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Arduino IoT Cloud now supports more ESP32 microcontroller devices

Posted on by Abhishek Jadhav

Arduino IoT Cloud

Arduino IoT Cloud has been one of the most popular software tools Arduino has ever built. The cloud-native platform is now able to support more embedded hardware microcontrollers than ever before. With the support of ESP32 and ESP8266 apart from the in-house Arduino boards, the Arduino IoT Cloud is ready to support ESP32 S2, S3, and C3 devices. One of the reasons why most IoT platforms today support ESP32 devices is because of their usability and adaptability in the IoT ecosystem.

ESP32 devices are the most liked microcontrollers for home and hobbyist applications. But in recent times, ESP32 has seen increased adoption for professional and industrial use as well. With Arduino Cloud supporting more ESP32 devices, this means that the end-user devices can now be controlled remotely even after they are deployed in the field.

Arduino IoT Cloud is designed to be a cloud-native platform that can be used to develop software online with the web editor and keep those sketches in the cloud, as well as to deploy and manage end-user-embedded devices. Remote access allows users to create custom dashboards that can be managed remotely from the user’s browser or mobile application.

Specifically, ESP32-S2 and S3 are low-power, high-performance processor cores with the ability to connect wirelessly to the embedded ecosystem. ESP32-S2 comes with a single-core microcontroller system-on-chip, which is designed to be a cost-effective solution with a rich set of input/output capabilities. On the other hand, the ESP32-S3 has a dual-core XTensa LX7 microcontroller that has a clock frequency of 240MHz. The ESP32-S3 has better wireless capabilities to support IEEE802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5 low power.

Arduino IoT Cloud supports many cloud-compatible boards, which allows the developer to leverage an all-in-one solution for IoT development. The user can build visual dashboards to monitor and control embedded devices and also integrate other services in the deployed application. Arduino provides two Arduino IoT Cloud APIs– REST API to allow users to add and configure new Arduino IoT Cloud devices, and Data API (MQTT) to allow users to send and receive variables’ data.

For more information on the Arduino IoT Cloud, head to the product page. We have also previously covered articles on the Arduino Cloud platform.

Ultrasonic Dog Chaser with Repelling Strobe Light and Extra Functions

Posted on by mixos

Author: Irena Antoniuk, Technical Documentation Apps Engineer, Renesas Electronics

Cover photo: www.depositphotos.com

Introduction

This article aims to demonstrate how to design a dog chaser. The system is designed using the HVPAK™ SLG47105V macrocells and other internal and external components within the GreenPAK to control a piezo element and a 3W LED.

The Dog Chaser has three modes: Dog Repeller, Dog Training, and Flashlight. In the Dog Repeller mode, a powerful ultrasonic signal and a strobe light disorient the dogs. In the Dog Training mode, the lower power ultrasonic signal is used, this signal makes dogs annoyed, but not disoriented. The Flashlight mode is just a powerful flashlight that can be useful when additional lighting is needed.

1. Block Diagram and Circuit Design

The Block Diagram is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Block Diagram

As can be seen in Figure 1, the Dog Chaser contains three modes, which are selected by a switch. Dog Repeller or Dog Training Mode is ON when the switch is in the appropriate position and the push button is pressed. To turn ON the Flashlight, there is no need to press the button, just switch to Flashlight Mode. The device is considered turned off when the switch is in the middle position (Dog Training Mode) and the push button is not pressed.

The circuit is powered by a Li-ion battery, so the VDD is between 3.0 V and 4.2 V. The LED intensity depends on voltage VDD, so the DC-DC Boost Converter is added to provide the constant necessary current to the LED.

The Full Circuit Schematic is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Full Circuit Schematic

The GreenPAK design is shown in Figure 3. The complete design file can be found here. It was created in free GUI-based GreenPAK Designer software – a part of Go Configure Software Hub.

Figure 3. GreenPAK Design

The 390.6 kHz signal with a 50% duty cycle is created by OSC1 and goes to the 2-bit LUT0, which controls the Booster circuit through the HV PIN 8. When the maximum LED current of 700 mA is reached, the ACMP1 sets the 2-bit LUT0 to 0 and pulls down the HV PIN 8 keeping the current through the LED at the same level. It should be noted, that the external MOSFET must be selected with the lowest possible gate threshold voltage high enough current. For example IRLL3303. The results of Boost can be found in Figure 4 and Figure 5. The HV PIN 8 is represented in blue and the ACMP1 is in green.

