Silicon Labs Thunderboard User Manual
UG164: Thunderboard
Not Recommended for New Designs
React
(RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
TM
The Thunderboard™ React is a cloud-connected, Bluetooth
Smart-enabled, sensor-driven platform that enables customers to
demo, evaluate, and develop their own unique applications.
It leverages Silicon Labs’ BGM111 Bluetooth Smart module as a wireless system-on-achip (SoC) to collect to various sensor data and deliver it to the cloud through Bluetooth
Low Energy (BLE)-enabled iOS/Android mobile apps. This document provides an overview of the kit including hardware, software application, cloud platform, and mobile app.
It also contains instructions and guidelines to evaluate the simplicity of adding Blue-
tooth to your project to connect to the cloud.
®
KEY POINTS
• Low-cost, Bluetooth Smart solution that
collects and delivers data to the cloud
• Hardware includes BGM111 Bluetooth
Smart module linked to sensor inputs
• ThunderBoard React connects to BLEenabled iOS/Android mobile apps
•
Apps connect to a cloud-based multi-client,
real-time synchronization database
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UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Not Recommended for New Designs
1. Introduction
Thunderboard™ React is a low-cost, BLE solution that collects and delivers data to the cloud.
Introduction
Figure 1.1. System Application Diagram
The Thunderboard React is a great demonstration and evaluation tool to easily add BLE connectivity to a sensor or actuator application. The mobile
or control the LED states on the Thunderboard React hardware. Individual components of the Thunderboard React can be easily integrated and modified in order to add BLE-to-cloud connectivity for a user’s particular application.
All instructions, collateral, and source files for this solution can be found here: http://www.silabs.com/thunderboardreact.
app seamlessly communicates between the Thunderboard and the cloud database to visualize sensor data collected
Figure 1.2. ThunderBoard React
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UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
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Quick Start
2. Quick Start
This section describes how to quickly get started using the Thunderboard React with its mobile apps and cloud database. For detailed
instructions, refer to Section 4. Operation.
1. Download the mobile app.
a. Links to the iOS and Android mobile app can be found here: http://www.silabs.com/thunderboard
2. Supply power to the Thunderboard React.
a. Remove the battery tab.
b. Set SW3 switch where its toggle is closest to Vbat.
3. Connect the Thunderboard React to the mobile app.
a. Launch the mobile app on the phone, ensuring the phone’s Bluetooth radio is enabled.
b. On the Thunderboard React, press the SW-0 button. The blue LED (LED-B) will blink to indicate it is sending a beacon adver-
tisement.
c. Locate the device on the app which should display “Thunderboard React #nnnnn”, and click on the device in the mobile app to
connect to it.
d. If the device successfully pairs, the mobile app displays available demos and the blue LED on the hardware will stop flashing.
4. Select the demo.
a. For this quick start, select the I/O demo.
b. Once the demo is activated, it will take you to the demonstration screen.
5. Use the demo.
a. Press the SW-0 and SW-1 on the Thunderboard React and witness its visual response along the top area of the phone
screen.
b. On the mobile app itself, press the two buttons in the middle and witness that the Thunderboard React's blue LED (LED-B)
and green LED (LED-G) are statically illuminated.
c. Press both buttons again on the mobile app to extinguish the LEDs.
6. Stream to the Cloud.
a. Ensure the mobile phone has the ability to connect to the internet either through Wi-Fi or cellular connection for this portion of
the demonstration.
b. While in the I/O demo, along the top portion of the screen, drag the toggle switch to activate cloud streaming.
c. Data is now being sent from Thunderboard React to the mobile app to a cloud database on the internet.
d. To see the live stream, select the share icon (up arrow in an open box) next to the toggle switch on the mobile app, and then
select the phone’s mobile browser. This will launch the browser, placing the mobile app in the background while still streaming
data to the cloud.
e. The switch and LED real-time data will now be shown in the browser.
f. While still connected, press the buttons on Thunderboard React and witness the resulting change in states on the cloud.
7. Share the Cloud stream session.
a. While streaming, in the mobile app, select the share icon and then select an email, message client, or social media tool. This
should launch the tool with a pre-populated message containing a hyperlink to the streaming session.
b. Send the message to another device client (such as a laptop or another mobile phone with a web browser).
c. From the device client, launch the hyperlink and witness the simultaneous cloud session being displayed on this device while
the original phone is connected to the Thunderboard React. The cloud platform supports real-time data synchronization across
multiple clients.
8. End the cloud stream.
a. Return to the mobile app and move the upper toggle switch to disable the cloud stream session.
9. Turn off the device.
a. On the Thunderboard React, move the SW3 toggle switch to where it is the closest to Vext.
