A simple add-on for mobile phones to enable SMS-like messaging in a group when outside cell coverage, or in disaster scenarios.
This is a fairly simple add-on for mobile phones to enable SMS-like messaging in a group when outside cell coverage, or in disaster scenarios. It utilises Semtech LoRa radios, for low-power/long-range communications. There are a lot of hardware options, and I am still trying different devices and manufacturers, but for now this tutorial will show how to assemble and setup one of the following boards:
Rigol Technologies’ RSA3000E real-time spectrum analyzers are economic instruments based on the new Rigol-developed Ultra-Real technology as a complete platform, which also allows to perform real-time measurements. by Julien Happich
The new models are available with 1.5 GHz and 3.0 GHz bandwidth. The RSA3000E series features a compact, elegant design, 10.1” touch-screen operation and a wide range of applications, and can also be used as a scalar network analyzer thanks to the additional 1.5 or 3.0 GHz tracking generator. The frequency range extends to 3.0 GHz with a Displayed Average Noise Level (DANL) ≤161 dBm and ≤102 dBc/Hz phase noise. The real-time analysis bandwidth is up to 1 MHz, the Resolution Bandwidth (RBW) is 1 Hz and as low in the class of instruments. USB, LAN and HDMI are available for communication. The spectrum analyzers have a modular structure and provide four measurement modes:
RTSA – Real-time Spectrum Analyzer up to a maximum bandwidth of 10 MHz
GPSA – Spectrum Analyzer with outstanding performance
EMI – Pre-compliance tests according to CISPR specifications
VSA – For ASK/FSK demodulation and bit error rate test
SELPIC 1+ is a palm-sized handheld Inkjet printer that is currently on a Kickstarter fundraiser campaign well exceeding its targeted goal. This printer allows the user to print on any surface and any material. It can print any text, image, QR code, barcode by simply moving the device across the printing surface. The printing surface can be anything such as paper, cardboard, wood, textiles, leather, ceramic, walls or even the smooth surface like glass and metal.
The latest printing technology is shrinking printer form factors and boosting performance. SELPIC S1 Plus, an exciting new handheld printer is an ultra-lightweight solution that provides high quality, reliable and high volume printing with handheld convenience and go-anywhere portability. Now users can print anything with a simple click and slide to put images, text or logos onto any surface in vivid color.
SELPIC S1 Plus is small enough to fit in a pocket but powerful enough for high volume printing. It is powered by a 1200 mAh built-in ultra-thin battery that provides 6 hours of continuous working time and 72 hours of standby time per charge. It prints at an impressive a 30~300 mm/s print speed and its large, 40ml ink capacity and high printing efficiency allow it to print up to 900 A4 pages with 5% ink coverage in black and white or multiple colors. Using special quick-drying ink, the prints can be used immediately and won’t smudge or smear.
Unlike previous mobile printers, SELPIC S1 Plus is intuitive and easy to use. It is controlled via a user-friendly App that supports multiple fonts, languages and image layouts. The free App allows users to quickly adjust the size and position of a desired print and easily create different combinations of text and images right from a smartphone.
“To create an effective mobile printing solution, we knew that the control interface and printing process had to be fast and easy. The SELPIC App makes printing anything very simple. It seamlessly connects the printer and smartphone via Wi-Fi and uses intuitive layout and text tools to let users get creative. What is shown on the smartphone is exactly what will print. It is easy enough for anyone to get started quickly and print on any surface.” Bob Xiong, CEO SELPIC
Key features of SELPIC S1+ :
Large Ink Capacity: The large, 40ml ink capacity and high printing efficiency set SELPIC apart from other small format printers, allowing it to print up to 900 A4 papers with 5% ink coverage.
Fast Printing Speed: SELPIC S1+ performs with a 30~300 mm/s print speed, allowing the user to slide the device and print in one second.
Intuitive Control: The printer is controlled with a user-friendly App that supports multiple fonts and layouts. It can be used for the quick adjustment of the size and position of the print and easily create different combinations of text and images right from a smartphone.
All Languages are supported: SELPIC S1+ can print all the languages that are compatible with the smartphone. What is seen on the screen of the app will exactly what will be printed.
Printing at Any Angle: Specialized, built-in roller sensors enable SELPIC S1+ to print over curved or uneven surfaces like coffee mugs, ceramic pieces or other different materials.
Printing with different alignments:It can print vertical lettering or words by using a simple one-step setting on the app. It can also print curved or any arbitrary shape of sentences. Multi-line Printing and unlimited printing length for an image or text are possible.
Setup is relatively easy
It comes with user-replaceable Ink Cartridges. 6 ink colours are available to suit any printing need. The pigment-based ink ensures long-lasting prints on any surfaces, even smooth surfaces such as glass, metal. It is safe, quick-drying and water-resistant. Printing with the SELPIC S1+ App is quite easy also. The app is currently available on App Store, Google Play, Windows OS and Mac OS. The App supports customized images, art fonts, QR codes, barcodes, and more.
