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CANCrocodile Contactless CAN Bus Reader – Access CAN Data Without Cutting Wires
Modern vehicles, construction equipment, agricultural machinery, marine systems, and industrial equipment all rely on Controller Area Network (CAN) technology to exchange critical operational data. Whether you are developing a telematics system, logging vehicle performance, troubleshooting equipment, or monitoring fleet operations, one challenge appears again and again: How do you access CAN bus data without modifying the [...]
J1939 Monitor Software and J1939 Gateways: The Complete Solution for SAE J1939 Development, Testing, and Diagnostics
Developing, testing, and troubleshooting SAE J1939 applications can be challenging, especially when engineers must deal with complex protocol details, limited vehicle access, and the need to simulate realistic network traffic. In this article, we will explore how the combination of the JCOM1939 Monitor software and the JCOM.J1939 gateway series helps solve these challenges by providing [...]
NMEA 2000 Data Gateway Applications: What You Can Build with USB and Bluetooth Access
Modern boats generate an enormous amount of information. Engine controllers report RPM, temperatures, fuel consumption, and operating hours. GPS receivers provide position, speed, and heading. Sensors monitor tank levels, battery status, wind conditions, water depth, and much more. All of this information travels across the vessel’s NMEA 2000 network. For years, accessing that data meant purchasing expensive [...]
Why CAN Bus Is One of the Most Reliable Communication Systems Ever Created
When engineers design communication systems for vehicles, industrial machinery, agricultural equipment, marine electronics, and embedded control systems, reliability is often more important than raw speed. A lost message in a music streaming application may go unnoticed. A lost message containing engine speed, brake status, steering angle, or hydraulic pressure can lead to equipment malfunction, downtime, or [...]
Why the Teensy 4.1 Triple CAN-Bus Board with Ethernet Makes an Excellent CAN Data Logger
Modern vehicles, industrial machines, marine systems, and agricultural equipment generate enormous amounts of CAN bus traffic. Capturing, storing, and analyzing this data is essential for diagnostics, performance monitoring, predictive maintenance, fleet management, and product development. While there are many commercial CAN data loggers available, they often suffer from one or more limitations: High cost Limited customization Proprietary software Restricted storage [...]
ESP32-S3 vs. Raspberry Pi + PiCAN: Which Platform Is Better for Cloud-Connected CAN Bus Applications?
The growing popularity of Industrial IoT, fleet management, predictive maintenance, and cloud-based monitoring has created a demand for embedded systems that can bridge CAN networks with modern software platforms. Two popular approaches dominate the market: An ESP32-S3 embedded system with integrated CAN connectivity A Raspberry Pi combined with a PiCAN interface board Both platforms can transmit CAN data to [...]
Programming PiCAN Boards with Python: A Practical Guide for Raspberry Pi CAN Applications
The Raspberry Pi has become one of the most popular platforms for developing CAN bus applications. Whether you are working with industrial equipment, agricultural machinery, marine electronics, automotive systems, or SAE J1939 networks, combining a Raspberry Pi with a PiCAN board provides a powerful and cost-effective development platform. One of the biggest advantages of this setup [...]
CAN, SAE J1939, and NMEA 2000 Development with Raspberry Pi and PiCAN HATs
The Raspberry Pi has evolved far beyond its origins as an educational computer. Today, it serves as a powerful platform for industrial automation, vehicle networking, marine electronics, telematics, data logging, and rapid embedded systems prototyping. When combined with the PiCAN family of Raspberry Pi HATs available from Copperhill Technologies, the Raspberry Pi becomes a versatile CAN [...]
ESP32 TWAI Driver Explained: A Practical Guide to CAN Bus Programming
The ESP32 has become one of the most popular microcontrollers for CAN bus applications. Whether you are building industrial controllers, SAE J1939 devices, NMEA 2000 products, robotics systems, or automotive prototypes, the ESP32 provides a powerful and cost-effective platform with a built-in CAN controller. Yet, many developers are confused when they encounter the term TWAI in [...]
ESP32S3 CAN & LIN-Bus Board – Accelerating CAN-to-LIN Gateway Development
Modern vehicles and industrial machines increasingly rely on multiple communication networks. While CAN Bus serves as the backbone for critical control systems, LIN (Local Interconnect Network) provides a low-cost solution for intelligent sensors, switches, actuators, and body electronics. In many applications, engineers need a reliable method to exchange data between these two networks. The ESP32S3 CAN [...]