Tomisin Olujinmi, Author at CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

March 21, 2024March 20, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 1 Comment

SB Components’ Trekko Pico is an open-source, RP2040-powered GPS logger with multi-GNSS support

After the success of their Kickstarter campaign, SB Components has now made the Trekko Pico GPS logger available for pre-order. The Trekko Pico is a small location logger for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts that makes it easy to track routes and record their travels. A Raspberry Pi RP2040 powers the Trekko Pico, providing the programming, connectivity, and data logging functionality. The Quectel GNSS L76K module supports the concurrent reception of GPS, GLONASS (or BeiDou), Galileo, SBAS, and QZSS signals, with 32 tracking and 72 acquisition channels. There is a JST 2-pin connector that can be used to attach an external battery, and the Microchip MCP73831 controller is responsible for battery charging and management. Also, users can slot a coin cell into the holder at the back of the board to power a real-time clock for data backup purposes. Potential applications for the Trekko Pico GPS logger include surveillance, telematics, Geographic […]

March 19, 2024March 18, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 12 Comments

TinyVision is a compact Allwinner V851S/V851S3-powered Linux board for vision-based applications

Unrelated to tinyVision.ai, the TinyVision development board is a computer vision board from Chinese developer YuzukiTsuru powered by either the Allwinner V851S or the V851S3 and is billed as an “ultimate all-in-one solution for Linux motherboards, IPCs, servers, routers, and more.” It packs features such as a Cortex-A7 core running at 1200MHz, a 2-channel MIPI CSI input, and an independent image signal processor (ISP) capable of a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1440 in a compact form factor. TinyVision specifications: Processor – Allwinner V851SE / V851s3 with Cortex-A7 core @ 1200MHz and RISC-V E907GC core @ 600MHz NPU: 0.5TOPS (tera operations per second) @ INT8 precision Memory – 64MB DDR2 (V851se), 128MB DDR3L (V851s3) Storage – MicroSD card slot (supports UHS-SDR104), onboard SD NAND via SPI Display – 2-lane MIPI DSI (1280 x 720 @ 60fps), RGB LCD (320 x 240 @ 60fps) Video Input ISP with a maximum resolution […]

March 15, 2024March 15, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 1 Comment

The RP2040 Connectivity Board — An IoT solution combining LTE, Wi-Fi, and BLE into a single platform

iLABs (Invector Labs), a European embedded equipment manufacturer, has released a new device, the RP2040 Connectivity Board, an IoT development board that is based on Raspberry Pi’s signature microcontroller IC, the RP2040. The RP2040 Connectivity Board features key IoT connectivity options such as LTE, Wi-Fi, and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy). It is compatible with both Arduino and PlatformIO and is designed for professional and hobbyist users with wide-ranging connectivity needs. The SARA-R412M series module from u-blox handles cellular communication (LTE) and can be configured to enable multi-regional coverage in both GSM and LTE-M/NB-IoT radio transmissions. It features a unique and immutable root of trust and supports IoT security as a service. The RP2040 Connectivity Board also includes an Espressif ESP32-C3FN4 chip for Wi-Fi/BLE communication based on a RISC-V microcontroller core and implementing a Wi-Fi subsystem that complies with the IEEE 802.11b/g/n standard and supports various operating modes. The Bluetooth Low […]

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

AMD announces the Spartan UltraScale+ FPGA family for cost-sensitive and IO-intensive applications

The Spartan UltraScale+ FPGA family is the latest inclusion to AMD’s Cost-Optimized portfolio, a series of FPGAs designed to balance cost, power, and form factor with affordability. The UltraScale+ FPGA family is designed for cost-sensitive, low-power applications requiring high I/O count and substantial security. Devices in the Spartan UltraScale+ family offer a high I/O to logic cell ratio for FPGAs built in 28nm and lower process technology (the highest in the industry, according to AMD), consume up to 30% less power than compared to the previous generation, and feature robust security features that outclass the rest of the Cost-Optimized portfolio. This FPGA family is built on the same UltraScale+ architecture as previous Artix and Zynq products. They are the first AMD UltraScale+ FPGAs to feature a hardened DDR memory controller and PCIe Gen4 x8 support, “providing both power efficiency and future-ready capabilities for customers.” AMD Spartan UltraScale+ specifications: System Logic […]