Figure 4. Boost Operation – 3.2 V
Figure 5. Boost Operation – 3.4 V

The necessary LED mode is selected by 3-bit LUT3 and DFF3. These signals go to HV PIN 7 of the HV OUT CTRL0 which is configured as a Half-Bridge and acts as a switch for the LED. So, the LED is ON when PIN 7 is LOW and vice versa. Also, the internal low-side MOSFET (PIN 7) is used as a current sensor. Its RDS On is about 150 mOhm which is perfect for our purpose.

2. Dog Repeller Mode

The Dog Repeller mode includes two parts the Ultrasonic signal at full power and the LED strobe light.

The OSC1 generates the 100 kHz signal which goes through DFF2 and DFF4 and decreases to 25 kHz. Then this signal goes to PH input of HV OUT CTRL1, which is configured as Full Bridge. The Enable signal Piezo ON is generated by 3-bit LUT6 to be HIGH only when Dog Repelling Mode or Dog Training Mode is selected. To achieve the necessary amplitude the 4:40 voltage transformer is used. PIN 9 and PIN 10 are connected to the primary winding and the piezo element is connected to the secondary winding (see Figure 2). The resulting signal in the piezo element is a ~37 V amplitude ultrasound signal (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Piezo Output Signal in the Dog Repeller Mode

The LED strobe light is used to increase the dog`s disorientation. In this case, the 3 W LED is connected to PIN 7 of HV OUT CTRL0 with an input of 11.65 Hz. The resulting LED signal is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7. LED Signal Output in the Dog Repeller Mode

3. Dog Training Mode

The Dog Training mode includes a 25 kHz signal with ~17 V amplitude when the battery is charged (4.1 V) and ~12 V when the battery is discharged (3.1 V). The additional 33 Ohm resistor is connected to PIN 9 of the primary winding of the voltage transformer and limits the current to ~80 mA to decrease the power of the piezo output signal (see Figure 8 and Figure 9).

Figure 8. Piezo Output Signal in the Dog Training Mode (VDD – 4.1 V, amplitude – 17 V)
Figure 9. Piezo Output Signal in the Dog Training Mode (VDD – 3.1 V, amplitude – 12 V)

4. Flashlight

In the Flashlight mode, the DFF3 sets the Enable signal OE0 of the HV OUT CNTR0 to HIGH, and the 3-bit LUT3 set the IN0 to LOW, so the output of PIN 7 is continuously LOW and the LED is continuously ON.

5. Battery Discharge

As the device is powered by a Li-ion battery, for example, a 18650 cell, there is a need to control the discharge level to prevent cell damage (assuming the battery does not have its own protection circuit). The comparator ACMP0 monitors the VDD level and if the voltage is less than 3072 mV the circuit is cut off. When the Dog Training Mode or Dog Repeller Mode is selected and the push button is not pressed, comparators ACMP0 and ACMP1, HV OUT CTRL0, HV OUT CTRL1, and OSC1 are in Sleep Mode thus consuming close to 0 current. The device is considered turned off when the switch is in the middle position and the push button is not pressed.

Conclusion

The article describes how to configure the HVPAK to create a Dog Chaser. The results prove that the circuit works as expected, and the HVPAK is capable of acting as the control module for the piezo element and the powerful LED.

The Dog Chaser has three modes. The Dog Repeller mode is powerful ultrasonic and strobe light signals that disorient the dog. The Dog Training mode is a lower-power ultrasonic signal which helps to train the dog. The last mode is a powerful flashlight.

Limited 15% Off For Biggest Battery Rugged Phone

Posted on by mixos

Well-known global smartphone company OUKITEL introduced WP19 world’s first biggest battery-rugged smartphone, which is designed to sustain the unpredictable tough environments that regular phones can not withstand. Apart from the impressive battery, it is also equipped with 8GB RAM & 256GB ROM storage, the latest night vision camera, and more. This is an ultra-military-grade rugged smartphone that can meet all your outdoor toughness and durability needs.

Thanks to the overwhelming favor and support from our fans, OUKITEL today announces that WP19, this flagship smartphone, will be on promotion and offer an attractive discount of up to 15% off from October 3rd to October 9th on Amazon. You can get a WP19 rugged phone at the price of USD 382.49 only.

