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Arduino Announces Support for MicroPython, Brings it to Several of its Development Boards

Posted on 29 November, 20221 December, 2022 by Emmanuel Odunlade

So, it finally happened that MicroPython eventually became a part of the Arduino ecosystem. The Arduino team recently announced that it is bringing in the microcontroller-focused Python into a number of its products, making Micropython the second officially-supported language in the history of the company. This is such a big move for Arduino which for a long time had focused only on C/C++ programming languages.

“We’ve recently been experimenting with the Python Language as a possible extension for our programming platforms, considering how it has become the number one language for many types of users,” says the Arduino team. “Specifically we’re looking at MicroPython, the version of Python that runs on microcontrollers. We’ve created a partnership with OpenMV, which ported their computer vision oriented virtual machine to some of our products and enabled us to do incredible stuff with the Nicla Vision (for example). Expanding on this initial experience we were lucky enough to partner with the creator of MicroPython, Damien George, to port the official virtual machine to a number of Arduino products.”

The team warned though that it is still an experimental tool and not yet an official Arduino IDE yet.

“This is not an official product yet,” the Arduino team said. “It’s an experimental tool — but we wanted people to play with it so we created a new website, ‘Arduino Labs’, where we’ll post experimental tools for people to try out and give us feedback. It’s not guaranteed that they will become fully released products. In the meantime, enjoy them and try them out!”

The company however collaborated with developer Murilo Polese to produce a new cross-platform IDE for MicroPython that supports any board with the Read, Evaluate, Print, and Loop interface. With the new Arduino Lab for Micropython, users can connect Arduino microcontroller boards and write programs that can be uploaded to the virtual machine running on the microcontroller. The Arduino Lab for Micropython also features a Text Editor with Syntax Highlight, Code Execution Controls, and File System Management.

For now, Arduino’s Micropython port is only available on three boards which are the Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense, the Nano RP2040 Connect, and the Arduino Portena H7 boards. The company did not mention when the firmware will be available to other models.

You can visit the Arduino documentation site and Arduino Labs for the MicroPython firmware and the Arduino Lab for MicroPython. Github also has more useful details including the source code.

Portable BMAX B3 Plus mini PC Features 11th Gen Jasper Lake Processor, Dual GbE ports, Dual HDMI ports and Windows 11 Pro

Posted on 29 November, 202229 November, 2022 by Emmanuel Odunlade

Bmax, a technology brand with headquarters in different parts of the world including the United States, France, and Japan, has in the last two decades successfully established its presence in the consumer electronics market, making and designing personalized consumer electronic devices for young people. The company recently released a small form factor BMAX B3 Plus desktop PC that can be used instead of the usual bulky desktop PC.

The BMAX B3 Plus mini PC is a very solid desktop PC with fast and powerful features. The miniPC delivers a powerful performance and comes with excellent storage and graphics processing capacity, which altogether makes it capable of performing almost any task. It is equipped with a faster 11th Gen processor from Intel which is claimed to offer 35% higher processor performance than its previous generation alongside a maximum memory speed and capacity of 2933 MHz and 16GB.

The miniPC is also equipped with Intel UHD graphics with a frequency of up to 750MHz as well as up to 256GB M.2 SATA 3.0 SSD and 8GB DDR4. Other features include two HDMI ports with support for 4K 60Hz triple screen display, four USB 3.0 ports, one 3.5mm audio interface, one microSD card reader, and two GbE LAN ports. There’s also a full-function Type-C port that can be used for data transfer, charging, and video signal output.

Features and Specifications Include:

CPU: Intel 11th Gen Jasper Lake N5095 processor (4Core/4Threads, up to 2.9 GHz)
GPU: Intel 9th Gen UHD Graphics
8GB DDR4 2933MHz memory
256GB M.2 SATA 3.0 SSD
1x 2.5-inch SATA 3.0
1x MicroSD card reader (supports up to 128GB)
Dual GbE LAN ports
2.4 GHz/5.00 GHz Dual-band WiFi 5
Bluetooth 5.0
Dual HDMI 2.0a (4K @ 60Hz)
1x 3.5mm audio jack
1x USB Type-C
4x USB 3.0
1x Clear CMOS Button
Power: 12V/2A DC
Dimensions: 125 mm x 112 mm x 44 mm
OS: Windows 11 Pro

Benefits

It is super portable; you can literally slip it into your pockets and carry it around
It can easily handle multiple tasks
It has really fast and powerful hardware (fast processor, large memory, and outstanding storage capacity as well as a fast transfer speed)
It offers ultimate ease with the Innovative Push Cover Design that allows you to easily install 2.5” hard drives
The company offers a 1- year warranty and Support after the purchase

Amazon is offering the BMAX B3 Plus PC at a retail price of $229 but there is a $55 off coupon for buyers in the U.S. The miniPC is offered with a user guide, one HDMI cable, and one charge adapter.

