CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

November 30, 2023November 30, 2023 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Tiny Raspberry Pi RP2040 module connects to USB-C + buttons board via FPC connector

Raspberry Pi RP2040 module with FPC USB-C board

Waveshare RP2040-Tiny is another tiny Raspberry Pi RP2040 module that joins others like Pimoroni Tiny 2040, DFRobot Beetle RP2020, or Solder Party RP2040 Stamp, but with a twist as the solderable module features an FPC connector in order to optionally connect a separate board with a USB-C port as well as Boot and Reset buttons. This design enables the convenience of having a USB-C port for power and programming, plus the Reset and Boot buttons during firmware development, and developers can only keep the tiny and ultrathin module when integrating it into a project or product. Alternatively, there may be designs that benefit from having the USB-C port located further away from the main module with all I/Os, and it can also facilitate troubleshooting when the product is already integrated into a product. Waveshare RP2040-Tiny specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ microcontroller @ up to 133Mhz with 264kB […]

November 30, 2023November 30, 2023 by Paisit Wongsongsarn - 13 Comments

Review of SONOFF BASICR4 Smart Switch and S-MATE2 Smart Remote Control

Sonoff SMATE-2 + BASICR4 automation demo

We’ve received two new devices from SONOFF for testing, namely the BASICR4 Smart Switch and the S-MATE2 Smart Remote Control. For those familiar with SONOFF devices, the Basic series is well-known as it was one of the initial products SONOFF introduced to the Smart Home market. It’s a Wi-Fi switch that can be used for various purposes, including controlling lights, fans, and other electrical devices. The BASICR4 model enhances capabilities while reducing costs compared to its predecessor. The S-MATE2, on the other hand, is the second version of a simple Remote Controller powered by batteries. It wirelessly connects to other SONOFF devices that support the eWeLink Remote Gateway feature, enabling full control within the same ecosystem. This expands its usability across different devices. Let’s delve into the details. SONOFF BASICR4 Introduction The Basic series has been a long-standing Wi-Fi Switch family allowing control of electrical devices through the eWeLink app […]

November 30, 2023November 30, 2023 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

myAGV 2023 four-wheel mobile robot ships with Raspberry Pi 4 or Jetson Nano

four wheel automous guided vehicle raspberry pi 4

Elephant Robotics myAGV 2023 is a 4-wheel mobile robot available with either Raspberry Pi 4 Model B SBC or NVIDIA Jetson Nano B01 developer kit, and it supports five different types of robotic arms to cater to various use cases. Compared to the previous generation myAGV robot, the 2023 model is fitted with high-performance planetary brushless DC motors, supports vacuum placement control, can take a backup battery, handles large payloads up to 5 kg, and integrates customizable LED lighting at the rear. myAGV 2023 specifications: Control board Pi model – Raspberry Pi 4B with 2GB RAM Jetson Nano model – NVIDIA Jetson Nano B01 with 4GB RAM Wheels – 4x Mecanuum wheels Motor – Planetary brushless DC motor Maximum linear speed – 0.9m/s Maximum Payload – 5 kg Video Output Pi model – 2x micro HDMI ports Jetson Nano model – HDMI and DisplayPort video outputs Camera Pi model – […]

November 29, 2023November 29, 2023 by Kumpee Teeravech - 6 Comments

AirGradient ONE Kit Review – An open-source indoor air quality monitor

The product we are reviewing today is the “AirGradient ONE” air quality monitor kit which is an updated version of the earlier AirGradient air quality monitor. The device is equipped with sensors from Sensirion and Plantower, allowing it to measure many air quality parameters such as CO2, PM2.5, TVOCs, NOx, temperature, and humidity. It is an indoor air quality monitor that is both open-source software and open hardware. This means that the Arduino source code, schematic diagrams, PCB, and 3D models of the enclosure are available to developers. AirGradient ONE DIY Kit Unboxing The device was packaged within a cardboard box, with a greeting card from the manufacturer. The card features a QR code linking to a webpage with the installation guide. Since I requested the Kit version (there’s also a fully assembled model), some sensors were not pre-assembled and they were well-packaged in separate seals. The main PCB was […]

November 29, 2023January 29, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Raspberry Pi 5 gets 5G Modem HAT based on Quectel RM502Q-AE M.2 module

