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Axiomtek’s eBOX100-51R-FL – A Fanless Ultra Compact Embedded System for Edge Computing

Posted on by mixos

Axiomtek – a world-renowned leader relentlessly devoted in the research, development and manufacture of series of innovative and reliable industrial computer products of high efficiency – is proud to unveil eBOX100-51R-FL, a fanless ultra-compact embedded system with weight 600 grams only. As the smallest embedded system with Intel® Core™ ULT processor onboard, the eBOX100-51R-FL continues the design elements of eBOX100 series – ultra-slim form factor, rugged design, and rich I/O connectivity, allowing greater flexibility and a wider range of application in edge computing, IIoT gateway and extended fields.

The eBOX100-51R-FL is powered by the high-performance Intel® Core™ i5-7300U or Intel® Celeron® 3965U processor. The front-facing I/O connectivity design provides convenient access for easy installation and maintenance. It comes with one DDR4-2133 SO-DIMM slot with system memory up to 16 GB. The eBOX100-51R-FL offers two RS-232/422/485, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, one DisplayPort++, one AT/ATX quick switch, and two SMA type antenna openings; moreover, the embedded system is equipped with one M.2 Key E 2230 slot for Wi-Fi, one M.2 Key B 2242 for SATA storage, and one screw-type 12VDC power input connector.

“Axiomtek’s eBOX100-51R-FL has multiple mounting options for versatile use in various environments. Not only could it be wall mounting or VESA mounting, but also supports the DIN-rail mounting for typical industrial application. The flexible mounting options satisfied user requirements and easy deployment.” said Janney Lee, a product manager of Product PM Division at Axiomtek. “Besides, the ultra-compact embedded platform is compatible with Windows® 10 IoT and Linux. With an IP40-rated heavy-duty aluminum extrusion and steel case, it has a wide operating temperature range of -10°C to 50°C and vibration endurance for up to 3G. It has passed the strict certification with CE and FCC Class A.”

Advanced Features:

  • Ultra-compact size with high performance
  • Intel® Core™ i5-7300U or Celeron® 3965U (codename: Kaby Lake)
  • M.2 Key E 2230 for Wi-Fi
  • M.2 Key B 2242 for storage
  • Azure certified and AXView 3.0 supported
  • Supports Intel® AMT 11
  • Multiple mounting designs: Wall mount, DIN-rail and VESA mount

In tandem with helping customers to enhance the effectiveness in remote management, the outstanding eBOX100-51R-FL supports Axiomtek’s exclusive AXView 3.0 software, Intel® AMT 11 and Microsoft Azure. The reliable Intel® Core™-based embedded system provides customers an ideal solution for factory automation, industrial IoT edge computing, digital signage, kiosk, and smart retail. Axiomtek’s eBOX100-51R-FL is now available for purchase. For more product information or customization services, please visit our global website at www.axiomtek.com or contact one of our sales representatives at info@axiomtek.com.tw.

Minimal I2C for the New AVR Microcontrollers

Posted on by mixos

This article describes a set of minimal I2C routines for the new 0-series and 1-series ATtiny and ATmega microcontrollers. They allow any of these processors to act as an I2C Master and connect to I2C peripherals. As an example of their use I’ve designed a digital clock circuit based on a 0-series ATtiny402 connected to an I2C RTC module and driving an I2C 7-segment display.

The main difference between these routines and the standard Arduino Tiny Wire library is that these don’t use buffers, so have minimal memory requirements, and don’t impose a limit on transmissions.

Note that these routines are designed for the latest ATtiny 0-series and 1-series processors, and the 0-series ATmega chips; if you want minimal I2C routines for the earlier ATtiny processors, such as the ATtiny85, see my earlier article Minimal Tiny I2C Routines.

Minimal I2C for the New AVR Microcontrollers – [Link]

USB-C-PD Soldering Pen Is a Compact STM32-Powered Solution for Weller Tips

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

One of the most important actions in the development of any electronics device is soldering, irrespective of the method adopted, having the right tools to do it the right way is a major determinant of the speed and quality of the soldering process. Several soldering tools exist in the market with each aiming to solve different points for engineers/technicians, from power failure problems which are being solved by Gas powered soldering irons to reliable SMD Soldering being solved by Soldering Stations. However, each of these solutions also come with their shortcomings which then become another problem for Solution-oriented individuals to solve.

This kind of pattern is what led Thomas Leputsch to develop the USB-C-PD based Soldering pen to combat the portability challenges people face with soldering stations.

Soldering stations come with blissful features like adjustable power and interchangeable tips and are an invaluable tool for everything from PCB electronics population to making stained glass windows, however, they are not portable and they always need a wall outlet for power. To remove this drawback, Thomas Leputsch developed a USB-C  based Soldering Pen.