21000mAh Biggest Battery with Impressive Night-vision Camera

One of the most impressive features is the massive battery capacity. OUKITEL WP19 comes with 21000mAh world’s biggest battery, which is up to 4 times the average phone battery capacity (5000mAh). This is the best choice for outdoor enthusiasts and those who travel frequently. The WP19 durable smartphone can support 7 days of daily use maximum after a single charge. It charges from 0-80% in 3 hours with a 33W rapid recharging function. Moreover, this powerful WP19 is a portable power bank since its reverse recharging process allows you to recharge your other devices (smartwatch, TWS earbuds, phones, etc.).

64MP SAMSUNG S5KGW3 primary camera, SONY IMX350 20MP night vision Camera, and 2MP macro camera allows you to shoot professional photos, even taking a nice one with clarity in the evening. Supported by the 4 built-in IR emitters, you could easily find out the potential threat in the darkness with a night vision camera.

Immersive Experience and Seamless Operation

This is a 6.78-inch FHD+ display phone and a 90Hz refresh rate. It is the latest Android 12 system. Equipped with a MediaTek Helio G95 processor with 8GB RAM and 256GB ROM, WP19 offers users fast and smooth uploads & downloads, gaming, browsing, and more. In addition, the WP19 rugged phone is IP68 & IP69K waterproof, dust-resistant, and  MIL-STD-810H certified military standard, which means it can withstand any tough environment. WP19 also comes with fingerprint & face ID, NFC Google Pay, customized key, etc.

What is OEM Service in Electronics

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

You have probably heard the term “OEM” before and chances are that you are within arm’s reach of several OEM products wherever you are seated presently. OEM, short for “Original Equipment Manufacturer”, refers to a company that produces systems or components that may be used in another company’s end products. OEMs are usually the first inventors and designers but not the sellers of the finished products. They license out the products they make to be used as components in another’s company products, hence marketing them under the other company’s brand name.

What an OEM Service Means

So an OEM service is typically a collaboration between a supplier who shows willingness and ability to make customized designs of products according to the needs and specifications of a buyer. Many brand-name electronics and appliances we see today are good examples of OEM services. A common one is a relationship that exists between a manufacturer of individual electronic components and a company such as Samsung or Sony that put the OEM parts together to make their own finished products. Another great example is the automotive industry. The car you bought was not entirely manufactured by the car company; some parts of the car such as the airbags, navigation units, spark plugs, air conditioners, dashboards, sensors, and even the engines, were manufactured by or outsourced from other companies. You will be shocked to know how small the efforts put by the company in supplying the parts were, compared to branding and marketing.

Is it also the computer manufacturers who integrate several OEM parts such as software and processors into the solutions they sell, or the Ralph Lauren company that bought customized fasteners from a maker of buttons to be used in a shirt that boldly carries the banded RL stamp on it? OEM services are literally scattered everywhere around us. The question is …

Why OEM Service?

Partnering with an OEM helps enterprises increase efficiency, reduce labor cost, streamline processes, save time and save money.

OEM products are usually cheaper due to an increased level of production. “The OEM excels in building one product and one product only, and thrives by building hundreds of thousands, or even millions of those products on a cost-effective, streamlined basis,” says TheStreet. When an OEM undertakes contract manufacturing of components, the reseller is allowed more time to focus on its core capabilities and processes as it would not have to develop each part or system by itself. The company also does not have to incur the extra costs or increased capacity involved in manufacturing those components in-house (like having to build manufacturing facilities). All they need to do is just integrate the outsourced parts into their system and sell under their own brand name.

OEMs also deliver a good return on investment to the partnering company by ensuring they make sure products that live up to expectations.

“OEM parts, components and products extend the life of the partnering company’s product with a no account casinos list, thus maintaining top performance and saving money with replacement parts and increasing the company’s financial bottom line.”

Most organizations now try to reduce their OEM and vendor complexity by just patronizing a centralized support or service system, as like David Subia rightly said in his IBM blog,

“trying to support IT solutions that include products from several vendors would be like having to manage the roughly 30,000 parts that make up your car. Would you have multiple vendors managing each part, or go to one trusted mechanic to ensure that it performs efficiently, safely, and at minimal cost to maintain?”

PCBWay OEM Service

With several years of experience in PCB prototype and fabrication, PCBWay is one of the most experienced and trusted PCB manufacturing companies in China.

PCBWay in partnership with strategic alliance partners has a contract manufacturing service that includes product design, product development, engineering validation, PCBA manufacturing service, and supply chain management. This One Stop Shop Solution aims at simplifying and managing all the complexities at one stop, providing all the services you may need – from early design concepts to packaging fully assembled devices that are ready for shipment. They work closely with manufacturers throughout the whole process to ensure reduced cost while maintaining performance.