Selpic Inc is the US brand behind this revolutionary product. This company focuses on innovative printing technologies. Over the past three years, Selpic has developed new quick-drying handheld printer technology. Selpic looks forward to expanding into new markets and printing industries in the near future.
Hand-On Review
In our opinion, this is a new and improved product from Selpic S1. S1+ is an upgraded version of SELPIC S1 with double the size of printing header. It is a perfect tool for the daily paperwork, arts, crafts, and entertainment. Setup of the printer took around 5 minutes and we were ready to make our first print. You should first download the Selpic APP from favorite store -> register yourself in app and then connect to the printer via WiFi. Opening the app, goes straight to the input field, where you write your text, add images and icons and send the creation for printing. Once you click the Print button, it takes a few seconds to transmit the data and then you are ready to go. Just push the side button and move the printer on your desired surface. It’s that simple!
By default, the printout is not much dense and this may be done to prevent excess ink usage, but this can be fixed by adjusting the contrast from the corresponding menu to your desired level. Also another important fact is that the ink cartridge seems expensive ($78.99) and can only be bought online. Overall, this printer is great for hobby and semi-profesional use, but the running cost is considerable.
The standard packing box of SELPIC S1+ will contain Micro USB Cable, Black Ink Cartridge, Printer Dock, SELPIC S1+ Printer and a Manual. Bakers will have to pay around 150 USD for the standard unit, additional with 80 USD for one extra black cartridge. It is expected to go on mass production in April 2020 and worldwide free shipping to the campaign bakers in May 2020.
Unboxing Video
Setup and Testing Video
More information can be found on the Kickstarter page with 16 days to go.
The MAXREFDES111# reference design from Maxim Integrated is a compact 24V input flyback-converter module that features 5V at 400mA output. Transformer selection is often the most difficult step in isolated power design. Multiple transformers (Wurth Electronics 750315847, HanRun HR041087, and Sumida 06343-T588) have been qualified for this design, simplifying the process of transformer selection.
The reference design delivers a peak efficiency of 79% with the supplied components when the input is 24V. This general-purpose power solution can be used in many different types of power applications, such as programmable logic controllers (PLC), industrial process control, industrial sensors, telecom power supplies, isolated battery chargers, servers, and embedded computing.
Through-hole pins on the bottom side of the module allows quick and easy integration of this power converter into the main system. Pins are 15mm (0.6in) from power to ground, and 28mm (1.1in) from the input side to the output side.
The MAX17498B is a peak-current-mode controller for design of wide input-voltage flyback and boost regulators. The reference design operates over an 18V to 36V input voltage range, and provides up to 400mA (plus 20% overhead) at 5V output.
The device uses an internal n-channel MOSFET to implement switching and internal current sensing for current-mode control and overcurrent protection of the flyback converter. The device incorporates a flexible error amplifier and an accurate reference voltage to enable the end user to regulate both positive and negative outputs. The device has a fixed switching frequency of 500kHz.
The input undervoltage lockout (EN/UVLO) is provided for programming the input-supply start voltage (set to 18V in the design), and to ensure proper operation during brownout conditions. The EN/UVLO input is also used to turn on/off the IC. The overvoltage input (OVI) protection scheme is provided to make sure that the controller shuts down when the input supply exceeds its maximum allowed value (set to 36V in the design).
A capacitor is connected to the SS pin to program the soft-start period; hence, reducing the input inrush current during startup. Hiccup-mode overcurrent protection and thermal shutdown are provided to minimize dissipation in overcurrent and overtemperature fault conditions.
Würth Elektronik presents a very compact MEMS-based (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) absolute pressure sensor: The 2.0 × 2.0 × 0.8 mm sized WSEN-PADS measures pressure in the range between 26 and 126 kPa. Its output data rate can be selected between 1 and 200 Hz. The sensor contains an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) and a temperature sensor. This means the output values are already calibrated.
The WSEN-PADS absolute pressure sensor offers the possibility of preparing the measured data for various applications using activatable integrated algorithms in such a way that the programming workload for a connected controller is greatly reduced. The measured data can be read out via a standard I2C interface. The I2C interface is extended by an additional interrupt pin whose function can be modified by the user. An application example is the use of the pressure sensor as an altimeter.
The Evaluation Board for WSEN-PADS Pressure Sensor.
Thanks to its high resolution, the sensor provides information that enables the position of individual floors in buildings to be mapped. This supports an indoor navigation system. WSEN-PADS is not only extremely suitable for mobile devices on account of its slim design: Since the sensor can be operated at very low power consumption, it is possible to supply it with batteries or even energy via energy harvesting – Würth Elektronik offers technical support here. The piezoresistive sensor is specified for an industrial temperature range from –40 to +85 °C. Würth Elektronik offers a tailored evaluation board.
