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COM-HPC server modules have 80-core Ampere® Altra® Arm-based SoCs for embedded applications

Posted on by mixos

The new COM-HPC Ampere® Altra® is a first-in-its-class power-efficient solution for high performance embedded edge applications.

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, introduces the COM-HPC Ampere® Altra®, the world’s first 80-core COM-HPC server type module that eliminates power-performance limitations. The new server type module targets edge platforms that reliably and predictably process the most compute-intensive workloads, eliminating bottlenecks and restrictions typically caused by memory caches and system memory limits on edge devices. The COM-HPC Ampere Altra core is an Ampere Altra SoC (system on a chip) using the Arm® Neoverse™ N1 architecture, providing premium performance within a relatively modest thermal envelope, lower TCO than x86 designs, and significantly lower power consumption.

The COM-HPC Ampere Altra delivers an unprecedented performance-power ratio of up to 80 Arm v8.2 64-bit cores running at up to 2.8GHz with only 175 watts. The COM-HPC Ampere Altra provides three PCIe Gen4 x16 lanes with a homogenous architecture and valuable compute power for demanding workloads, such as real-time/near-real-time applications including autonomous driving, stationary and mobile robotics, medical imaging and robotic surgery, test and measurement, and video broadcasting. In addition, it is excellently suited as a native arm64 development and compilation system for lower power embedded arm64 designs.

“Ampere Altra delivers the scalable power and performance necessary to drive a variety of use cases in the embedded development community from autonomous vehicles to medical instrumentation and industrial robotics,”

said Jeff Wittich, chief product officer of Ampere.

“By delivering this family of COM-HPC modules in collaboration with ADLINK, we give these industries new choices for power efficient, high performance SystemReady design. These can be applied whether in a vehicle or in the many edge devices out there that have had only x86 options to choose from in the past.”

“By teaming up with Ampere and Arm and using their Arm Neoverse N1-based Ampere Altra SoC, our high performance-per-watt COM-HPC Ampere Altra architecture allows our strategic partners and customers to process data intensive workloads at the edge without worrying about big upfront investments, hardware overheating, or ongoing maintenance costs,”

says Alex Wang, ADLINK’s product manager of embedded boards and modules.

Ampere Altra is one of the first with Arm SystemReady SR certification; ADLINK is also working closely with Ampere and Arm to certify the COM-HPC Altra prototype system as a SystemReady SR device. COM-HPC Ampere Altra supports the open-source edk2 as a bootloader with UEFI. Existing customers can just download a stock aarch64 (arm64) ISO such as Ubuntu and install it through booting a live ISO directly on the target. The same convenience we have become used to by using x86 / amd64 target systems.

COM-HPC Altra key features:

  • Arm Neoverse N1-based architecture
  • Scalable, from 32 to 80 Arm v8.2 64-bit cores (60 to 175 watts)
  • 768GB DDR4 with 6 individual memory channels for demanding workloads
  • 64x PCIe Gen4 lanes
  • edk2 bootloader with TianoCore / UEFI
  • Arm SystemReady SR: ready to install stock aarch64 Ubuntu 20.04, Yocto Linux
  • Gigabit Ethernet support: 4x 10GbE and 1x GbE
  • SOAFEE-compliant

Find more information on the COM-HPC Ampere Altra module here,

315Mhz RF Remote Receiver with On Board Relay – Arduino Compatible

Posted on by mixos

This is one channel RF Receiver with an onboard Relay. The project can be used for ON/OFF control of AC or DC loads using an RF remote. It’s an Arduino compatible Receiver project that consists of, Atmega328 microcontroller, 315MHz RF Receiver, 12v Relay, 5V Regulator, etc.

315Mhz RF Remote Receiver with On-Board Relay – Arduino Compatible – [Link]

315Mhz RF Remote Transmitter – Arduino Compatible

Posted on by mixos

This is a two-channel RF Transmitter unit that consists of, Atmega328 microcontroller, 2 Tactile switches with pull-down resistors, a programming port, and a 315Mhz RF transmitter module. It is an Arduino compatible open-source project that can be used for many RF transmitter applications. It is advisable to use 1 Foot hook-up wire as Antenna to enjoy a maximum range of the transmitter.

