Tomisin Olujinmi, Author at CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

October 18, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 22 Comments

Spectra is a customizable, JavaScript ESP32-S3 and nRF52832 smartwatch (Crowdfunding)

Spectra is a JavaScript-based hackable smartwatch based on the ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth microcontroller that aims to offer the quality of high-end consumer smartwatches with the repairability of a maker-targeted device. The Spectra smartwatch combines the ESP32-S3 microcontroller with a Nordic Semi nRF52832 co-processor to optimize the battery life. The ESP32-S3 is maxed out with 8MB of RAM and 32MB of external flash memory, and the microSD card slot in the watch supports up to a 512GB memory card. It shares a similar concept with the Bangle.js and the Bangle.js 2 customizable smartwatches. According to the maker, Spectra is not bound to be fully open-source, since the project uses “external proprietary code [they] aren’t allowed to share.” They plan to publish Arduino libraries and hardware design files, but there is no live GitHub repository yet. Other hackable smartwatches include the TinyWatch S3, the ZSWatch, and the Sensor Watch Pro. Spectra […]

October 15, 2024October 15, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

MSI MS-CF17 is a 3.5-inch fanless single board computer with Intel Raptor Lake-P SoC

The MSI MS-CF17 is a fanless 3.5-inch single board computer powered by the Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake-P series with options for embedded and industrial SKUs. It comes with up to 32GB of DDR5 SODIMM memory and features an M.2 M key (PCIe Gen4) socket and a SATA III storage slot. It also supports four 2.5GbE ports, four internal COM ports, eight USB interfaces, and M.2 Key-B and Key-E sockets for wireless expansion. It supports four independent displays via four HDMI 2.0 ports and an eDP/LDVS display interface. Potential applications for the fanless single board computer include industrial automation, digital signage, edge computing, transportation, and imaging systems MSI MS-CF17 specifications: SoC – Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake-P Embedded/Industrial SKU Series; P-core: 4.3GHz ~ 4.9GHz; E-core: 3.2GHz ~ 3.7GHz; Intel Iris Xe Graphics (Core i5/i7) or Intel UHD Graphics (Core i3) Core i7-1365UE / i5-1345UE / i5-1335UE / i3-1315UE / U300E, […]

October 9, 2024October 10, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 7 Comments

Taoglas AntJack is an RJ45 jack-mounted Wi-Fi antenna for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 6/6E, and Wi-Fi 7

Dublin-based Taoglas has unveiled the AntJack described as “an industry-first Wi-Fi antenna for an RJ45 Jack”. The AntJack, also known as the FXM100, can be mounted on any standard RJ45 Ethernet connector to create a 2-in-1 solution that saves space and enhances wireless performance across 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz, and 7.1 GHz frequency bands. It is a compact (26.6 x 15.6 x 13.1 mm), omnidirectional dipole antenna with support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 6/6E, and Wi-Fi 7. It can be used in various applications, such as modems and routers, industrial gateways, factory automation, industrial robotics, and test and measurement systems. The AntJack is especially well-suited for embedded applications with space constraints and positioning challenges such as 4 x 4 or 8 x 8 MIMO configurations. It features an easy “peel and stick” design manufactured from flexible PCB material with adhesive conductive foam, allowing straightforward installation on RJ45 connectors. According to Oliver […]

October 8, 2024October 8, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

Infineon EZ-USB FX20 programmable USB controller supports up to 20Gbps speeds, features LVDS interfaces

EZ-USB FX20 programmable controller BGA package

The EZ-USB FX20 is a programmable USB controller supporting speedy transfers via USB 20Gbps and LVDS interfaces. It is the latest addition to Infineon’s EZ-USB line designed to add USB connectivity to devices with high-performance requirements in AI, image processing, and other demanding applications. It offers up to six times the bandwidth of its predecessor, the EZ-USB FX3. The FX20 is powered by a dual-core MCU subsystem, with ARM Cortex-M4F and ARM Cortex-M0+ cores. It features 512KB flash, 128KB SRAM, 128KB ROM, and seven serial communication blocks (SCBs). The cryptography accelerator and high-bandwidth data subsystem enable Direct Memory Access (DMA) data transfers via the supported interfaces. The programmable USB controller includes 1MB of SRAM for USB data buffering. EZ-USB FX20 specifications: CPU – Dual-core, ARM Cortex-M4F core@ 150 MHz, ARM Cortex-M0+ core @ 100 MHz Memory – 512KB flash, 1024 + 128KB SRAM USB – USB 3.2 Gen 2 x2 […]

