Wio Link
What's the toughest part of building IoT applications? Someone says the jump wires usually make him
frustrated, while the other guy says he hates soldering the most. There are even some people who don't like
breadboard. Maybe you are not one of them, but the knowledge of electronic engineering, micro-controller
programming, network programming, IoT protocols handling are still great burden between you and a
successful IoT project.
In order to simplify all these steps, at the end of 2015, Seeed Studio initiated Wio Link on KickStarter,
defined a new way of developing IoT applications. Wio Link is an ESP8266 SoC based open-source Wi-Fi
development board, the best part of it is the associated platform that allows users to create IoT
applications by virtualizing plug-n-play modules to RESTful APIs with mobile Apps. It means that there will
be no hardware programming, no breadboard, no jumper wires, and no soldering, just by installing an App
on your mobile phone, you are able to build a simple IoT project in 5 minutes.
Features
No hardware programming, No breadboard, No jumper wires, No soldering required.
A lot of Grove modules are supported (Check the list in Mobile App).
Plug-n-Play Grove Modules
Visual configuration instead of microcontroller programming.
Update automatically via cloud compiling and OTA.
Bring real world to virtual platform. All sensors become virtual RESTful API.
Android & iOS Apps to manage Wio Link.
IFTTT supported by Seeed's Channel
Table of contents
Features
Specification
Make with Wio Link
Hardware Overview
Status LEDs
Bonus!
Get Started
STEP 1: Install Android/iOS
App
STEP 2: Create your Account
STEP 3: Connect Wio Link Wi-Fi
AP
STEP 4: Virtually interconnect
modules with Wio Link and
update firmware
STEP 5: Test application using
APIs
Get started with IFTTT &
DoButton
Example:
Guide for advanced users
Advanced Tutorial
Resource
FAQ
Grove Support List
Tech Support
Platform / Wio / Wio Link
All Products
Search
Specification
General Value Power Management Value
Size 55mm * 48mm DC Current Per I/O Pin 12mA
Crystal 26MHz Input Voltage (Micro USB) 5V
Flash Memory 4MBytes (W25Q32B) Input Voltage (Battery holder) 3.4~4.2V
Wi-Fi Network Protocol 802.11b/g/n Output DC Current 1000mA MAX
Wi-Fi Encryption Technology WEP/TKIP/AES Operating Voltage 3.3V
Grove Connectors 6Charge Current 500mA MAX
Flash 4MB (W25Q32B)
Make with Wio Link
Wio Link is well designed to provide simple Wi-Fi solutions for projects like:
Smart Home
Intelligent environmental monitoring
Funny Toys
Web of Things
Internet of Things
In fact, we have already designed many projects in our recipe, come and visit it to find some interesting
projects or even share you own projects, I am sure it will gain a lot of fans for you ~
Hardware Overview
Part Function
MCU ESP8266
Note
Some of the recipe are made for Wio Node, but it can apply to Wio Link too.
Part Function
Digital Port 0 GPIO 14
Digital Port 1 GPIO 12
Digital Port 2 GPIO 13
Analog Port A3
UART Port Pin 1 & Pin 3
I2C Port Pin 4 & Pin 5
Status Light Blue LED is the WiFi status indicator, Red LED indicates the working status
Configure Button To configure and manage your Wio Link
Battery Holder JST2.0
Micro USB To power the board or communicate to the PC
Reset Button To reset the MCU
Status LEDs
Near to the FUNCTION button there’re 2 status Leds, a blue one and a red one. The BLUE led is the network
status indicating led. It has the following blink patterns:
breathing Under configuration mode
blink twice quickly then off 1s requesting IP address from router
blink once quickly then off 1s connecting to the server
on 1s then off 1s The node is online
on constantly the node is dead for not getting IP or not connecting to server.
blink quickly (on 100ms then off 100ms) OTA
The RED led is another status led which indicates the power status of Grove modules. All the six Grove
interface’s VCC converge together and can be controlled with GPIO 15. When the node is in deep sleep
mode, all the grove modules lose their power too. The RED led will light on when Grove modules are
powered and will go off when Grove modules aren’t powered.