10. Review the cloud session.
a. If emailed, this provided link will display the resulting summary of the cloud streaming session.
b. This link will be available for 30 days.
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UG164: ThunderboardTM
Not Recommended for New Designs
React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Overview
3. Overview
The Thunderboard React solution provides:
•
A low-cost, Bluetooth-enabled sensor platform
• Open-source, native iOS, and Android mobile apps
• A cloud database (Google Firebase) that supports multiple clients
This solution allows customers to demo, evaluate, and develop their own unique applications.
3.1 Part Number
The part number convention is RD-XXX-YYYY, where:
RD Reference Design
XXXX Reference Design Number
YYYY Reference Design Component
This document will use the reference design number (RD-XXXX) when describing the complete design, and the reference design component (RD-XXXX-YYYY) when describing a specific component.
The following table provides a description and PCB marking for each part number.
Note: Some cases lack
ber.
sufficient space on the PCB, and an internal “IST” marking appears on the PCB instead of the “RD” part num-
Table 3.1. Part Numbers and Description
Part Number PCB Marking Description
CARKIT N/A Cloud-connected, Bluetooth-enabled pinewood derby car kit with included
RD-0057-0101 Thunderboard React Evaluation Board
RD-0057-0201 N/A Thunderboard React Bluetooth Sensor Reference Design Kit with BGM111, Si7021,
Si7201, and Si1133.
RD-0057-0101 IST-A0057 Rev 2.0 Thunderboard React Bluetooth Sensor Evaluation Board with BGM111, Si7021,
Si7201, and Si1133.
3.2 Reference Design Kit
3.2.1 RD-0057-0201 Kit Contents
• Thunderboard React evaluation board
• Quick start card to obtain the latest design collateral
3.2.2 RD-0057-0101 Kit Contents
•
Thunderboard React evaluation board
• Car shell
• Pinewood car base
• Wheels and axles
• Metal screws and stand-offs
• Quick start card to explain assembly and obtain the latest design collateral
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3.3 Hardware Features
Not Recommended for New Designs
The ThunderBoard React hardware platform contains the following features:
•
Silicon Labs Blue Gecko BGM111 Bluetooth® Smart Module
•
32-bit ARM® Cortex-M4 CPU
•
256 KB Flash
• 32 KB RAM
TX power: up to +8 dBm
•
• RX sensitivity down to –93 dBm
• Silicon Labs Si7021 relative humidity and temperature sensor
• Temperature sensor accuracy: ±0.4 °C
• Humidity sensor accuracy: ±3% RH
• I2C interface
• Silicon Labs Si1133 ambient light and UV sensor
• Ambient light sensor range: 1 to 128 kilo lux
• UV index sensor range: 1 to 11
• I2C interface
• Silicon Labs Si7201 omni-polar, hall-effect sensor
• Operating point: 30 Gauss max
• Release point: 10 Gauss min
• Push-pull output
• Invensense MPU-6500 6-axis motion sensor
• 3-axis accelerometer
• 3-axis gyroscope
• I2C interface
• Two momentary buttons (SW-0, SW-1)
• Blue and green LEDs (LED-B, LED-G)
• 10-pin 0.050”, 1.27 mm mini-simplicity debug connector
• PCB footprint for up to 8Mb external flash device
• Break-out pin pads to connect to BGM111 GPIOs
• CR2032 coin cell battery slot
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Overview
Figure 3.1. Thunderboard React Hardware Diagram
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3.4 Thunderboard React Firmware Features
Not Recommended for New Designs
The Thunderboard React firmware application contains the following features:
• Pre-compiled and source application firmware
• Sleep mode for battery savings
Beacon notification to interface to a beacon-compatible mobile app
•
• Bluetooth-compatible GATT service profiles
3.5 ThunderBoard Mobile App Features
The Silicon Labs ThunderBoard mobile apps contains the following features:
• Bluetooth-compatible connectivity support
• Beacon notification support
• iOS app uses native Swift code
• Android app uses native Java code
• Source code can be obtained at: http://www.GitHub.com/SiliconLabs
3.6 ThunderCloud Software Features
The Thunderboard React’s web client contains the following features:
• Leverages Firebase by Google, a scalable cloud solution that can rapidly deploy:
• Real-time synchronization database capable of supporting multiple clients
• User authentication security
• Web hosting
• ThunderCloud uses ReactJS framework for its overall architecture:
• Leverages npm as a package manager
• Alt.js for the flux implementation
• React Router for routing within the app
• D3.js For data-driven charts
• LESS for CSS pre-processing
• Gulp for building and minifying code
• These tools and architecture allow for:
• Simultaneous connection of multiple Thunderboard React devices via mobile app
• Multiple device clients synchronously connected to a single cloud session
• Persistence storage of past cloud sessions (up to 30 days).
