ARMACHAT - Doomsday wireless QWERTY communicator

Details

https://www.hackster.io/news/off-grid-wireless-communication-with-the-armachat-762b1cc966e5

Experience freedom of communication without 
borders
operators
networks
fees !!!

Create your own network, your own rules !!!

First prototypes manufactured in Aisler :

FUSION model - combine best features from both prototypes Manufactured in PCBWAY:

Hardware features:

SAMD21G18 for desktop version (pocket version use SAMD21E18, more easy to solder in TQFP32)
QWERTY keyboard
- 40 keys (4x10) desktop version
- 30 keys (5x6) pocket version
18650 li-on battery
1.8 TFT LCD display 128x160 ST7735
RFM95 long range radio module
- 3 freq. by your country
- IRQ / wake up
Beeper
Battery charging
Software RTC with alarms

Working software features:

Send message ... compose and send message to specified recipient or broadcast
Receive message ... message is received on background and stored in memory.
Message editor ... write message about +/- 80 characters long ...
80 is now best readable on full display ....
Message memory ... all send/received messages are stored in memory
Display memory ... display memory content
RTC .... display time
Battery ... display battery voltage
Config ... user radio configuration spread factor / power
time set
check message delivery confirmation
contact list display and check online contacts
select recipient or broadcast
sort from memory by contact
BEST working feature - resend undelivered messages
if delivery fail, message is stored with "undelivered" attribute. Every station at power on broadcast "Ready receive status", then if any near station receive this broadcast and have undelivered message automatically try send this messages,
if then receive confirmation mark messages in memory as DELIVERED :)

TODO software features:

add message encryption
think about message forward (mesh)
add some USB link features like work as usb modem, send receive/message from PC terminal
GPS position parse

STEM Learning:

What you can learn on this board?

modern architecture based on M0 arduino zero compatible, with lot memory and native USB
QWERTY keyboard matrix reading
complex input/output HID processing read keyboard data,
create and display graphics, save data to flash, send results over radio or usb
radio communication with world best, most advanced long range radio technology
work with I2C sensors or process GPS data
learn lot about network architecture, packets, communication, addresing, delivery confirmation
RTC clock and alarms
power management, sleep, wake by alarm, wake on receive

( all this things I learning now on this project)

Production and marketing plans:

Hardware is very simple and easy to solder by hand (in pocket version with SAMD21E18), low active component count make it very attractive as learn to solder kit. Unfortunately SAMD21 come without bootloader, this is little problem because SAMD need special tools to burn bootloaders, I have no experience how much is complicated burn bootloader in factory on bare unsoldered chip. I suggesting sell this as semi populated board > PCBA all active components except buttons and radio module (Unsoldered radio module give small advantage because there is 3 world frequencies) Why TH tactile switches? because is very important to precise align with front cover plate and this can be little hard with hand.

SWOT analysis

Strengths:

no competition with almost finished and working communicator
compact design
qwerty keyboard, much user friendly than encoders or arrow keys
officially supported Arduino powerful microcontroller with lot free memory and computation power
using only 15% memory now, unlimited future enhancements
extremely simple just one easy solder chip and buttons, cheap and low component count
low power consumption
color graphics display

Weaknesses:

no community, no users (maybe because I have not started selling )
currently no mesh networking or advanced message routing
my programing knowledge is limited (I quickly learning)

Opportunities...

Project Logs

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First experimental boot on ATSAMD51

bobricius • 04/27/2020 at 20:59 • 4 comments

First experimental boot on ATSAMD51 M4 core 120 MHz, 512 KB flash, 192 KB RAM + 8MB SPI FLASH . Theoretically can run #circuitpython This board is originally designed as game console for https://arcade.makecode.com/

I am only removed RTC support :)
Expecting troubles with sharing SPI between LORA and display

Assembled and working ;)

bobricius • 04/17/2020 at 22:45 • 0 comments

New boards .. Armachat - FUSION

bobricius • 04/17/2020 at 20:41 • 0 comments

FUSION:

Take advantages from currently both version:

POCKET: Samd21E18 (easy to solder), Keyboard layout 6x5 matrix
DESKTOP: 18650 battery, bigger buttons easier to solder and better for ussage
76mm x 71mm is best compromise for comfortable keyboard, display and battery
PCB front panel .... manufacturing on PCB factory make super cool look and no laser or other tools are required

Something about front plate ...

bobricius • 04/13/2020 at 17:36 • 0 comments

It is made from special 2 layer laserable plastic

https://www.innograv.com/en/engraving-material/laser-engravable/laserplus/1692/laserplus

This plastic is amazing because I can cut engrave with my 2W diode laser !!!

