Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft), Author at CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

January 15, 2025January 15, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

Siflower SF21H8898 is a quad-core 64-bit RISC-V SoC for industrial gateways, routers, and controllers

Siflower SF21H8898 SoC features a quad-core 64-bit RISC-V processor clocked at up to 1.25 GHz and a network processing unit (NPU) for handling traffic and is designed for industrial-grade gateways, controllers, and routers. The chip supports up to 2GB DDR3, DDR3L, or DDR4 memory, offers QSGMII (quad GbE), SGMII/HSGMII (GbE/2.5GbE), and RGMII (GbE) networking interfaces, and USB 2.0, PCIE 2.0, SPI, UART, I2C, and PWM interfaces. Siflower SF21H8898 specifications: CPU – Quad-core 64-bit RISC-V processor at up to 1.25 GHz Cache 32KB L1 I-Cache and 32KB L1 D-Cache per core Shared 256 KB L2 cache Memory – Up to 2GB 16-bit DDR3/3L up to 2133Mbps or DDR4 up to 2666Mbps Storage – NAND and NOR SPI flash support Networking 1x QSGMII interface (Serdes 5Gbps rate) for 4x external Gigabit Ethernet PHYs 1x SGMII/HSGMII interface (Serdes1.25/3.125Gbps rate) supporting Gigabit and 2.5Gbps modes 1x RGMII interface for Gigabit Ethernet 1x MDIO interface […]

January 14, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

OpenFlexture Microscope is an open-source, 3D-printed microscope based on Raspberry Pi 4 SBC and Camera Module v2

The OpenFlexture Microscope is a DIY, open-source, 3D-printed microscope built around the Raspberry Pi 4, a Raspberry Pi Camera Module v2, and a choice of optics or various qualities up to lab-grade optics. It can be motorized using low-cost geared stepper motors and can achieve a resolution of up to around 100 nanometers I found out about the OpenFlexture Microscope in one of the sessions at the upcoming FOSDEM 2025 event whose description partially reads: The OpenFlexure Microscope is an open-source laboratory-grade digital robotic microscope. As a robotic microscope, it is able to automatically scan microscope slides creating, enormous multi-gigapixel digital representations of samples. The microscope is already undergoing evaluation for malaria and cancer diagnosis in Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Philippines. As an open project, our key goal is to support local manufacturing of microscopes in low-resource settings. [..] high-quality consistent documentation has enabled thousands of microscopes to be built […]

January 14, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

IBASE INA1607 is a fanless uCPE/SD-WAN appliance powered by an Intel Atom x7405C Amston Lake SoC

IBASE Technology’s INA1607 is a fanless uCPE (universal Customer Premises Equipment) and SD-WAN (Software-defined WAN) appliance powered by an Intel Atom x7405C Amston Lake processor coupled with up to 16GB ECC or non-EEC DDR5 memory. The embedded computer comes with offers up to 64GB eMMC flash, features a 2.5-inch SATA bay, offers four 2.5GbE RJ45 ports, two dual-function GbE ports (RJ45/SFP), and supports wireless expansion for WiFi 6 or 4G LTE/5G modules through mini PCIe and M.2 slots and up to six antennas. IBASE INA1607 specifications: SoC – Intel Atom X7405C quad-core Amston Lake processor @ up to 2.2GHz with 6MB cache; TDP: 12W System Memory – Up to 16GB DDR5 4800MHz ECC/Non-ECC via SODIMM socket Storage 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB eMMC flash M.2 2280 B-Key 3042/3080 socket for SATA III or PCIe SSD 2.5-inch SATA drive bay Networking 4x 2.5GbE RJ45 ports via Intel i226-V controllers 2x GbE RJ45 […]

January 14, 2025January 13, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

Morse Micro MM8108 WiFi HaLow SoC supports up to 43.33 Mbps transfer rate, improves range and power efficiency

Morse Micro MM8108 is a new WiFi HaLow (802.11ah) SoC with a throughput of up to 43.33 Mbps, and improved range and power efficiency compared to its predecessor the Morse Micro MM6108 introduced in 2022 and supporting up to 32.3 Mbps transfer rate. The new chip is also smaller at just 5x5mm in a BGA package instead of 6x6mm in a QFN48 package for the MM6108/MM6104, adds a USB 2.0 host interface besides SDIO 2.0 and SPI, as well as a MIPI RFFE (Radio Frequency Front-End) for integration and interoperability with multi-radio systems. Morse Micro MM8108 specifications: 32-bit RISC-V Host Applications Processor (HAP) Single-Chip IEEE802.11ah Wi-Fi HaLow transceiver for low-power, long-reach IoT applications Worldwide Sub-1 GHz frequency bands (850MHz to 950MHz) On-chip 26 dBm power amplifier with support for external FEM (Front End Module) option 1/2/4/8 MHz channel bandwidth for up to 43.3 Mbps data rate using 256-QAM modulation at […]

