M5Stack Launches the $6.50 Unit Gateway H2 as Low-Cost Way to Add IEEE 802.15.4 to Your Projects

Embedded and hobbyist electronics specialist M5Stack has announced a new, low-cost device for experimenting with IEEE 802.15.4 connectivity protocols including Zigbee, Thread, and Matter: the Unit Gateway H2, built around Espressif's ESP32-H2 chip.

"Unit Gateway H2 is an all-new form factor gateway unit built on the ESP32-H2-MINI-1-N2 chip," the company explains of its creation. "It features a built-in 32-bit single-core MCU based on the RISC-V architecture and integrates IEEE 802.15.4 wireless communication, supporting Zigbee, Thread, and Thread-based Matter interconnection protocols. In addition, it is equipped with a hardware encryption engine to meet the demands of high-security IoT [Internet of Things] applications."

While the company's naming sees the gadget, brought to our attention by CNX Software, termed a "Gateway," there's only one form of network connectivity: a 2.4GHz radio compatible with IEEE 802.15.4. Unlike other chips in Espressif's ESP32 range, there's no support for Wi-Fi or Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity — meaning that the Unit H2 Gateway can only operate as a true gateway when connected to another device with additional networking capabilities. Standalone, it can be used to connect sensors or other hardware to an existing IEEE 802.15.4 network — including one created with additional Unit Gateway H2 modules.

The Espressif ESP32-H2 chip at the board's heart includes a single 32-bit RISC-V core running at up to 96MHz and 2MB of flash; there's an on-board PCB antenna for the IEEE 802.15.4 radio, and a Grove connector for external hardware. The compact module also includes a USB Type-C interface, which can be used to power the device and program the microcontroller.

The Unit Gateway H2 is now available to order on the M5Stack store for $6.50.