BorneoIoT: Professional Aquarium Lighting Platform

A full-stack open-source solution for smart aquarium LED control featuring ESP32-based hardware, ESP-IDF firmware, and a Flutter mobile application. It provides high-resolution PWM dimming, sunrise/sunset simulation, and efficient CoAP/CBOR communication for professional-grade lighting management.

Overview

BorneoIoT is a production-grade, open-source ecosystem designed specifically for professional aquarium LED lighting. Unlike many hobbyist projects, BorneoIoT provides a complete vertical stack—from OSHWA-certified hardware designs and robust embedded firmware to a cross-platform mobile application and a Python SDK for automation. The project aims to bridge the gap between DIY weekend builds and commercial-grade product integration, offering features like flicker-free dimming and millisecond-smooth environmental transitions.

Hardware Architecture

The heart of the BorneoIoT platform is its custom PCB designs, which target the ESP32 family (specifically ESP32-C3 and ESP32-C5). The hardware is designed for high-performance dimming, featuring:

High-Resolution PWM: Supports 6 to 10 channels with 12-bit resolution (4096 steps), operating at frequencies up to 19kHz. This ensures flicker-free operation, which is critical for aquarium photography and the health of sensitive aquatic life.
Compact Form Factor: The core module measures just 22×30mm, allowing it to be integrated into slim, modern LED fixtures.
Connectivity: Native support for WiFi and Bluetooth LE (BLE) for local and remote management.
Thermal Management: Includes active cooling control with temperature-based fan throttling to protect high-power LED arrays.

The hardware is OSHWA certified (CN000017) and licensed under CERN-OHL-S-2.0, ensuring full transparency and freedom for users to modify or manufacture their own units.

Firmware and Protocol

The firmware is built on the ESP-IDF framework, leveraging FreeRTOS for task management and the lwIP stack for networking. It implements a sophisticated control logic tailored for aquatic environments:

Environmental Simulation: Implements sunrise and sunset curves with millisecond-smooth transitions, preventing the stress caused to fish by sudden light changes.
Efficient Communication: Uses the CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol) combined with CBOR (Concise Binary Object Representation). This combination provides a low-latency, low-overhead communication protocol that is much more efficient than traditional HTTP/JSON for embedded devices.
Time Synchronization: Automatic SNTP time synchronization ensures that lighting schedules remain accurate without manual intervention.
Reliability: Features built-in OTA (Over-The-Air) update capabilities, allowing for seamless firmware improvements and bug fixes.

Software Ecosystem

BorneoIoT extends beyond the device itself with a comprehensive software suite:

Mobile App: A cross-platform application built with Flutter, available for iOS, Android, and Windows. It provides real-time dimming control, schedule management, and group control for multi-device setups without requiring a cloud connection.
Python SDK (borneopy): For power users and researchers, the Python client library allows for advanced automation, data logging, and integration into larger smart home or laboratory systems.

Getting Started

One of the standout features of BorneoIoT is its accessibility. While the project is technically sophisticated, it offers a “no toolchain required” entry point. Users can flash the latest firmware directly from a Chrome or Edge browser using the Borneo Web Flasher. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry for users who may not be familiar with the ESP-IDF development environment but want to utilize professional-grade hardware and firmware.