• Source code can be obtained at: http://www.GitHub.com/SiliconLabs.
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Overview
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UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
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Operation
4. Operation
This section describes the various operational modes of the Thunderboard React hardware, the Silicon Labs ThunderBoard mobile
apps, the Thundercloud database and how each interact to create a low-cost, BLE-enabled, cloud-connected solution. For this section,
the screen captures will be using the iOS mobile app even though the instructions apply to both mobile apps. For features where the
Android mobile app operates differently than iOS, these instructions will also be provided.
Open App
BLUETOOTH
BLUETOOTH
DISABLED
DISABLED
Prompts to
prompts to
enable BT
enable BT
DEVICE
SETTINGS
bluetooth
settings
NO DEVICE
FOUND
prompts to
turn on device
DEVICE(S)
FOUND
Beacon info
& connect
APP
SETTINGS
Personalize &
preferences
4.1 Download the Mobile Apps
Specific links to
the iOS AppStore and Google Play Store to obtain the free Silicon Labs ThunderBoard mobile apps can be found here:
http://www.silabs.com/thunderboard-react.
Beacon Notification
CHOOSE
DEMO
shows
available
demos
DEMO
shows current
data & cloud
stream option
CLOUD
SYNC
option to send
link or view
now
SEND LINK
choose SMS
or Email
Opens
default
browser
Figure 4.1. Mobile App and Cloud Flow Diagram
SEND SMS/
EMAIL
link to cloud,
link to more
info
SEND SMS/
EMAIL
link to cloud,
link to more
info
VIEW
CLOUD
SYNC
data over time
and summary
MORE INFO
Product
collateral,
code
4.2 Supply Power to the Thunderboard React
If present, remove the battery tab from the battery holder. Set the SW3 switch where its toggle is closest to Vbat to supply power to the
device. Setting the toggle closest to Vext will power-down the device. At power up, the device will enter a self-test mode. If it discovers
an error, it will emit alternating green and blue LEDs. For more information on the self-test, refer to the firmware section. If changing
CR2032 batteries, ensure the positive side of the battery (+) is aligned to the metal battery tab’s plus marking (+).
Figure 4.2. Thunderboard React with Battery Tab
The hardware can additionally be powered via the mini-simplicity debug connector (J3). To do this, ensure the SW3 switch is set to
where its toggle is closest to Vext.
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4.3 Connect Thunderboard React to the Mobile App
Not Recommended for New Designs
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Operation
Once the mobile
to successfully pair them.
4.3.1 Launch the Mobile App
Upon selecting the Silicon Labs ThunderBoard icon on an iOS/Android mobile phone, the app will launch with this introduction screen
for a few seconds, and will then look for nearby Thunderboard React devices:
app is successfully installed on the phone and the hardware is powered, the following sub-sections will describe how
Figure 4.3. Mobile App Launch Screen
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4.3.2 Enable Beacon Notification
Not Recommended for New Designs
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Operation
On the Thunderboard
beacon. To save power, the beacon will only be enabled for 30 seconds. If it is necessary to re-activate the BLE beacon, re-press one
of the buttons.
React, press either the SW-0 or SW-1 button. The LED-B will blink to indicate it is sending an advertisement
Figure 4.4. LEDs and Buttons on Thunderboard React
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4.3.3 Looking for Devices
Not Recommended for New Designs
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Operation
After the launch
screens should either have the message “Looking for Devices” or display the found device(s).
screen completes, the app will display various informal messages as it is looking for a ThunderBoard device. Valid
Figure 4.5. Valid Screens While the App Looks for Device(s)
Once a device is found, it can be selected as described in the next section. The detected device will display its unique name and measured received signal level from the perspective of the mobile phone.
If “Bluetooth is Disabled” is displayed, go to the mobile phone’s settings and ensure its airplane mode is not enabled and the Bluetooth
radio is enabled. If “No Devices Found” is displayed, ensure the Thunderboard React is in nearby range, is powered, and its Blue LED
is flashing.
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UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
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Operation
Figure 4.6. Error Messages While Looking for Device(s)
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UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
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4.3.4 Selecting From Found Device(s)
After Thunderboard React device(s) have been found, tap on the desired device to connect to it.
Operation
A successful connection
the blue LED should stop flashing and the green LED should flash once.
will display available demos, and the device’s information will show along the bottom border. On the hardware,
Figure 4.7. App Screen after Successful Connection
From this screen along the bottom border, the device’s unique name will display along with its estimated battery health. Clicking the
back arrow from this screen will disconnect (un-pair) the device from the mobile app.
