Microchip recently unveiled the PIC64HX1000 64-bit RISC-V AI microprocessor (MPU) family designed for mission-critical intelligent edge applications in the aerospace, defense, industrial, and medical sectors thanks to a quantum-resistant design. These new MPUs feature eight SiFive’s Intelligence X280 cores, each clocked at 1 GHz. The MPUs are engineered with a decoupled vector pipeline enabling 512-bit operations enabling the PIC64HX1000 to achieve up to 2 TOPS for AI/ML processing and come equipped with integrated Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet connectivity. This new microprocessor includes a dedicated system controller for runtime monitoring and fault management, WorldGuard architecture for workload isolation, and post-quantum defense-grade cryptography, which includes the NIST-standardized FIPS 203 and FIPS 204 cryptographic algorithms, ensuring protection against future quantum computing threats. PIC64HX1000 64-bit AI MPU specification MPU variants PIC64HX1000 – IN (Industrial) PIC64HX1000 – AV (Aviation) PIC64HX1000 – MI (Military) CPU – 8x 64-bit RISC-V cores (SiFive X280), up to 1 GHz, […]
FlexiPi is a bendable Raspberry Pi Pico clone made of flexible PCB (Crowdfunding)
FlexiPi is a bendable Raspberry Pi RP2040 board made of flexible PCB with the same layout as the original Raspberry Pi Pico, but featuring a USB-C port instead of a micro USB port on the official board. This follows the Flexduino flex PCB clone of the Arduino UNO made by “EDISON SCIENCE CORNER”, but the smaller design of “TOP Gadgets” FlexiPi may make it potentially more useful since it could be inserted into tight or round enclosures. FlexiPi specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ microcontroller @ 48 MHz (overclockable to 133 MHz) with 264KB SRAM Storage – 2MB QSPI flash USB – 1x USB Type-C 1.1 port used for power and programming Expansion 2x 20-pin 2.54mm pitch header and castellated holes with 26 GPIOs, 3x 12-bit ADC up to 500 Kbps, 2x UART, 2x I2C, 2x SPI, 16x PWM, 2x programmable high-speed I/O 3.3V I/O voltage Sensor – […]
SONOFF ZBMINIR2 review – A mini Zigbee switch & Zigbee router tested with eWeLink and Home Assistant
We have received another Zigbee device from SONOFF for review, namely the ZBMINIR2 which we’ll review with both eWelink adn Home Assistant. Many people may be familiar with the first-generation mini Zigbee Switch that SONOFF released in 2020, known as the ZBMINI. ZBMINI was one of the early Zigbee Switch models, which also acted as a Zigbee Router. The ZBMINIR2 is SONOFF’s second-generation mini Zigbee Switch including both software and hardware upgrades compared to its predecessor. Improvements include a smaller size, better signal quality, an increase in the number of supported devices (2x), wider coverage (5x), and additional features. Let’s dive into the details. Unboxing ZBMINIR2 Zigbee switch Inside the box, you’ll find a small user manual and the ZBMINIR2 device as usual. It is notably smaller than the predecessor model, which makes installation much easier in many cases. For example, it can now fit into the wall box behind […]
Portwell WEBS-21J0-ASL – A rugged embedded system with Intel Atom x7000RE Nano-ITX motherboard and Hailo-8 AI accelerator
Portwell’s WEBS-21J0-ASL is a fanless, rugged embedded system with a Nano-ITX motherboard powered by an Intel Atom x7000RE Series processor and optimized for industrial IoT applications. It features two 2.5Gbps Ethernet ports, dual 4K display support (DP/HDMI), and a serial port as well as M.2 E and B Key sockets for wireless and storage expansion. Designed for harsh environments, the WEBS-21J0-ASL operates in temperatures ranging from -20°C to 60°C. The system is equipped with DDR4 SO-DIMM memory (up to 16GB and 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports. It has passed vibration and shock tests for durability in rugged applications making it suitable for a wide range of industrial and automation systems. The WEBS-21J0-ASL also supports optional integration with the Hailo-8 AI acceleration module delivering up to 26 TOPS of AI performance for applications requiring advanced AI capabilities. This makes it an ideal solution for robotics, medical equipment, outdoor gateways, and […]
NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX development kit comes with up to 16GB RAM, 128GB NVMe SSD, WiFi 5
