Synaptics has unveiled its new Astra platform with a range of SoC and a development kit for edge AI applications. These new processors and a supporting development kit are built to provide out-of-the-box AI capabilities for IoT devices, reducing reliance on cloud-based AI. This new Synaptics Astra Platform is built around three main SoCs. The SL1680 is built for multi-modal IoT applications and features a quad-core Arm Cortex-A73 CPU, dedicated 7.9 TOPS NPU, and 4K video. The SL1640 is a cost and power-optimized SoC with a quad-core Cortex-A55 CPU and 1.6+ TOPS NPU. Finally, the SL1620 is a graphics and AI accelerator with a quad-core Cortex-A55 CPU and dual-core Imagination BXE-2-32 GPU but does not feature an NPU. The development kit features a module design where the new swappable compute modules allow flexible configurations. The devkit will support open Yocto Linux distribution and Synaptics AI toolkit for quick AI integration. […]
Renesas AIK-RA4E1 and AIK-RA6M3 reference kits are designed for accelerated AI/ML development
Renesas AIK-RA4E1 and AIK-RA6M3 are two new development boards based on RA-series 32-bit microcontrollers. These new dev boards have multiple reconfigurable connectivity functions to accelerate AI and ML design and development time. Both boards appear similar, but the AIK-RA4E1 uses the R7FA4E110D2CFM MCU, features three Pmod ports, and has no Ethernet support. On the other hand, the AIK-RA6M3 utilizes the R7FA6M3AH3CFC MCU, has six Pmod ports, and includes Ethernet support. Both the boards support full-speed USB and CAN bus. Renesas AIK-RA4E1 and AIK-RA6M3 reference kits specifications (Consolidated): RA4E1 Microcontroller Features: Model: R7FA4E110D2CFM Package: 64-pin LQFP Core: 100 MHz Arm Cortex-M33 SRAM: 128 KB on-chip Code Flash Memory: 512 MB on-chip Data Flash Memory: 8 KB on-chip RA6M3 Microcontroller Features: Model: R7FA6M3AH3CFC Package: 176-pin LQFP Core: 120 MHz Arm Cortex-M4 with FPU SRAM: 640 KB on-chip Code Flash Memory: 2 MB on-chip Data Flash Memory: 64 KB on-chip Connectivity: One USB […]
Trenz Electronic TE0950-03-EGBE21A – An AMD Versal AI Edge VE2302 SoC FPGA evaluation board
Trenz Electronic recently announced the TE0950-03-EGBE21A an evaluation board with AMD Versal AI Edge XCVE2302-1LSESFVA784 SoC FPGA. This board features 8 GB of DDR4 SDRAM and 128 MB of SPI Flash (as the primary boot option), a microSD card slot, a 32 GB eMMC flash (secondary boot), and an EEPROM with a MAC address. Additionally, the board supports a range of VE-series devices, such as VE2002, VE2102, VE2202, VE2302, and VM1102, enhancing its application versatility. The AMD Versal is a family of adaptive compute acceleration platforms (ACAPs) designed by AMD. Following its acquisition of Xilinx, it integrates CPU, GPU, and FPGA technologies along with dedicated software support to create a highly flexible development environment. Trenz Electronic VE2302 Evaluation Board Specifications: SoC – AMD Versal AI Edge XCVE2302-1LSESFVA784, A784 package, compatible with multiple VE-series devices RAM – 8 GB DDR4 SDRAM Storage 128 MB SPI Flash (primary boot option) MicroSD card […]
Badger 2040 is a programmable E-Ink display powered by Raspberry Pi RP2040
Pimoroni Badger 2040 is a Raspberry Pi RP2040 board equipped with a 2.9-inch black and white E-Ink display with 296 x 128 resolution and programmable with C/C++, MicroPython, or CircuitPython. The board is not just an ePaper badge, as it also comes with five buttons, and expansion capability through a Qwiic/STEMMA QT connector plus some pads with UART, I2C, interrupt, and power signals. Badger RP2040 specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Arm Cortex M0+ running at up to 133Mhz with 264kB of SRAM Storage – 2MB QSPI flash Display – 2.9-inch B&W E Ink display with 296 x 128 pixels resolution, ultrawide viewing angles, ultra-low power consumption; Dot pitch – 0.227 x 0.226 mm USB – 1x USB Type-C port for power and programming Expansion Qwiic/STEMMA QT connector 10 pads with I2C, an interrupt pin, UART, SWC/SWD, 3.3V, GND Misc 5x front user buttons Reset and boot buttons (the […]
Maple Eye ESP32-S3 board offers 2MP camera, microphone, and two LCD displays
AnalogLamb Maple Eye ESP32-S3 is a WiFi and Bluetooth connected board based on ESP32-S3 dual-core Xtensa LX7 microcontroller and equipped with one 2MP camera, one microphone, and two LCD displays placed on each side of the board. Those features, plus 8MB of flash and an 8 MB Octal PSRAM, allow the board to make good use of ESP32-S3 AI instructions through the ESP-DL library found in ESP-WHO framework in order to speed up face detection and recognition algorithms, or for audio processing. Maple Eye ESP32-S3 specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 module with ESP32-S3 dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor @ up to 240 MHz integrating vector instructions for AI acceleration, 512 KB SRAM, 8MB PSRAM & 8MB Octal SPI Flash Storage – MicroSD card interface Displays – 2x 1.3-inch TFT LCD displays, selectable by switch Camera – 2MP OV2640 camera Audio – Digital microphone for VAD (voice activity detection) & ASR (automatic […]
Basler prB-IMX8MP embedded vision processing kit supports BCON for MIPI, GigE Vision, and USB3 Vision cameras
Basler prB-IMX8MP is a Linux-based, NXP i.MX 8M Plus powered embedded vision processing kit working with the company’s cameras designed for factory automation, medicine, traffic and several other markets. The board is equipped with Variscite DART-MX8M-Plus system-on-module and offers multiple camera interfaces to support BCON for MIPI, GigE Vision, and USB3 Vision cameras through Basler’s pylon Camera Software Suite. Basler prB-IMX8MP specifications with interfaces in bold usable by Basler cameras: SoC – NXP i.MX 8M Plus quad-core Cortex-A53 processor clocked at up to 1.8GHz, Cortex-M7 real-time core @ 800 MHz, 1080p H265/H264 encode/decode, AI/ML accelerator up to 2.3 TOPS, Vivante GC7000UL 3D GPU, Vivante GC520L 2D GPU System Memory – 8GB (CNXSoft: Probably a mistake since the DART-MX8M-PLUS module only supports 1GB to 4GB RAM. Is it 8 Gbit = 1GB?) Storage – 64 GB flash, MicroSD card slot Video Output – HDMI 2.0a up to 1080p60, 2-lane MIPI DSI […]
ASUS Tinker Board 2S SBC launched for $120 and up
ASUS unveiled the Tinker Board 2 SBC with faster a Rockchip RK3399/OP1 processor together with the ASUS Tinker Board 2S board that adds a 16GB eMMC flash last October without pricing information. The good news is that the 2GB RAM version of Tinker Board 2S is now available on Amazon and Aliexpress for $120 and up. Note you’ll get a 5% discount if you are a follower on Aliexpress for a total of $132.99 including shipping. Compared to the first Tinker Board, the new boards are also offered with up to 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, an additional video output option with USB-C DisplayPort Alt mode, an upgrade to USB 3.0 ports and WiFi 5, RTC battery support, and a more stable 12V to 19V DC input. Here’s a reminder of Tinker Board 2S specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3399 (OP1) hexa-core processor with 2x Arm Cortex-A72 cores up to 2.0 GHz, four […]