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Seeed Launches Engleye-530s, A Samsung ARTIK Powered Board in a Raspberry Footprint

Posted on 5 March, 2018 by Ayo Ayibiowu

The Samsung ARTIK™ is an integrated IoT platform consisting of enterprise-grade modules, cloud services, and end-to-end security for the design and development of robust IoT solutions. ARTIK empowers developers with easy-to-use APIs and SDKs, extensive documentation and rich tools. It hides the complexity inherent in IoT behind open, enterprise-grade APIs. Seeed Studio, a household hardware company, has launched the Eagleye 530s.

The Eagleye 530s released by Seeed is a maker board in a Raspberry Pi form factor and powered by the Samsung Artik-IoT Platform. The Eagleye incorporates the Samsung ARTIK 530s, a 1GB system-on-module (SoM). Samsung Artik 530/530s is a module meant for the Internet of Things; it’s based on a quad-core Arm Cortex A9 processor for local data processing and multimedia engine to handle audio and video processing. The module provides support for Ethernet, dual band WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, and 802.15.4/Zigbee and Thread connectivity. Eagleye 530s supports full HDMI, MIPI camera interface, video, and audio media.

As compared to the original Raspberry Pi 3, The Eagleye has an ARM Cortex A9 installed with four cores clocking at 1.2 GHz. They both have a 1G of RAM, while the Pi 3 requires a micro SD card as it’s storage medium, the Eagleye doesn’t, it comes with a 4GB of eMMC flash memory, so micro SD card is optional. It offers much more than it’s competing product, it supports the wireless protocol Zigbee, making it suitable for IoT gateway applications.

The following are the Eagleye 530s board specifications:

Processor– Quad Core Arm Cortex A9 processor @ 1.2GHz
System Memory – 1GB DDR3
Storage – 4GB eMMC flash, SD card slot
Connectivity
- 802.11a/b/g/n dual band SISO (2.4G/5G)
- Bluetooth 4.2(BLE+Classic)
- Zigbee/Thread 802.15.4
- Gigabit Ethernet port (RJ45)
Video Output – HDMI port
Audio – 1x Headphone Jack
Camera– 1x MIPI CSI header
USB – 2x USB 2.0 type A ports, 1x micro USB OTG Type-B
Debugging – 1 x Micro USB UART Type-B
Expansion – 40-pin GPIO expansion header compatible with Raspberry Pi
Power Supply – 5V via DC jack or micro USB UART connector
Dimensions – 87mm x 58.5mm x 20mm
Weight – 50g

Eagleye 530s will allow Samsung ARTIK developers to build on the powerful Raspberry and Makers ecosystem easily. Eagleye 530s is available for preorder on the Seeed website. Estimated ship date at the end of April 2018.

NXP i.MX8M SoC Powered ArmStone MX8M Pico-ITX SBC Runs Linux With 8GB LPDDR4 RAM

Posted on 5 March, 20185 March, 2018 by Rik

F&S Elektronik Systeme has unveiled its latest Pico-ITX format (100 x 72mm) SBC named ArmStone™MX8M. This board is powered by the NXP i.MX processor. Preliminary shipping will not until Q2 of this year.

armStone MX8M Single Board Computer — ArmStone MX8M Single Board Computer

The new ArmStone™MX8M is available with dual or quad-core variants of the 1.5GHz, Cortex-A53 i.MX8M. The SoC combines a Vivante GC7000Lite GPU and VPU, enabling 4K HEVC/H265, H264, and VP9 video decoding with HDR. It also provides a 266MHz Cortex-M4 core for real-time tasks, as well as a security subsystem. This is the first i.MX8M based board to support up to 8GB LPDDR4 RAM instead of 4GB. The storage is supported by up to 32GB on eMMC and 1GB SLC NAND memory.

Other major features include the availability of a 10/100 Ethernet port, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1 LE. These also a PCIe interface with SIM card support inbuilt. There are 4x USB 2.0 host ports, an RS232 interface, and extra SPI and I2C signals. A Micro-USB 2.0 OTG port is also available as additional I/O option.

The board is going to be shipped with a BSP that includes Linux 4.9.x, U-Boot, Yocto Project 2.2 or optional Buildroot build system and documentation and sample code. Configurations for standard cases (minimal, X11, Qt5, Wayland/Weston, Framebuffer) got very easy with this new board. The BSP release also includes precompiled binary images that can directly be downloaded to the board.

