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Vizy; Raspberry Pi Based AI Camera Goes Live On Kickstarter

Posted on 2 November, 202017 April, 2024 by Tope Oluyemi

Charmed Labs has launched a campaign on Kickstarter for its Raspberry Pi based AI camera called Vizy. Vizy can be seen as a “powerful platform for AI, scientific and vision applications and a great way to become familiar with and learn AI and image processing.” You don’t need to know how to program to use Vizy. How does Vizy work? Like a regular camera, Vizy AI camera captures images, processes and interpret the images then perform actions such as:

bird on bird feeder → identify bird species and post a high-quality picture to the cloud
squirrel on bird feeder stealing bird seed → employ squirrel-discouraging technology to remove squirrel and restore order
cat standing near back door → text owner that cat wants to be let outside

Vizy AI camera can also extract data from the stream of images captured by its camera and record the data for later analysis to help answer questions such as:

What are the numbers of cars, bicycles and people per hour on a given thoroughfare?
What are the speeds of these cars, bicycles and people?
Are giraffes visiting the feeder that you installed in your backyard? If so, how many? What time of day? And how long are they staying?

The Vizy AI camera, with its high-tech features like the Raspberry Pi 4 CPU and the capacity for high-speed image processing, is designed for versatility, similar to the robust platform provided by abs카지노. This camera stands out with its high-resolution optics and deep-learning neural networks, ensuring that whether it’s for personal projects or professional applications, users have access to a powerful tool. Just as the Vizy camera processes data on-board without extra fees, this online casino offers a streamlined gaming experience, free from unnecessary complications. Its digital and analog I/Os for varied control options reflect the diverse gaming choices and accessibility that users value in an online casino.

Vizy features ready to run applications. These ready to run applications includes:

Birdfeeder: The Birdfeeder application watches your bird feeder and can identify 20 common bird species. It captures pictures of the birds and uploads them to the cloud (Google Photos) for you to view and see what birds have been visiting your bird feeder.
Motionscope: Motionscope uses Vizy’s camera to capture the motion of moving objects. It can accurately measure the position, velocity and acceleration of each object in each frame. Motionscope can also display graphs of each object’s x and y position, velocity and acceleration. Or if you prefer, Motionscope can provide the raw motion data in spreadsheet form. Sliders allow you to adjust the spacing of the data points and the size of the time window.
Telescope: The Vizy Telescope application can help explore the night sky. It can be used with motorized telescope mounts like the Sky Watcher Virtuoso or the Celestron NexStar series. Vizy can control these mounts directly while taking pictures and processing the images.
Pet companion: Pet Companion can detect your dog or cat, take pictures and videos of them and upload them to the cloud for you and your family/friends to enjoy. You can connect to Pet Companion remotely to check on your pet and give them treats, for example.

The Vizy AI camera is a very promising device. However, the project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by Fri, October 30 2020 6:56 PM CET. For more information about the Vizy AI camera, visit the campaign page on Kickstarter. You can also visit vizy’s wiki page for documentation and tutorials on creating Vizy applications.

Arduino Portenta Vision Shield — New Portenta Add-on For Edge Machine Learning and Computer Vision

Posted on 2 November, 20202 November, 2020 by Emmanuel Odunlade

Earlier this year, Arduino in an attempt to launch something more suitable for industrial use and the Internet of Things, unveiled the Portenta H7 module, which is designed to run high-level code and real-time tasks simultaneously.

As the first in a new family of boards, the Portenta H7 module built around an STMicroelectronics STM32H747 with a dual-core Arm Cortex-M7 and a Cortex-M4 on chip at 480MHz and 240MHz respectively can run Python, JavaScript, native Arduino code, and applications running atop Arm’s Mbed operating system.

Now, the company has announced a new production-ready expansion for the powerful Arduino Portenta H7 module called the Portenta H7 Vision Shield.

The Portenta Vision Shield has everything you need for the rapid creation of edge Machine Learning applications: low-power camera, two microphones, and Ethernet connectivity. Speaking on the launch of the Portenta Vision Shield, leader of the Arduino Pro business unit, Andrea Richetta, said that:

“embedded machine learning has the capacity to transform industries”,

and with the Portenta Vision Shield delivering certified, production-ready hardware with support from easy-to-use ML software frameworks, low-power machine vision and audio applications will now go faster from concept to deployment.

