Open Hardware Files: A Mesh Node, Robot Power, and a Zigbee Lamp

Open hardware notes for November 12, 2026 (America/Los_Angeles).

A pocket radio node, a robot-arm power board, and a Zigbee lamp controller all gained publicly available design files today. Each offers editable schematics and a PCB layout, but all three are still unbuilt designs. They are useful starting points for studying an approach, checking the decisions, and planning experiments rather than ordering an established, tested product.

LM20MeshNode: a compact LoRa and GNSS design

CValdesS’s LM20MeshNode combines a Nordic nRF54LM20A module, an SX1262-based LoRa module, GNSS, an OLED interface, and single-cell battery management. The project is aimed at a pocket Meshtastic node with Bluetooth connectivity.

Illustration: simplified PCB-source rendering prepared for Tindie, not a product photograph. Design © 2026 CValdesS, CERN-OHL-S-2.0. Source PCB · License. Copper paths and pads are shown without copper fills, silkscreen or component bodies; this is not a fabrication view.

The engineering files were first published on November 12. The KiCad 10 project directory contains the main schematic, five sub-sheets, a four-layer PCB, and project libraries. Hardware is explicitly licensed under CERN-OHL-S-2.0.

The important limitation is firmware readiness: the author says the board has not been manufactured or tested, and there is no Meshtastic firmware variant for it yet. Some external 3D models are also absent. For a maker interested in integrated radio and GNSS hardware, the value today is the editable design and its power and interface decisions, not a promise of a working mesh node out of the box.

VLA Arm Power Board: managing energy returned by motors

The VLA Arm Power Board tackles a practical robot-building problem: a bench supply can deliver energy to motors, but may not absorb energy returned during braking. This 36V design combines precharge, reverse blocking, and a brake-chopper circuit with connections for three actuators.

Illustration: simplified PCB-source rendering prepared for Tindie, not a product photograph. Design: ANGELOREYES-afk, CERN-OHL-S-2.0. Source PCB · License. Simplified paths and pads only, not a manufacturing drawing.

First publicly committed on November 12, the KiCad 8 hardware directory includes a main schematic, a precharge sub-sheet, a two-layer PCB, and custom libraries. The hardware license is CERN-OHL-S-2.0.

Revision 3 has not been built. The author reports clean ERC and DRC results, which we have not independently rerun. Motor peak current remains unmeasured, connector polarity and an orderable part suffix still need checking, and the external braking resistor and heatsinking require separate attention. Treat it as a power-electronics design to review carefully, not a validated protection module.

lamp-h2: adding Zigbee to a rechargeable lamp

citi94’s lamp-h2 is a small ESP32-H2-based controller for a rechargeable lamp. It is designed to control LED channels, retain touch or switch input, and report battery and USB status over Zigbee. Its stated approach preserves the lamp’s existing charger rather than adding a new charging circuit.

Illustration: simplified PCB-source rendering prepared for Tindie, not a product photograph. Design: citi94, CERN-OHL-S-2.0. Source PCB · Hardware license. Simplified paths and pads only; no physical board is depicted.

The project was first published on November 12 and received clearance and via revisions that day. The KiCad 10 engineering directory contains a schematic, four-layer PCB, project files, and libraries. The hardware is CERN-OHL-S-2.0; the project’s software and documentation have separate terms.

The linked snapshot is Rev G, which the author explicitly says has not been built or measured. Battery wiring, protection behavior, thermal performance, and compatibility with the particular lamp all need verification. Earlier revision files should not be substituted casually for the linked design.

Start with the source, then verify

These projects illustrate why editable engineering files are useful: they let another builder examine how a design is put together and identify what still needs testing. We inspected the published source files and license text, but did not run ERC or DRC, load firmware, or test physical hardware. Author-reported checks remain author reports.

The links above point to fixed source snapshots and engineering directories, not verified all-in-one download packages. Review CERN-OHL-S-2.0 and any separately licensed dependencies before modifying or distributing a design. The illustrations were generated from those PCB files, with simplified geometry and styling, and carry the corresponding source attribution and license; they are not evidence of manufacture, certification, or successful operation.

source https://blog.tindie.com/2026/11/open-hardware-files-a-mesh-node-robot-power-and-a-zigbee-lamp/