Appropriate Modules for Flood-Messaging within LoRa P2P

LPWAN Nodes
1

Hello Gang.

Thank you for this opportunity to tell of my conundrum and ask your advice. Have been working hard to understand RakWireless’ product lines. My questions basically come down to module choice to create LoRa P2P nodes with varying capabilities.

BACKGROUND

Am evolving flood-messaging within LoRa P2P. Things have gone really well. Have published papers in the peer-reviewed literature. All software and documentation is open-access. The existing hardware architecture is shown in this figure:

BasicArchitecture
BasicArchitecture1280×720 159 KB

A four-minute video gives additional detail.

At issue with this project is that the manufacturer of the LoRa P2P transceiver has stopped making that model. Have been unable to get their latest model to work properly for a simple AT query/response to the transceiver itself, without any transmission/reception being involved.

While searching for alternatives, I am not finding anything that is from a serious vendor or that does not involve a rats-nest of connecting jumper wires. Looking at RakWireless’ product lines, I get the sense that there is potential. What is holding me back is that I do not see a way to connect an RGB camera, microphone, or other devices that generate a contiguous data structure. From reading the forum, there is strong indication that such things are possible but it is not clear to me which modules to select as the project transitions. RaKWireless’ modular approach is most welcome.

QUESTIONS

Had thought to start with two RAK-19007 Base Board, RAK-1921 OLED Display, and 2dbi rubber antenna; set for US915, per the Meshtastic starter kit, although I am not contemplating Meshtastic itself at this time.

Are there modules that allow camera connection? Am currently using a Pixy camera that connects though Arduino Uno’s SPI port. Other cameras are certainly possible.

What module allows USB serial connection, as I have done between Uno and Raspberry Pi?

Is there a module that would accommodate audio input?

Is there a different base board or transceiver that would be better?

MANY THANKS

Much appreciation for the community’s advice. Glad to cite any useful input received.

2

Welcome to the forum @SoothingMist

With WisBlock the LoRa transceiver is integrated in our WisBlock Core module and directly controlled by your application code. There is no AT command communication required.
All WisBlock Core module applications can be written with ArduinoIDE or PlatformIO.
All WisBlock Base Boards have USB and you can communicate with a USB hub through Arduino Serial.

For SPI camera, we have no camera module, but you could connect an SPI camera through our RAK13002 IO module which exposes the SPI connection on pin headers.

For Audio input, you might want to look into our WisBlock Audio modules with includes microphones and amplifiers.

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Sure do appreciate your timely, specific, and understandable response @beegee. My next step will be to research the modules you mentioned and how to construct basestation, relay, and sensor nodes.

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Is the Meshtastic Kit ONLY for Meshtastic? Or can it also be used for basic LoRa P2P? Became curious while contemplating the future of my project.

Read the documentation for RAK4631 Meshtastic Quick Start Guide but that leaves me wondering about dual capability, dormant until flashed, or standard P2P before flashing.

The second link, “Meshtastic Installation and Usage Guide”, does not go to a guide but to a discussion on devices.

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The Meshtastic Kits come pre-flashed with the Meshtastic firmware. But you can flash any Arduino based application on the kits. There is no restriction.

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Ok @beegee. Thanks. Going to contact your US distributor and have a go at it. Will continue this thread once the kits arrive and I have had a chance to work with the kits.