315Mhz RF Remote Transmitter – Arduino Compatible – [Link]

4 Channel 315Mhz RF Remote Transmitter – Arduino Compatible

Posted on by mixos

This is a 4 channel RF Transmitter unit that consists of an Atmega328 microcontroller, 4 x tactile switches with pull-down resistors, programming port, and 315Mhz RF transmitter module. It is Arduino compatible open-source project that can be used for many RF transmitter applications. It is advisable to use a 30cm hook-up wire as an antenna to enjoy a maximum range of the transmitter.

4 Channel 315Mhz RF Remote Transmitter – Arduino Compatible – [Link]

ASUS’ Single Board Computer Tinker Board 2S is now available for $120

Posted on by Abhishek Jadhav

Asus released Tinker Board 2 and 2S with some upgraded features in the last quarter of 2020. But after a while, the Asus Tinker Board 2S is available to buy on Amazon and Aliexpress. The board came to light competing with the popular Raspberry Pi 4 with a similar set of specifications but might not perform as well as the RPi. Due to the increased visibility of the product, there are several good reviews available on the Asus Tinker Board 2S that might help you make an informed decision.

Before going into the details, let us look at the improved CPU performance that features Arm big.LITTLE technology. This is a processing architecture that pairs two very different processors together in a single SoC, which means it can now provide twice the of the original Tinker Board. However, looking at the review of the board by Tom’s Hardware gives us the sense that the board can’t even come close to competing with the Raspberry Pi 4 due to its weak performance.

What’s inside the Asus Tinker Board 2S

  • SoC: Rockchip RK3399
  • CPU: Dual-core Arm Cortex-A72 at 2.0 GHz, and Quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz
  • GPU: Arm Mali-T860 MP4 GPU at 800 MHz
  • Memory: Dual-CH LPDDR4 2GB / 4GB
  • Storage: 16GB eMMC and can be expanded via Micro SD(TF) card slot
  • Interfaces: MIPI CSI-2 camera interface, HDMI audio output
  • GPIOs: 40
  • USB: 3x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C OTG port
  • Power: 12~19V DC Power Input Jack
  • OS: Debian 9 / Android 10
  • Dimensions: 85 x 56 mm

Tinker Board 2S Back View

The Asus Tinker Board 2S comes with support for wireless connectivity through IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 that gives faster data transfer rates. Rich connectivity also comes via three USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports and one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C (USB-C) port. The RTC battery header enables the real-time clock function, giving the ability for the system clock to keep time when main power is lost.

The board did pretty good when it comes to connectivity via USB but lacks the smoothness of the software support. You can consider buying this for home server applications but looking at the price of $120, the Raspberry Pi will always be a better choice for the maker community. If you are interested in buying the product, head to the Amazon and Aliexpress product page.

Open Source Manual Pick And Place Machine For PCB Makers

Posted on by Tope Oluyemi

Details about Pixel Pump, which is an open-source vacuum pump for manual SMT assembly have been posted on Crowd supply. It features a comfortable pen, a foot pedal, RGB LED buttons, and host a variety of features that make hand assembly a lot more fun. It is perfect for manual SMT soldering applications, from individual prototypes to small production runs.

The pen is equipped with a barbed connection for the air hose, and also a standard luer lock tip for attaching the nozzles. The four M8 steel nuts you fund inside the pen provide some weight, and also enable magnetic attachment to the Pixel Pump.

Pixel Pump also features a tactile silicone button with RGB backlighting, which enables full control over the unit. Operation modes can be switched between high and low power settings or put into a reverse mode to clean your nozzle. The buttons also enable access to different setting modes such as fine-tuning the vacuum power modes or adjusting the LED brightness to match the lighting of your workplace.

Pixel Pump is equipped with a pressure relief valve that dumps the vacuum when releasing the foot pedal. This ensures that your part gets released quickly. On request, you can switch the valves from suction to blow mode, enabling for a quick and easy nozzle clean in cases whereby you have sucked in debris like solder paste by accident. You will find a sintered air filter, which is installed right before the air enters the system. This air filter protects the vacuum pump and all the valves from debris which are being sucked in by accident. You can easily access the filter from the outside, making it easy to be cleaned and reused.

Pixel Pump is a good substitute for an expensive automatic pick and place machine. It is designed primarily for individuals and organizations that create single prototypes. However, it can be used for small production runs. It is very easy to use, and for smaller batch sizes it is faster to set up than an automated pick and place machine. The Pixel Pump is the perfect tool for hobbyists and professionals for their PCB projects.