While there have been several designs leveraging USB Type-C for portable soldering irons, in such ways that the soldering iron can be powered via power sources like laptops, power banks, etc., they tend to be very expensive which is why Thomas decided to design his own.

Thomas’s design uses a USB-C-PD Soldering pen with an interchangeable Weller RT tips. The selection of materials for the design was done to ensure the costs were as low as possible. The design featured a STM32F042G6U6 MCU with an Arm Cortex-M0 processor which was used to control the temperature profiles and a STUSB4500QTR which was used as the USB power delivery controller. The device was based on the interchangeable Weller RT tips because of his personal fondness for them as he explained on the project page that,

“The intention for this project was to build a cheaper and even more compact controlling unit for the — in my opinion — best soldering tips for small and medium-sized soldering joints”.

Just like the more expensive competition, the USB-C-PD Soldering Pen can be powered using any USB-PD power supply including power banks and even laptops and other devices that use the USB Type-C power supplies. The pen is fitted with three LEDs each of which indicates different power profiles (low, medium, high). The choice profile can be selected using the pair of buttons located on the handle of the device.

The heat-up time for the soldering pen is quite impressive as it is capable of going from 25°C to 350°C in just less than 7 seconds, and it idles at 180°C in standby mode.

Staying true to his love for open source,  Leputsch has uploaded a detailed walkthrough on his project page so those interested in recreating his build, would have little or no difficulty figuring it all out.

MAG1 Intel Core m3-8100Y Mini Laptop Sells for $590 and up in China

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

The release of mini-laptops with display size in the region of 9″ has seen a surge in recent times with several companies like CHUWIX, One Mix, and a few others releasing quite a number of these PCs. To join these growing number of PCs, the Mag1 is joining the fray with the MAG1 “Magic Small” mini laptop.

Running on an Intel Core m3-8100Y Amber Lake processor with variable offerings around RAM (8GB or 16GB LPDDR3 RAM), and storage (256GB or 512GB NVMe SSDs), the Mag1 comes with an unusual and rare (common only in china) 8-inch form-factor with an 8.9″ display that makes it a perfect computer for users who find Mini Laptops like those from GPD too small and the standard 13″ PCs too big.

To provide premium user experience not restricted by size, the Mag1 comes with an IPS Touchscreen interface with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 pixels which provides good visual feedback to users and allows easy navigation. Unlike mini-laptops from brands like GPD and a few others, the MAG1 integrates a backlit keyboard with bigger keys, this however led to a quite small trackpad which was crammed under the spacebar.

In addition to it’s list of impressive features , the Mag1 also boast a fingerprint sensor located in the upper right part of the keyboard which can be used for fingerprint login and several other authentication based applications like e-registerations. Other interfaces that comes with the Mag 1 include; a USB-C port for charging and video output, a USB-A connector, a microSD (TF) slot, a microHDMI out, and an audio jack. The MAG1 also supports dual-band WiFi and bluetooth 4.0 along with an 8600 mAH battery.

All of the features listed above for the Mag1 runs off the Amber Lake CPU as such, the MAG1 is powered by Intel’s Core m3-8100Y dual-core / quad-thread processors giving users just the amount of speed and power they need to get a lot done on such a portable device.

A summary of the specifications of the Mag1 is provided below.

  • SoC – Intel Core m3-8100Y dual-core/quad-thread Amber Lake processor
  • Intel UHD Graphics 615; 5W TDP
  • System Memory / Storage Configurations
    • 8GB DDR3 RAM + 256GB PCIe SSD + MicroSD slot
    • 16GB DDR3 RAM + 512GB PCIe SSD + MicroSD slot
  • Display – 8.9″ IPS touchscreen display with 2560 x 1600 resolution
  • Video Output – Micro HDMI up to 4K @ 60 Hz
  • Audio – Built-in microphone, 3.5mm audio jack, digital audio via HDMI
  • Connectivity – Dual-band 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac WiFi 5, Bluetooth 4.0
  • USB – 1x USB 3.0 port, 1x USB Type-C port
  • User Input – Backlit QWERTY keyboard and touchpad
  • Sensor – Fingerprint sensor right of the power button
  • Battery – 8,600 mAh battery good for about 7 hours
  • Power Supply – USB PD via USB-C port
  • Dimensions – 8.2 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
  • Weight – 1.5pounds

The Mag1 is capable of running Windows 10 so previous windows users will feel right at home.

Judging by the price of similar devices on the market, the Price of the Mag1 can be said to be fair with the 8GB RAM/256GB SSD version available at $594, while the 16GB RAM/512GB SSD version goes for $735.  The Mini PC is however only currently available in China, but should be on sale on Chinese stores like Alibaba, Aliexpress and the likes very soon.