PCBWay OEM services focus on achieving product manufacturing and intelligence while the clients focus on product performance. The company page reveals that “PCBWay OEM uses the Internet, Internet of Things, and cloud technology to deeply transform the entire value chain of the electronics manufacturing industry, realize centralized order input, digital engineering technical services, and highly digital workshops, helping factories to produce according to customer needs.”

PCBWay OEM Services provide high-quality electronic products for global brands while maintaining quality and on-time supply chain services.

Examples of PCBWay-OEM Solutions and Design Cases

PCBWay OEM has recorded quite a number of success stories already, let’s take a quick look at some of them.

Client: A high-tech technology client that manufactures smart grid solutions, energy-efficient power generation, and distribution solutions.

Scope of Contract: Design and production of PCB board, selection and replacement of domestic chips, molding and plastic injection, assembly of finished products, and final inspection testing and certification performance.

Achievements: PCBWay-OEM was able to reduce the total production cost by 15%, successfully helped the client solve the global chip shortage problem, met all the US and European requirements, and still had a fast turnaround time completing PCB designs and delivering some samples to clients in 30 days.

The Fengmi step-less frequency conversion smart fan featuring a 99-gear speed control, a mobile APP intelligent control, 16 feather fan blades, and power saving mode, took only 5 months from research and development to mass production.

PCBWay-OEM did not only undertake the material procurement and overall production process, but it also saw the intelligent upgrade of the fan. It utilized its strong supply chain support to ensure the quality of each product. The circuit boards, SMT, molds, sheet metal and assembled finished products were all completed by self-operated factories.

Quantities Delivered: 100,000 units

Customer’s Requirement:

“We would like to protect the sensor against humidity, dirt, or any other damage that could be introduced due to the fact that it is in contact with the skin and the air. But this protection layer should be transparent in order to help the performance of the sensor. Do you have any special resin or something to protect it? We were thinking of something that could be adapted to any shape.”

Conclusion

In summary, PCBWay-OEM services help clients complete integrated R&D tasks faster and better, achieve rapid and sustainable development, and eventually deliver stable, reliable, and efficient products. Feel free to contact them for a quote on design concept development, engineering services, appearance models, functional prototype, quick turn tooling, injection molding, or contract manufacturing.

(stock photos from depositphotos.com)

New MangoPi MQ Quad SBC comes with an Allwinner H616 processor and a RPi Zero W form factor

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

Single board computer specialist Mango Pi, recently announced the launch of its new Mango Pi MQ Quad Single board computer equipped with an Allwinner H616 quad-core Arm Cortex A-53 SoC.

The Allwinner H616 system-on-chip which was launched back in 2017, has so far made its way into various single board computers. The chip features a 4-Core Cortex-A53 ARM CPU running @ up to 1.5 GHz, an ARM Mali-G31 MPU graphics processor running @ 650 MHz with OpenGL 3.2, Vulkan 1.1 and OpenCL 2.0 API support, AES and SHA acceleration engines, and video decoding and encoding hardware. Compared with its counterpart, the Allwinner D1 Risc-v processor found in the company’s other MQ Pro SBC, this chip seems to offer better out-of-the-box software due to its ARM-based processor.

The compact MQ Quad SBC also comes with up to 1GB of DDR3L RAM, one HDMI port, WiFi 4, Bluetooth 4.2 support, microSD card reader, a set of ports for connecting power, display, peripherals, and a 40-pin, Raspberry Pi-compatible general purpose input/output (GPIO) header.

The board was designed to mimic the footprint of the Raspberry Pi Zero W form factor, so if you have been struggling to find stock of the popular RPi board, you may just have found a perfect alternative in it.

Features and Specifications Include:

  • Allwinner H616 quad-core Cortex-A53 processor running at 1.5 GHz
  • Mali-G31 MP2 GPU running at up to 650 MHz
  • 1GB DDR3L RAM
  • MicroSD card slot located at the top of the board
  • Footprint for SPI flash at the bottom of the board
  • 1x mini HDMI 2.0 port up to 4K@60Hz resolution
  • 802.11 b/g/n WIFI 4 and Bluetooth 4.2 support
  • Ceramic GPS antenna with uFL connector
  • 2x USB Type-C ports (1x OTG and 1x Host)
  • 40-pin Raspberry Pi compatible, color-coded GPIO header
  • 18-pin MISC FPC connector with USB, Ethernet, and additional GPIOs
  • Power Supply: 5V via USB port; 5V GPIO header and pogo pins; AXP313A PMIC
  • Dimensions: Raspberry Pi W form factor (65 mm x 30 mm)

Software support for the board includes Ubuntu, Android 10, other GNU/Linux-based OS, and the OpenWRT-based Tina Linux embedded software designed for devices with Allwinner chips.

