RAKwireless has launched the RAK11160 WisDuo Module. This dual-core IoT module combines two microcontrollers: an STM32WLE5 for LoRaWAN-based long-range wireless communication and an ESP32-C2 for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity.
The ESP32 can enter a deep power-off mode using only ~1 µA. This makes it great for remote farming sensors, moving vehicles, forests, and even asset tracking. In the standalone mode, STM32WL handles everything, including sensor reading and LoRaWan, and in dual-core mode, it gets the ESP32 running only when needed. For example, it wakes the ESP32 up during a cloud sync and turns it off after it’s done. The STM32WLE5 features a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 CPU, has 256 KB of flash memory, and 64 KB of RAM. The ESP32-C2 has a Single-core RISC-V CPU, 2 MB of flash memory, and up to 272 KB of RAM. Even with temperature changes, the TCXO (temperature-compensated oscillator) ensures stable communication.
The module measures 15 mm × 23 mm × 3 mm with a supply voltage of 1.8 V to 3.6 V. It operates between -40°C and +85°C, with a sleep mode current as low as ~5 μA when the ESP32 is asleep. The communication is achieved via UART, I2C, SPI, ADC, and GPIO interfaces. Antennas connect using MHF4 (IPEX) connectors or RF pinouts, depending on the variant. The RUI3 firmware is preloaded, and custom firmware can be flashed using a USB to UART adapter. You can program the module using the Arduino IDE with RUI3 APIs. If Bluetooth is enabled, firmware updates can even be done wirelessly over BLE without the need for a cable. The module is available through the official RAKwireless store, starting at $6.50 per unit.