Transmit Data Wirelessly Just By Streaming Sunlight Through Smart Windows

Posted on 29 November, 202229 November, 2022 by Emmanuel Odunlade

We have seen systems wirelessly transmit data through different means but never have we seen modulated sunlight being used to send data. Some scientists at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, a private research institution located in Saudi Arabia, made some special polarized smart windows that can modulate the sunlight passing through it, encoding data into the light which can be detected and decoded by a limitless number of devices in a room. So in place of conventional WiFi or cellular data transmission, these researchers are offering a less-energy-intensive alternative via a sunlight communication system.

Speaking about how the idea came into existence, an associate professor of computer science at KAUST said that it started with trying to explore data encoding into an artificial light source.

“I was simply hoping to use a cell phone camera to record a video of the encoded light stream to try to decode the video to retrieve the data,” Basem Shihada said.

“That’s when I thought why not do the same with the sunlight? This would be much easier and can be done over the cell phone camera too. So we began to explore sunlight as an information carrier.”

The system has an LCD-based light modulator that can be placed on a glass surface as well as an inner receiver.

“The modulator is an array of our proposed smart glass elements known as Dual-cell Liquid Crystal Shutters (DLSs),” says Osama Amin, one of the research team. “The liquid crystal shutter array, which would act like a filter to encode signals into the light as it passes, would require just 1 Watt of power to operate, which can be supplied using a small solar panel.”

The Dual-cell Liquid Crystal Shutter is also structured to use a light property called polarization in order to avoid uncomfortable flicker effects usually associated with existing optical wireless communication systems. “Change in light polarization is imperceptible to the eye, eliminating the flicker problem. The communication system works by changing the polarization of the incoming sunlight at the modulator side. The receiver can detect this change to decode the transmitted data,” one of the students in Shihada’s team, Sahar Ammar, explained.

These smart windows are low-cost and energy efficient. The only downside to them is that they probably won’t function at night or in the absence of sunlight. There has to be a source of light even if it’s an artificial light shining through the windows. Smart windows again cannot receive data, they can only send.

As for speed, the smart windows are claimed to be able to transmit data at up to 16 kilobits per second, though the team revealed that they are working towards achieving an increased speed, maybe in megabits or even gigabits per second, in the nearest time so as to increase the utility of the smart windows.

“We are now ordering the necessary hardware for a testbed prototype implementation,” Shihada said. “We would like to increase the data rates from kilobits to mega- and gigabits per second.” The present speed level however is good enough to transmit useful data to devices for IoT applications and smart automation.

Further details can also be found here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9864223

Analog Devices launch single-pair power over ethernet for smart building and factory automation

Posted on 29 November, 202229 November, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

Analog Devices, a leading manufacturer of radio frequency embedded devices, has launched an industry-first single-pair power over ethernet power sourcing equipment and power device solutions to serve the growing demand for smart building, factory automation, and other intelligent edge applications. The new SPoE solution addresses the challenges of providing power and data to devices deployed in remote locations where it is difficult to access endpoint locations.

Analog Devices have developed the SPoE solution to help with a new class of endpoint applications that can be powered and accessed across the network. They are also used to assess local factors, such as asset health, environmental conditions, security metrics, etc. The company sees this as the building block to the new digital transformation of tomorrow.

“The intelligent edge is one of the most exciting developments of the digital era as computing power is pushed to previously inaccessible applications and locations,” said Leo McHugh, Vice president of industrial automation at Analog Devices.

Single-pair Power over Ethernet solves the problem of remote edge devices that require both power and data to perform their target function. This solution builds on the traditional Power over Ethernet and can be easily installed and maintained. SPoE, known as IEEE 802.3, can deliver power up to 1 kilometer and increase power delivery at shorter distances.

Analog Devices’ LTC4296-1 and LTC9111 reduce reliance on localized power and batteries by using a single twisted pair of Ethernet cables. According to the company, the solution provides efficient, reliable, and easily installed power at a reduced size and weight. When the new SPoE solution is combined with Analog Devices’ Chronous ADIN1100 and ADIN1110 10BASE-T1L, industrial Ethernet solutions, the user can reliably transfer both power and data over 1 kilometer.