Further details on the Mango Pi MQ Quad SBC can be found on AliExpress where it currently sells for $26.74 or $29.64 if you want it with an all aluminum heatsink/case, so that while heat is only drawn from the SoC, it is dissipated into the decently sized piece of metal.

The product page of the company’s website also has other useful resources such as the board schematics, the reference design, and the datasheet.

StarFive Revamps its RISC-V-Based SBC with Enhanced Capabilities as the VisionFive 2

Posted on by Saumitra Jagdale

VisionFive 2

StarFive, the RISC-V software, and hardware ecosystem leader, recently announced the world’s first high-performance SBC with an integrated GPU. The VisionFive 2 is an upgraded version of StarFive’s first RISC-V-based Single Board Computer (SBC), the VisionFive 1.

The processor work frequency, multimedia processing capabilities, scalability, and other aspects of VisionFive 2 have all been significantly enhanced over its previous iteration. VisionFive 2 is the best affordable RISC-V development board ever due to its excellent performance and affordable pricing.

The VisionFive 2 is built on StarFive’s latest JH7110 system-on-chip (SoC), which not only eliminates the previous JH7100 chip’s known issues but also doubles the number of useable processors from two to four and boosts clock speed from 1GHz to 1.5GHz. Moreover, StarFive added a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to the board, further boosting the performance and enhancing the desktop experience.

It has several multi-media peripherals including USB 2.0, USB 3.0, MicroSD Card slot, 3.5mm audio jack, RJ45 Ethernet connectors, and an eMMC socket. The board also provides 40 pin GPIO Header. Each GPIO pin is capable of 5V DC output with a minimum of 3A of current. Several GPIO pins also support communication protocols like I2C, SPI, and UART for better interfacing with other devices.

VisionFive 2 board layout

The VisionFive 2 supports a wide range of displays with multiple video output ports. It contains a 2-lane MIPI DSI display port, supporting up to 1080p at 30fps, and a 4-lane MIPI DSI display port, supporting up to 2K at 30fps in both single display and dual display modes. It also features an HDMI 2.0 port, supporting up to 4K at 30fps or 2K at 60fps. Moreover, the VisionFive 2 has a 2-lane MIPI CSI camera port that supports up to 4K (3840 x 2160) pixels at 30fps.

Enhancing Desktop Experience with the high-performance VisionFive 2 SBC

Overcoming the limitations and shortcomings of its predecessor, the VisionFive 2 offers a high-performance experience in a compact form of 100mm x 72mm. With its decent power consumption, communication peripherals, and GPIO support, it is an ideal portable system for several applications. Moreover, it supports the mainstream Linux distributions, making it user-friendly and convenient.

StarFive is using Kickstarter to fund the development of the boards, with tangible incentives starting at $46 for the early bird 2GB versions. This is a significant discount from the retail price of the original VisionFive, which was $179.

Dragon Li’s compact Bajiu Lite Dev Board Provides an Easy Route to Low-power FPGA and RISC-V projects

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

Dragon Li Studio is set to launch the small, convenient, and out-of-the-box Bajiu Lite dev board – an open-source resource-rich FPGA development board integrated with RISC-V SoC. The FPGA specialist has tapped into its over-a-decade years of experience in hardware and software to design something like this, which aims at providing an easy route to low-power FPGA and RISC-V projects.

“We are committed to building the most convenient RISC-V development board, which is convenient for you to quickly customize the CPU you need according to your needs,’ the company says. “Bajiu Lite is a resource-rich FPGA development board with 20k LE (Logic Elements), 36 multipliers, and up to 5 PLLs (Phase-Locked Loops). It can easily run at frequencies above 150MHz with very low power consumption. It is small, convenient and dedicated to facilitating rapid FPGA development right out of the box.”