January 13, 2025January 16, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Review of SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for BBC Micro:bit

Smarthon Smart City IoT Starter Kit review

SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for micro:bit is an educational kit for 10+ years old teaching basic projects from turning an LED to more complex projects with multiple sensors, IFTTT integration, and mobile app development. The company sent us a sample of the Start Kit along with a BBC Micro:bit board for review, and we’ll report our experience with the kit in this review. Unboxing of SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for micro:bit The package I received includes the SMARTHON Smart City IoT Starter Kit for Micro:bit and a BBC Micro:bit V2 board since it’s not included in the starter kit. The bottom side of the package lists the main components and features a QR code pointing to the product page. The package includes cardboard and wooden models, various cables, a 180° servo, a screw set, a city map, the Smarthon IoT:bit carrier board for the BBC Micro:bit, […]

January 11, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

NanoCOM-ADN – A COM Express Type 10 Module based on Intel Alder Lake-N SoC

AAEON NanoCOM-ADN is a compact (84 x 55mm) COM Express Type 10 module based on Intel Alder Lake-N SoCs, namely Processor N50/N97, Atom x7425E, or Core i3-N305 that adds another option to the SMARC, Qseven, and COM Express Type 6 modules offered by the company with the same processors. The NanoCOM-ADN computer-on-module features up to 16GB LPDDR5x soldered-on memory, up to 64GB eMMC flash, and two Intel i226-V 2.5GbE controllers. Its standard 220-pin COM Express board-to-board connector exposes two SATA interfaces, four PCIe Gen3 x1 interfaces, DDI and LVDS video outputs, eight USB interfaces, and more. AAEON explains the Alder Lale-N COM Express Type 10 CPU module is especially suited to digital signage, healthcare imaging, machine vision, industrial, robotics, and edge computing applications. AAEON NanoCOM-ADN specifications: Alder Lake N-series SoC (one or the other) Intel Atom x7425E quad-core processor up to 3.4 GHz with 6MB cache, 24EU Intel UHD […]

January 10, 2025January 10, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 7 Comments

Eclipsa Audio is an open, royalty-free alternative to Dolby Audio

Samsung announced Eclipsa Audio 3D technology, a royalty-free alternative to Dolby Audio, would be integrated into TVs and Soundbars in its 2025 lineup at CES 2025. The press release explains the 3D audio technology was developed in partnership with Google and that “Eclipsa Audio allows creators to adjust audio data such as the location and intensity of sounds, along with spatial reflections, to create an immersive three-dimensional sound experience”. Like 90% of announcements at CES 2025, Eclipsa Audio appeared to be mostly fluff. I also noticed it was developed through the Alliance for Open Media which manages the now-widely-used AV1 video codec, but a search for Eclipsa did not return anything. Luckily the “Arm Editorial Team” saved the day with an interesting article published a couple of days ago with more information about Eclipsa Audio. So let’s have a look. Eclipsa Audio is a multi-channel audio surround format that leverages […]

January 10, 2025January 10, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Raspberry Pi 5 edge AI computer ships with 8GB RAM, Hailo-8 AI module, supports Frigate NVR

Seeed Studio’s reComputer AI R2130-12 is an Edge AI computer with a Raspberry Pi 5 SBC with 8GB RAM and a Hailo-8 module with 26 TOPS of AI performance, suitable for video analytics, machine vision, and intelligent edge computing. The computer comes with a HAT+ with two M.2 sockets, one occupied by the Hailo-8 AI accelerator and the other available for an M.2 NVMe SSD. In some ways, it’s just a nicely packaged Raspberry Pi 5 SBC with Hailo-8 AI accelerator that we reviewed last year. reComputer AI R2130-12 specifications: SBC – Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB RAM AI Processor – Hailo-8 M.2 AI accelerator module with 26 TOPS Storage microSD card slot, with support for high-speed SDR104 mode Optional M.2 NVMe SSD via M.2 PCIe 3.0 slot Video Output – 2x micro HDMI ports up to 4Kp60 Camera/Display I/F – 2x 4-lane MIPI camera/display transceivers Networking Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 […]