“Analog Devices is committed to delivering the unrivaled technology and solutions our customers need to leverage the full potential of the intelligent edge in smart buildings and factories as well as many more applications in the future.”

For more information on the specific SPoE solution, head to the product page of LTC4296-1 and LTC9111.

Orange Pi 5 single-board computer features Rockchip RK3588S system-on-chip

Posted on 29 November, 202229 November, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

Founded in 2005, Orange Pi has been a leading provider of open-source hardware and software for integrated electronic technology products. The company is also known for providing single-board computers, and they have launched yet another integrated computer– Orange Pi 5. Inside Orange Pi 5 single-board computer is the famous Rockchip RK3588S featuring an octa-core 64-bit processor core clocked up to a frequency of 2.4 GHz.

Orange Pi 5 comes with RK3588S, a quad-core Arm Cortex-A76, and a quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor core with an 8 nm process design. The system-on-chip has an integrated Arm Mali-G610 graphics processing unit for graphic processing. There also comes an embedded high-performance 2D/3D image acceleration module and a built-in neural processing unit with the performance of 6TOPS computing power.

Orange Pi 5 single-board computer offers various integrated memory options– such as 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB LPDDR4. The computer hardware also has up to 8K display processing capabilities. Peripheral interfaces are not a problem with Orange Pi as it comes with HDMI output, GPIO interface, M.2 PCIe 2.0, type-C, Gigabit LAN port, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and many more. The manufacturer has developed Orange Pi for various applications, including edge computing, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, AR/VR, intelligent security, smart home, and AIoT.

Orange Pi has multi-channel input and output supporting HDMI 2.1 8K video output, dual MIPI D-PHY video output for multi-screen display, and three MIPI interface camera inputs. The hardware supports NVMe SSD hard drives for massive expansion and meets the demands for fast read/write and large-capacity storage.

On the software side, it supports the Orange Pi operating system, which provides a self-designed Launcher to provide users with the same operating habits as a regular computer. Orange Pi 5 comes with the Google Play Store pre-installed, and it can run social platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Telegram, and other applications.

If you are interested in getting your hands on the Orange Pi single-board computer, it is available on AliExpress and Amazon. The board is priced at $60.00 USD for the 4GB variant, while the 8GB will cost you $75.00 USD.

Win a Digilent Analog Discovery 2

Posted on 26 November, 20224 September, 2024 by mixos

This month OemSecrets teamed up with Digilent to give away an Analog Discovery 2 worth $399! The Analog Discovery 2 is a USB oscilloscope, logic analyzer, and multi-function instrument that allows users to measure, visualize, generate, record, and control mixed-signal circuits of all kinds. Read on for more information about the equipment.

You have been entered into the competition for being a subscriber, however, you can increase your chances of winning through extra entries by sharing through the social media channels below:

Share on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for extra chances to win.

Analog Discovery 2: 100MS/s USB Oscilloscope, Logic Analyzer and Variable Power Supply

Digilent Analog Discovery 2 is a USB oscilloscope, logic analyzer, and multi-function instrument that allows users to measure, visualize, generate, record, and control mixed-signal circuits of all kinds. Developed in conjunction with Analog Devices and supported by Xilinx University Program.

This test and measurement device is small enough to fit in your pocket, but powerful enough to replace a stack of lab equipment, providing engineering professionals, students, hobbyists, and electronic enthusiasts the freedom to work with analog and digital circuits in virtually any environment, in or out of the lab. As the demand for more portable and versatile tools grows, especially with the rise of UK crypto gambling 2024, such devices become essential for ensuring reliable and secure electronic systems in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.

The analog and digital inputs and outputs can be connected to a circuit using simple wire probes; alternatively, the Analog Discovery BNC Adapter and BNC probes can be used to connect and utilize the inputs and outputs. Read More

ALT1350: Lowest Power 5G Cellular+ solution for Internet of Things

Posted on 25 November, 202225 November, 2022 by mixos

New innovative chip offers multiple ultra-low power connectivity options and low-power processing on the edge for the rapidly expanding IoT market. “This is the game changer we’ve been waiting for,” says Nohik Semel, CEO at Sony Semiconductor Israel

Sony Semiconductor Israel (Sony), a leading provider of cellular IoT chipsets, announced the launch of the ALT1350 for the global market. The ALT1350 is the world’s first cellular LTE-M/NB-IoT solution to enable additional LPWA communication protocols, as well as satellite connectivity (NTN), in a single chipset, opening the door to further innovation in the connected world.

