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OBJEX Link v1.6

Overview

OBJEX Link v1.6 is the default version of the series. This version of OBJEX Link is designed to provide high computing power with the largest number of GPIOs. With the compromise of slightly increasing power consumption. The board is very compact and can be used for various IoT applications and more. It is possible to install two M0 modules or one M1 module. The board has been optimized for higher energy efficiency than other boards with the same microcontroller(ESP32-PICO-D4).
IoT Applications: Smart Home & Cities, IIOT, Predictive Maintenance, Agriculture Automation.
It's also ideal for rapid prototyping, advanced research projects, and robotics projects.

Key features

  • Compact size 24x24mm, high component density
  • Modular design for a wide range of applications
  • Designed to ensure easy reuse
  • Low power consumption with Ultra Deep Sleep mode
  • Based on ESP32-PICO-D4
  • WiFi & BLE 4.2 connectivity
  • Over 17 GPIOs and 4ports(input only)
  • USB-C Type 2.0
  • Tiny battery connector
  • Compatible with Arduino and MicroPython
  • Battery manager(fast-charge)
  • Support for external PSRAM

Block diagram

Block diagram - OBJEX Link v1.6

Pinout

The picture below shows the OBJEX Link v1.6 pinout of its two M0 slots. As you can see some pins like SDA and SCL are present on both M0 slots in order to use at best all pins in the two slots.
For more information on individual GPIOs, we recommend reading the datasheet of the microcontroller used by OBJEX Link v1.6.

Reserved GPIOs

Battery level (GPIO34) With this GPIO it is possible to detect the charge level of the battery.
The circuit to detect the battery charge level
USB-Status (GPIO35) This GPIO returns a high or low signal if the board is powered through the USB-C connector.
The circuit to detect the USB-C status
RGB-IN (GPIO23)
RGB Led

Schematic

IO_SlimStack_rev1.6.pdf
63KB
PDF
OBJEX_LINK-Rev1.6.pdf
324KB
PDF

Power Consumption

All tests concerning the consumption and energy performance of the board have been carried out using the following tools: Power Profiler Kit II and RIGOL DS1054Z.
Board status
Average
Max
Unit
Idle
33.6
45.7
mA
WiFi On
57.9
370
mA
Bluetooth On
83.5
186.5
mA
Deep Sleep
4.39
5.23
mA
Ultra Deep Sleep
40.77
42.40
uA
The test was done by running a web server on OBJEX Link v1.6, then trying to stress the board.

Ultra Deep Sleep

This mode of operation of the board allows you to remove power from all components connected to 3V3. In order to use this mode of the board, it is sufficient to connect PWR_EN to Vbatt. You need an external module or for example the protoboard, you can manage the mode via software by developing a suitable module.

Charts

PowerConsumptionCharts-OBJEX Link v1.6.pdf
826KB
PDF

Technical specifications

Microcontroller
ESP32-PICO-D4 / 240MHz dual core
I/O
ADC, SPI, PWM, UART, I2C, I2S
Modules type
x2 M0 or x1 M1
USB
USB-C Type 2.0
WiFi
802.11 b/g/n (802.11n up to 150 Mbps)
Bluetooth
Bluetooth® 4.2 BR/EDR and Bluetooth LE
LDO
Vin = 5V / Vout = 3.3V
Battery manager
1A Maximum
Battery type
LiPo / Li-Ion
Operating temperature range
−40°C to 85°C
Dimensions
24mm x 24mm
PCB Thickness
1.6mm
Thickness(PCB with USB-C)
5mm
Weight
2.87g

Warranty & Certifications

OBJEX Link v1.6 is currently an experimental prototype, but all components used are RoHS compliant.
OBJEX Link v1.6 does not yet have all the certifications needed for mass sale. Currently, only a few prototypes are distributed for testing and research purposes, and not for real use on IoT devices.