The Portenta Vision Shield aims at extending the capabilities of the Portenta H7 into computer vision and voice applications. The Shield packs in two ultra- compact and omnidirectional MP34DT06JTR microphones configured as a beam-forming array and a 324×324 pixels camera module which contains an Ultra Low Power Image Sensor that autonomously detects motion while the Portenta H7 is in stand-by. The image sensors have high sensitivity and can capture gestures, ambient light, proximity sensing, and object identification

Other features include:

1x 100 Mbps Ethernet connector to get the Portenta H7 connected to the wired Internet
1x JTAG connector for low-level debugging of the Portenta board or special firmware updates using an external programmer, and,
1x SD-Card connector to store captured data in the card, or read configuration files.

The Vision Shield’s sensors capture audio and video data, store them locally on a microSD card, and transmit them either through the Shield’s Ethernet port or the Portenta’s WiFi or Bluetooth Low Energy radios. Hopefully, there should be another version of the Vision Shield that will include the option of LoRa wireless connectivity before the year runs out.

Arduino has also partnered with OpenMV to add full Portenta and Vision Shield support to the OpenMV IDE. The OpenMV IDE will allow users to develop low-cost Python powered camera vision and audio applications.

More details on the Portenta Vision Shield, including the download link to the OpenMV IDE v.2.6.4 can be found on the Arduino store where the board currently sells for $45.

Brushed DC Motor Controller Using Infra-Red Remote

This project enables the user to control a Brushed DC Motor using an Infra-Red Remote Control, thus controlling speed, direction, and also brake of DC Motor is possible. It’s an Arduino compatible open-source hardware that helps you develop many DC Motor control applications. The user has to write the code as per the application requirement. The project is based on three main parts, Atmega328 microcontroller, LMD18201 DC Motor H-bridge, and TSOP1838 Infra-red receiver. This board can control DC motor up to 48V DC with continuous current up to 3A and with peak current 6A.

Example Arduino code is available under Downloads below. This code will help you to control the speed of the motor in 4 steps up/down using an infra-red remote control with help of two switches.

Boot-Loader Burning and Arduino Programming

A new Atmega328 Chip requires Boot Loader Burning to upload Arduino code, refer to the link for further information about the process:

How to Decode IR Remote Control Signals using Arduino

I have used a mini MP3 remote control to test this project, you can use any IR remote with this project, but the user has to decode the IR remote and define Hex value in Arduino code. More details on decoding IR Remote available here:

Arduino Pins Vs LMD18201 Motor Driver Pins

Arduino Digital D5>>PWM Pin LMD18201, Arduino Digital Pin D11 >> Direction Pin LMD18201, Analog Pin A1 >> Break Pin LMD18201, Arduino Digital pin D2 >> IR Receiver TSOP1838

Power Supply

You can run a 12V to 24V motor and in this case, the board requires a single power supply of 12V to 24V DC, to use this option Close the jumper 2 and power the CN2 12V to 24V. To drive a Higher voltage motor, the circuit requires 2 separate power supply for logic and motor, in this case, open the jumper J2, use CN2 to apply motor supply 25V to 48V and CN1 7V to 24V logic supply.

Heat-sink: If you want to fetch full power from LMD18201 IC, it is advisable to use the large size heatsink on LMD18201 IC.

Brake: Brake Jumper J1 is always closed for normal operation with example code. Open the jumper if this option required in operations.

Features

Operating Power Supply 12V to 24V DC or 25V to 48V DC
Load Current Up to 3Amps Continues
D1 Power LED
IR Remote: Motor Direction CW/CCW, Speed Control, Brake
On-Board L317ADJ Regulator to Power 5V DC to Atmega328 Chip
PCB Dimensions 51.91MM X 41.91MM

LMD18201

The LMD18201 is a 3A H-Bridge designed for motion control applications. The device is built using a multi-technology process which combines bipolar and CMOS control circuitry with DMOS power devices on the same monolithic structure. The H-Bridge configuration is ideal for driving DC and stepper motors. The LMD18201 accommodates peak output currents up to 6A. Current sensing can be achieved via a small sense resistor connected in series with the power ground lead. For current sensing without disturbing the path of current to the load, the LMD18200 is recommended.

