Sayantan Nandy, Author at CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

October 23, 2024October 23, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - No Comments

MentorPi is a ROS2-compatible, Raspberry Pi 5-based robot car with Mecanum or Ackermann chassis

Hiwonder MentorPi A1 and MentorPi M1 robot car

MentorPi is a ROS2-compatible robot car powered by the Raspberry Pi 5, designed for AI-driven robotics and Python programming. It offers two chassis options: MentorPi-M1, which features a Mecanum-wheel chassis, and MentorPi-A1, equipped with an Ackermann chassis. Both variants come with high-performance components such as closed-loop encoder motors, STL-19P TOF lidar, 3D depth cameras, and high-torque servos. These enable precise navigation, SLAM mapping, path planning, and dynamic obstacle avoidance, making MentorPi an ideal platform for robotics tasks. The system utilizes a dual-controller architecture to optimize performance. The Raspberry Pi 5 handles AI vision processing and strategic functions, while Hiwonder’s RRC Lite expansion board manages motion control and sensor data processing. This task distribution enhances efficiency in machine vision, AI-powered navigation, and robotic control, allowing MentorPi to tackle complex AI and vision-based applications with ease. MentorPi also supports advanced features like 3D visual mapping and YOLOv5-based object detection for recognizing road […]

October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - 2 Comments

ESP32-S3 board features 1.91-inch AMOLED display and QMI8658 6-axis motion sensor

Waveshare has launched an ESP32-S3 1.91-inch AMOLED development board with a 6-axis motion sensor designed for the rapid prototyping of IoT and portable projects with interactive displays. The board is built around the ESP32-S3R8 chip, featuring a 32-bit LX7 dual-core processor running at up to 240MHz, with integrated 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth BLE 5. It also includes 16MB Flash, 8MB PSRAM, 512KB SRAM, and 384KB ROM for efficient processing and memory management. At the core of its display capabilities is a 1.91-inch AMOLED screen with a 240×536 resolution, supporting 16.7 million colors. Powered by the RM67162 controller and connected via the QSPI interface, the display is ideal for running GUI applications like LVGL. The board is available in both touch and non-touch versions, with the touch-enabled models using the FT3168 touch IC. Other features include a QMI8658 6-axis IMU, a microSD card slot, and a Lithium battery header. The ESP32-S3 […]

October 21, 2024October 20, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - 1 Comment

Seeed Studio launches ESP32-C6-powered 60GHz mmWave human fall detection and breathing/heartbeat detection sensor kits

mmWave human fall detection and heartbeat sensor

Last year, we reviewed the MR60FDA1 60GHz mmWave fall detection sensor kit, which utilizes the XIAO ESP32C3 module as its core. This module, featuring both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, opens up various IoT applications. Now, Seeed Studio has introduced advanced mmWave sensor modules specifically designed for enhanced fall detection and heartbeat monitoring. The MR60FDA2 is optimized for fall detection, while the MR60BHA2 is designed for heartbeat monitoring. Powered by an ESP32-C6 WiFi 6 and RIS-Bluetotoh LE microcontroller, these modules offer reliable detection for real-time fall monitoring and accurate heartbeat tracking. They also feature customizable RGB LEDs and ambient light sensors, providing additional flexibility. With expansion options via Grove GPIO ports, these versatile modules are well-suited for applications like smart home integration and healthcare monitoring. Previously, we covered the RoomSense IQ and the DesignCore RS-6843AOPU with mmWave technology. The RoomSense IQ is an ESP32-S3-based modular room monitor with mmWave radar presence […]

October 19, 2024October 20, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - No Comments

DALI2 expansion module for ESP32-C6-Pico and ESP32-S3-Pico boards facilitates Smart Lighting integration

Waveshare has recently launched the Pico-DALI2 expansion module for ESP32-Pico series boards designed to enable DALI communication for customized control of multiple lighting groups. It is compatible with development boards such as the ESP32-C6-Pico and ESP32-S3-Pico and includes a DALI communication screw terminal for connecting external DALI devices. DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is a standardized protocol used for lighting control in building automation systems. The latest version of the DALI2 protocol is better than the old one in that it offers enhanced interoperability, additional features like multi-master configurations, and better energy management capabilities. DALI2 devices can communicate bidirectionally, meaning controllers can send commands and also receive status feedback from lighting devices, allowing for more complex automation and diagnostics. We can get more information about DALI from Wikipedia. We have previously seen the uses of DALI in Texas Instruments MSPM0 Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontrollers as an interface and in Acme CM3-Home […]