March 4, 2024April 23, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 1 Comment

Renesas RZ/V2H Cortex-A55/R8/M33 MPU comes with 80 TOPS AI accelerator for robotics and autonomous applications

The RZ/V2H is the latest addition to the Reneasas family of 32-bit and 64-bit microprocessors. Renesas RZ/V2H microprocessor features four Arm Cortex-A55 application processing cores, dual Arm Cortex-R8 real-time processing cores, and one Cortex-M33 core for system management, as well as an AI accelerator with up to 80 TOPS (sparse) of performance. The RZ/V2H MPU includes the third generation of Renesas’ dynamically reconfigurable processor for AI (DRP-AI3) accelerator, a staple of the RZ/V series. The DRP-AI accelerator can run complex image AI models at a power efficiency of 10 TOPS per watt (TOPS/W), as much as 10 times higher than conventional microprocessors. Additionally, the RZ/V2H has another DRP that can be used in image processing and robotics applications. The board also comes with PCIe Gen3, USB 3.2, and Gigabit Ethernet for high-speed applications such as autonomous robotics and factory automation machine vision. It offers a performance boost over previous products […]

February 28, 2024February 28, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 5 Comments

STMicro VL53L9 is a high-resolution, direct Time-of-Flight 3D LiDAR sensor module

The STMicro VL53L9 sensor is the latest addition to the company’s FlightSense product family. The direct Time-of-Flight (ToF) 3D LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor offers a resolution of up to 2,300 zones. The module is described as all-in-one and easy to integrate. It comes in a small, reflowable package that contains all the necessary components for sensing objects and processing images. The sensor features an array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) for photon detection, a post-processing SoC, and two vertical surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) powered by a dedicated bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) VCSEL. The VL53L9 is a multi-zone ToF sensor similar to the VL53L7CX and the VL53L8, meaning that it offers multi-zone distance measurements up to 54 x 42 zones with a wide 54° x 42° field-of-view. Unlike most IR sensors, the VL53L9 sensor uses backside illumination direct ToF technology to ensure absolute distance measurement, regardless of the target color […]

February 26, 2024February 25, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 1 Comment

Particle’s M-series multi-radio devices connect anywhere with WiFi, cellular, NTN satellite, and LoRaWAN connectivity

Particle Industries Inc., an IoT Platform-as-a-Service company, has announced a new line of multi-radio boards and modules that offer multiple connectivity options in a single product. Particle is a complete edge-to-cloud IoT development platform that offers hardware products and software tools for creating IoT solutions. The company’s latest product, the M-series, has a bold tagline: connect anywhere. Although wireless connectivity has come a long way, there is no single wireless technology that works everywhere. Particle’s M-series aims to address that problem by bundling multiple radios – Wi-Fi, cellular, satellite, and LoRaWAN – into one product. Particle is looking to expand from its two primary wireless technologies: Wi-Fi and cellular, and add two more radios, satellite and LoRaWAN, for broader coverage. These two radios will cover devices in areas such as enclosed spaces (boiler rooms, elevator shafts, basements, and mines) and remote locations (methane sensors in oil and gas plants, boats, […]

February 23, 2024February 23, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 12 Comments

Spark Analyzer is a USB-C PD analyzer and power supply based on ESP32-C3 (Crowdfunding)

Spark Analyzer is an ESP32-C3-powered device built to streamline the process of developing and debugging USB-C Power Delivery (UCPD) solutions. The board’s design is simple, compact, and includes helpful power delivery and analysis functionality, at an affordable price. Spark Analyzer runs on an ESP32-C3FH4 microcontroller, a low-power SoC with a single-core RISC-V CPU with onboard 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 (Low Energy) connectivity. The wireless chip lets users control the Spark Analyzer and monitor its operation remotely. It also supports integration with other smart devices via Matter. The device allows you to adjust voltage output from 5V to 20V, depending on your project requirements. Power is sent to a connected device via the two-pin screw terminal block on the device, and a Cross Chip sensor measures the electrical current sent through the device using Hall effect. It includes a software safety feature that turns off the output field-effect […]