Farm Jenny's LTE-Thread Border Router HAT Turns a Raspberry Pi or Compatible Into a Thread Router
All-in-one HAT includes support for other wireless protocols, including Bluetooth Low Energy, and an optional cellular modem.
Agricultural technology specialist Farm Jenny has launched an open source HAT designed to turn a Raspberry Pi single-board computer into a border router for Thread and other Internet of Things (IoT) networks — with the option of adding a cellular modem for wireless use.
"Turn a Raspberry Pi or compatible Single Board Computer with 40-pin header into a feature-packed Thread Border Router. Connect it to the internet using Ethernet or Wi-Fi, or add your favorite pre-certified cellular modem and use it ANYWHERE," Farm Jenny writes. "A Border Router connects a local wireless network to other IP-based networks."
"This board was designed to implement a Thread Border Router, but its Nordic Semiconductors nRF52840-based radio module can support a variety of wireless protocols, including (Thread, BLE, Zigbee, and proprietary). When this board is used with a Raspberry Pi Model 3B and the OpenThread Border Router (OTBR) software, it is a Thread Certified Component."
The board is based on the Hardware Attached on Top (HAT) standard, connecting to a Raspberry Pi — or any other single-board computer which uses the same pin-out on its general-purpose input/output (GPIO) header) — and turning it into a compact gateway. The board includes a certified Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Zigbee radio with power amplifier for long-range use, NFC tag interface with optional antenna, status LEDs, a momentary push-button, connectors to break the LEDs and button out to an external control panel, and a USB interface and socket suitable for a Nimbelink or compatible cellular modem.
The LTE-Thread Border Router HAT is now available on Farm Jenny's Tindie page, priced at $69.99; the cellular modem is not included. Full source and schematics are available on GitHub under the permissive MIT license.