October 17, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - 2 Comments

XIAO ESP32S3 for Meshtastic & LoRa devkit features Wio-SX1262 LoRa module

The “XIAO ESP32S3 for Meshtastic & LoRa” is an ESP32-S3 LoRa dev kit that combines an XIAO ESP32S3 board with the tiny Wio-SX1262 LoRa module connected through a board-to-board connector. This compact devkit supports LoRa (862-930MHz), Wi-Fi (2.4GHz), and Bluetooth 5.0 (BLE), with a 5km range for LoRa and a 100m+ range for Wi-Fi/BLE. The kit also has a USB Type-C interface, a built-in power management chip, and multiple I/O options such as IIC, UART, and GPIO. It supports external LoRa antennas and can be extended with XIAO expansion boards for more complex setups. These features make this device suitable for projects such as LoRaWAN gateways, IoT sensors, Meshtastic nodes or routers, and applications where space is limited. XIAO ESP32S3 for Meshtastic & LoRa specifications: SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32 with dual-core Xtensa LX7 microcontroller up to 240MHz Wireless Connectivity LoRaWAN via Semtech LX1262 Output Power – Up to +22 […]

October 16, 2024October 16, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - No Comments

Trenz Electronic AXE5-EAGLE-ES devkit features Intel Agilex 5 E-Series SoC FPGA

The Trenz Electronic AXE5-EAGLE-ES devkit (development kit) is powered by an Intel Agilex 5 E-series SoC FPGA, codenamed Sundance Mesa. It is designed for FPGA applications in sectors such as wireless communication, video broadcast, and defense. The kit provides 656k logic elements and a quad-core processing system featuring dual-core Arm Cortex-A76 and Cortex-A55 clusters. It supports high-speed transceivers up to 17 Gbps, PCIe 4.0 connectivity, and integrated memory interfaces like DDR4 and LPDDR4/5. Built on Intel’s 7 technology, the Agilex 5 architecture is optimized for midrange FPGA applications, offering a compact design with efficient performance-per-watt. The FPGA includes enhanced DSP blocks with AI Tensor capabilities for AI and digital signal processing tasks. Additionally, it incorporates Intel’s second-generation Hyperflex Architecture, enabling greater flexibility for handling dynamic workloads. Previously, we covered the iW-RainboW-G58M system-on-module, which features Intel’s Agilex 5 SoC FPGA E-series, a cost-effective, midrange solution for intelligent edge and embedded applications. […]

October 14, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - 1 Comment

Infineon XENSIV game controller features PSoC 6 MCU, magnetic sensors, and OPTIGA Trust M security

Infineon Technologies XENSIV game controller is a reference design that integrates XENSIV magnetic position sensors for precise joystick control without sensor drift and XENSIV Hall switch triggers for reliable operation. The controller also features capacitive CAPSENSE buttons, CAPSENSE presence detection, and a SPIDER+ rumble driver. These components work together with the PSoC 6 BLE microcontroller to create a low-power, plug-and-play solution. The onboard display allows users to monitor joystick movements, connection status, configurations, and battery information. The controller connects to PCs or smartphones as a USB human interface device (HID) without requiring manual configuration or driver installation. It also supports Bluetooth Low Energy and uses capacitive presence detection to optimize battery life. The design includes a PSoC 6 debugger and supports customizable shields providing flexibility for software and hardware integration. Previously, we covered an Arduino Nano Matter-powered game controller that successfully ported Quake, a popular first-person shooter game. We’ve also […]

October 11, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - 1 Comment

AirCard Pro and AirNotch Pro Bluetooth trackers support Google/Apple network integration (Crowdfunding)

Rolling Square introduces its latest Bluetooth trackers – AirNotch Pro and AirCard Pro – designed for use with personal items like keys, wallets, bags, and more. Both trackers are designed for portability, and the AirNotch Pro is designed as a keyring, while the AirCard Pro suits wallets with a thinner, credit card-like design. The products integrate into Apple and Google’s tracking networks, with some features currently limited to Apple. Previously, we covered the SenseCAP T1000, a credit card-sized LoRaWAN GPS tracker powered by Semtech’s LR1110. Several years ago we covered some Bluetooth beacons such as the Puck.js or RuuviTag, but we have yet to explore Bluetooth-only trackers with wireless charging capabilities. Rolling Square AirCard Pro Bluetooth trackers AirCard Pro technical features: Network White version – Operates on Google’s Android Find My Device network (Android 6 or above) Black version – Operates on Apple Find My network (iOS 14 or above) […]