Something about my laser machine https://hackaday.io/project/164820-pajamas-micro-laser-engraver

Plastic 1.6mm thick

3mm plastic is also able to cut, I am using it to make CNC parts :)

swap 2 colors

Project box ...

Build Instructions

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Assembly:

there is nothing special, I build 6 prototypes, with hand soldering, without issues

I am not saying best, they are just my steps :

Solder CPU, and all active/passive components
Burn bootloader> Connecting Atmel SAM-ICE> Chose Arduino zero native USB> Burn bootloader
Solder Display
Try some demo/test software
Solder radio RFM95 module
Solder buttons

Basic software:

There is also nothing special, All parameters can be configured on gui menu.

Download code, libraries, Burn.

#include <Keypad.h>
#include <RTCZero.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>    // Core graphics library
#include <Adafruit_ST7735.h> // Hardware-specific library for ST7735
#include <SPI.h>              // include libraries
#include <LoRa.h> //https://github.com/sandeepmistry/arduino-LoRa
#include <FlashAsEEPROM.h>

Discussions

aaaaaa wrote 05/05/2023 at 14:20

links not working

---------

DISCONTINUED !!!

MOVED TO NEW UNIVERSAL PLATFORM !!!

https://hackaday.io/project/183657-armachat-pico-compact-long-radio-messenger

and

https://hackaday.io/project/182611-armachat-picomputer-fusion-with-raspberry-pico

Are you sure? yes | no

teraz wrote 03/02/2022 at 18:21

I need 2 in ukraine , now

Are you sure? yes | no

teraz wrote 11/11/2021 at 18:17

Why not offgrid?

Meybe add small power 18655 or AA?

Are you sure? yes | no

kwapiszon wrote 11/02/2021 at 11:27

gotenna is smalest, mesh and cheaper

Are you sure? yes | no

deʃhipu wrote 11/02/2021 at 20:35

not if you include the smartphone that is required

Are you sure? yes | no

abelgas121 wrote 06/30/2021 at 15:55

i need 2

Are you sure? yes | no

Festerstoybox wrote 07/14/2020 at 10:44

I'd love to but one from you, or at least have a list of parts I need to build my own.

Are you sure? yes | no

ko4dfj wrote 07/02/2020 at 23:55

Need one!

Are you sure? yes | no

Devin St. Clair wrote 06/27/2020 at 02:45

Can we purchase a kit somewhere?

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bobricius wrote 06/27/2020 at 20:58

in future bare PCB boards

Are you sure? yes | no

Hsingai Tigris Altaica wrote 05/14/2020 at 20:35

Have you thought of joining forces with Meshtastic? https://www.meshtastic.org/

Are you sure? yes | no

José Miguel wrote 05/01/2020 at 15:30

I love the idea (communication with nothing else than your own hardware rocks!), and it has caught my attention as I've just bought a pair of LoRa transceivers!

Will the protocol be documented/available to the public? It would be nice if the protocol used were clearly documented, so more people can benefit from it and join the network with their equipment :D. That would also make your device more popular (although it is already receiving some love)

Are you sure? yes | no

asutrem wrote 04/30/2020 at 02:30

Do you have a BOM list for the fusion version?

Are you sure? yes | no

x893 wrote 04/26/2020 at 09:30

Cool project !

Why not use any smartphone to use big screen and touch ?

Connect device via BLE or USB OTG ?

Solar for changind.

Next after doomsday.

Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/26/2020 at 09:43

How long your smartphone can operate? is sensitive device, did you see smartphone without broken display? (I not), absolute not possible home made construction. You have good project Disaster radio. This is radio education board ;)

Are you sure? yes | no

jeroen wrote 04/27/2020 at 19:54

I did exactly this using the rocket scream Lora board. Put much effort in porting Lora drivers to FreeRTOS for low power (standalone) operation and build a working basic Lora 'Chatroom'. Here a vid of my phone and laptop using serial/OTG VT100 terminal communicating over LoRa:

https://vimeo.com/293320164

But I really like this project, no phone dependency is great. Wonder how the keypad feels! Let me know when these board are 'available' would love to play around with these.

