to The development environment of MCU must be familiar to achieve efficient development. RAKwireless provides a new way to help developers realize the use of internal MCU for secondary development. RAKwireless encapsulates a variety of scene-oriented APIs for the LoRaWAN protocol stack. Users only need to understand the usage of the API, write their own applications, and get their own development through a Web-based online compilation platform. This online compiler, The equivalent is that the developer only needs to write the specific application part, and then upload the main program, compile it, and the platform outputs an executable file, that is to complete the entire development process. Figure 1 Flowchart of secondary development of OpenMCU in RUI 1. Understand the composition of RUI and the purpose of RUI API.The firmware developed based on RUI consists of two parts: RUI SDK and Application, as shown in Figure 1 of this article. Among them, the RUI SDK part is the core of RUI, which has been adapted to the RAK LoRaWAN module product, and at the same time provides a unified set of RUI API for the Application part to call. For the purpose and usage of RUI API, please refer to the RUI API manual (available on the official website of RAKwireless, the company's official website-> resources-> documentation center, this way you can get the manuals of all products). Note: 1) Application is open source, users can carry out secondary development and modify it according to their own application logic, and the required low-level function support can be called by corresponding RUI API. 2) The RUI SDK part is not open source. It is placed in the RUI online compiler. When the user completes the secondary development of the Application part and uses the RUI online compiler to compile, the RUI SDK will be automatically loaded into the customized firmware. . 2. Comparing RAK product development practice code on Github with RAK, and understanding the usage of RUI API.RAK's LoRaWAN module and derivative products, and the application code corresponding to its officially released firmware can be found in RAK's Github at https://github.com/RAKWireless/Products_practice_based_on_RUI Figure 2 is an example of a file on Github: Figure 2 An example of the storage of Application code files corresponding to the firmware released by RAKwireless on Github As you can see, this code warehouse is divided into directories according to the model of the core module. We only need to find the corresponding core module directory, and we can see some product practice codes based on the module. Taking LoRaWAN module RAK811 as an example, as shown in Figure 3, when we enter the "based on RAK811" directory, we can see some product practice examples based on RAK811 module, these codes show how to add some peripherals and based on RAK811 module Sensors, through these sample codes, developers can quickly understand how to load sensors through RUI: rakwireless, Github, RAK811, Application code files, product practice examples Figure 3 RAKwireless LoRaWAN module RAK811 product practice example directory diagram on Github among them, 1) "app_5205" is the Application source code corresponding to the official firmware of the LoRaWAN tracker module RAK5205. An example of the folder directory is shown in Figure 4. Fig. 4 Product practice example catalogue of the LoRaWAN tracker module RAK5205 on the Github The LoRaWAN tracker module RAK5205 is based on the RAK811 module, adding environmental monitoring sensors (BME680), three-axis acceleration sensors (LIS3DH), and GPS modules (Ublox MAX 7Q). The code examples in this directory show how to complete the development of customized firmware based on the RAK811 module, connect other sensors through I2C and GPS modules through UART, and call through the RUI API. 2) "app_7204" is the Application source code corresponding to the official firmware of RAK7204, including RAK7204 sensor driver, AT command implementation, application logic processing, etc., all here (as shown in Figure 5), which uses a lot of RUI API, Used to implement related functions. Fig. 5 The product practice example catalogue of RAKwireless Wilink's LoRa module RAK7204 on Github The LoRa module RAK7204 is based on the RAK811 module and adds an environmental monitoring sensor (BME680). Therefore, you can learn how to add an I2C sensor based on the RAK811 module through the product practice code, and quickly complete the development of customized firmware through the RUI API call. For example, the file "app_7204.c" circled by the red rectangle in Figure 5 is the implementation of application logic processing. If you want to customize the development of application logic, you can focus on the code to understand the actual usage of the RUI API. 3) "app_PT100_Digital_Pressure_Sensor" is based on the RAK811 module, adding a hydraulic sensor PT100. 4) "app_RAK811" is the application code corresponding to the official firmware of the RAK811 module. If you want to modify the working logic and process of the RAK811 module, you can modify it based on the example code. 3. Choose a suitable example code from the RUI product development practice code on RAK Github, and modify it based on it, and carry out secondary development according to actual application requirements.These product development practice codes on RAK Github have realized the main part of Application, and code modification and secondary development based on it will do more with less. For example, the RAK7204 sample code shown in Figure 5 prints out the LoRa downlink data received by the node through the serial port without processing. This can be obtained from the code in the "app_7204.c" file shown in Figure see: Figure 6 The code example of app_7204.c of the LoRa module RAK7204 on the Github If you want to process the downstream data of LoRa in your customized firmware, you can achieve the goal by modifying the code of this function. 4. After completing the secondary development, use RUI's online compiler to compile to obtain the final customized firmware.RUI is the IoT end-side software tool deeply optimized by RAKwireless. After completing the customized development of the Application part, you can use the RUI online compiler to compile. The compilation interface is shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8. Figure 7 The login interface of the RUI Huilian RUI user interface Figure 8 RAKwireless RUI user interface selection product model As mentioned earlier, when compiling, the compiler will automatically load and compile the Application and RUI SDK together, and output the final customized firmware. The address of the RUI online compiler is: http://47.112.137.11:12090/#/user/login You can register and use it by email. For detailed usage, please refer to the instruction manual of RUI online compiler: https://downloads.rakwireless.com./RUI/RAK_Online_Compiler_Quick_Start_Guide.pdf 5. Burn the compiled customized firmware into RAK IoT terminal products and use OK, after the previous steps, you have compiled the final customized firmware binary file, and now you can burn it into the product for use. The method of programming the firmware is detailed in the corresponding product usage documents, and will not be repeated here. You can find the corresponding product usage in the document center (official website-> resources-> document center) of RAKwireless official website