rpi3-bluetooth

⚠️ This project is not necessary. Starting from balenaOS 2.9.3+rev1, bluetooth devices are controlled by the host operating system and available for all user containers. Just install the software tools that you require to talk to the bluetooth devices, and start using it. ⚠️

The below notes are kept for reference.

Raspberry Pi 3 on-board Bluetooth example

This project enables bluetooth and demonstrates some simple commands to interact with a bluetooth device.

To get this project up and running, you will need to signup for a balena account here and set up a Raspberry Pi 3, have a look at our Getting Started Tutorial if you haven't already. Once you are set up with balena, you will need to clone this repo locally:

$ git clone https://github.com/balena-projects/rpi3-bluetooth.git

Then add your balena application's remote repository to your local repository:

$ git remote add balena [email protected]:username/myapp.git

and push the code to the newly added remote:

$ git push balena master

It should take a few minutes for the code to push. Once the code has pushed the scan.sh script will enable the on-board Bluetooth, you should see this in your logs:

To test everything works you will need to run some simple commands to scan for devices, connect to a device, discover characteristics and write to a characteristic.

Scan for devices:

$ hcitool lescan
LE Scan ...
18:B4:30:51:4C:E5 (unknown)
66:53:B2:89:24:D3 (unknown)
66:53:B2:89:24:D3 (unknown)
EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF balena
EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF (unknown)
18:B4:30:51:4C:E5 Nest Cam

the output shows 6 devices found, we are going to connect to the EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF balena device:

$ gatttool -b EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF -t random -I
[EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF][LE]>

at the prompt enter connect to connect to the device:

[EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF][LE]>connect
Attempting to connect to EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF
Connection successful
[EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF][LE]>

at the prompt enter char-desc to discover characteristics advertised by the device:

[EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF][LE]> char-desc
handle: 0x0001, uuid: 00002800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
handle: 0x0002, uuid: 00002803-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
handle: 0x0003, uuid: 00002a00-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb
handle: 0x0004, uuid: 00002803-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb

the output shows 4 characteristics found, we are going to write to the characteristic at handle: 0x0004, uuid: 00002803-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb. At the prompt enter char-write-req 04 01 to write a 1 to the characteristic:

[EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF][LE]> char-write-req 04 01
Characteristic value was written successfully

finally we need to close the connection, enter disconnect at the prompt:

[EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF][LE]> disconnect
[EE:50:F0:F8:3C:FF][LE]>

followed by Ctrl + D to exit gatttool.