Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments on Tropic Square TROPIC01 is an auditable, open architecture, tamper-proof RISC-V secure element (SE) for IoT and microcontrollers

Tropic Square TROPIC01 is an auditable, open architecture, tamper-proof RISC-V secure element (SE) for IoT and microcontrollers

TROPIC01 open RISC-V secure element

Tropic Square TROPIC01 is an auditable, open architecture, tamper-proof RISC-V based secure element (SE) designed to interface with microcontrollers in products such as hardware wallets, authentication solutions, biometric wallets, medical devices, and other IoT solutions. There are plenty of secure elements on the market, but their design is usually closed-source, so the design can’t be easily verified by third parties and flaws may remain hidden even when discovered.  With its open designs, potentially flaws in the TROPIC01 can easily be found, disclosed, and fixed by the community, and such verifiable design improved trust in the security of the solution. TOPIC01 secure element specifications: CPU core – RISC-V IBEX Controller Core with secure firmware updates and customizable FW upon request Memory OTP to store x.509 certificate and keys Flash to store general purpose and PIN verification data Memory address scrambling On-the-fly encryption Error correction code protection Communication Interface SPI application control […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 13 Comments on ESP32-S3 infrared thermal imaging camera module offers 80×62 resolution, 45° and 90° wide angle versions

ESP32-S3 infrared thermal imaging camera module offers 80×62 resolution, 45° and 90° wide angle versions

ESP32-S3 Thermal Camera module

Waveshare has launched an ESP32-S3-based thermal imaging camera module based on the same 80 x 62 infrared camera found in its Thermal-45/90 camera Raspberry Pi HAT and Thermal-45/90 USB camera. The thermal camera module is offered with two field of views, namely 45° for the basic version and 90° for the wide angle variant, twenty solder pads with GPIOs, UART, and I2C for expansion, a USB-C port for power and programming, and a 2-pin header to connect a battery if required. Waveshare “ESP32-S3 IR thermal imaging camera module” specifications: Wireless Module ESP32-S3-WROOM-1 MCU – ESP32-S3 dual-core Tensilica LX7 up to 240 MHz with 512KB SRAM, up to 8MB PSRAM Storage – 16MB flash Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth LE 5 Thermal Camera – Meridian Innovation MI0802 Resolution – 80 × 62 Field of View (FOV) 56°(D) x 45°(H) x 34°(V) (Baisc version) 122°(D) x 90°(H) x 67°(V) (Wide angle […]

ArmSoM RK3588 AIModule7 NVIDIA Jetson Nano-compatible SOM
Posted on by Debashis Das - 1 Comment on ESP32-C6-based Wi-Fi relay board features six 10A relays, supports Home Assistant, 3D printed enclosure

ESP32-C6-based Wi-Fi relay board features six 10A relays, supports Home Assistant, 3D printed enclosure

ESP32 C6 Wi Fi relay board

Seeed Studio’s XIAO 6-Channel Wi-Fi 5V DC Relay is a compact ESP32-C6 Wi-Fi relay board built around the XIAO ESP32C6 module which supports Wi-Fi 6, BLE 5.0, Zigbee, and Thread connectivity. Designed for remote control and automation, the device comes with pre-installed ESPHome firmware and features six independent relay channels, each supporting 10A at 30V DC or 250V AC, making it ideal for simultaneously controlling multiple DC or AC devices. The board also has two grove ports for sensors and actuators, making it suitable for home automation, industrial control, energy management, smart agriculture, and other applications. XIAO 6-Channel Wi-Fi 5V DC Relay Board Specifications Main module – XIAO ESP32C6 SoC – ESP32-C6  CPU Single-core 32-bit RISC-V clocked up to 160 MHz Low-power RISC-V core @ up to 20 MHz Memory – 512KB SRAM, 16KB low power SRAM Storage – 320KB ROM, and 4MB flash Wireless – 2.4 GHz WiFi 6, Bluetooth […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments on Giada DN25 fanless 4K digital signage player features Raspberry Pi CM5 Lite module and eMMC flash

Giada DN25 fanless 4K digital signage player features Raspberry Pi CM5 Lite module and eMMC flash

Giada DN25

Most products based on Raspberry Pi CM5 make use of the eMMC flash version, but Giada DN25 fanless 4K digital signage player relies on the Raspberry Pi CM5 Lite module instead, but still uses 32GB or 64GB flash. This looks like a contradiction at first since the CM5 Lite module has no eMMC flash, but more on that later. The media player uses a CM5 Lite module with 2GB RAM and a wireless module, and features two full HDMI ports to drive up to two 4K displays, a 3.5mm audio jack, a Gigabit Ethernet port, four USB ports, and an RS232 port for peripheral connection (e.g. barcode scanner). Giada DN25 specifications: Compute Module – Raspberry Pi CM5 Lite Module SoC –  Broadcom BCM2712 CPU  – Quad-core 64-bit Arm Cortex-A76 processor @ 2.4GHz GPU – VideoCore VII GPU with support for OpenGL ES 3.1 graphics, Vulkan 1.3 VPU – 4Kp60 HEVC decoder […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - 4 Comments on LispDeck handheld lisp computer Runs uLisp on Teensy 4.1 with Wi-Fi, LoRa, and two screens

