The CORE-V MCU DevKit is an open-source hardware board based on the CORE-V microcontroller featuring the open-source OpenHW CV32E40P0 RISC-V MCU core and a Quicklogic ArticPro 2 eFPGA.
The board offers wireless connectivity to Amazon AWS through an ESP32-C3 AWS IoT ExpressLink module, a MikroBus connector for expansion, a VGA camera module, JTAG and serial debugging, as well as a temperature sensor and a few buttons. The development kit can be powered by its USB Type-C port (5V) or a DC jack taking 5V to 18V DC.
CORE-V MCU devkit specifications:
- Microcontroller – CORE-V MCU
- OpenHW CV32E40P RISC-V processor core (in-order 4-stage RISC-V RV32IMFCXpulp CPU based on RI5CY from PULP-Platform) with 512KB SRAM, boot ROM
- Quicklogic ArticPro 2 eFPGA
- Storage – 4MB QSPI flash
- Wireless – Espressif AWS IoT ExpressLink Module for AWS IoT cloud interconnect
- Camera – Himax HM01B0 ultra-low-power QVGA (320×240) CMOS image sensor as found in the Arducam Pico4ML board
- USB – USB-C for terminal and onboard debug access
- Sensor – I2C temperature sensor
- Expansion – mikroBUS socket for MikroElektronika Click boards (over 1K+ modules)
- Debugging
- Ashling Opella-LD onboard JTAG debug module
- JTAG connector for external debug access
- Misc
- Several LEDs
- Reset button and general purpose button
- Power Supply – 5V via USB Type-C port or 5V-18V via DC-in jack
- Dimensions – 100 x 75 mm
The CORE-V MCU DevKit has been designed in KiCAD with hardware design files released on GitHub, and the board is supported by OpenHW Group’s open-source CORE-V MCU SDK comprised of an Eclipse-based IDE, debug support, FreeRTOS real-time OS, CORE-V GNU GCC toolchain, peripheral driver libraries, and example Code. A Quickstart Guide explains how to get getting in Linux and Windows. It’s probably the most “open-source hardware” board we’ve covered so far, since not only the hardware design files and SDK are open-source, but also the MCU core used in the CORE-V MCU.
The CORE-V MCU DevKit was first unveiled at Embedded World 2023 (See video above), and later discussed at the Embedded Open Source Summit 2023 in April, but it’s just only become available now on GroupGets where it is sold as part of a group buying campaign for $199 plus shipping, and deliveries are scheduled to start in November 2023. At this price point, the board will mostly be interesting to developers and enthusiasts wanting to further the development of open-source RISC-V platforms.
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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Magic words : “open-source 32-bit RISC-V core”. I think we can expect to see more – and increasingly more performant – designs published in time.
The disruptive potential of RISC-V hasn’t yet been fully understood by many.
Was following a couple of links, found a manual for the core, but so far nothing about the peripherals. Any hints where to look?