The MPLAB® Snap In-Circuit Debugger/Programmer sells with 50% discount

Posted on by mixos

The MPLAB® Snap In-Circuit Debugger/Programmer allows affordable, fast and easy debugging and programming of most PIC®, dsPIC®, AVR and SAM flash MCUs, using the powerful graphical user interface of MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) version 5.05 or later. The MPLAB Snap can be connected to a computer using a High-Speed USB 2.0 interface and can be connected to the target via an 8-pin Single In-Line (SIL) connector. The connector uses two device I/O pins and the reset line to implement in-circuit debugging and In-Circuit Serial Programming™ (ICSP™). It has all the speed and features entry-level users need to quickly debug their prototype.

The MPLAB Snap programs fast, with a powerful 32-bit 300MHz SAME70 MCU for quicker debug iterations. Along with a wide target voltage, the MPLAB Snap supports advanced interfaces such as 4-wire JTAG and Serial Wire Debug with streaming data gateway, while being backward compatible for demo boards, headers and target systems using 2-wire JTAG and ICSP.

Note: The Snap is compatible with MPLAB X IDE version 5.05 and later.

Download MPLAB X IDE Now.

The MPLAB Snap In-Circuit Debugger/Programmer supports most, but not all, PIC, AVR and dsPIC DSCs at this time. The firmware is continually being upgraded to add support for new devices.

To check supported devices: Check the MPLAB X IDE Device Support List. If you have MPLAB X IDE installed, you can browse to the “docs” folder under your MPLAB X installation directory and open the file “Device Support.htm”. Alternatively, you can download it from this link: http://www.microchip.com/mplabx-ide-release-notes

Files are available for creating an MPLAB Snap enclosure from Thingiverse here.

Part Number: pg164100 – 50% Off – Use Coupon Code : TP1973 – Expires : 30-Sep-2019

OLED display audio VU meter – AVR/Arduino project

Posted on by mixos
Arduino VU Meter

A volume unit (VU) meter or standard volume indicator (SVI) as it’s sometimes called, is a device which displays the audio signal level of an audio signal. It is essentially a basic voltmeter (fitted with transducers to convert sound to voltage) that takes a simple average of the signal and displays it with an attack and release time of around 300 ms.  It was originally designed as a kind of loudness meter, rather than as a peak meter, but it is generally used in audio recording to help make sure you’re recording at appropriate levels.

Today’s version of the project is based on a project started by Adam Ples on Github and it uses AVR ATMega88/168/328 (and ATMega48 if possible) which makes it compatible with Arduino boards like the Uno, Nano and Due. For the display, the project was designed to be compatible with small (and cheap) monochrome OLED displays based on the SSD1306 or SH1106 driver.

OLED display audio VU meter – AVR/Arduino project – [Link]

High Power Bidirectional DC Motor Driver using IFX007T

Posted on by mixos

This motor driver circuit can drive a brushed DC motor with up to 250W of continuous load. The project can be controlled with the general logic IO-Ports of any microcontroller. Either an Arduino Uno or other microcontroller can be used as the control board. The project uses two IFX007T IC from Infineon. Each IC provides half-bridge operation featuring one P-channel high side MOSFET and one N-channel low side MOSFET with an integrated driver IC. The IFX007T half-bridge is easy to control by applying logic level signals to the IN and INH pin. When applying a PWM to the IN pin the current provided to the motor can be controlled with the duty cycle of the PWM. With external R6, R9 resistors connected between the SR pin and GND you can set the slew rate of the power switches. The Motor Control board can be easily connected to any Arduino board or microcontroller via headers.

High Power Bidirectional DC Motor Driver using IFX007T – [Link]

DC100 Digital Dispense Controller from Fisnar just got even better

Posted on by mixos

Ellsworth Adhesives Europe are now taking orders for the upgraded DC100 Digital Dispense Controller from Fisnar, leading manufacturer of precision fluid dispensing equipment.

The popular digital dispenser will now utilize a high precision regulator allowing it to achieve exceptional levels of dispense accuracy and repeatability.

A versatile precision dispenser, the DC100 dispense controller allows users to maintain precise control over dispensing of fluids such as adhesives, silicones, cyanoacrylates and more. It is designed to suit a wide variety of dispensing applications: from microdot deposits and lines, to larger potting and filling.

The DC100 Dispense Controller will now utilize a high precision regulator from a worldwide leading manufacturer of pneumatic equipment. The SMC IR series precision regulator is widely regarded as one of the most high-performance regulators on the market with regards to its pressure relief characteristics and constant pressure control.

