Suggestions for additional sensor blocks

[Daithi (Daithí Power)]

Hi,
My application does not have access to WiFi or Lora, so I need to use the RAK5860 NB-IoT interface.
With the I/O slot occupied, it rules out using any of the blocks that would allow me to connect to off-board sensors. Hardwiring into the headers isn’t ideal for a lot of users.

My first suggestion is to add Analog inputs to the Sensor slots on the baseboard (I can’t believe that they are not there already) Eg on Slot B and Slot D of the RAK5005, connect AIN1 to Pin 1 and AIN2 to Pin 24

Next, create a couple of modules in the Sensor form factor with a single Grove type connector, eg
Serial: RXD1, TXD1, VCC, GND (protected against 5V serial signals)
Analog: AIN1, AIN2, VCC, GND (analog signals divided from 0-5V input and buffered)
I2C: SCL, SDA, VCC, GND
(if you would rather not use Grove connectors due to commercial factors, a 2.54mm molex header would be a generic alternative)

Ideally, I would love if a switched 5V VCC was available such as in the RAK5811 but if room wasn’t available in the sensor form factor, 3V3_S would suffice.
Better again would be to give a choice of both voltages with a P-type mosfet connected from 3V3_S to the output of a 5V boost and the gate of the mosfet connected to the boost enable line. With 3V3_S switched on and the enable off, you could select a 3.3V VCC. Turning on the enable would boost the 3V3_S to 5V and turn off the mosfet.

Congratulations on building a superb system, I’d love to see it expand,
Best regards,
Daithí

[beegee (Bernd Giesecke)]

Hello @Daithi , welcome to the forum.

Thank you very much for your feedback, it is very much appreciated and we will keep them in mind for new modules in the future.

Some quick answers,
We are aware of the limitation that current Base boards have only one IO slot and you will soon see a bigger Base board that has two IO slots available to get around this limitation.

For the module with Sensor form factor (10x10mm),I love your suggestion to have some modules available with just an connector to expose the Serial, Analog and I2C signals. The Grove connectors are a little bit large, we would rather go for a Sparkfun Qwiic type.
But I put it definitely on the list of future modules.