Key specifications of the ArmStone™MX8M:

Processor:

NXP i.MX8M (2x or 4x Cortex-A53 @ 1.5GHz); Vivante GC7000Lite GPU; Cortex-M4 @ 266MHz

Memory:
- Up to 8GB LPDDR4 RAM
- Up to 32GB eMMC
- Up to 1GB SLC NAND
- Optional SD slot
Multimedia:
- 2x 24-bit LVDS
- DVI
- Analog resistive and PCAP touch via I2C
- MIPI-CSI
- Audio line-in/out/mic
Wireless:
- 802.11 b/g/n WiFi
- Bluetooth 4.1 LE (with BT 2.1+EDR support)
Networking — 10/100 Ethernet port
Other I/O Ports:
- 4x USB 2.0 host ports
- Micro-USB 2.0 OTG port
- CAN
- RS232
- 2x TTL UART
- 4x I2C
- 2x SPI
- 32x DIO
Power — 5V DC input
Operating temperature — 0 to 70°C; optional -20 to 85°C
Dimensions — 100 x 72mm; Pico-ITX form factor
Weight — 60 g
Operating system — BSP with Yocto 2.2/Buildroot, Linux 4.9.x, U-boot

More information may be found at F&S Elektronik Systeme’s ArmStone MX8M product page.

PaPiRus Netapp – Monitor your network with Raspberry Pi

Posted on 5 March, 2018 by mixos

Use PiSupply’s PaPiRus ePaper display to monitor your network with a Raspberry Pi.

Over the past few days I have been converting my “Speedtest-cron” code to work on the PaPiRus from PiSupply. Whilst going over the code, I decided to start a new Git Repository and rename this version to “PaPiRus Netapp”.

PaPiRus Netapp – Monitor your network with Raspberry Pi – [Link]

Synchronous four-switch buck-boost controller suits transport and medical use

Posted on 2 March, 20183 December, 2018 by mixos

Synchronous four-switch buck-boost controller suits transport and medical use

A 150V high efficiency four-switch synchronous buck-boost DC/DC controller, the LTC3777, by Analog Devices operates from input voltages above, below or equal to the regulated output voltage and had an efficiency of up to 99 per cent.

The Power by Linear DC/DC controller has an input voltage of 4.5 to 150V and operates from a high input voltage source or from an input that has high voltage surges, eliminating the need for external surge suppression devices. This, says Analog Devices, makes it suitable for transportation, industrial and medical

To prevent high on-chip power dissipation in high input voltage applications, the LTC3777 integrates a low quiescent current high efficiency switching bias supply for its internal power consumption. The output voltage of the LTC3777 can be set from 1.2 to 150V at output currents up to tens of amps, depending on the choice of external components. Output power up to 500W can be delivered with a single device. Higher powers can be achieved when multiple circuits are configured in parallel. The LTC3777’s 1.5-Ohm n-channel MOSFET gate drivers can be adjusted from 6.0 to 10V, enabling the use of logic-level or standard-threshold MOSFETs.

The LTC3777 employs a proprietary current mode control architecture for constant frequency in buck, boost or buck-boost modes. The operating frequency can be synchronised to an external clock from 50 to 600kHz, while an I/O constant current loop provides support for battery charging and over-load protection. The user can select either forced continuous mode or discontinuous mode to maximize light load efficiency. There are also seamless transfers between operating regions, a power good output voltage monitor, adjustable soft-start and input overvoltage lockout, and output voltage disconnect during shutdown.

The LTC3777 is available in a 48-lead 7.0 x7.0mm e-LQFP package with pin skipping for high voltage spacing. Extended and industrial versions are available from –40 to +125 degree C.

Synchronous four-switch buck-boost controller suits transport and medical use – [Link]

Solid State Supplies offers world’s smallest Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) module

Posted on 2 March, 20182 March, 2018 by mixos

Acknowledged as the UK’s leading source of advanced embedded technology, Solid State Supplies Ltd. now offers the world’s smallest Bluetooth^® Low Energy (BLE) SiP module from Silicon Labs. With a package size of 6.5mm x 6.5mm x 1.4mm the BGM11S Blue Gecko SiP (System in Package) module targets applications where ultra-small size, reliable high performance RF, low power consumption, full modular certification and easy application development are key requirements.

