cnx-software.comMar 17

Mini review of the ThinkNode M6 “outdoor solar power for Meshtastic”

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/03/17/review-thinknode-m6-outdoor-solar-power-for-meshtastic/

Mini review of the ThinkNode M6 “outdoor solar power for Meshtastic”

Elecrow has sent us a solar-powered ThinkNode M6 Meshtastic device for review. Last year, I reviewed the ThinkNode M1 and M2 Meshtastic nodes, and I was a bit disappointed by the point-to-point range in a suburban environment, where I got about 550 meters of range after switching to LONG SLOW mode. Nine months have passed since that review, and there still doesn't seem to be any Meshtastic community in the second-largest city in Thailand, probably because typical Meshtastic terminals are more expensive than entry-level Android smartphones, have limited functionality, and the mobile app is still a mess despite a revamp. Nevertheless, when Elecrow asked me whether I wanted to test the "ThinkNode M6 outdoor solar power for Meshtastic", I thought it might be fun. The main purpose of this mini review is to check the range I get using the M6 as a router between the M1 and M2 nodes.

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.comMar 9

Nordic Semi unveils nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B entry-level, ultra-low-power Bluetooth LE SoCs

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/03/09/nordic-semi-nrf54ls05a-nrf54ls05b-entry-level-ultra-low-power-bluetooth-le-socs/

Nordic Semi unveils nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B entry-level, ultra-low-power Bluetooth LE SoCs

Nordic Semiconductor's nRF54LS05A and nRF54LS05B are entry-level, ultra-low-power Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) Arm Cortex-M33 microcontrollers designed to be used as the main wireless SoC in simple applications such as sensors, tags, beacons, remotes, and PC peripherals, or operate as a Bluetooth LE companion device in more advanced products. Both SoCs are clocked at 128 MHz, feature Nordic’s 4th-generation Bluetooth LE radio, analog/digital interfaces, and advanced security. They also come with 0.5 MB of Non-Volatile Memory (NVM), and the only difference is that the nRF54LS05A is equipped with 64 KB of RAM, while the nRF54LS05B offers 96 KB. Nordic Semi nRF54LS05A/B specifications: CPU Arm Cortex-M33 core @ 128 MHz Performance - 250 CoreMark/mA @ 3V, 500 CoreMark Memory nRF54LS05A - 64 KB RAM nRF54LS05B - 96 KB RAM Storage - 508 KB NVM Wireless Bluetooth LE - 1 Mbps, 2 Mbps 2.4 GHz proprietary - GFSK: 4 Mbps, 2 Mbps, 1

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
Pascal DelrotFeb 19
When requesting a "Cleaning" in VisualStudioCode, for a nordic project, it makes the computer redoing configurations and builds for 3 minutes. Leaving hundreds of files behind. Why ??? 😮‍💨 #visualstudiocode #nordicSemi
cnx-software.comFeb 16

LR2021 LoRa Plus board combines Semtech LR2021 and Nordic nRF54L15 for high-speed FLRC and LoRa connectivity

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/02/16/lr2021-lora-plus-board-combines-semtech-lr2021-and-nordic-nrf54l15-for-high-speed-flrc-and-lora-connectivity/

LR2021 LoRa Plus board combines Semtech LR2021 and Nordic nRF54L15 for high-speed FLRC and LoRa connectivity

Last year, Semtech released the Semtech LR2021 LoRa Plus transceiver chip, designed to address the low data-rate issue associated with LoRa, but surprisingly, they didn't release a development board for the chip. Now, almost a year later, Seeed Studio and Semtech have partnered to introduce the LR2021 LoRa Plus development Kit targeting long-range high-speed LoRa and FLRC applications up to 2.6 Mbps. Not only does the board support LoRa Gen 4 technology, providing Sub-GHz, 2.4 GHz ISM, and S/L-band operation, but a XIAO nRF54L15 board also adds dual-core processing (Arm Cortex-M33 + RISC-V) and supports other short-range protocols, including NFC, Bluetooth LE 6.0, Matter, Thread, and 2.4 GHz proprietary protocols. The development board also features a 0.96-inch 128×64 OLED, three Grove connectors for expansion, a USB Type-C for power, SWD debugging, and two Sub-GHz and 2.4 GHz SMA connectors. It is compatible with Arduino Uno, STM32 Nucleo, and Nordic DK

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.comFeb 12

SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers – nRF52833-based, ultra-slim, full-body VR trackers offer up to 48h battery life (Crowdfunding)

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/02/12/slimevr-butterfly-trackers-nrf52833-based-ultra-slim-full-body-vr-trackers-offer-up-to-48h-battery-life/

SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers – nRF52833-based, ultra-slim, full-body VR trackers offer up to 48h battery life (Crowdfunding)

Designed by SlimeVR in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers are open-hardware, IMU-based, ultra-slim, full-body VR trackers designed for virtual reality gaming, motion capture, VTubing, and more. The trackers provide full-body positional tracking without base stations, cameras, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth. Each tracker uses an IMU to measure absolute rotation and transmits data over a custom 2.4 GHz ESB protocol via a dedicated dongle supporting up to 10 trackers, eliminating occlusion issues and router setup. Based on Nordic Semi’s nRF52833 wireless MCU, the split “butterfly” design places the PCB and 90 mAh battery side-by-side to achieve a thickness of under 7 mm and a weight below 10 grams, while a flexible interconnect improves comfort when worn under clothing. The system offers a 100–200 Hz refresh rate, <15 ms latency, over 48 hours of battery life with USB-C charging and OTA firmware updates. SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers specifications: Wireless MCU – Nordic nRF52833 CPU

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
cnx-software.comJan 28

Ariel OS – A Rust RTOS for IoT microcontrollers

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2026/01/28/ariel-os-a-rust-rtos-for-iot-microcontrollers/

Ariel OS – A Rust RTOS for IoT microcontrollers

Ariel OS is a new RTOS for microcontrollers written in Rust with support for popular hardware architectures (Arm Cortex-M, ESP32, RISC-V) and boards from Espressif, Nordic Semi, Raspberry Pi, and STMicroelectronics. Ariel OS is built on top of Embassy Rust framework and embedded-hal Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) for embedded systems, and adds several OS functionalities and a multi-core capable scheduler. It is mainly designed for secure, memory-safe, networked applications on microcontrollers. The developers further describe Ariel OS as follows on the project's website: Ariel OS follows an approach whereby it simultaneously integrates a curated ecosystem of libraries (available via crates.io), and adds missing operating system functionalities as depicted below. Such functionalities include a preemptive multicore scheduler, portable peripheral APIs, additional network security facilities, as well as a meta-build system to bind it all together. As a result, a low-power IoT developer can focus on business logic sitting on top of

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
Harvey SandstromJan 11
Today I learned the #nordicsemi #nrf54L series does not use flash memory. Instead program code runs from non-volatile resistive RAM (RRAM). Among other claimed benefits, RRAM is supposed to consume less power "especially during write operations", which would imply it requires less power to *read* as well.
https://academy.nordicsemi.com/courses/nrf54l-series-express-course/lessons/lesson-1-architecture-overview/topic/overview-and-key-features/
cnx-software.comDec 19

LILYGO T-Echo Plus off-grid LoRa communicator features a climbing hook for hiking, cycling, and remote communication

https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.cnx-software.com/2025/12/19/lilygo-t-echo-plus-off-grid-lora-communicator-features-a-climbing-hook-for-hiking-cycling-and-remote-communication/

LILYGO T-Echo Plus off-grid LoRa communicator features a climbing hook for hiking, cycling, and remote communication

The LILYGO T-Echo Plus is another off-grid LoRa communicator, similar to Blackout Comms, ThinkNode M2, and Wio Tracker L1 Pro, but it features a metal attachment loop (designed like a climbing hook) for use in hiking, cycling, and off-grid environments. Built around a Nordic Semi nRF52840 MCU, it supports Bluetooth 5, Thread, Zigbee, and 802.15.4. It also adds an SX1262 LoRa transceiver, a 1.54-inch 200×200 SPI E-Paper display, and an L76K GNSS module. Other features include a 6-axis IMU (BHI260AP), a vibration motor, a buzzer, and a larger 2400mAh battery, along with a 1/4-inch mount and a "climbing finger loop" for gear attachment. Additional features include an optional BME280 sensor, Grove expansion, all in a rugged and compact enclosure with a long external antenna for extended LoRa range. LILYGO T-Echo Plus Specifications: SoC – Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 CPU – 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4F microcontroller @ 64 MHz Memory/Storage – 2 MB Flash,

CNX Software - Embedded Systems News
Chris GammellJun 5, 2025

I'm working on a video where Rajeev from Conexio optimized a #zephyrrtos program and hardware configuration to send every hour without needing batteries. Uses a #NordicSemi nRF9151, #solar panel, and #supercapacitor

https://blog.golioth.io/upcoming-webinar-batteryless-cellular-iot-with-conexio/

Show threaddoragasuJun 2, 2025
I also get the impression that #NordicSemi are putting most of the effort on the Visual Studio Code plugin, and CLI dev environment is a second-class citizen.