The sensor is always available from stock without a minimum order quantity.
Shenzhen Xunlong has released introductory specs for a Rockchip RK3399 based Orange Pi 4 SBC. It is seemed to be smaller, more affordable than the Orange Pi RK3399, faster and more feature-rich than the Orange Pi 3. There is also an Orange Pi 4B variant which adds a Lightspeeur 2801S AI chip.
The new Orange Pi 4 utilizes the same RK3399 SoC as the Orange Pi RK3399 but it is designed to be smaller and more compact. The Orange Pi 4B variant adds a Lightspeeur 2801S (or SPR2801S) NPU from Gyrfalcon Technology, Inc (GTI). It is the 2.8 TOPS at 0.3 Watts (or 5.6 TOPS @ 100MHz) AI accelerator.
Orange Pi 4B detailed view
The Orange Pi 4 and Orange Pi 4B have a dimension of 90 × 64mm which makes it a little smaller than Orange Pi 3. These boards are powered by the RK3399, which houses two Cortex-A72 cores, typically clocked at 1.8GHz to 2.0GHz, as well as four Cortex-A53 cores at up to 1.42GHz. There’s also an ARM Mali-T864 for handling graphics.
The Orange Pi 4 is provided with HDMI, USB 3.0 Type-C, USB 3.0 host, single GbE (RTL811E) and USB 2.0 host ports. The Orange Pi 4B’s NPU connects to the RK3399 via USB 3.0 so, the 4B switches the USB 3.0 host port to a second USB 2.0 host port. Otherwise, the two models appear to be the same except for a minor change in layout. Both models have a microSD slot, dual LCD connectors, a camera header, a serial debug interface, a mic, and an audio I/O jack. Expansion can be managed with a 24-pin PCIe interface and Raspberry Pi like a 40-pin GPIO header.
The Orange Pi 4 has an Ampak AP6356S wireless module with dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1. The SBC has a 5V/3A DC jack, a PMIC (Rockchip RK808), and recovery and reset-button. Like the Orange Pi 4, the 4B model ships with 4GB LPDDR4 and 16GB eMMC. The Orange Pi 4 will be another community-backed, open-spec board with downloadable 64-bit Linux and Android images.
More information about the pricing and availability may be found on the Shenzhen Xunlong Twitter teaserand eventually on the Orange Pi website when they update the index page.
For a while now, Edge computing on the Raspberry PI has experienced a bit of ups and downs, especially with the trend of featuring AI in everything. The Raspberry Pi most times does not function properly with any reliable AI applications. A typical object detection on the Raspberry Pi would produce about 1 – 2 fps depending on the type of model, and this is because all those processing is done on the CPU. However, the poor performance of AI applications on the Raspberry Pi, has recently being addressed through AI Accelerators. One of this Accelerators is the Intel Neural Compute Stick 2, which is capable of somewhere around 8 – 15 fps depending on your application. The NCS2 is based on the Myriad X VPU technology, and this powerful AI module for edge computing called DepthAI. Essentially, DepthAI is an embedded platform for combining Depth and AI.
DepthAI’s idea was conceived by Luxonis, and it was Initially conceived from the need to improve bike safety of creating an artificial intelligence bike light that detects and prevents crashes from behind. It can also be used for health and safety, agriculture, food processing, manufacturing, mining etc. DepthAI functions by combine depth perception, object detection (neural inference), and object tracking, enabling power in a simple, easy-to-use Python API. The company says:
”Our ultimate goal is to develop a rear-facing AI vision alert system for cyclists that can help prevent them being hit by cars. On the path to building this, we developed hardware around the Myriad X, which we think could have huge value for makers, micro-factories, builders, and anyone who needs any combination of disparity depth and AI running in real time.”
The core of the device is the Myriad X SOM, the same module powering the Intel Neural Compute Stick 2. We should note that some of the capabilities of the Myriad aren’t being utilized; for example, from the image below, the stereo lanes are unused, and also some other features. However, by means of custom integration, DepthAI unlocks the full power usage of the Myriad X, and utilizes the four trillion-operations-per-second vision processing capability of the Myriad X.
Myriad X and DepthAI Features
Object localization in the physical world can be carried out on the module at 25FPS, where the x, y, z (cartesian) coordinates in meters can be achieved. The attachment of two MIPI cameras sparse apart enables this feature. Additionally, it comes with an accompanying RGB Camera. Apart from the module, DepthAI is also available in 3 variants: A fully-integrated solution with on-board cameras that functions upon boot-up for easy prototyping Powered by the Raspberry Compute Module 3+, Raspberry Pi HAT with modular/remote cameras, and USB3 interface that’s usable with any host.