This highly integrated SiP solution is a complete Bluetooth subsystem with on-board radio transceiver, antenna, serial interfaces, core processor, memory, clock management, I/O, timers, triggers, hardware security and power management. Continue reading “Solid State Supplies offers world’s smallest Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) module”

Open-Q 845 HDK Development Board Integrates Snapdragon 845 SoC And Runs Android 8.0

Posted on 2 March, 2018 by Rik

Intrinsyc’s new Open-Q 845 HDK Development Kit has the same Mini-ITX (170 x 170mm) dimensions and sandwich-style design as the Open-Q 835 from the previous year. The main SoC, Snapdragon 845 is integrated into the board topped by a heatsink. This dev board includes a smartphone like 5.7-inch QHD (1440 x 2560) touchscreen controlled via MIPI-DSI, as well as a camera board with dual rear-facing cameras and a front-facing camera.

Open-Q 845 Development Board with optional touchscreen

The Open-Q 845 runs Android 8.0 on the Snapdragon 845 SoC with 6GB LPDDR4x RAM. The Snapdragon 845 SoC is equipped with 4X high-performance Kryo cores (up to 2.80 GHz) and 4X low-power Kryo cores (up to 1.8 GHz) and the graphics processing is handled by the new Qualcomm Adreno 630 GPU. There’s also a microSD slot and a 128GB UFS 2.1 flash drive. Like the Open-Q 835, the board offers Bluetooth 5.0 + BLE along with 2.4/5GHz 2×2 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and the latest WiGig60 802.11ad WiFi with an onboard antenna.

This board is further enhanced with a GNSS daughter card with GPS, GLONASS, COMPASS, and Galileo support and a PCB antenna and SMA connector option. There are mini-PCIe and PCIe slots for further wireless and peripheral expansion.

Video ports include DSI-driven HDMI 1.4 port, USB 3.1 Type-C DisplayPort, and dual 4-lane MIPI-DSI connectors. There are also 3x 4- and 2-lane MIPI-CSI ports on a single 120-pin connector that support dual 16-megapixel or a single 32-megapixel front-facing camera. This kit supports the Snapdragon 845’s capability for 4K @ 60fps, 10-bit HDR video playback and capture using H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC) compression.

Open-Q 845, front view (with optional touchscreen) — Open-Q 845Development Board front view (with optional touchscreen)

The audio department is handled by Qualcomm audio codec driver. It supports a headset jack and analog audio input and output headers. There are several I/O ports like DP-ready USB 3.1 Type-C, 2X USB 2.0 host ports, and a micro-USB serial port. Other additional features include NFC and sensor expansion headers with I2C, SPI, UART, and GPIO. The dev kit includes a power management function, as well as 12V/3A input from wall adapter and a 3000mAh Li-Ion battery.

Intrinsyc’s Open-Q 845 HDK Development Kit is available for pre-order at $1,079. No shipping date information was published to this date. More information may be found on the Open-Q 845 product page.

Low cost single cell L-Ion battery pack simulator

Posted on 2 March, 2018 by mixos

Mare @ e.pavlin.si designed a single cell Li-Ion battery pack simulator to facilitate the testing process of a new device.

Modern battery operated portable devices use smart battery packs. Every new development of an electronic medical device must follow strict design flow defined by world-wide or local regulatory
directives. The development process of any such device using smart battery pack requires specific operating conditions to meet the testing criteria. When smart battery pack is one of the main power sources the host system should be tested with several battery states. The testing is necessary during development, validation and later in production testing.

Low cost single cell Li-Ion battery pack simulator – [Link]

Oscilloscope, generator, debugger, multimeter and much more

Posted on 1 March, 20181 March, 2018 by mixos

The complete electronics lab on your desk. Oscilloscope, waveform generator, programmer & debugger, VCOM, host device and more.

OMNIBOARD is is a versatile, portable electronics workbench. I have created the OMNIBOARD to make electronics easier and more affordable, to put in your hands tools which are rarely accessible for hobbyists while still being easy to use for the beginners and powerful enough for the experts.

OMNIBOARD can be used as the USB device, connected to the computer or as a standalone device (limited functionality: oscilloscope, basic waveform generator, voltmeter, power supply & clock source).

Oscilloscope, generator, debugger, multimeter and much more – [Link]

Neutis N5 is a Tiny Quad Core System on a Module

Posted on 1 March, 2018 by Ayo Ayibiowu

Neutis N5 is a tiny quad-core system on a module from Emlid. Emlid which is known for its Navio2 Autopilot HAT for the Raspberry Pi and some other drone accessories is venturing into the mainstream embedded market with its Neutis N5 computer on a module.

