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Communicator add-on

To make your communicator working, you have to go through two phases: - Hardware: assemble the hardware (soldering). - Software: flash the firmware (embedded software) to the LANA module on your communicator.

The Hardware assembly process is laid out on this page. For the software, check out this page.

 

HARDWARE

Communicator features

The communicator is built around :

You can also use the keyboard as an USB keyboard, however do not plug in the USB cable when it's connected to the badge!

You can get the design files and sources in the GitHub repository

blockdiagram

Step by step assembly guide

All components neatly packaged

The package you received contains everything you need to build your own communicator add-on

  • Communicator main PCB
  • Pink cover PCB
  • 4 x 16mm long spacers
  • 4 x 2mm long spacers
  • speaker
  • silicone keyboard
  • 2 x 6 pin extra long headers

package contents spread out

Mount the speaker

Remove the protective layer and glue the speaker on the PCB. Solder the 2 wire on the pads, the red wire should go the the pad marked with a + symbol.

speaker soldered speaker back view

Solder the long pin headers

Place the headers on the side of the component side of the board. You can use a female pin header (of even the badge) to keep the 2 pin headers properly aligned while soldering

headers soldered

Mount the keys

Snap in the 2mm spacers in the pink cover. place the silicone keyboard in the PCB and snap in into the communicator PCB.

2mm spacer placed closeup 2mm spacer placed keyboard in cover keyboard mounted

Mount the communicator

Snap in the 16mm long spacers in the 4 holes, mount it on the back of the badge in place of the protective backplate.

16mm spacers mounted Communicator mounted

Usage

The keyboard presents itself as a HID input device. The Fn key can be used to trigger special functions:

  • Fn+Red Square: Put LANA LED to red
  • Fn+Orange Triangle: Put LANA LED to orange
  • Fn+Yellow Fri3d logo: Put LANA LED to yellow
  • Fn+Green Circle: Put LANA LED to green
  • Fn+Blue Three-Leaf-Clover: Put LANA LED to blue
  • Fn+Purple Rhombus: Put LANA LED to purple
  • Fn+Solder Party: Put LANA LED off
  • Fn+Backspace: Delete
  • Fn+Up: Page Up
  • Fn+Down: Page Down
  • Fn+Left: Home
  • Fn+Right: End
  • Fn+Spacebar: Toggle keyboard backlight
  • Fn+Right Shift: Toggle Caps Lock

Firmware features

The firmware outputs HID report packets (8 bytes) on USB, I2C (address 0x38) and UART.

The first byte indicates the modifier keys that have been pressed:

Bit Modifier Key
0 LEFT CTRL
1 LEFT SHIFT
2 LEFT ALT
3 LEFT GUI
4 RIGHT CTRL
5 RIGHT SHIFT
6 RIGHT ALT
7 RIGHT GUI

The second byte is reserved, the remaining 6 bytes can contain a HID keycode.

 

SOFTWARE (FIRMWARE)

Normally, the firmware on your LANA module is already pre-flashed. If it doesn't work: the firmware can be flashed through the badge flash station in the solder area.

If you want to update the firmware, or you want to flash your own, you can do so with your own laptop as shown on this page.