With a regulator sensitivity of 0.2% and a repeatability of +/-0.5%, the DC100 controller can achieve exceptional levels of dispense accuracy and repeatability.

Robert Campbell, Fisnar Global Product Manager explained: “The pressure regulator in a dispense controller is one of the most critical internal components to ensure fluid deposits remain consistent to guarantee high levels of process control.

“This upgrade has been implemented as a result of our effort to provide high quality dispensing equipment that aligns with the current industry demands in the market.”

To learn more about the DC100 Dispense Controller and view supporting product documentation, visit the product page here.

Arrow Electronics Launches European FPGA Developer Contest

Posted on by mixos

Arrow Electronics has launched a competition to find the most innovative and imaginative FPGA-based designs in Europe.

To encourage a wide participation, Arrow is offering a development board free-of-charge to each entrant who submits a verified project plan. Entries will be judged on creativity and implementation and a range of prizes are on offer including an Intel NUC PC, a Realsense Camera and a 512GB Intel SSD.

The first step is to register for entry at the Arrow European FPGA Developer Contest 2019 web page and choose from the following Intel FPGA development boards: MAX1000, CYC1000 or AnalogMAX. The flexibility of these boards offers many possibilities, and entries can take many forms. Projects can involve anything from software, special IPs/interfaces and soft cores, to board modifications, adapter creation, adding a PMOD/Arduino, creating an IoT device, and programming algorithms for AI/CNN.

The final deadline for new applications is 31 October 2019.

Once accepted into the contest, the closing date for submitting a project is 15 November 2019. Submission requires the completion of a detailed project description, plus all relevant supporting information. Entrants must also supply the project software to be judged by Arrow’s panel. All software and designs remain the exclusive property of the developer.

David Spragg, vice president engineering, EMEA, Arrow Electronics, said,

“Through our work supporting development teams of all sizes, Arrow has been privileged to witness extraordinary creativity in recent years. We believe that there is a wealth of innovative potential out there, and the aim of this contest is to help that to flourish, encouraging great ideas that might otherwise not see the light of day.”

The European FPGA Developer Contest winners will be notified of their awards and prizes will be dispatched before the end of December.

MINIX Unveils NEO G41V-4 Fanless Windows 10 Pro Mini PC

Posted on by Emmanuel Odunlade

The new Gemini Lake mini passive PC demonstrated by MINIX at IFA 2018 is nothing like what we have seen from them in recent years. Contrary to the design of their formerly launched mini PCs – the Gemini Lake (NEO J50C-4), the Apollo Lake (NEO N42C-4) and their lower-and fanless models – the fanless NEO G41V-4 expected to run on an already installed Windows 10 Pro and comes with a new approach to thermal cooling and its designed for all-day operations.

Unlike what we saw in the previous models where the SO-DIMM RAM sticks were being replaced or installed, the new Gemini Lake PC has a soldered RAM upgraded from DDR3 to DDR4. The mini PC has a system on chip processor of Intel Celeron N4100 quad-core Gemini Lake processor and Intel UHD graphics 600 coupled with easy access to the M.2 SSD expansion slot at the bottom of the system enclosure. It is fully compatible with the VESA anchor and brings along with it an installed Windows 10.

Asides having a MicroSD card reader slot, a soldered 64GB eMMC 5.1 flash and the M.2 2280 SATA 3.0 slot at the storage level, the mini PC also has Dual-band WiFi 5 802.11ac 2×2 MiMO with internal antennas, Bluetooth 4.2 and gigabit Ethernet for system wireless connectivity.

Other great features and specifications of the MINIX NEO G41V-4 mini PC include:

  • Triple Video Output – VGA output up to 1080p, a Display Port and an HDMI 2.0a up to 4Kp60.
  • System Memory – 4G DD4 RAM at 2400 MHz (soldered)
  • Misc – Kensington lock and Power button
  • Audio – 3.5mm headphone jack and digital audio via HDMI
  • 4 USB ports – 2x USB 2.0 ports and 2x USB 3.0 ports
  • Power supply – 12V via power barrel jack
  • It also has on the upper part of its design an anti-dust net and air outlet.

Via a video from Notebook Italia, a MINIX representative has explained that the design of the Intel-based NEO G41V-4 mini PC is based on an internal dust – resistant mesh that prevents dust from going in as it is going to be used for an all-day operation especially by clients who would wish to use it for various applications. The model, without a doubt, is a very interesting solution for digital signage.

Based on the pricing for previous mini PCs from MINIX, the price for the NEO G41V-4 is said to be around $270 with a VESA mounting kits to go along upon delivery. However, the NEO G41V-4 is not available for sale yet but hopefully it should be in a matter of weeks.

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