DepthAI various Editions
The Raspberry Pi Compute Module Edition is a complete edition. It comes with everything you need: pre-calibrated stereo cameras on-board with a 4K, 60 Hz color camera, and a microSD card with Raspbian and DepthAI Python code automatically running on bootup. The Pi HAT Edition enables users to attach the module to the Raspberry Pi which has a HAT, and the camera is mounted on the HAT itself. The USB3 Edition however, will allow you to use DepthAI with any platform via only a single USB connection. DepthAI enables Object Localization, Object Detection, Depth Video or Image, Color Video or Image, Stereo Pair Video or Image features. Just like the NCS2, DepthAI functions with OpenVINO for optimizing neural models. This enables you to train models with any popular frameworks such as TensorFlow, Keras, etc, then use OpenVINO to optimize them to run efficiently and at low latency on DepthAI/Myriad X.
DepthAI is crowdfunding on Crowd Supply presently. The SoM is available for $99, while the USB3 Edition is available for $149, the HAT Edition is available for $149, and the Complete Version is available for $299. Shipping is expected to begin from February 2020, if they have a successful campaign.
Here comes the second member in DFRobot Bluno family, the Bluno Nano. Came in a size of a gum, the Bluno Nano is perfect for BLE projects with limited space or weight. You may also check Bluetooth microcontrollor selection guide to get more information.
Everything is getting smart now: wristbands and watches monitor your daily behaviors and become social; phone-controlled camera add-ons move and take shots as you like; smart gardens grow virtually in your ipad and sharing is made easy… The Bluetooth Low Energy technology has made it easy and achievable. It is exciting to see more and more smart gadgets poping out, but, isn’t building own smart device and solving your own problems even cooler?
DFRobot’s Bluno family is first of its kind in integrating BT 4.0(BLE) module into Arduino Uno, making it an ideal prototyping platform for developers to go wireless. You will be able to develop your own smart bracelet , smart pedometer and more. Through the low- power Bluetooth 4.0 technology, real-time low energy communication can be made really easy.
Specifications
On-board BLE chip: TI CC2540
Wireless Programming Via BLE
Support Bluetooth HID
Support AT command to config the BLE
Transparent communication through Serial
Upgrade BLE firmware easily
DC Supply:USB Powered or External 7V~12V DC
Microcontroller: Atmega328
Bootloader: Arduino Uno
Compatible with the Arduino Uno pin mapping
Size: 53x19x12mm(2.09×0.75×0.47″)
Weight: 20g
Bluno Nano also integrates a TI CC2540 BT 4.0 chip with the Arduino UNO development board. It allows wireless programming via BLE, supports Bluetooth HID, supports AT command to config the BLE, and you can upgrade BLE firmware easily. Bluno is also compatible with all Arduino Uno pins which means any project made with Uno can directly go wireless! Whatsmore, we also developed the App for the Bluno (both Android and IOS), and they are completely opensource, so that you can modify and develope your own hardware-software platform.
Add the capability to measure temperature, humidity, pressure, eCO2 and TVOC to your project! The Environmental Sensor FeatherWing is the perfect mate for the Icarus IoT Dev Board or any other FeatherWing compatible board to do so. Connect an SD card or even an external I2C Sensor with Grove connector. The Environmental Sensor FeatherWing features the sensors Bosch BME280, AMS CCS811, TI OPT3002 and SI SI7060.
“Measure air quality and other metrics with ease,” Actinius writes of the upcoming design. “Using the onboard sensors and the libraries added to the Zephyr OS, you can introduce Air Quality and other environmental metrics to your application in a jiff! Add the sensor to any FeatherWing compatible board of choice (such as the [Actinius] Icarus), in order to start gathering data while keeping the overall board size to a minimum.
“Use the FeatherWing with our Icarus board and benefit from using ready-to-use firmware without needing to download, develop or build the firmware yourself (coming soon). Modest in power requirements, the sensors on the FeatherWing enable use-cases that involve small-sized and portable, battery powered devices.”
More information, though not yet a data sheet, is available on the official product page, where the board is available to pre-order priced at €49.50 excluding VAT (around $54.) The first shipments are scheduled for the second week of December, the company has confirmed.
David Johnson-Davies writes about his experiments with interfacing a low-cost serial GPS module directly to uLisp, to create projects such as a GPS clock. He writes:
I’ll also describe a GPS speedometer and odometer, and a simple navigator, in later posts. The module I used is the GP-20U7, a small GPS module available for under $20 from SparkFun GPS Receiver – GP-20U7 (56 Channel) 1, but almost any other GPS module should be suitable. The GPS Clock and GPS Speedometer/Odometer will work on any version of uLisp, with sufficient memory, such as the Arduino Mega 2560. The simple navigator requires a 32-bit version of uLisp, running on a board such as the Adafruit ItsyBitsy M0.
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