Documentation, follow the steps in the product usage documentation to complete the firmware programming. SummaryFor secondary development directly on the LoRa module with built-in OpenMCU, you can refer to the secondary development examples provided by the supplier. These secondary development examples are often designed with low power consumption. Therefore, users can not only save a lot of development time, no need for additional Purchasing components can save a lot of costs, and these secondary development application examples that have been designed with low power consumption can also achieve lower system costs and lower system power consumption. Original Post: https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/127860989 Selecting the Right Gateway? Four Features to Evaluate First Before Choosing your Next LoRa Gateway4/22/2020 With the field of IoT continuously connecting everyone with its breakthroughs, it is no surprise that everyone is capable of creating an IoT project of one’s own now. You can just get devices and software on hundreds of catalogs on the internet to make your project work. The building and deployment will follow after. However, this ease of access brings upon errors that most excited beginners take in their project: failing to select the right gateway for their project. Gateways are an essential part of an IoT project as they act as a bridge between the devices on your LoRa network and the cloud or the internet. In comparison to a cellular network, gateways are the equivalent of a cellular tower. In cellular communications, no mobile device can communicate directly with each other. Instead, all messages and calls pass through the nearest cellular tower first. Similarly, all devices on the LoRa network send their data on the nearest gateway, which in turn, uploads this data to the cloud or internet. These gateways also come in two types: the ones that run on minimal firmware and the ones that run an operating system. The first type of gateway is very easy to use and requires the least amount of financial investment. DIY gateways fall into this category. With this type of gateway, you will have more freedom in making modifications to be able to perfectly suit your application. To create your DIY gateway, you need to start with a gateway concentrator module. Examples of modules that are available online are RAK2245 and RAK2247 from one of the leading IoT solutions provider, RAKwireless. The second type, on the one hand, is those that are ready to use and requires minimal network configuration. RAK7249, RAK7258, and RAK7244 are RAKwireless’ gateways for this type as well. Given this information, you can now explore and evaluate the four features of a LoRa gateway to select the best gateway for your project. Environmental ProtectionChoosing gateways starts with the question of whether the gateway will be located indoors or outdoors. For large-scale network implementations, outdoor gateways are usually used along with some indoor gateways to cover blind spots inside buildings and structures. More often than indoor gateways, outdoor gateways are designed to have a high IP rating to protect it from the elements. Internet ConnectionAnother very important feature is how the gateway will connect to the internet. Most outdoor applications will require gateways to support 3G or 4G while most indoor applications require gateways that support an ethernet connection. Gateway CapacityThe next criterion that must be determined is the gateway’s capacity. This is measured by the number of devices that can connect to the network at any given point in time. Public networks and very dense deployments will require a higher number of channels to keep an acceptable quality of service (QOS) and to avoid high traffic. Other than the number of channels, gateways are also categorized into carrier-grade or enterprise-grade. Carrier-grade gateways are usually used for high-value commercial applications, while enterprise-grade gateways are used for other applications where low cost is an important factor. Data Protection and PrivacyFor commercial applications that carry sensitive information, it is greatly critical to choose a gateway that offers real-time data control and data privacy protocols. This is even more important for large-scale implementation since the long transmission range of LoRa can allow unauthorized devices to connect to it without permission. Due to IoT’s efforts in connecting everyone, the ease of starting one’s project has also made starting developers excitedly jump into their projects without carefully selecting the right gateways they need. Making a correct decision in choosing is important for a developer in preventing unnecessary costs and ensuring the success of the project. You may like also: LoRaWAN, Two, Three, and More! The Future of Combined and Individual Protocols IoT and LoRa Applications - Smart Grids LoRaWAN™ vs. the world of IoT! 8 Applications of LoRaWAN | More Than Just Tech Why you need LoRaWAN | RAK Smart Devices and Home Security Exploring The Possibilities Of LoRaWAN In Your Business The RAK Wireless’ Power Line Communication Module LX200V10/20 is a device that makes it convenient to connect network equipment such as computers, IP telephones, IP cameras and the like.
Features of PLC Module The power line communication module is a new type of data transmission module that relies on orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modulation technology. The module supports IEEE 1901 and Home Plug AV standards and has a small footprint, making it ideal for embedded design applications. Its modular design makes it extremely easy to integrate into customer products and greatly accelerates time to market for manufacturers of new products. The module works on a frequency band of 2-30 MHz, which has no influence on the existing CATV signals within the home. The module is interoperable with any devices that are enabled with Home Plug AV specification and IEEE 1901 standards. Product Specifications The form factor of the PLC module is an impressive 40X21mm, making it ideal for embedded applications. The module supports both twisted pair as well as coaxial cables. The module has an RJ-45 interface and requires 12V of DC power supply. The board supports AES 128-bit encryption, which ensures network communication security in crucial applications like military. The module has a transmission rate of 200Mbps (physical layer) and 80Mbps (network layer). PLC Applications The power line communication module requires no user configuration and can be put to work immediately after completing the initial connections. The reliability and speed of the PLC module lends it to a variety of applications, including industrial and intelligent home systems as a complement to existing Ethernet and WiFi systems. Power line communication modules are very useful in the case of IoT networks like home and surveillance. In cases where the use of new cables becomes inconvenient, as in the case of mines, trains etc, the PLC is extremely handy. Manufacturers of products that fall into industries like medical, automotive, smart energy and so on, can take advantage of the PLC module’s low footprint and configuration ease to release their products to market ahead of time. How Select Suitable Wireless Communication Module? Use the PLC module to deliver your product ahead of the competition. |