Sixfab has just launched a 5G Modem Kit for Raspberry Pi 5 with a Raspberry Pi HAT that takes Quectel RM502Q-AE 5G Sub-6GHz M.2 module working globally (except China), a “patent-pending” internal antenna for Sub-6 frequency bands designed by SixFab, and a USB 3.0 bridge connector. SixFab 5G modem Kit for Raspberry Pi 5 highlights: Sixfab 5G Modem HAT for Raspberry Pi 5 M.2 socket for 5G module Nano SIM card holder + embedded SIM USB 3.0 port and 40-pin GPIO header for connection to the Raspberry Pi 5 SBC Misc User button Status, power, and user (GPIO21) LEDs EEPROM for Raspberry Pi HAT compliance 2-pin fan connector Power Supply – 5V via USB Type-C port (on HAT itself) Dimensions – 88.1 x 57.7 x 21.7 mm Approvals – FCC, IC, CE, UKCA are in progress Quectel RM502Q-AE M.2 module 5G NR: 3GPP Release 15 NSA/SA operation, Sub-6 GHz LTE […]

November 29, 2023 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Adafruit Metro ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth IoT board comes in Arduino UNO form factor

Adafruit Metro ESP32-S3 is an IoT development board with ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth wireless SoC, 8 MB PSRAM, and 16 MB Flash that follows Arduino UNO – or Adafruit Metro – form factor. The board also comes with two STEMMA QT I2C connectors for further expansion, comes with a microSD card socket for storage, a JTAG header for advanced debugging, and supports various power options with 6-12V DC via a DC jack, 5V DC via a USB-C port, and a 2-pin connector for a LiPo battery plus the board integrates charging and battery monitoring chip. Adafruit Metro ESP32-S3 specifications: Wireless module ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 MCU – ESP32-S3 dual-core LX7 microprocessor @ up to 240 MHz with Vector extension for machine learning Memory – 8MB PSRAM Storage – 16MB SPI flash Connectivity – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5 with LE/Mesh PCB antenna Certifications – FCC/CE certification Storage – MicroSD card slot USB – 1x […]

Rockchip RK3568/RK3588 and Intel x86 SBCs

November 28, 2023 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Microchip PIC18-Q24 8-bit MCU focuses on security and supports Multi-Voltage I/O (MVIO)

The newly introduced Microchip PIC18-Q24 8-bit MCU implements security measures such as the Programming and Debugging Interface Disable (PDID) feature and optional support for an immutable bootloader, as well as support for Multi-Voltage I/O (MVIO) to interface with digital inputs or outputs at different operating voltages without the needs for level shifters. While it’s fun to find a new MCU platform that you can hack via serial, JTAG, or other debug interfaces, it can be a security issue, and the Microchip PIC18-Q24 aims to make that impossible by disabling programming and debugging interfaces and the 8-bit microcontroller also offers an option to make the bootloader impossible to modify once a specific configuration bit has been set. Microchip PIC18-Q24 key features and specifications: MCU core – 8-bit C compiler optimized RISC core @ up to 64 MHz Memory – Up to 4 KB of Data SRAM Memory Storage – Up to […]

November 28, 2023 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

T-Display-S3-Long board features ESP32-S3 WiSoC, a wide touchscreen display

LILYGO has designed plenty of ESP32 boards with an integrated display, but the new T-Display-S3-Long may be suitable for different applications since the ESP32-S3 board comes with a wide 3.4-inch touchscreen display with 640×180 resolution. The WiFi and Bluetooth wireless display board is powered by an ESP32-S3R8 WiSoC with 8MB PSRAM, and comes with a 16MB SPI flash, two Qwiic connectors and a 30-pin header for expansion, a USB Type-C port for power, charging, and programming, and a 2-pin connector for an optional LiPo battery. T-Display-S3-Long specifications: Wireless MCU – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3R8 dual-core Tensilica LX7 @ up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration, 512KB RAM, 8MB PSRAM, wireless connectivity Storage – 16MB flash (W25Q128) Connectivity via ESP32-S3 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi 4 with 40 MHz bandwidth support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5.0 connectivity with long-range support, up to 2Mbps data rate. Bluetooth Mesh 3D antenna […]