+

  # Do-it-Yourself IoT with LoRaWAN

  (CC BY-SA 4.0, @tamberg)

+

  # Hello

  I'm @tamberg.

  - Making/engineering/teaching IoT
  - Organizing IoT Zurich Meetup
  - Labmanager at FabLab Zurich
  - "Hacking" at Bitwascherei




  * http://tmb.gr

+

  # Do-it-Yourself (DIY)

  Because we can!

  - DIY kits to get started
  - Make / learn / share
  - Interdisciplinary
  - Self-motivated

+

  # Internet of Things (IoT)

  +------+    +-------+    +-------+    +------+
  |Device|--->|Gateway|--->|Backend|<---|Client|
  +------+    +-------+    +-------+    +------+
    |                        _               ^ 
    *                       (_)              |
   Sensor / <--Physical--- /   \ ---Virtual--+
   Actuator   Interaction  |___|  Interaction



   A->B: depends on

+

  # Long Range Wide Area Networks (LoRaWAN)

  - Long range (1 - 10 km)
  - Low power (0.4 J / 10 bytes)
  - Cheap (USD 10 for a LoRaWAN node)






  * https://github.com/IRNAS/
    lorawan-power-consumption

+

  # LoRaWAN Topology

  Star of stars topology.

  - 1..N devices (called nodes) per gateway
  - 1..N gateways per LoRaWAN backend 
  - 1 network, 1..N app servers
  - N app clients, each



  * https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/
    docs/lorawan/architecture/

+

  # LoRaWAN Gateway

  Forwards LoRa payload to backend.

  - Embedded computer or MCU
  - Multi-channel LoRa radio, antenna
  - Internet uplink, e.g. via 4/5G module




  * https://github.com/ttn-zh/
    ic880a-gateway/wiki

+

  # LoRaWAN Node

  Reads sensors, sends data via LoRa.

  - Microcontroller
  - Radio module, antenna
  - Sensors, e.g. temp & humi
  - Battery, solar panel / charger



  * https://github.com/mitwelten/
    mitwelten-iot-hardware-poc

+

  # LoRa Radio Modules

  All modules use Semtech chips, e.g.

  - Microchip RN2483
  - HopeRF RFM95W
  - Wio-E5 STM32
  - Wio-SX1262




  * https://www.semtech.com/lora (410+ M)

+

  # LoRaWAN Frequencies

  Legal frequency depends on region.

  - LoRa radio uses license free ISM bands
  - EU 868 MHz, US 915 MHz, Asia 433 MHz
  - Frequency plans exist per country




  * https://www.thethingsindustries.com/docs/
    concepts/features/lorawan/frequency-plans

+

  # The Things Network (TTN)

  Open LoRaWAN infrastructure.

  - Built/hosted in Amsterdam
  - Open source stack
  - Open network





  * https://github.com/orgs/TheThingsNetwork

+

  # TTN Communities

  Anyone can host a gateway.

  - Building the network
  - Maintenance is work
  - It's getting quiet





  * https://thethingsnetwork.org/community

+

  # TTN Zurich Community

  People, all the way down.

  - Initiated by Gonzalo Casas
  - Hosted at #IoTZH Meetups
  - Most gateways on TTN
  - Swiss TTN backend




  * https://opennetworkinfrastructure.org

+

  # TTN Applications

  Anyone can connect a node.

  - Get a TTN account
  - Get network, app keys
  - Send data from your nodes
  - Get your data from the backend




  * https://eu1.cloud.thethings.network

+

  # LoRaWAN Use Cases

  Monitoring rather than control.

  - Building-wide indoor monitoring
  - Park-scale environmental monitoring
  - City- or town-scale outdoor monitoring





  * https://resources.lora-alliance.org/use-case

+

  # Use case: Room Climate in a Building

  - A few gateways for a building
  - Nodes with a small battery
  - Choose LoRaWAN provider
  - No wires to install






  * https://avelon.com/en/wisely

+

  # Use case: Counting People in a Park

  - A single gateway for 0.3 x 2 km
  - About 25 PAX counter nodes
  - Detecting smartphones
  - Anonymised count






  * https://discover.mitwelten.org

+

  # Use case: #MakeZurich Civic Hackdays

  - Initiated by the Zurich TTN community
  - Organised with EWZ, a power utility
  - Custom hackday badge with LoRaWAN
  - Involving local FabLab/hackspace





  * http://www.tamberg.org/makezurich/
    2023/MakeZurichBadge2023.pdf

+

  # LoRaWAN Limitations

  Ideal for small, slow data.

  - Payload size < 51 byte
  - Unreliable, no ack
  - Duty cycle 1%




  * https://resources.lora-alliance.org/
    technical-specifications

+

  # LoRa Mesh Networks

  Great promise, same limits.

  - Meshtastic, FreakWAN, ...
  - "Multi-hop broadcast"
  - Humans or sensors





  * https://meshtastic.org/docs

+

  # LoRa Future

  Good enough, net working.

  - LoRa Satellite IoT (?)
  - LoRaPlus, 2.4 GHz, 2+ Mbps
  - LPWANs like Mioty, LTE Cat 1bis




  * https://www.semtech.com/products/
    wireless-rf/lora-plus/lr2021

+

  # LoRa Workshop

  Hands-on, this afternoon.

  - Everybody is welcome
  - Try LoRa yourself
  - Bring a laptop





  * https://github.com/tamberg/lora-intro

+

  # Thanks

  @tamberg@quite.social









  * tmb.gr/hny26 => slides.txt

+
+