Bonus!
Wio Link has an inbuilt LiPo battery charger, so you can charge 3.7v LiPo battery through JST 2.0 Port
when USB is connecting.
Note
The BLUE led is attached to GPIO2 which is also the TX pin of UART1. When downloading firmware, the UART1 dumps
the data transmitting on UART0 by instinct. So the BLUE led will blink while downloading firmware. After startup the
GPIO2 will be configured as a GPIO not TX of UART1.
Get Started
Let us build a very basic LED application with Wio Link, in this application you will be able to control LED
by your smartphone in about 5 minutes. Before we start, please make sure you have below things on hand:
Wio Link Grove - LED Micro USB Cable
GET ONE NOW GET ONE NOW GET ONE NOW
STEP 1: Install Android/iOS App
You need to install the Wio Link App to manage and configure your Wio Link devices.
Download the Android or iOS App and install. Or you can go to App Store of Apple or Google Market and
search "Wio Link", you will find it.
Note
Battery needs to be bought separately. Please visit Bazzar where we arranged many choices for you.
Note
A smartphone is needed as well (Android OS version 4.1 or advanced, iOS version 7 or advanced)
Grove - LED include a Grove cable already
Get Android App Get iOS App
STEP 2: Create your Account
If it is your first time to use Wio APP, it may require GPS authorization, please approve it, then sign up.
If you already have an account, check the server location before logging in.
STEP 3: Connect Wio Link Wi-Fi AP
Push and hold the CONFIG button until the blue LED turns into breathing mode (i.e. blinking with fade
in & fade out effect). It means that Wio Link has turned to configuration mode successfully and can
be detected by the Wio App.
Note
Make sure your Android OS version is 4.1 or advanced, iOS version is 7 or advanced.
Note
Please pay attention to the server location, because wrong server location will lead to failure when connecting to Wio
Link.
Push "Add your first Device".
Choose Wio Link
"Go to Wi-Fi list" will lead you to the Wi-Fi setting interface of your smartphone.
If you have successfully made the blue LED turn into breathing mode, you will find the Wio Link in the
Wi-Fi list, connect to it!(Usually it is not called Wio Link in the Wi-Fi list, in the example, mine is
Wio_8B2F12, you may find one named wio_xxxxxx in your list.)
Once connected, you will receive a notice, then you can go back to the app
Next step is connecting to the Wi-Fi of your home or company
If there is password pf the Wi-Fi you want to connect, it may require you to enter the password
Consider that you may need to connect more than 1 Wio device in the future, a special name will make
you distinguish them from each other easily.
STEP 4: Virtually interconnect modules with Wio Link and update firmware
Click the Wio Link and you will be in the main interface.
There are 6 grove connectors, select the first one on the left.
Because LED is output devices. Choose output category
Find the icon that looks like a bulb, choose it.
Then you will find the bottom rectangle button becomes red and "View API" becomes "Update
Firmware". Choose "Update Firmware"
Since you selected the Digital 0 port to connect with LED in the APP, you need to connect the real
Grove-LED to Digital 0 port of Wio Link too.
STEP 5: Test application using APIs
Now that you have successfully connect the LED to Wio Link, click "View API" to check the API of Wio
Link
Input "1" or "0" in the "Test Request" area, and click "Post" button and see what will happen.
Get started with IFTTT & DoButton
Dont't know how to code? Don't worry, with the help of IFTTT, even if you know nothing about coding, you
are still able to build some simple projects.
