RoadTest: Cypress EZ-BT™ Module Mesh Evaluation Kit
Author: meera_hussien
Creation date:
Evaluation Type: Development Boards & Tools
Did you receive all parts the manufacturer stated would be included in the package?: True
What other parts do you consider comparable to this product?:
What were the biggest problems encountered?: To find the android apk file
Detailed Review:
By Hussien
Table Of Content
The evaluation kit comes with
The picture below is the unboxing of the cypress CYBT-213043 MESH.
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| CYBT-213043-MESH top view | CYBT-213043-MESH bottom view |
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Before we can start to test the kit, we need to so few setups. The first step is to install the Modus ToolBox.
The installation of the software is pretty straight forward. Once the installation is done, we can launch the ModusToolBox software.
Once the program is launched, it will prompt for the workspace path.
In my case, I choose the C: drive. Once we have defined the path, we can click the launch button. Once the software is launched, the first window which will appear is the welcome window. The arrangement of the window is by the process window, whereby the first step is to
1) To create a new application followed by
2) Configure a PSoC device
3) Add a middleware
4) Build and debug your application
Now let's start with our first application. The steps to download the program is demonstrated in the video below.
Once we have success in downloading, next we can start to test the code. In this review i have decided to use the android app to test the program. One of the challenges which i faced is to install the android app. This is because the app is not readily available in the playstore. The app comes with the Modus ToolBox. In the official page it is mentioned that, the software is available at this location
(source : https://www.cypress.com/documentation/software-and-drivers/bluetooth-mesh-helper-applications )
But unfortunately, i did not find the app there. This is because the bt_sdk-1.1 was not available in the above mentioned directory. Hence i need to download and install it manually. The bt_sdk-1.1 can be downloaded from https://community.cypress.com/docs/DOC-17891 Once it has been been downloaded it can be installed manually as shown in the below steps.
Since I have previously installed the SDK, so it is visible in the "Update ModusToolbox". Once the SDK is installed, restart the ModusToolBox in order to take effect. Next we can find the android app in the above mentioned path. Once we have done this we can start the app.
Next we shall see the hardware testing.
In first part of the testing, we will test run the first code which we have program the board during the setup.
In the first example we have seen how to control the Led on the second board using the first board. I have also monitored the current consumption of the two board, using the simple device.
The current consumption is about 0.12A. The curren
In the above arrangement, one of the thing to take into consideration is when connecting more than one board to the CPU. This is because the Modus ToolBox tend to pick the board with the least com port number. This problem can be avoided by following the below step.
Using the same example as above, we can control up to three boards at a time. In the video below, it is demonstrated on how we can use one board to control another two more boards.
Next we shall see how to control the board using the windows application. For this we will use the application file which comes together with the Modus Tool Box installer.
In below video, it is shown how to control the board using the windows application
And the next test which i want to demonstrate is by using the build in temperature sensor. The code is readily available in the example. Below is the screenshot of the result when tested using the windows application and the android apps.
The image below shows the result for the testing done with the windows mesh application. As you can see in the image below, the temperature value is displayed in the trace window.
And the image below is the result when tested using the android app. The temperature value is shown in the status bar.
The below video demsonstrate how to program the board and get the result in the windows application and as well on the android app.
There are many more application which can be done using this board, either as a single board or as a combination. In this review, what i have demonstrated is only a fraction of its full functionality. I will keep updating about this board, as i am planning to continue to work more on this kit.
Talking about the current consumption, i coudn't measure much. The USB tool which i used( as shown in the above ) does not showing a correct value. Yet, i am planning to get a proper tool and do the measurement for the current consumption of the board.
In the nutshell, i feel that this board is friendly and easy to use for a new comer who wish to learn about bluetooth mesh network. I would highly recommend this kit for the new comer since this board has all the necessity components. Moreover, the onboard sensors and leds are all we need to do the basic testing. The documentation for the kit is well captured. All the examples provided are well explained. Apart from the provided example there are additional example available in the official cypress github.
I would like to thank to element14 and Cypress for selecting me as the roadtester.
Thank you.
Top Comments
meera_hussien what is that device on the USB you show measuring voltage and amperage?
The device which i used to mesure the voltage and the ampere is a device which i bought online. The model number is KCX-017.
Thank you.
Regards,
Hussien