Waveshare’s Jetson Orin NX Development Kit is an AI edge computing platform tailored for robotics and AI-driven applications built around the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX module 8GB/16GB delivering up to 70 TOPS and 100 TOPS of AI performance, respectively. It features the JETSON-ORIN-IO-BASE base board, which provides essential interfaces like an M.2 socket, DisplayPort (DP) video output, and USB ports, making it easy for users to connect multiple sensors and peripherals for high-performance AI tasks. The kit includes a 128GB NVMe SSD for high-speed storage and comes pre-installed with the AW-CB375NF wireless network card, which supports dual-band Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0. The Jetson Orin NX module operates within a configurable power range of 10W to 25W, delivering up to 5x the performance of the Jetson Xavier NX module. This development kit is suitable for large-scale AI projects requiring multiple concurrent inference pipelines and high-speed data processing. Previously, we covered […]
Renesas RX260 and RX261 64 MHz RXv3 MCUs target power-efficient touch applications
The Renesas RX260 and RX261 two new 64 MHz microcontrollers part of the high-performance, high-efficiency RX product family with integrated capacitive touch-sensing and high power efficiency in both active and standby modes. The microcontrollers are based on the RXv3 core with a performance score of 355 CoreMark @ 64MHz, which is “2.5 times higher than competing 64 MHz class MCUs.” The chips are also power-efficient, with a consumption rate of 69μA/MHz during active operation and 1μA only in standby mode. According to Renesas, the chips are up to 25% more efficient in active mode and 87% more efficient in standby mode than other 64 MHz class MCUs. Another competing factor is the onboard 8KB of data flash, eliminating the need for external EEPROM. The RX260 and RX261 Group MCUs support noise- and water-resistant capacitive touch via Renesas’ third-generation capacitive touch IP (CTSU2SL). They also integrate an “automatic judgment function” that […]
Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ features Hailo-8L or Hailo-8 AI accelerator with up to 26 TOPS of performance
The Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ is a PCIe expansion board for the Raspberry Pi 5 with either a 13 TOPS Hailo-8L or 26 TOPS Hailo-8 AI accelerator. You may remember the Raspberry Pi AI Kit was introduced last June with an official M.2 Key M HAT+ and a 13 TOPS Hailo-8L M.2 AI accelerator module, The new Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ is quite similar except the chip is soldered on the expansion board and offered with either Hailo-8L or the more powerful Hailo-8 variant. Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ specifications: Supported SBC – Raspberry Pi 5 AI accelerator Hailo-8L AI accelerator with up to 13 TOPS of performance Hailo-8 AI accelerator with up to 26 TOPS of performance Host Interface – PCIe Gen3 interface 16mm stacking GPIO header PCIe FPC cable Spacers and screws enabling fitting on Raspberry Pi 5 with Raspberry Pi Active Cooler Dimensions – 65 x 56.5 mm […]
Renesas CCE4511 IO-Link master IC and ZSSC3286 IO-Link sensor signal conditioner IC are designed for industrial sensors and actuators
Renesas has recently introduced the CCE4511 four-channel IO-Link master IC and the ZSSC3286 IO-Link-ready dual-channel sensor signal conditioner IC along with their development boards designed for harsh industrial environments. The CCE4511 master IC supports four channels with 500mA driving current, overvoltage detection, and overcurrent protection, Additionally, it has an integrated IO-Link Frame Handler that reduces microcontroller load. The ZSSC3286on is the first sensor signal conditioner with an integrated IO-Link compliant stack, meaning you don’t need a separate microcontroller for signal handling. Additionally, it features 24-bit ADCs and advanced diagnostic functions for advanced tasks. Both products are optimized for industrial automation, offering energy efficiency, smaller PCB sizes, and robust system diagnostics. CCE4511 IO-Link master and ZSSC3286 sensor signal conditioner IC Specifications CCE4511 IO-Link master Main Chip – CCE4511 4-Channel IO-Link Master PHY with integrated Frame Handler Number of Channels – 4 IO-Link master channels Frame Handler – Hardware frame handler for […]