Schematic

Parts List

Connections

Gerber View

Photos

Video

LMD18201 Datasheet

XENSIV™ TLI493D-W2BW 3D Magnetic Sensor

Posted on 30 October, 2020 by mixos

Infineon Technologies’ 3D magnetic sensor is dedicated for space-critical applications such as BLDC commutation in micromotors or control elements

Infineon Technologies‘ XENSIV 3D magnetic sensor (TLI493D-W2BW) combines high-accuracy magnetic field measurements with an extremely compact footprint and exceptionally low power consumption (minimum 7 nA). This sensor offers up a host of exciting use cases including innovative human-machine interfaces in the form of industrial and consumer joysticks, ergonomic pushbuttons on domestic appliances, and highly precise position control in robotics.

Features

3D (X, Y, Z) magnetic flux density sensing of ±160 mT
Programmable flux resolution down to 65 µT (typical)
Extremely small form factor: 1.13 mm x 0.93 mm x 0.59 mm (typical)
X-Y angular measurement mode
Power-down mode with 7 nA power consumption (typical)
12-bit data resolution for each measurement direction plus 10-bit temperature sensor
Variable update frequencies and power modes (configurable during operation)
Temperature range: -40°C to +125°C
Supply voltage range: 2.8 V to 3.5 V
Triggering by external microcontroller possible via I²C protocol
Interrupt signal to indicate a valid measurement to the microcontroller

Applications

Anti-tempering protection in smart meters
Joysticks for medical equipment, cranes, CCTV-control, game consoles, and industrial applications
Control elements in white goods (i.e. multifunction knobs)
Ergonomic push-and-control buttons on domestic appliances and power tools
Position control in robotics

more information: https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/sensor/magnetic-sensors/magnetic-position-sensors/3d-magnetics/tli493d-w2bw-a0/

New generation Time-of-Flight Ranging sensor with advanced multi-zone and multi-object detection

Posted on 30 October, 202031 October, 2020 by mixos

The VL53L5 is a state of the art, Time-of-Flight (ToF), laser-ranging sensor enhancing the ST FlightSense product family. Housed in a miniature reflowable package, it integrates a SPAD array, physical infrared filters, and diffractive optics (DOE) to achieve the best ranging performance in various ambient lighting conditions with a range of cover glass materials.

The use of a DOE above the vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) allows a square FoV to be projected onto the scene. The reflection of this light is focused by the receiver lens onto a SPAD array. Unlike conventional IR sensors, the VL53L5 uses ST’s latest generation, direct ToF technology which allows absolute distance measurement whatever the target color and reflectance. It provides accurate ranging up to 400 cm and can work at fast speeds (60 Hz), which makes it the fastest, multi-point, miniature ToF sensor on the market.

Key Features

Fully integrated miniature module
- Emitter: 940 nm invisible vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) and integrated analog driver
- 61 ° diagonal square system field of view (FoV) using diffractive optical elements (DOE) on both transmitter and receiver
- Receiving array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs)
- Low-power microcontroller running Firmware
- Size: 6.4 x 3.0 x 1.5 mm
Fast, accurate distance ranging
- Parallel multi zone output; either 4×4 or 8×8 separate regions of interest (ROI)
- Up to 400 cm ranging
- 60 Hz frame rate capability
- Histogram processing and algorithmic compensation minimizes or removes impact of cover glass crosstalk
- Dynamic crosstalk compensation for fingerprint smudge via latest patented ToF techniques
Easy integration
- Single reflowable component
- Flexible power supply options, single 3.3 V or 2.8 V operation or combination of either 3.3 V or 2.8 V AVDD with 1.8 V IOVDD
- Compatible with wide range of cover glass materials
- I²C or SPI interface
- Low-power pin and two general purpose inputs (GPIOs) for interrupt and synchronization
- Full set of software drivers (Linux and Android compatible) for turnkey ranging

With patented algorithms and ingenious module construction, the VL53L5 is also able to detect different objects within the FoV with depth information at 60 Hz. Scene browsing and multi zone detection is possible with the VL53L5 thanks to a software customizable detection array to achieve a quicker touch-to-focus or mini depth map.