Bajiu Lite development board features and specifications include:

  • 20,000 Logic Elements
  • 36 Multipliers
  • 5 Phase-Locked Loops
  • 1 MB of embedded RAM from an Efinix Trion T20F169 FPGA
  • 1x MIPI Camera Serial Interface (CSI) port
  • 1x MIPI Display Serial Interface (DSI) port
  • 3x LEDs
  • 3x Buttons
  • 10x General Purpose Input / Output (GPIO) pins
  • 128 MBits flash
  • 2x UART buses
  • FTDI JTAG debugger

Funnily enough, the name of the board seems to have a unique reference to the things it can do. “Bajiu’ means 8 * 9 = 72, which means the mythical Monkey King’s thousand variations. We chose this name because Bajiu Lite can be used to implement nearly any logic,” the company explained.

Meanwhile, a customizable 32-bit open-source RISC-V SoC soft core called the CRiscV was designed alongside the Bajiu Lite dev board. According to Dragon Li, adapting the VexRisc-V-based SoC soft-core with the board will “allow users to implement powerful tools quickly, including those related to vision processing, neural networks, RISC-CPUs, robotics, and other common applications.”

The board also utilizes the Efinix software tools to build designs for FPGAs. They are easy to set up and straightforward to use. The company has made a quick guide on how to go about installing and using this software available on their GitHub repository, alongside other useful details including the Getting Started Guide, the CRiscV, and the open source documentation.

You can also check the Crowdfunding CrowdSupply page for more information and sign up so you’ll be notified when the project eventually launches. No word on the launch date or price yet but hopefully, that should be any moment from now.

RAKWireless Introduces new Power and Sensor Modules

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

As part of its resolve to add new modules to its WisBlock IoT modular system twice or thrice every year, RAKWireless has again introduced some amazing new WisBlck modules and accessories, including three baseboards and four power modules that support various power sources from solar panels to PoE, two IP65-rated enclosures and new Wisblock sensor modules.

“As the whole WisBlock is based on the modular concept, we wanted to extend this to the power supply. Often, we get questions about different power supply options that are not available on our current WisBlock Base Boards. As space is tight, we cannot just add all options, so we separate the power supply from the Base Boards by creating the Power Modules. This gives you the flexibility to choose the power supply option that fits best for your requirements,”

says RAKWireless as it explains the reasons behind the new initiative.

Power Modules and BaseBoards

The Four new Power Modules all have some common features: flexible building block design that enables modular function realization and expansion, low battery power supply, and uniform modular size of 20 by 30 mm.

  • RAK19012 which is currently selling for $6.90 is a perfect solution to use when your product is still in development and you need USB access to flash and test new firmware. It includes support for lithium and solar charging, an onboard charger chip, LED for charging status and user-configurable LEDs, and a Type-C USB connector compliant with USB 2.0 (for programming and debugging of WisBlock Core).
  • RAK19013 selling for $5.50 has a battery and solar panel supply but no USB – perfect for applications where you do not want to give users access to the device’s firmware.
  • RAK19015 selling for $5.00 is perfect for applications that are powered by non-rechargeable batteries. It supports non-rechargeable batteries from 3.7V to 4.3V, but does not have USB connector so you can also use it if you do not want to give access to device’s firmware
  • RAK19016 which goes for $7.50 supports a wide 5 to 24 V DC voltage supply input and comprises a 3-pin screw terminal connector, LED for charging status, 2x user-configurable LEDs, LiPo battery connector with onboard charger, one reset button and one power connector. Perfect for industrial and enterprise applications.

RAKWireless also released three new Baseboards to match these power modules. They are similar to their existing ones but with the new power slot

  • $7.50 RAK19009 – the smallest with only 2 sensor slots, measures 47 by 30 mm, and supports multiple types of low-power MCUs.
  • $8.90 RAK19010 measuring 30 by 60 mm is a standard baseboard with 4x sensor slots and 1x I/O slot
  • $10.00 RAK19011 measuring 60 by 67 mm is similar to the company’s Dual IO baseboard but with  6x sensor slots and 2x I/O slots

IP65-Rated Enclosures

To provide proper protection against foreign bodies such as rain, dust, or fire, RAKWireless also launched two IP65-rated waterproof and fire-retardant enclosures that support WisBlock prototypes and are highly adaptable to any application with spacious internals and universal mounting options.

  • $29 RAKBox-UO100x75x38 “Unify” Plastic Enclosure suitable for the RAK5005-O and RAK19003 baseboards. It has matching mounting plates with wall and pole mount accessories.
  • $39 RAKBox-UO150x100x45 Enclosure with plenty of space for bigger boards like the RAK19001. It also has wall and pole mounting accessories. Sensor Boards

RAK12047 – an indoor air quality sensor based on the Sensirion SGP40 sensor.