October 3, 2024October 3, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 8 Comments

Jumperless V5 programmable breadboard is based on Raspberry Pi RP2350B, features a built-in power supply (Crowdfunding)

Jumperless V5 is a one-of-a-kind, programmable breadboard based on a Raspberry Pi RP2350B microcontroller that lets you skip the jumper wires and jump right into prototyping. It is described as “an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for hardware.” The Jumperless V5 also removes the need for test equipment as it comes with built-in power supplies and can function as a multimeter, oscilloscope, function generator, and logic analyzer. As the name implies, the Jumperless V5 breadboard is a revamped version of the original Jumperless, with significant upgrades to make the board easier to use. The Jumperless V5 features a 14 x 30 LED matrix display under the breadboard, a probe for making connections and measurements, four ±8 V, 300 mA power supplies, daisy-chain headers, and overcurrent/overvoltage protection. The software-defined jumpers allow all points to be connected. The four individually programmable ±8 V power supplies, GPIOs, and management channels for voltage, current, and […]

October 1, 2024September 30, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 14 Comments

Sensor Watch Pro turns the Casio F-91W into a modular Arm Cortex M0+-based digital “smartwatch” (Crowdfunding)

Joey Castillo of Oddly Specific Objects has released a follow-up to the Sensor Watch, aptly named Sensor Watch Pro. The Sensor Watch Pro remains a board swap for the classic Casio F-91W or A158W digital watch that replaces the original quartz movement with the low-power ARM Cortex-M0+ microcontroller. The Sensor Watch Pro retains features from the Sensor Watch Lite and comes with a few upgrades such as a louder piezo buzzer, an RGB LED, an infrared light sensor, and a completely soldering-free experience. The new watch integrates a custom-fabricated metal spring connector that previously had to be manually soldered after purchase. We had also looked at other hackable watches in the past, such as Bangle.js, Bangle.js 2, and Watchy. Buyers can opt for a custom LCD that extends the number of segments available from 72 segments to 92 segments. It comes with an onboard temperature sensor and can be connected […]

September 30, 2024September 30, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 1 Comment

Congatec conga-TCR8 AMD Ryzen Embedded 8000 COM Express computer-on-module series delivers up to 39 TOPS of AI performance

Congatec has released a new line of Ryzen Embedded 8000-powered COM Express Type 6 Compact computer-on-modules with the conga-TCR8 module series offering up to 39 tera operations per second (TOPS) for AI inference and 128GB of DDR5-5600 memory with error correction code (ECC) for data-sensitive and data-critical applications. The Ryzen Embedded 8000 processor series comes with either six or eight ‘Zen 4’ cores, an integrated XDNA neural processing unit (16 TOPS), and the AMD Radeon RDNA 3 graphics unit which can be used as a general-purpose graphics processing unit with up to 12 compute units (adding up to 39 TOPS for the SoC). Graphics output is supported by four displays with up to 8K resolution, and peripheral options include six PCIe Gen 4 slots, four USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, and three DisplayPort interfaces. The conga-TCR8 Type 6 modules are intended for high-volume applications that require […]

September 25, 2024September 25, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 8 Comments

ThunderScope is an open-source Thunderbolt and PCIe oscilloscope with a 1 GS/s data sampling rate (Crowdfunding)

The ThunderScope is an open-source, Thunderbolt/USB4 and PCIe oscilloscope with a sampling rate of up to 1 GS/s. It is portable, presents an affordable, open-source alternative to expensive bench-top and PC-based scopes, and delivers a higher sampling rate than most USB oscilloscopes. ThunderScope streams sample data to your computer for processing and analysis, unlike traditional oscilloscopes which “are limited by their built-in processing capabilities and cramped user interfaces.” It uses the fastest available interface, Thunderbolt, to stream data, allowing it to use your computer’s full potential. ThunderScope is “the only scope that will get better every time you upgrade your computer.” The Thunderbolt oscilloscope is based on AMD’s Artix 7 XC7A35T-2CSG325C FPGA. It supports up to four channels and a full analog bandwidth of 500 MHz (with the anti-aliasing filter disabled). It doesn’t require an external power source, as it is powered via the Thunderbolt port. It comes in a […]