The ALT1350 by Sony is the most advanced cellular IoT solution on the market, with an architecture that resolves IoT service providers’ power consumption concerns. Its optimized standby mode (eDRX) reduces power consumption by 80% when compared to the current generation and by 85% when using it to send short messages. Overall improvements in the system’s power consumption will enable 4 times longer battery life for a typical device, enabling additional functionalities and use cases with smaller batteries.

The ALT1350’s sub-GHz and 2.4GHz integrated transceiver enables hybrid connectivity for smart meters, smart cities, trackers, and other devices. This enhances coverage, reduces costs, and further decreases power consumption utilizing IEEE 802.15.4-based protocols, such as Wi-Sun, U-Bus Air, and wM-Bus, in additional point-to-point and mesh technologies.

ALT1350 incorporates a sensor hub to collect data from the sensors while maintaining ultra-low power consumption. It also provides cellular & Wi-Fi-based positioning and is tightly integrated to provide power-optimized concurrent LTE and GNSS to accommodate various tracking applications, which can be demanding, with a single chip.

“The market demand for this multiprotocol, ultra-low power IoT chipset is intensifying, and Sony’s ALT1350 chipset meets that demand,” said Nohik Semel, CEO at Sony Semiconductor Israel. “This is the game changer we’ve been waiting for, which will enable IoT deployments, utilizing universal connectivity on edge processing and multiple location technologies”

The chipset is designed to support the wide-ranging market needs of utilities, vehicles, tracking devices, smart cities, connected health, and other verticals. Device manufacturers across all verticals will take advantage of its low power consumption, long-lasting battery life, mature Release 15 LTE-M/NB-IoT software stack, and future compatibility with 3GPP release 17 All these guarantee longevity and ensure the ALT1350 will operate with 5G networks. It contains an additional LPWA radio transceiver with targeting operation in <1GHz and 2.4 ISM bands for universal connectivity options.

The chipset provides advanced on-the-edge low-power processing capabilities, ranging from data collection, low-power AI/ML processing of the data, and MCU to enable IoT applications on the chip. Currently, the device is sampling to lead customers and will become commercially available during 2023. The ALT1350 also includes a secure element for application usage and integrated SIM (iSIM), designed for PP-0117 to meet GSMA requirements.

Targeting AI & Computer Vision, Innodisk Launches New Camera Module Series

Posted on 24 November, 2022 by mixos

Innodisk, a global leader in industrial-grade storage and embedded peripherals recently announced its shift toward the AI industry. As 50% of Innodisk’s AI development is related to image recognition, the company has also launched a new camera module series to further support image recognition technology.

Compared with existing products on the market, Innodisk’s new camera modules have three major advantages: customized development, platform compatibility, and ISP adaptation. At the same time, quality and longevity are guaranteed to the same high standards as all Innodisk products and are backed up with 3 years of warranty.

Camera modules are used in a wide variety of applications, from ATMs to hospital bedside infotainment systems. Innodisk’s optimized cameras will meet the varied requirements of these applications, including AI image recognition, where a small MIPI camera may need to fit into a parking meter or smart charging station to detect number plates, or into a production line to detect defects automatically. Alongside Innodisk’s other video recording technologies such as InnoREC for SSDs, the company creates a complete solution for integrators with video capture needs.

Johnny Wu, Director of Innodisk’s International Intelligent Peripheral Application Division, said:

“Innodisk AI is the complete integration of software and hardware solutions, in addition to key technologies such as platforms and algorithms. The recently launched camera module series will blossom in various emerging AI and intelligent applications around the world, and are expected to achieve outstanding results in the increasingly prosperous field of AI computer vision applications.”
Innodisk has already released its USB 2.0 and MIPI (ISP integrated) series camera modules, including models EV2U-RMR2, EV2U-SGR1, and EV2U-RMR1. The company will continue to optimize and enrich their product line up, and aim to release 4K cameras with auto focus functionality.

Innodisk hopes that its latest expansion into the camera market alongside its new AI focus will together help customers build an intelligent world.

Seeed Studio unveils two camera modules with Fisheye Lens to support night landscape surveillance

Posted on 23 November, 202223 November, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

Seeed Studio has provided two camera modules to support Raspberry Pi single-board computers. The camera module comes with a 5-megapixel OmniVision OV5647 sensor that has a 2592×1944 active array size image show. The OV5647 sensor module benefits from the fisheye lens to achieve 160- and 75-field of view. A fisheye lens is a camera component used for shooting wide angles, typically 180 degrees. They are also referred to as super-wide or ultra-wide lenses.

