We’ve seen several tiny “omu” USB boards that are the size of a USB connector in the past, starting with Tomu based on Silabs EFM32 Arm-Cortex-M0+ MCU, then Fomu enabling Python programming and RISC-V softcore on a Lattice ICE40 FPGA, and finally Somu FIDO2 security key.
There’s now the new Qomu board based on Quicklogic EOS S3 Cortex-M4F MCU with embedded FPGA. Just like its predecessor, the board almost completely fits in a USB connector except for the touch pads, and also happens to be programmable with Symbiflow that dubs itself as the “GCC of FPGAs”, as well as other open-source tools.
Qomu specifications:
- SoC – QuickLogic EOS S3 Arm Cortex-M4F MCU @ up to 80 MHz with 512 KB memory, embedded FPGA with 2,400 effective logic cells and 64 Kbits of embedded RAM
- Storage – 16 Mbit flash
- Misc – Four capacitive touch pads, 1x RGB LED
- Power – 5V via USB port
Qomu board will ship with an injection-molded case and is entirely open-source hardware with the KiCad hardware design files and Gerber files available on Github, and upstream Zephyr or FreeRTOS open-source real-time operating systems running on the Cortex-M4F core of EOS S3 SoC.
As mentioned in the introduction, even the FPGA design tools used with Qomu are open-source, including SymbiFlow tools for synthesis, place and route, and bitstream generation, as well as nMigen support for a Python-to-FPGA design, and full device emulation with Renode.
Qomu has just launched on Crowd Supply with a symbolic $1 funding target. There’s only one reward: Qomu board with enclosure for $40. Shipping adds $8 to the US, and $16 to the rest of the world regardless of the quantity purchased. Shipping is scheduled to start in May 2021.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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