GLYPH
📸 Screenshots & Demo
Meet GLYPH: Hardware & Navigation
System Internals & Tactical Interface
🎯 Why GLYPH OS?
GLYPH is a self-contained, off-grid communication system designed for scenarios where cellular networks fail - tactical operations, extreme hiking, search & rescue, and disaster response. Think of it as a military-grade walkie-talkie meets GPS tracker, heavily focused on secure LoRa messaging and highly accurate GPS breadcrumbs.
The revolutionary aspect? It’s entirely Plug & Play. We designed GLYPH so that anyone with a 3D printer can build their own tactical communication device in under an hour. No soldering iron. No technical skills required. Just plug and go.
- 🔌 True Plug & Play - Uses Qwiic connectors throughout. Assemble it in 30-45 minutes.
- 🔒 Military-Grade Encryption - AES-256-CBC with SHA-256 key derivation from team names.
- 📡 Long-Range LoRa - 10km+ range without any infrastructure (up to 20km in emergency mode).
- 🗺️ Offline GPS Tracking - Smart breadcrumb trail with <2m noise filtering.
- 👥 Team Awareness - Track 5 teammates entirely offline based on LoRa coordinates.
- 🔋 Intelligent Power Management - 18h (TACTICAL) → 36h (ECO) → 7 days (STEALTH).
- 🖨️ Bambu Lab Optimized - Rugged PETG CF body with TPU button caps via AMS.
- 🌍 Multi-Language - 11 languages supported.
📑 Table of Contents
- 🔥 Core Capabilities
- 🥷 Power Management
- 🧰 Hardware & Bill of Materials
- 🆘 Emergency Features
- 📄 License
🔥 Core Capabilities
🗺️ Tactical Map & Navigation
Smart GPS Breadcrumb System
- Noise Filtering: Only records true movement.
- Breadcrumb Buffer: Stores up to 350 waypoints in RTC memory (survives deep sleep).
- Automatic Logging: Real-time KML route recording to SD card.
KML Route Overlay System
- Load pre-planned routes from SD card for mission planning.
- Automatic bounding box calculation and distance pre-calculation.
Triple Zoom System | Zoom Level | Description | Use Case | |————|————-|———-| | FIT | Auto-zoom to show entire route + KML | Route overview, mission planning | | ZOOM | Fixed ~20m radius around position | Close navigation, tactical ops |
📡 Encrypted LoRa Messenger
Military-Grade Encryption
AES-256-CBC Implementation Key Generation: SHA-256(Team Name) → 256-bit key IV: Random 16 bytes per message Padding: PKCS#7 standard
Transmission Protocol
- Dynamic IV prevents replay attacks.
- Team-based encryption (different teams = different keys).
- Automatic GPS coordinates embedded in every message.
👥 Team Radar
Live Squad Tracking
- Track up to 5 teammates simultaneously.
- Automatic position extraction from incoming radio messages.
- Distance, bearing, and “last seen” status for each team member (NOW / 2m / 15m ago).
- Works entirely offline - no servers, no internet required.
🥷 Power Management
Intelligent Multi-Mode System
| Mode | CPU | GPS Rate | LoRa | Battery* | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🎯 TACTICAL | 80 MHz | 1s | Active (SF11) | ~18h | Full operational capability |
| 🌲 ECO | 40 MHz | 10s | Active (SF11) | ~36h | Extended range patrols |
| 🥷 STEALTH | 40 MHz | 50s | OFF | ~7 days | Radio silence, zero emissions |
* Based on 3400mAh 18650 Li-Ion battery.
Deep Sleep Architecture
- Automatic sleep/wake based on motion detection (>1.2g deviation).
- Manual deep sleep with GPS wake-up intervals.
- All mission data survives power loss (RTC memory + SD card).
🧰 Hardware & Bill of Materials
We designed GLYPH to be accessible. Reliable communication shouldn’t require expensive satellites ($400+ devices with mandatory subscriptions).
1. The Electronics (160-190 EURO)
All modules connect using standard Qwiic cables - zero soldering required.
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| LilyGO T3S3 E-Paper (868MHz or 915MHz) | ESP32-S3 with LoRa and E-Ink display integrated |
| SparkFun GNSS Breakout - SAM-M8Q (Qwiic) | GPS module |
| Adafruit LSM6DSOX + LIS3MDL (Qwiic) | 9-axis IMU with magnetometer |
| Adafruit SHT40 (Qwiic) | Temperature & humidity sensor |
| Arduino Modulino Buttons (Qwiic) | 3-button interface |
| 5× Qwiic cables (5cm) | Plug-and-play connections |
| 18650 Li-Ion battery (3400mAh, 3.7V) | Standard rechargeable cell |
| 18650 battery holder | With screw terminals |
| ARK connector (3.5mm, 2-pin) or screw terminal | For power connection |
| MicroSD Card | For storing routes/logs ( 8GB/16GB ) |
2. The 3D Printed Enclosure - From Bambu Lab (~80 EURO)
The enclosure specifically leverages Bambu Lab’s AMS system for professional, multi-material capabilities:
- PETG CF filament (enclosure body)
- TPU filament (button caps)
🆘 Emergency Features
- SOS Broadcast (Hold B+C for 3s): Switches to SF12 (max range ~20km) and broadcasts “USERNAME SOS! LAT:X LON:X” continuously for 10 seconds.
- Recording Toggle (Hold A+B for 3s): Instantly starts/stops KML route recording to the SD card.
- Manual Sleep Mode (Press A+C): Enters a deep sleep cycle (8 minutes asleep, 4 seconds awake).
- Black Box Logging: Automatically saves telemetry (sys_date.csv) and message archives (sec_date.txt) to the SD card.
📄 License
Distributed under the GPL v3. See LICENSE file for details.