IFTTT is an abbreviation of "If This Then That", it is a free web-based service that allows users to create
chains of simple conditional statements, called "recipes", which are triggered based on changes to other
web services such as Gmail, Facebook, Instagram. How does IFTTT work with Wio Link? As you can see in
below pictures, Seeed provided cloud service at wio.seeed.io, which can interchange data and send
instructions to IFTTT and Wio Link. So by creating some simple recipe, you are able to hack things without
coding.
If you don't have an IFTTT account, click here to sign up.
If you already have an IFTTT account,click here to connect with Seeed, or search Seeed at IFTTT website.
There you will find 9 recipes by Seeed to teach you how to us e IFTTT.
What is DoButton? DoButton is one of IFTTT's application that empowers you to create your own
personalized button with just a tap, it is very suitable for building IoT projects and control it through your
smartphone, here are two examples to show you how to use IFTTT&DoButton to make useful applications.
Example:
IFTTT DoButton
[Recipe]DIY an Automatic Garden Irrigation without coding [Recipe]How to feed your pets when you're not home
[Video]How to use ITFFF [Video]How to use DoButton
Guide for advanced users
Feel those examples too simple? Wanna make more complicated projects? Here are the best guides for
advanced users to hack things with Wio Link. By these guides, advanced users are able to know more
detail information about Wio Link, deploy private server, even write module driver for Wio Link.
The guide covers:
API Reference
Server Deployment Guide
Advanced User Guide
How to write module driver for Wio Link?
Advanced Tutorial
If you have successfully controlled the grove-led with your smartphone, and want to try something more
difficult and not that complicated, why not try this tutorial, after learning it, you will be able to build a
temperature and humidity monitor and light up the RGB Led strip with Wio Link.
Before you start, please check if you have below devices on hand.
RGB Led strip Grove-Temperature and Humidity Sensor
Get One Now Get One Now
Step1: Remove the Grove LED from the grove connector, plug the Led strip to Wio Link and drag the
same module to Wio Link in the App.
Update the firmware.
Step2：Plug the Grove-Temperature and Humidity Sensor to Wio Link and drag the same module to
Wio Link in the App.
Update the firmware.
Step3: View the APIs and read the temperature & humidity in your house. Below image shows the
temperature change before and after holding the grove in hand. I increased the temperature by 1
Celsius. Try and see how you can change the temperature and humidity in your house.
Step4: Control the light of Led strip by changing RGB value.
Because the Wio Link App read hex RGB value, RGB value need to be converted to hex value. Here I would
like to recommend the website RGB t0 Hex. Just by inputting RGB value for the 3 RGB elements (Red,
Green, Blue), the website will converts the RGB value to hex very easily. Here is some example. - Input 255,
0, 0
Convert it, then you will get the hex value as FF0000, the color is Red.
Then input how many Leds you want to lighten and the hex value in the app, here my Led strip has 30
Leds, so I lighten all of them.
You can also specific which part of the strip be lighted and give a special color to it, or even make like blink
in rainbow mode. A lot of amazing functions are waiting for your exploration!
Resource
Hardware
EAGLE Schematic files
EAGLE PCB file
Schematic files(pdf)
Software
Source Code on Github.
More documentation and references
API Reference
Server Deployment Guide
How to write module driver for Wio Link
iot.seeed.cc to get more info.
FAQ
Note
The RGB value you input should be any nature number between 0 and 255 (Including 0 and 255)
Here are some questions that we usually received from new users. If you have any other issues when you
are using Wio Link or other Wio products, welcome to the Community of Wio where there are many
professional users waiting to give you advices and also many advanced users providing plenty of ideas on
how to use Wio products!
1. Power & Battery － Does Wio Link come with a Lipo battery?
Nope. Each Wio Link goes with a micro USB cable for charging or you can purchase a 3.7V Lipo battery
from our Bazzar. Here’s the specs for your reference: - maximum input voltage: 4.2V; - maximum charging
current: 500mA.
2. Power & Battery - Can I use a power adapter with Wio Link? Which type? And common battery
holders?