The only difference between the two new camera modules is the field of view. The hardware platform supports infrared fill light and is ideal for high-quality large landscapes or night surveillance. The camera module comes with 4 screw holes and an adjustable 3.6mm focus length lens for easy mounting. The OV5647 sensor is designed to operate on Raspberry Pi 3B/3B+/4.

The fisheye lens produces visual distortion, projecting a convex appearance– displayed on the hemispherical screens. That is one of the reasons why the fisheye lens offers a wider field of view capturing function to the RPi compared to a rectilinear lens. Seeed Studio has chosen the perfect camera sensing module from OmniVision, which gives them a competitive edge over other camera module manufacturers.

As previously mentioned, the camera module supports infrared fill light which provides an auxiliary light when shooting under conditions of lack of light. The main function of the infrared fill light is to provide a clear image of night vision, which it targets to be deployed in night surveillance applications. The camera module can surveil any unusual activity or movement on private property. However, it is important to note that even though the OV5647 camera sensor module supports IR, the user is required to get an external IR camera.

If the user requires to capture a more specific or higher detailed vision, the manufacturer recommends buying– a Raspberry Pi high-quality camera 12.3 megapixel or M12/CS mount IMX 219 CMOS camera module 8 megapixel. This gives us an idea that the OV5647 camera module is not suitable for detailed night vision and lacks clarity.

The OmniVision OV5647 sensor comes with automatic image control functions– automatic exposure control, automatic white balance, automatic band filter, automatic 50/60Hz luminance detection, and automatic black level calibration. The sensor supports the output format of 8-/10-bit raw RGB data. The sensor also has an embedded 1.5V regulator for core power.

Seeed Studio OV5647 sensor module with 160^o field of view is priced at $12.90, while the 75^o field of view is sold for $9.90. For more information on the OV5647 sensor, head to the official documentation.

Enhancing IoT Connectivity with WisGate Connect

Posted on 23 November, 202223 November, 2022 by Abhishek Jadhav

The leading IoT solutions provider, RAKWireless, recently announced a new WisGate Connect Gateway. The modular Internet of Things (IoT) platform for multi-radio access networks and IIoT protocols runs on top of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. WisGate provides a platform for enhancing connectivity over multi-radio access networks and enterprise IoT applications.

With the motto of “IoT made easy,” RAKWireless WisGate Connect Gateway combines the flexibility of the Raspberry Pi ecosystem and the reliability of industrial-grade solutions. The Raspberry Pi CM4 features a quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 processor operating at 1.5Ghz, 8Gb DDR4 RAM, and up to 32Gb onboard eMMC. WisGate Connect includes an onboard RTC (Real Time Clock), a 16-bit ADC (Analog to Digital Converter), a temperature sensor, a cooling fan driver, a GPIO extension, a buzzer, and an OLED screen connector. WisGate Connect is compatible with all available Raspberry Pi hats.

WisGate Connect gateway offers a wide range of wired and wireless connectivity features. It features 3 MiniPCIe slots for easy connectivity with LoRaWAN, 4G, Zigbee, or Wifi modules. The M.2 B-keying slot with USB and PCIe lanes offers connectivity with 5G modules, PCIe to SATA adapters, and NVMe drivers. It also supports many industrial communication protocols like CanBus, LinBus, DIO, etc.

Other hardware features of the WisGate Connect Gateway include:

Two WisBlock IO connectors
Flexible power supply modes, including DC terminal, Phoenix terminal, and POE
HDMI 2.0 port
2.5 Gb Ethernet
A USB2.0 and two USB3.0
Type-C USB socket to update the CM4
Micro SD Card port for Compute Module 4 Lite modules
Standard cooling fan connector (compatible with 12 V and 5 V fans)
Output power connector (+5 V, +12 V with PoE)
MIPI DSI display FPC connector (22 pins, 0.5 mm pitch cable)
2x MIPI CSI-2 camera FPC connectors (22 pins, 0.5 mm pitch cable)
PoE support via an optional module
Debug UART port
Configuration jumpers

RAKWireless also provides a remote management platform for the WisGate Connect Gateway– WisDM. The WisDM platform provides numerous features for remotely accessing the WisGate gateway, like remote rebooting, prompt notifications of anomalies, analysis reports, etc.

With its enhanced connectivity and wide range of applications, the WisGate Connect Gateway is an ideal solution for industries to connect various devices for easier monitoring and communication. The WisGate Connect Base Kit is currently available on the RAKWireless store for about $149. For more information about the RAK7289 WisGate Connect can be availed from the official product page.