Unlike the other previous boards and products, the Neutis N5 is expected to be a complete spinoff from Emlid mostly due to the fact it is on display on a new Neutis.io website and has no reference on the Emlid website.

In a very tiny (yes, really tiny) package, of about 41 x 29.5mm square with a 4.3mm thickness, the Neutis packed a host of features and power. At the heart of the Neutis is a 64-bit quad-core ARM® Cortex®-A53 processor with a max speed of 1.3GHz and based on the prevalent Allwinner H5. Also comes powered by the Mali 450 MP4 GPU. The Neutis N5 ships with a RAM of 512 MB DDR3, a storage option of 8 GB eMMC, has onboard Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth (Bluetooth 4.0 dual-mode BLE), and an extended temperature range. It has a tamper-resistant dedicated crypto chip for storing cryptographic keys, unique ID, random number generation and many more.

This module runs modern Linux kernel based on the mainline version. It’s based on the industry-standard Yocto build which provides support to craft a custom Linux distribution or use the pre-configured Debian. Neutis comes with an OTA support, providing an easy and safe way to deliver updates to the devices in the future.

The Neutis comes with a dual 80-pin expansion connector with some I/O ports being multiplexed. It provides interfaces for Audio, Ethernet, HDMI, USB, OTG, SPI, I2C, UART, SDIO, PCM, Line-out/Line-in, and up to 38x GPIO ports. The module runs on 3.3V and core voltage of 1.1-1.3V power and supports a temperature range of -25 to 85°C.

The module comes with FCC and CE certification (pending approval) which will help streamline product certification. Each module has a unique ID which allows convenient management of product patch and includes a time-saving parallel flashing tool. In addition to the module, Emlid is also offering a development kit that provides all the peripheral interfaces on standard ports and 0.1” (2.54 mm) pitch pins for quick prototyping. The kit extends out the following ports of the COM (Computer on a Module):

2 x USB 2.0 Type A
1 x USB 2.0 OTG Micro-B
1 x HDMI
1 x 3.5 mm jack A/V out
1 x MicroSD card slot
1 x RJ45 10/100M Ethernet

The Neutis N5 will be available in April for $49 for single units, with volume discounts available. More information about the Neutis N5 product can is found on the product website.

STMicroelectronics Introduces STM32WB – A SoC With 32bit Microcontroller And Bluetooth Low Energy 5

Posted on 1 March, 2018 by Rik

The new STM32WB from STMicroelectronics is a new wireless supporting System on a chip (SoC) that comes with a fully-featured ARM Cortex-M4 (@ 64 MHz) based microcontroller to run the main computing processes. It also has an ARM Cortex-M0+ core (@ 32 MHz) to offload the main processor and offer real-time operation on the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 5 and IEEE 802.15.4 radio. The SoC can also run other wireless protocols as OpenThread, ZigBee® or other proprietary protocols. It opens many more options for connecting devices to the Internet of Things (IoT).

STM32WB High-performance SoC specifications

The Cortex-M4 combined with a Cortex-M0+ for network processing makes sure the STM32WB to be the latest ultra-low-power microcontroller to combine superior RF performance with longer battery life. The SoC also combines essential circuitry for connecting to the antenna. It also packs right amount user and system memory, hardware encryption, and customer-key storage for brand and IP protection.

These days, only a few manufacturers offer similar dual-processor wireless chips capable of managing the user application and the radio separately for maximum performance. Alternative chips typically utilize entry-level ARM Cortex-M industry-standard cores, which introduce technical limitations and very low amount of onboard flash memory.

The robust and low-power 2.4GHz radio consumes only 5.5mA in transmit mode of this new STM32WB and as little as 3.8mA when receiving. This device also include STM32 digital and analog peripherals that are engineered for low power consumption and complex functionalities, including timers, ultra-low-power comparators, 12/16-bit SAR ADC, a capacitive touch controller, LCD controller, and industry-standard connectivity including crystal-less USB 2.0 FS, I2C, SPI, SAI audio interface, and a Quad-SPI supporting execution in place.

STM32WB devices will be available in an array of 48-pin UQFN, 68-pin VQFN, or 100-pin WLCSP with up to 72 general-purpose I/Os (GPIO). Each can be specified with any of three memory configurations, giving a choice of 256KB Flash and 128KB RAM, 512KB-Flash/256KB-RAM, or 1MB-Flash/256KB-RAM.

More information is available at the official website.