The entire unit of the Pixel Pump including the pen, and parts of the foot pedal are 3D printed. This enables you to carry out quick adjustments and fixes during production. It also makes it possible to print replacement parts if needed. The project is open source. The source code, STL files, and schematics will be available on GitHub once it has passed the pre-launch phase and the campaign has started.

Video

Features & Specifications

  • The comfortable pen that holds different vacuum needles
  • Small, flexible, and heat resistant silicone hose connecting the pen and the Pixel Pump
  • Variable and strong vacuum that allows for picking very small and large components
  • Magnetic base for the pen
  • Tactile RGB silicone button interface
  • Foot pedal for triggering the pump
  • Optional second foot pedal for even cooler things like iBOM remote control
  • Adjustable High/Low power settings
  • Adjustable LED brightness
  • Reverse mode that creates a pressure instead of a vacuum – used for cleaning the nozzle
  • Vacuum relief valve for quick depressurization so the part falls down immediately
  • Easy software updates via USB-C
  • Small and compact so it does not use up much space on your workbench

For more information, visit the campaign page on Crowd Supply.

$150 Azulle Ally Mini PC Runs Android 10 and is based on Snapdragon 450 SoC

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

Azulle will soon launch its first deployable Android mini PC. The company is known for manufacturing small computers generally equipped with Intel processors and Windows software but this time, they decided to do the unusual with a palm-sized Android mini PC powered by a chip commonly found in budget smartphones.

The Azulle Ally mini PC is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC which features eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz, an Adreno 506 GPU, a built-in 4G LTE modem, and support for WiFi 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1. The processor, though low-end (compared to most high-end models), is still cool for business applications that focus on a particular task.

The mini PC is further equipped with 16GB of storage, 2GB RAM, one HDMI port, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, and wired and wireless networking capabilities. It also has a small size that allows it to be hidden behind any display while it’s been used.

Additionally, its 16GB storage capacity and 2GB system memory also make the PC more suitable for Android-based business applications and software. The PC supports AI technology and runs on an Android 10 operating system.

Key Features and Specifications of the Azulle Ally mini PC include:

  • SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 (SD450) with:
    • Eight Arm Cortex A53 cores at up to 1.8 GHz
    • Adreno 506 GPU with OpenGL ES 3.1
    • OpenCL 2.0 Full, DirectX 12, Hexagon 546 DSP
    • 1080p60 video decoder/1080p90 video encoder for H.265, H.265, VP8, and (decode-only) VP9
    • WiFi 802.11ac (1×1, max 364 Mbps)
    • Bluetooth 4.1
  • System Memory: 2GB RAM
  • Storage: 16GB eMMC flash
  • Video Output: Micro HDMI 1.4 port up to 1080p60
  • Ethernet RJ45 port
  • Dual-band 802.11b/g/n/ac WiFi 5 and Bluetooth 4.2 LE
  • 2x USB 3.0
  • Micro USB port
  • 12V DC via power barrel jack
  • Dimensions: TBD (Mounting holes for behind display and wall mounting)
  • Operating System: Android 10

The Azulle Ally Snapdragon 450 mini PC can be used for displaying video content via digital signage (supports 1080p@60 H.265, H264, VP8, VP9). It can also be used in IoT-based applications, edge computing, wayfinding machines, digital menu boards, and Android-based kiosk systems.

The PC is currently up for pre-order on Azulle online store for $149. Hopefully, the company will be able to offer other features like a wide temperature range or a commitment to long-term supply, because, at the price, it is quite difficult to see the value proposition especially as one will get a PC with a better processor with lesser price. There is however no information on future updates.

Further details on the mini PC can be found on the product page.

PICO DSP is Compact Arduino-Compatible ESP32 Board for Digital Signal Processing Applications

Posted on by Saumitra Jagdale

PICO DSP Feature Image

Since the introduction of the ESP32, the ESP32 audio development boards have endeared to the hearts of both hobbyists and electronics design experts. Recently, Ohmic Electronics is crowdfunding a new Arduino-compatible ESP32-based development board. The PICO DSP is an open-source development board that provides a comprehensive set of audio-processing features in a compact, breadboard-friendly package. It is designed for audio and digital signal processing (DSP) applications.

Features of PICO DSP

Pico DSP is built around an Espressif ESP32 PICO D4 processor, with a 32-bit dual-core microcontroller operating at 80/160/240 MHz. It provides a choice of either 4 MB SPI Flash with 8 MB additional pseudo-static RAM (PSRAM) or 16 MB of External SPI Flash.