LispDeck handheld lisp computer Runs uLisp on Teensy 4.1 with Wi-Fi, LoRa, and two screens

LispDeck handheld cyberdeck

Designed by Hartmut Graw, the LispDeck is a Handheld Lisp computer built around the Teensy 4.1 microcontroller for Lisp programming on the go. It features a dual-screen setup with a 5-inch touchscreen and, a secondary ST77350-based TFT display. It also has an Adafruit RFM96 radio module, an ESP8266 Wi-Fi module, a rotary encoder, an SD card for storage, and a detachable wireless USB keyboard, all housed in a 3D-printed case. Running the uLisp language, it features a standalone Lisp programming environment without needing a PC or tablet. It is an evolution of the LispBox, with a portable and battery-powered design, which also maintains compatibility. Unlike Raspberry Pi-based cyberdecks, the LispDeck is designed for complete control over the system without the complexity of Linux. It is useful for Lisp enthusiasts who want a compact, dedicated computing device that’s fully documented. LispDeck Specifications SoC – NXP i.MX RT1062 via Teensy 4.1 board […]

Posted on by Tomisin Olujinmi - 4 Comments on Haasoscope Pro open-source, real-time sampling USB oscilloscope supports up to 2GHz bandwidth (Crowdfunding)

Haasoscope Pro open-source, real-time sampling USB oscilloscope supports up to 2GHz bandwidth (Crowdfunding)

Haasoscope Pro USB oscilloscope

The Haasoscope Pro is an open-source hardware, high-bandwidth, and real-time sampling USB oscilloscope. Building upon its predecessor, the Haasoscope, the new Pro model offers a bandwidth of 2GHz, 12-bit resolution, and a 3.2GS/s sampling rate. The Haasoscope Pro USB oscilloscope is “designed to be low cost, while maintaining super-fast performance.” While it only comes with 2 channels, the flexible design makes it possible to combine and sync multiple devices (using Cat5 cables) to double the sample rate or add more channels. The oscilloscope works with standard x10 passive probes but a custom active probe, the Haasoscope Pro-be, is also offered. It supports the full 2GHz analog bandwidth and is priced much cheaper than similar probes. The Haasoscope Pro USB oscilloscope’s high sampling rate and bandwidth make it ideal for radio frequency signal analysis and high-speed digital debugging. It is similar to the ThunderScope Thunderbolt and PCIe oscilloscope which offers more […]

Rockchip RK3568, RK3588 and Intel x86 SBCs and SoMs in 2025
Posted on by Debashis Das - 4 Comments on PCIe x1 slot adapters let the Raspberry Pi 5 SBC interface with standard PCIe cards

PCIe x1 slot adapters let the Raspberry Pi 5 SBC interface with standard PCIe cards

Raspberry Pi 5 PCIe to PCIe x1 Boards

Waveshare has recently launched the PCIe TO PCIe x1 Board (C) which is a PCIe FFC connector to standard PCIe x1 slot adapter board for the Raspberry Pi 5. But while searching for more details about the board, I also found out about other solutions from 52Pi and Spotpear, which are a bit older, but still worth taking a look because of their unique features and low cost. These Raspberry Pi PCIe x1 slot adapters allow users to connect expansion cards such as network cards, storage controllers, and other PCIe peripherals to the Raspberry Pi 5. Additionally, the board features a dedicated 12V power header and DC jack, which supplies power to the 12V pins of the PCIe slot, for power-hungry devices. These features allow for applications like AI acceleration, high-speed networking, and storage expansion. Waveshare PCIe TO PCIe x1 Board (C) The Waveshare PCIe FFC to PCIe x1 Adapter […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments on Arm Cortex-A320 low-power CPU is the smallest Armv9 core, optimized for Edge AI and IoT SoCs

Arm Cortex-A320 low-power CPU is the smallest Armv9 core, optimized for Edge AI and IoT SoCs

Arm Cortex-A320

Arm Cortex-A320 is a low-power Armv9 CPU core optimized for Edge AI and IoT applications, with up to 50% efficiency improvements over the Cortex-A520 CPU core. It is the smallest Armv9 core unveiled so far. The Armv9 architecture was first introduced in 2021 with a focus on AI and specialized cores, followed by the first Armv9 cores – Cortex-A510, Cortex-A710, Cortex-X2 – unveiled later that year and targeting flagship mobile devices. Since then we’ve seen Armv9 cores on a wider range of smartphones, high-end Armv9 motherboards, and TV boxes, The upcoming Rockchip RK3688 AIoT SoC also features Armv9 but targets high-end applications. The new Arm Cortex-A320 will expand Armv9 usage to a much wider range of IoT devices including power-constrained Edge AI devices. Arm Cortex-A320 highlights: Architecture – Armv9.2-A (Harvard) Extensions Up to Armv8.7 extensions QARMA3 extensions SVE2 extensions Memory Tagging Extensions (MTE) (including Asymmetric MTE) Cryptography extensions RAS extensions […]

Boardcon CM3588 Rockchip RK3588 System-on-Module designed for AI and IoT applications