(my project is stalled because I got a payed job)

Are you sure? yes | no

Jonathan wrote 04/26/2020 at 07:57

This would be great with a BB10 style keyboard, look at this for example: https://hackaday.io/project/165450-keyboard-featherwing

Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/26/2020 at 08:03

Yes, I know, but I want standard components not replacement parts.

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Jonathan wrote 04/26/2020 at 09:02

That makes sense

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Dave's Dev Lab wrote 04/22/2020 at 23:20

pretty cool design! i was looking at doing something similar, but haven't had the time. thoughts about how to add a barcode scanner?

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Jdcrunchman wrote 04/16/2020 at 23:42

Do you actually have a unit up and working? Who is the main coder?

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bobricius wrote 04/17/2020 at 23:06

I am main coder :)

Are you sure? yes | no

Jdcrunchman wrote 04/16/2020 at 23:41

Do you have a Slack account setup for this project? Is there any code up on GutHub yet? Who is working on the code, and what coding environment are you working under? Arduino, MicroPython?

Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/17/2020 at 23:08

Gode is not published now, work in progres. Working in ARDUINO IDE. In theory it can support Micropython.

Are you sure? yes | no

Jdcrunchman wrote 04/16/2020 at 23:34

It should be EMP hardened.... With my 4 years USAF experience operating on Cold War era radar equipment, EMP hardening is something I can contribute to. But more importantly, my experience with Micropython on the ESP32 and SX1276 LoRa transceiver is going to be a big issue with battery drain..... Developing a power management unit is a MUST.

I would be most interested in looking at the code, but more interested in field testing it under urban conditions, in places where multi-path can be a problem, bouncing off stucco buildings, where there is a lot of those in Vegas.

Has anyone submitted field test results, perhaps "Answer back" numbers.....

Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/17/2020 at 23:13

With on display, receiving mode and all work on full is power consumption 50mA. I have only one quick test, I have no resources for more testing. I am working on this less than month.

Are you sure? yes | no

James wrote 04/14/2020 at 18:51

Very interesting design. Will you be sharing the schematics and code for it? Is your plan to sell these on your Tindie store?

Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/14/2020 at 22:23

Design files are on github, some software +/- week. I have plane sell but without radio module, buttons and battery holder

Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 04/14/2020 at 09:21

It's better to use EBYTE E32-433T30D / E32-866T30D LORA 1w transceivers The range tested with my version of LORA communicator, is up to 8km! https://hackaday.io/project/164830-espboy-games-iot-stem-for-education-fun/log/173526-espboy-lora-messenger-8km-encrypted-chat

Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/14/2020 at 12:26

interesting, thanks very much ! In next board I try add header with compatible pinout

Are you sure? yes | no

RomanS wrote 04/14/2020 at 15:23

but the real challenge is to provide LORA MESH https://nootropicdesign.com/projectlab/2018/10/20/lora-mesh-networking/ and LORA WAN integration https://lora-alliance.org/about-lorawan to cover really wide areas )

Are you sure? yes | no

bobricius wrote 04/14/2020 at 15:31

yes, mesh is cool, I think it is just software problem. After I tune HW then take focus on mesh.

Are you sure? yes | no

[deleted]

[this comment has been deleted]

bobricius wrote 04/13/2020 at 22:45

untested, I measured consumption now it is about 50mA, full display backlit, radio onreceive, CPU at full power, no power saving. 26mA at low backlit. You can easy calculate work time to battery capacity. I start with power saving after I finish radio communication.

Are you sure? yes | no

ARMACHAT - Doomsday wireless QWERTY communicator

Description

Details

First prototypes manufactured in Aisler :

Project Logs

Collapse

First experimental boot on ATSAMD51

Assembled and working ;)

New boards .. Armachat - FUSION

Something about front plate ...

Build Instructions

Collapse

Discussions

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ARMACHAT - Doomsday wireless QWERTY communicator

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