To enable opening the app using the advertisement beacon, click on the gear icon for global settings, as described in the user app
settings section.
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UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Not Recommended for New Designs
4.4 User App Settings
User-defined settings can be configured in the looking for devices or choose demo screens.
Operation
Figure 4.8. User App Settings
While in this screen, the user can specify their contact information that will then be displayed when sharing links. The user can also
specify desired measurement and temperature units, as well as which 3D model to render in the motion demo (ThunderBoard or ReactCar). The user can also enable beacon notifications that will alert the app when a beaconing Thunderboard React is within the radio’s
signal range and available for connection.
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4.5 Configuring Beacon Notifications
Not Recommended for New Designs
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Operation
Within the User
board React can be allowed to notify the mobile app of its nearby presence and once clicked, the app will automatically pair with the
device and directly open the choose demo screen. To allow or remove a Thunderboard React, click on ALLOW or REMOVE for that
particular device.
Note: To allow a device it must have already been connected to the app.
App Settings, a user can enable/disable beacon notifications. When these notifications are enabled, a known Thunder-
Figure 4.9. Device Beacon Notification Settings
For iOS devices: In iOS, beacon notifications alert a mobile phone that it is within a nearby beacon. As a result, the phone's OS can
sometimes inhibit notifications so as to avoid flooding the mobile phone with continual notifications as it resides on a boundary of a
beacon’s radio signal range. The best method to reliably demonstrate this feature is to have the allowed Thunderboard React device
powered off, power it up, and then press the SW0 or SW1 button. Within seconds, the beacon should trigger a notification and the
dialog box will allow a user to open the mobile app.
For Android devices: As of Android OS version 4.4, beacon notifications with this demonstration only work if the mobile app is launched
and is at least residing in the phone’s background.
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UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
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Operation
4.6 Select a Demo
Once the mobile app is connected (paired) to a Thunderboard React, it will display the following available demos:
• Motion: Uses the accelerometer, gyroscope, and hall-effect sensors
• Environment: Uses the temperature, relative humidity, ambient, and UV sensors
I/O: Uses the two momentary push buttons and two LEDs
•
The next sub-sections will describe each demo and how to operate them. The subsequent sub-sections will then describe how to
stream each of these demos to the cloud where they can be viewed and shared by multiple device clients. Both live and completed
streamed demo sessions can be viewed by multiple clients for up to 30 days.
To select a specific demo, click on it.
Figure 4.10. Selected Demo Loading Screen
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4.6.1 Motion Demo
Not Recommended for New Designs
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Operation
Figure 4.11. Motion Demo Screens
The motion demo can demonstrate the following:
• 3-axis orientation, shown numerically and visually via a 3D rendered model
• 3-axis acceleration, shown numerically
Speed and distance via the hall-effect sensor’s output displayed as a CSC (Cycling Speed and Cadence) service
•
For the rendered 3D model, either the ThunderBoard or the React Car can be displayed in the demo. To change what is displayed, go
to the device settings and select the desired model, as shown in 4.4 User App Settings.
For orientation and acceleration, the Thunderboard React’s axes can be calibrated. To do so, rest the Thunderboard React in an upright position (top of the device facing up). While leaving the device untouched and not moving, click on “calibrate”. The mobile app will
perform a calibration calculation for a few seconds, displaying a pop-up message while it is doing so until it completes. Once completed, move the Thunderboard React and notice the device is now aligned to the 3D model on the mobile app screen. The specifics of the
device-to-app refresh rate as well as the angle values shown in the app can be found in the firmware section.
For speed and distance, the hall-effect sensor is to be paired with a magnet. The firmware is designed to display this sensor as a CSC
service, which means it will assume every nearby magnetic sensor contact point will be counted as a full wheel revolution. From each
revolution, it will determine a speed and distance based on a specific wheel diameter commonly found in pinewood derby races. For
more information on refresh rates and speed values, refer to 6. Firmware.
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4.6.2 Environment Demo
Not Recommended for New Designs
UG164: ThunderboardTM React (RD-0057-0201) User's Guide
Operation
Figure 4.12. Environment Demo Screen
This demonstration uses the Si1133 and Si7021 to display the following environment sensors (with range).
Table 4.1. Environment Demo Measurements
Sensor Type Min Max Unit
Si1133 Ambient Light 1 99,999 lux
UV Index 1 15 ─
Si7021
Note:
1. Farenheit equivalents can also be displayed via the user app setting.
Temperature
Relative Humidity 0 100 %
1
–40 85 C
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