There are two ways to power the Wio Link, Micro USB cable or a 3.7V Lipo battery. If both Micro USB and
battery are plugged into the board, the battery will be charged by the USB power. You can use all kinds of
power adapter which can connect with Micro USB cable and 5Vdc output. The battery holder is a JST-2.0
connector.
3. Power Consumption - What’s the power consumption of Wio Link?
The average power consumption is 70mA. With a battery of 700mAh, it can keep alive up to 10 hours.
There are Low-Power-APIs which allows you to change the Wio Link from working-mode to sleeping-mode.
It will reduce average power consumption to 150uA or less.
4. Grove Cables - Are the Groves equipped with cables in all kits?
Yes, we have each Grove modules packed with one standard 4-pin Grove cable.
5. RESTful APIs - Where are the endpoints? The calls aren't required to go through some cloud servers
are they? Is it an internet connection required or can they be made all through a local network?
We deploy the REST API server to iot.seeed.cc, so you can get access to sensor and actuator from
iot.seeed.cc. At the moment, Wio Link must connect to the Internet. Also, we will open-source the server so
as to enable users deploy local servers in very simple Docker way. With local servers deployed, they can
utilize the compiling and data exchange service locally instead of going online.
6. Programming Methods Supported - Will other programming methods be supported, such as Arduino
IDE?
Wio Link can be programed with Arduino IDE, in that case it will lose the functionality of RESTful APIs
except you implement another one in the same time. Wio Link is mostly expected to archive the Web of
Things conversion for physical hardware, so interactions are expected to perform in web / internet. But no
worries, the software architecture is flexible, you can pull down the source code to local and connect Wio
Link to the local servers, then you could modify the source code which will be compiled.
If you would like to interact with Arduino or RPI, you can develop a 3 -party module driver and here’s the
guide: https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/Wio_Link/wiki/How-to-write-module-driver-for-Wio-Link%3F and
example driver: https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/Wio_Link/tree/master/grove_drivers/grove_example
7. Platform Supported -Does Wio Link support Windows Platform?
By now Wio Link provides Android and iOS two mobile Apps. We have all services as RESTful API, such
like user accounts and OTA, following API documents, the third-party developers can build their own
applications say Mobile Apps or Desktop Apps. Wio Link is an community friendly project. It won't be
limited to a certain platform. We really expect people can play with Wio Link in their way.
8. Can I use Wio Link to interact with existing systems?
Yes. Who Link can interact with your existing system in several ways. First, connect any GPIO of Wio Link
to other system, select “Generic Digital Input” or “Generic Digital Output” virtual Grove modules in the
mobile App, then send/read signals to/from the existing system with RESTful API calls. Second, connect
rd
the analog port of Wio Link to other system, select “Generic Analog Input” virtual Grove module in the
mobile App, then read analog measurement for some physical quantity of your existing system. Third, to
interact with existing system more flexible, you can develop a 3 party module driver in which dispatch the
requests from internet to your existing system through I2C or UART interface. We have a guide[1] about
how to develop 3 party module driver and also we can provide technical support for your development.
[1]https://github.com/Seeed-Studio/Wio_Link#how-to-write-module-driver-for-wio-link
9. How many Groves supported on Wio Link?
There are 150+ kinds of plug and play Groves modules available, among which 36 were supported on Wio
Link till now, and you can find most of them in the Rewards, we're working to add more continuously.