Onboard there is a Wolfson WM9878 stereo audio codec with 3.5mm audio input and output connectors optimized for mobile computing and communications. Additionally, there are two on-board Knowles MEMS microphones that can be used as broadside or end-fire beam-forming arrays, as well as a stereo line-in and mono audio out on the GPIO header. The GPIO header also houses a 1W onboard speaker driver.

The development board is lightweight and portable. When combined with an external 3.7 V rechargeable Lithium-Polymer battery, it can be deployed practically anywhere or integrated into almost any device, instrument, or installation.

Pinout Diagram of PICO DSP

With a 70 x 24 mm form factor, the breadboard-friendly design includes 11 GPIO pins with access to both ESP32 ADC channels, JTAG for debugging, and capacitive-touch pins. For data and power, there is also a USB Type-C port. The manufacturer rates the board at 100mA while Wi-Fi is turned off and the microphones are active and under DSP control. Furthermore, it rates 52.4mA when the audio codec is on standby, and 5.7mA when the ESP32 is in deep sleep mode.

Talking about software support, PICO DSP supports several programming environments. Therefore, the board can be programmed in C/C++ with the Arduino IDE, Espressif IDF, or the open-source PlatformIO IDE extension for VS Code. Also, by using Esptool.py, you can flash it.

Original Edition vs Strawberry Edition

The firm recommends the Original Edition for beginner users who want to get started with audio programming on the ESP32 and are programming with the Arduino IDE. On the other hand, the “Strawberry Edition,” is a more experimental option for all those who require greater storage capacity.

PICO DSP vs other ESP32 Audio boards

Application Aspects of PICO DSP

In addition to DSP applications, the board can be used in different areas such as music, art, creative technology, and adaptive technology. Digital music synthesis, mobile recording, Bluetooth speakers, wireless line-level directional microphones, and the design of smart musical instruments are few examples of music-related technology. Art-related applications include acoustic sensor networks, sound-art installations, and Internet-radio applications. Examples of creative and adaptive technology are voice user interface (VUI) design and Web audio for the Internet of Sounds.

For more information on the PICO DSP open-source development board visit the Crowd Supply website.

Home Assistant Amber, Now Available on Crowd Supply

Posted on by mixos

Crowd Supply, the leading product development platform connecting hardware creators with early adopters and enthusiastic backers, announces the launch of Home Assistant Amber, a purpose-built hardware solution for the operation of home automation software. Built by the developers of the popular Home Assistant software ecosystem, Amber offers a privacy-focused, open-source alternative to proprietary platforms like Google Home and Philips Hue. Home Assistant Amber is ready to work out of the box and boasts more than 1,000 integrations for unifying networks of smart home products including Nest, Sonos, and Amazon Alexa.

Features & Specifications

  • Carrier board for Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4)
    • CM4 board-to-board connector
    • Supports direct boot from NVMe devices (e.g., for CM4 Lite)
    • 12 cm x 12 cm
    • Compatible with all 32 variants of CM4
      • Quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARMv8) 64-bit / 1.5 GHz
      • Up to 8 GB RAM
      • Up to 32 GB eMMC
      • Regulatory approval does not cover wireless variants
  • Integrated smart-home wireless (Silicon Labs MGM210P Mighty Gecko Module)
    • Supports Zigbee 3.0, OpenThread, and Matter
    • 2.4 GHz radio with TX power up to +20 dBm
    • 1024 KB flash program memory, 96 KB RAM data memory
    • Pre-installed with Zigbee 3.0 firmware (EZSP), can be upgraded
  • Expansion slot
    • For NVMe SSDs or Google Coral AI Accelerator (M-Key)
    • M.2 socket M-Key
    • Supports 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280 modules
    • PCIe x1
  • Gigabit Ethernet
  • 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A host port
  • 1 x USB-C 2.0 device port (Silicon Labs CP2102N USBXpress USB bridge)
    • UART mode (default): debug USB-to-serial adapter
    • USB mode: CM4 USB 2.0 interface for USB recovery
  • High-quality stereo audio DAC
    • 2 V RMS line-out on 3.5 mm audio jack
    • SNR 106 dB
  • 2 x Push button
    • Red: Factory reset
    • Blue: To be determined
  • RTC backed by CR2032 battery
  • Status LEDs (can be powered off during regular operation)
    • Green: Power
    • Red: Disk usage
    • Yellow: Home Assistant system state
  • Power
    • 12 V / 2 A through barrel DC power jack (5.5 mm x 2.1 mm)
    • Ethernet: PoE+ IEEE 802.3at-2009 Class 3 or 4 (selectable via jumper)
    • Typical power usage
      • Idle ~1.5 W
      • Idle with NVMe ~2.5 W
      • Load ~5-9 W
  • Enclosure
    • 123 mm x 123 mm x 36 mm
    • Translucent injection-molded polycarbonate plastic
    • Tool-free assembly
    • Accommodates custom heat sink (included)