more information: https://www.st.com/en/imaging-and-photonics-solutions/vl53l5.html

[via www.cnx-software.com]

E3K – An affordable, open source all-in-one bio-sensing platform

Posted on 30 October, 2020 by Micael Coutinho

Nowadays, technology is more and more used as a means to understand our bodies and provide us with some extra quality when it comes to our health. At the epicenter of this are the IoT devices that we use everyday, such as our smartwatches, that give us many interesting insights on the physical activities that we endure, monitors our sleep and even helps in staying healty, reminding us to drink water, get up, among other things. Besides that, the acquisition of data regarding the human body can help in further advancing the health field. But there is a small caveat: the platforms and sensors use are costly, making some people stay away from these sorts of projects, like us, hobbyists. Imagine the things we can do with a cheap and reliable bio-signals sensing platform. Now, think E3K!

Let me explain: E3K is a bio-signals platform that aggegates computing power, Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi connectivity along with bio-sensors. By their words, their aim is “providing an affordable, fully open-source, wireless framework for an intuitive understanding of bio-signals originated from the human heart, muscle, and brain”. It counts with a electromyography sensor (EMG), for muscle movements, a electrocardiography sensor (ECG), for the heart signals, a electroencephalography sensor (EEG), to capture brain activity and a 9-DOF Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), to sense motion. Besides that, it combines them in a kit that enables you to take advantage of them at a high sample rate and connect whatever else you deem necessary for your application. As simple as Plug-N-Play, but you have some degree of freedom when it comes to customization, which is very interesting to see.

Regarding specifications, here is what you can expect from this development kit, besides the sensors:

Based on ESP32 development kit
Peripherals: 1x I2C port, to use the IMU sensor, 6x 3-pin headers to use with analog sensors (12-bit resolution) to use the EMG and ECG/EEG modules, 1x 5-pin header with 3 analog pins, to use the EMG and ECG/EEG sensors, 2x Qwiic I2C connectors, 1x SPI port, all ESP32 Dev kit pins, 2x 8-Bit DAC
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2 with BR/EDR and BLE and USB 2.0
On-board accelerometer, gyroscope and triaxial geomagnetic sensor
2x LEDs and buttons
Powered via USB of LiPo battery (with on-board charging and standard battery connector), with voltage ranging from 3.3 to 6 V
Sampling rate from 1 to 2000 Hz
Custom, open-source GUI for data acquisition
Programmable via Arduino IDE and Espressif IDF, with Arduino libraries and Python APIs being under development

Pinout of the data communication and processing unit

From such a solid development kit, you are probably expecting it to be expensive, but on reality, it really is not. You can get the combo for a mere $159 in CrowdSupply. Lastly, if you want to help them out, they are currently in the middle of funding, with still 22 days left to go.

E3K CrowdSupply Link: https://www.crowdsupply.com/wallysci/e3k

Wifi Gate Controller is Arduino Compatible

Posted on 30 October, 202029 October, 2021 by mixos

After years of using weak garage door openers and trying to position them just right so my solar powered gate 400′ away would open when needed I decided it was time to make a wireless controller of my own. 802.11 is a ubiquitous choice and with the right antenna range is not a problem. Two wireless modules consistently popped up when searching for low power embedded WiFi, ESP8266 and ATWINC1500. In the end I chose the ATWINC1500 module for it’s compatibility with Arduino and it’s low power modes. This board is fully compatible with the Arduino MRK1000 which includes a SAMD21G18 Arm processor and the ATWINC1500 module. I also chose to use MQTT. Recent projects showed how effective the MQTT client/server model is in this situation. I use Home Assistant for home automation and it directly supports MQTT.

This board is designed for and tested with a US Automation Gate Opener.

This PCB design uses my custom libraries available here Mike’s KiCad Libraries.

This PCB was designed with KiCad 5.1.2.

Note: The LMZ21700 Simple Switcher, SAMD21G18 ARM Processor, and ATWINC1500 WiFi Module have exposed pads on the bottom which requires either a reflow oven or hot air to solder properly.

For Bill of Materials generation, I use my version of KiBoM forked from SchrodingersGat.