Here's the list of supported Groves so far:
Grove Support List
SKU Name Interface Driver Link
101020008 Grove - Moisture Sensor Analog itself link
101020014 Grove - Light Sensor Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020015 Grove - Temperature Sensor Analog itself link
101020017 Grove - Rotary Angle Sensor Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020022 Grove - Light Sensor(P) Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020023 Grove - Sound Sensor Analog ifself link
101020027 Grove - Electricity Sensor Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020036 Grove - Slide Potentiometer Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020042 Grove - 80cm Infrared Proximity Sensor Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020043 Grove - UV Sensor Analog itself link
101020048 Grove - Rotary Angle Sensor(P) Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020063 Grove - Loudness Sensor Analog itself link
101020076 Grove - Luminance Sensor Analog itself link
101020078 Grove - Air quality sensor v1.3 Analog Generic Analog Input link
101020003 Grove - Button Digital itself link
101020004 Grove - Switch(P) Digital Generic Digital Input link
101020005 Grove - Collision Sensor Digital Generic Digital Input link
101020009 Grove - Line Finder Digital Generic Digital Input link
101020018 Grove - Water Sensor Digital Generic Digital Input link
101020020 Grove - PIR Motion Sensor Digital itself link
101020025 Grove - Tilt Switch Digital Generic Digital Input link
101020037 Grove - Touch Sensor Digital Generic Digital Input link
rd
rd
SKU Name Interface Driver Link
101020038 Grove - Magnetic Switch Digital itself link
101020046 Grove - Hall Sensor Digital itself link
101020049 Grove - Flame Sensor Digital Generic Digital Input link
111020000 Grove - Button(P) Digital Generic Digital Input link
101020073 Grove - Electromagnet Digital itself link
101020090 Grove - Water Atomization v1.0 Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
103020004 Grove - Solid State Relay Digital itself link
103020005 Grove - Relay Digital itself link
103020008 Grove - MOSFET Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
103020010 Grove - 2-Coil Latching Relay Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
103020014 Grove - Dry-Reed Relay Digital itself link
104020001 Grove - Variable Color LED Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
104020002 Grove - Purple LED (3mm) Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
104020005 Grove - LED String Light Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
104030005 Grove - Red LED Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
104030007 Grove - Green LED Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
104030009 Grove - White LED Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
104030010 Grove - Blue LED Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
104030014 Grove - Multi Color Flash LED (5mm) Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
105020003 Grove - Vibration Motor Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
105020004 Grove - Mini Fan Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
105020005 Grove - EL Driver Digital itself link
107020000 Grove - Buzzer Digital Generic Digital
Output
link
107020001 Grove - Speaker Digital itself link
101020034 Grove - 3-Axis Digital Compass I2C itself link
SKU Name Interface Driver Link
101020039 Grove - 3-Axis Digital Accelerometer(±1.5g) I2C itself link
101020050 Grove - 3-Axis Digital Gyro I2C itself link
101020072 Grove - Barometer Sensor (BMP180) I2C itself link
101020083 Grove - Gesture I2C itself link
101020088 Grove - Multichannel Gas Sensor I2C itself link
103020013 Grove - I2C ADC I2C itself link
104030008 Grove - OLED Display 1.12'' I2C itself link
104030011 Grove - OLED Display 0.96'' I2C itself link
105020001 Grove - I2C Motor Driver I2C itself link
107020006 Grove - I2C FM Receiver I2C itself link
101020192 Grove - Barometer(BMP280) I2C itself link
101020193 Grove - Temp&Humi&Barometer
Sensor(BME280)
I2C itself link
101020010 Grove - Ultrasonic Ranger Ditital itself link
101020016 Grove - Infrared Receiver Digital itself link
101020019 Grove - Temperature&Humidity Sensor Pro Digital itself link
101020026 Grove - Infrared Emitter Digital itself link
101020029 Grove - Infrared Reflective Sensor Others itself link
101020030 Grove - Digital Light Sensor I2C itself link
101020040 Grove - IR Distance Interrupter Digital itself link
103020018 Grove - Recorder Digital itself link
104020006 Grove - LED Bar v2.0 UART itself link
104030003 Grove - 4-Digit Display UART itself link
316010005 Grove - Servo Digital itself link
101020067 Grove - CO2 Sensor UART itself link
Tech Support
Please do not hesitate to contact techsupport@seeed.cc if you have any technical issue. Or submit the
issue into our forum.
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