Amber, developed by the makers of Home Assistant and launched with support from Crowd Supply as part of the Silicon Labs IoT Accelerator, is designed around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, which can be easily upgraded to scale alongside your home automation needs. The new Home Assistant hardware device communicates with other devices using an integrated Zigbee radio by Silicon Labs, offering a forward-compatible solution with the Matter home automation protocol. Home Assistant Amber also features an onboard M.2 slot to facilitate expanded SSD storage or other peripherals.

Home Assistant Amber is available in three configurations. The flagship version operates immediately after plugging in the Ethernet cable and power supply, and the package includes a pre-installed Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4). Another kit is a suitable option for those who already own a CM4, as it features all other necessary components for operation, including a CM4 carrier board, heat sink, transparent polycarbonate enclosure, power supply, and Ethernet cable. Finally, a PoE kit features a Power-over-Ethernet-enabled CM4 carrier board for single-wire operation.

To learn more about Home Assistant Amber, visit https://www.crowdsupply.com/nabu-casa/home-assistant-amber

Fibocom Advances US CBRS Commercialization with LTE-A Wireless Module FM101-CG

Posted on by mixos

Fibocom, a global leading provider of IoT (Internet of Things) wireless solutions and wireless communication modules, introduces the LTE Advanced wireless module FM101-CG. Featuring 3GPP Release 12 capabilities, the FM101-CG module is exclusively designed to boost the commercial deployment of products operating in the US Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum.

To relieve the difficulty and uncertainty people faced in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund Program, which aims to help students, school staff and library patrons improve internet connectivity using the CBRS band for remote learning. CBRS, shared spectrum from 3.55 to 3.7 GHz, is able to offer fast connectivity in the US with the reliability that sophisticated educational applications demand.

Fibocom is accelerating CBRS-based wireless network deployment with our new LTE-A Category 6 wireless communication module FM101-CG. It is able to address the requirements of CBRS-based network applications for multiple scenarios, including but not limited to remote education, industry IoT, smart cities, etc. Powered by the Snapdragon® X12+ LTE Modem from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Fibocom’s FM101-CG module supports LTE TDD Band 42/43/48 and delivers maximum data rates of up 260 Mbps downlink and 30 Mbps uplink. The module adopts M.2 form factor measuring 30.042.02.3mm.

Along with abundant functionalities such as DFOTA, VoLTE and Audio, the Fibocom FM101-CG module supports multi-constellation GNSS receiver, including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo, for high-performance positioning and navigation. Fibocom’s FM101-CG module supports multiple operating systems (Linux/ Android/ Windows), various Internet protocols as well as a rich set of digital interfaces (USIM, USB 3.0/2.0, PCIe 2.0 and PCM/I2S), allowing much flexibility and ease of integration for customer’s application.

“Qualcomm Technologies is pleased to collaborate with Fibocom on the introduction of the FM101-CG module, featuring the Snapdragon X12+ LTE Modem. Qualcomm Technologies has been at the forefront of commercialization of CBRS with support since 2017 and this announcement further emphasizes our commitment to the wide scale deployment of CBRS and enabling reliable, cost-effective and scalable wireless connectivity that addresses the sophisticated needs of remote education, small businesses, hospitals, industry IoT, homes and more,”

said Gautam Sheoran, Senior Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Ron Friedman, VP of Americas Sales Dept., Fibocom, commented,

“Powered by the Snapdragon X12+ LTE Modem, the Fibocom FM101-CG module is tailored for CBRS network, providing seamless and reliable connectivity for various industries. With shared spectrum technology CBRS, organizations can make use of their own private networks, particularly for off-campus connectivity, ensuring fast, reliable and secure connectivity that’s available in limited, hard-to-reach areas.”

At present, the engineering samples of FM101-CG are available for product testing and development, which provides solutions that helps device OEMs and systems designers with their innovative new products, optimizing business operations and processes.

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