The project sources are available on Github.com: https://github.com/mikelawrence/WiFi-Gate-Controller

PolarBerry – A secure PolarFire SoC (FPGA + RISC-V) Linux-capable SBC and SoM

Posted on 30 October, 202030 October, 2020 by mixos

PolarBerry is a System on Module (SoM) SBC utilizing the Microsemi PolarFire SoC, which integrates a low-power FPGA with a highly-secure, four-application-core, 64-bit RISC-V subsystem that is Linux-capable.

Application Flexibility

PolarBerry is designed to be application-flexible, while also being quick to use and deploy. Its combination of features make it perfect for applications that require high-performance but a low power draw, defense-level security, a real-time, deterministic RISC-V processor that’s capable of Linux, a small physical profile, immediate connectivity, or custom extensibility – such as those in the autonomous vehicle or defense industries.

FPGA, RISC-V, and Linux

PolarBerry with its PolarFire SoC provides a system with hardcore, deterministic, coherent RISC-V processing and programmable logic – enabling real-time systems and Linux with unparalleled security features.

SBC and SoM Form-factor

As the board is essentially an SBC in a SoM form-factor, it can be utilized as a standalone module or along with a carrier board like the Sundance DSP SE215 carrier or one of your own designs.

A Raspberry Pi connector, two CAN bus interfaces, and an RJ45 port for Ethernet allows PolarBerry to tap into extensive ecosystems, and its Samtec connectors provide high-speed communication to a carrier board for powerful peripheral customization.

For example, PolarBerry works well with our SE215 PCIe SoM carrier board which provides access to an FMC and additional interfaces like an SFP+ module.

Specifications

SoC: Microsemi PolarFire FPGA MPFS250T-FCVG484
- 5 x RISC-V cores in a deterministic, coherent cluster
  - 1 x RV64IMAC monitor core
  - 4 x RV64GC application cores
- 254K x logic elements (4LUT + DFF)
- 784 x math blocks (18 x 18 MACC)
- 16 x SERDES lanes at 12.5 Gbps
- 12 W maximum power consumption
- Built-in oscillator for configuration, etc.
Security:
- DPA-resistant bitstream programming
- DPA-resistant secure boot
- Anti-tamper
- DPA-resistant crypto-coprocessor
- CRI DPA countermeasures pass-through license
Memory: Micron MT40A1G16WBU-083E:B
- 4 GB of 32-bit wide DDR4 memory
Storage:
- 128 Mb SPI Serial NOR flash for storing boot image
- 4 Gb eMMC for general use
Clock Sources:
- 1 x 25 MHz XO with ±10 ppm stability over temperature, as reference
- 4 x Silicon Labs SI5338A programmable clock sources, providing flexible clocking to FPGA and high-speed transceivers
Transceivers:
- 4 x high-speed, low-power transceivers from 250 Mbps – 12.7 Gbps
Expansion Interfaces:
- High-speed IO: 3 x high-speed Samtec connectors
  - Bank 1 IO from FPGA including ULPI
  - JTAG
  - SPI interface from FPGA
  - 100/1000BASE-T interface
- Raspbery Pi connector: 40-pin (2 x 20) male headers with standard .1″ (2.54 mm) pitch
  - 1 x I²C from MSS part
  - 1 x UART from MSS part
  - 20 x GPIOs from PL part(can be assigned to SPI, UART, CAN or another interface from MSS)
  - 6 x GPIOs from MSS part
  - All RPI signals are 3.3 V logic
- CAN: 6-pin (1 x 6) male headers with standard .1″ (2.54 mm) pitch
  - 2 x CAN 2.0 PHY
- Ethernet: RJ45 connector
  - 100/1000BASE-T
Power: Intel EN63A0QA
- Operates on 5 or 3.3 V input
- Maximum power consumption of module is 16 W
Dimensions: 55 x 85 mm
Temperature range: -20°C to +65°C

The project will soon lauch on CrowdSupply.com, get more details here: https://www.crowdsupply.com/sundance-dsp/polarberry

Tiny MEMs resonators integrate load capacitors

Posted on 29 October, 202029 October, 2020 by mixos

SiTime Corporation announced that it has entered the $2 billion precision resonator market with the ApexMEMS family of MHz resonators. These new devices are the third-generation of SiTime silicon ctechnology and are available in a variety of MHz frequencies for high-volume electronics. Mobile and IoT applications such as Bluetooth wearables and wearables, high-speed connectivity interfaces, asset-tracking, as well as microcontrollers, can take advantage of the 85% space savings, integration, consistent performance, resilience, and reliability that are offered by ApexMEMS resonators.