  • A digital gas sensors designed for easy integration into air purifiers or demand-controlled ventilation systems.
  • Measurement Range: 0 to 1000 ppm
  • Supply current under operation: Below 3mA
  • Dimension: 10 mm x 10 mm
  • Sells for $10.50

RAK12033 – a 6-axis accelerometer module based on TDK InvenSense IIM-42652. Perfect for projects where movements or rotations need to be detected like location trackers or drones. It is also great for battery-powered applications because of its low power consumption.

  • 3-axis gyroscopes with a programmable full-scale range of ±15.625, ±31.25, ±62.5, ±125, ±250, ±500, ±1000, ±2000 degrees per second
  • 3-axis accelerometer with a programmable full-scale range of ±2g, ±4g, ±8g, ±16g
  • 20000 g shock tolerant
  • Power supply: 3.3V
  • Operating temperature: -40 to 105°C
  • Dimension: 10 mm x 23 mm
  • Sells for $9.90

RAK12034 – It is a 9-axis accelerometer module based on Bosch BMX160.

  • Very low power consumption
  • Selectable acceleration range ±2 to ±16g
  • Gyroscope range 125°/s to 2000°/s
  • Power supply: 3.3V
  • Operating temperature: -40 to 105°C
  • Dimension: 10 x 10 mm
  • Sells for $12.50

RAK16002 – Coulomb sensor based on Analog Devices LTC2941.

It is designed to measure the state of charge of batteries in battery-supplied handheld PCs and portable product applications via coulomb count which is more accurate than the battery voltage. Perfect for single-cell Li-Ion batteries

  • Indicates accumulated battery charge and discharge
  • 1% charge accuracy
  • A sense current range
  • 2.7V to 5.5V operating range
  • Less than 100μA quiescent current
  • Operating temperature: -40 to 85°C
  • Sells for $6.90

Further details are available in the company’s store.

E-Ink Digital Paper Tablet Solution for is ready for Business

Posted on by Tope Oluyemi

E-Ink has developed a Digital Paper Tablet Solution for Business, which enables companies and organizations to design and develop a customized ePaper workflow solution that meets their specific needs. This is useful for reviewing documents, collecting data, or taking handwritten notes. this can enable companies and industries to streamline workflows, improve productivity, and reduce costs. Speaking about the ePaper, the company says “Our end-to-end solution consists of whitebox unbranded tablets, integrated applications, development tools, technical support, and hardware logistics assistance.

We’ll work with you to understand your desired workflow and then determine the most efficient process for developing a custom Digital Paper experience for your employees, students, or customers.

The Tablets come in a 10.3” note size and a 13.3” letter size and are thin, flexible, and durable. The tablets feature the latest E-Ink Carta™ 1250 screen technology, which offers a higher contrast ratio, faster page turns, and improved pen writing speed. The Tablets are powered by NXP i.MX 8M Mini-powered Android 9.  Both tablets also feature a digital pen supported by Wacom’s battery-free EMR technology. The non-slip, non-glass surface of the tablet makes handwriting fast, intuitive, and natural, thereby giving the user a true paper-like writing experience. The tablets are glare-free, so it’s easy on the eyes, and great for long-term reading. The tablet offers up to three weeks of use on a single charge.

The tablets are ideal for cooperative and educative training. You can read and annotate training and education materials on the glare-free, paper-like display. You can also take handwritten notes in meetings and classroom settings or record important thoughts and ideas, while automatically saving it all in digital format.

Features and Benefits

  • Reads like paper – a glare-free display is ideal for long-term, immersive reading, even in direct sunlight.
  • Paper-like writing – non-slip, non-glass surface provides a responsive, accurate, and natural writing experience.
  • Annotate, highlight, erase – Actively read documents and emphasize key points.
  • Take handwritten notes – organize your thoughts and ideas and file them digitally for future reference
  • Fill in forms – collect, record, and retrieve data on interactive digital forms.
  • Long battery life – up to three weeks
  • Thin, lightweight – take it anywhere.
  • Durable and unbreakable – use it anywhere.
  • Wireless enabled – easily access documents and notes.
  • Standard Wacom stylus – battery-free, no charging required.
  • Always on – enable quick access to documents and notes.
  • Autosave – never lose your data.
  • Secure – keep documents digital, eliminate printing.