According to estimates by Dedalus Consulting and SiTime, the resonator market is $3 billion in size and consists of three product categories – approximately $2 billion of precision resonators, $400 million of ceramic resonators, and $600M of SAW resonators. By 2024, industry analysts and SiTime estimate that 25 to 30 billion precision resonators will be sold, driven by the growth of connectivity in mobile-IoT, industrial-IoT, automotive, and industrial electronics. It is expected that up to 30% of these resonators will need to be very small, offer higher performance, and be easily integrated into system-in-packages and modules. This high-value market is one use case for ApexMEMS resonators.

For integration into standard IC packages and modules, ApexMEMS resonators are available as a silicon die. Co-packaging these resonators with high-performance semiconductors such as Bluetooth chips and microcontrollers gives customers a significant system and development advantage.

When using a quartz resonator, engineers face numerous challenges. Significant effort goes into matching the oscillator circuit with the resonator in the presence of unknown board parasitics. Without proper matching, performance may be suboptimal, and device startup at cold temperatures may be impacted. This situation gets even more complicated due to performance variations that are inherent in quartz resonators. An integrated ApexMEMS solution solves these challenges, reduces development time, simplifies manufacturing, and boosts system performance, reliability, and resilience.

ApexMEMS resonators offer similar advantages in standalone applications. Integrated load capacitors help reduce the system size through the elimination of discrete passive components. Board layout and routing is simplified considerably, especially in space-constrained mobile-IoT applications. With the closer placement of the resonator to the semiconductor device, system performance is greatly improved.

ApexMEMS-based timing solutions deliver up to seven times better phase noise performance at half the power than our previous generation. At a tiny 0.42 mm x 0.42 mm size, the ApexMEMS resonators are 85% smaller than a typical quartz resonator, and also integrate the load capacitors. These new resonators provide stability as good as ±20 ppm while delivering superior reliability and best-in-class environmental resilience, like other SiTime devices. ApexMEMS resonators operate reliably at temperatures as high as 125^oC, a useful feature when integrated inside plastic packages.

Vishay introduces new miniature aluminum capacitors to increase design flexibility and save board space

Posted on 29 October, 202029 October, 2020 by mixos

Automotive Grade Devices Offer High Ripple Currents Up to 3.8 A, Operating Temperatures to +105°C, and Useful Life of 10,000 Hours at 105°C

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. today introduced a new series of low impedance, Automotive Grade miniature aluminum electrolytic capacitors that combines high ripple currents up to 3.8 A with high temperature operation to +105 °C and very long useful life up to 10,000 h at 105°C.

Compared to previous-generation solutions, Vishay BCcomponents 170 RVZ series capacitors offer lower impedance and 10 % to 15 % higher ripple current. This allows designers to utilize fewer components, increasing design flexibility and saving board space. In addition, the AEC-Q200 qualified devices are available in smaller case sizes, ranging from 10 mm by 12 mm up to 18 mm to 40 mm.

Features

Very long useful life: 4000 h to 10000 h at 105 °C, high stability, high reliability
Very low impedance and low ESR in smaller case sizes than the 150 RMI series
Excellent ripple current capability

Applications

Power supplies (SMPS, DC/DC converters) for general industrial, EDP, audio‑video, automotive, and telecommunications
Smoothing, filtering, buffering

Featuring radial leads and a cylindrical aluminum case, insulated with a blue sleeve, the 170 RVZ series offers rated voltages up to 63 V, capacitance from 100 µF to 6800 µF, and low impedance. The capacitors are charge- and discharge-proof.

As polarized aluminum electrolytic capacitors with a non-solid electrolyte, the RoHS-compliant devices are ideally suited for smoothing, filtering, and buffering in switch mode power supplies and DC/DC converters for industrial, automotive, telecommunications, medical, and consumer applications.

Samples and production quantities of the 170 RVZ series are available now, with lead times of six weeks. More information please visit https://www.vishay.com/ppg?28462.