The Digital Paper Tablet also enables Businesses, companies, and organizations to design and develop a customized ePaper workflow solution that meets their specific needs. So if you are reviewing documents, collecting data, or taking handwritten notes, the Digital Paper Tablet is capable of streamlining workflows, improving productivity, and reducing costs.

The Tablets feature a Digital Paper Control Server Software (DCSS) which enables the transfer of unique PDF documents to and from unique Digital Paper Tablets, and works in conjunction with the Digital Paper Application. It supports Windows or Linux and features a set of Web APIs that remotely control document functions such as send, retrieve, open, and rename.

It also features a Digital Paper Application which enables PDF document management and includes controls for various reading and writing options. Also available is an embedded Foxit ™ PDF Reader which enables the rendering of standard and interactive form-fill PDF documents.

It features Wacom ™ EMR Technology, which enables fast accurate writing with 4096 pressure sensitivity and update times of less than 30 milliseconds. It also comes with a Wacom digital pen, and the tablet is compatible with other Wacom-enabled pens. The tablets run on a progressive web app (PWA), or web application that can be optimized for use on the tablet which runs on a standard Android 9 OS.

It also enables Android APK tools for assisting developers in optimizing Android applications for use on the Digital Paper tablet. It so features a UI design guide, programming guide, and waveform guide.

For more information, and specifications about Digital Paper Tablet Solution, visit E-Ink’s product page

Arylic Up2Stream HD DAC – A Wireless Audio Streaming System with Airplay 2, aptX HD, and Hi-Res Audio Support

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

Audio System Company, Arylic, known for its popular Up2Stream multiroom wireless audio boards since 2018 has added a new member to its family of DIY Audio streamers. The board is named Up2Stream HD DAC and is a wireless Audio Streaming System with support for Airplay 2, aptX HD, and Hi-Res audio features.

With support for Apple Airplay 2, the Up2Stream HD DAC allows music streaming from iOS gadgets to multiple Apple devices simultaneously. It comes with a high-performance ESS 9038Q2M, a hardware audio codec from ESS Technology to offer 1:1 high-fidelity lossless 192khz/24bits high-resolution audio output capable of delivering high-quality sound with connected sound systems. It also features dual-band WiFi and Aptx HD Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless functions needed in modern audio systems such as wireless speakers and streamers. It has a small form factor that can fit into a traditional sound system to turn it into a wireless streamer and connect it with any other audio system with Arylic audio board, thereby supporting multiroom installations.

The Up2Stream HD DAC is an enhanced Up2Stream as it features a display panel (promised to come in the future) header for visuals, 2 MCU GPIO headers that can accept a button board, and a digital input header. It also has 1 Ethernet port for LAN, 1 Line Out, an Optical Out, and 1 AUX input. Other features of the device include an IR receiver, a power button, and a type-c USB for 5V/2A input.

Highlight specifications and features of the Up2Stream HD DAC:

Audio:

  • Codec: ESS 9038Q2M
  • Stereo RCA  output
  • 1x Optical output (S/PDIF),
  • 1x coaxial output (S/PDIF)
  • Digital input header
  • AUX input header

Audio formats: WAV, FLAC, ALAC, MP3, AAC/AAC+, APE

Streaming Compatibility: AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal connect,  Amazon Music, Internet Radio, iHeartRadio, Napster, 4Stream app, Qobuz HD, Deezer

Connectivity:

  • Ethernet port
  • 802.11 b/g/WiFi 4 (Dual-band)
  • Aptx HD Bluetooth 5.0

Expansion headers:

  • 1x Digital input pin header
  • 1x Display Panel pin headers
  • 2x MCU GPIO pin header

Miscellaneous:

  • 3x LEDs indicators (for WiFi, Bluetooth, audio input)
  • IR Receiver for remote control

Power: 

  • 1x USB type-C port (at 5V/2A)
  • 1x multifunctional power button (for ON/OFF, WiFi/BT Reset, Mode Select, Factory Reset)

Dimension: 110 x 74mm 

Furthermore, it offers a free iOS & Android 4STREAM App that allows you to choose your music source and manage playback, control multiroom/independent playback, access WiFi settings, and set EQ. It is also compatible with Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, allowing you to stream music directly from Spotify and Tidal. Other online services supported include Amazon Music, Deezer, Internet Radio, iHeartRadio, and Napster.

The Up2Stream HD DAC is available with a user manual, 2x antennas for WiFi & Bluetooth, and a 3-pin PH2.0 cable for order on ARYLIC at $249.00.

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