New connectivity solutions featuring high-density miniaturization power up data transmission in reduced-scale electronics

The Swiss-headquartered Fischer Connectors Group continues to push the boundaries of high-density miniaturization in connectivity. Its ultra-miniature, rugged series of connectors, cable assemblies and electronic solutions has been extended to help engineers add more functionality and meet high-speed data acquisition and transmission requirements in applications with extreme limitations in space, even in harsh operating environments.

The flagship product line Fischer MiniMax™ Series, which already includes one of the smallest and densest connectors in the world, now includes three connectors and their associated cables with new options in pin layout, body size and data speed:

  • New pin-layout configuration: 7 contacts (4x signal, 3x power) in Ø 10 mm receptacle (Fischer Connectors reference ‘size 06’) with a configuration offering up to 22 AWG and a choice of three locking mechanisms (quick-release, push-pull, screw), as a perfect alternative for designing even smaller equipment for the Nett Warrior connectivity ecosystem and for other rugged applications
  • New body size: Ø 14.0 mm (size 10) with 12 signal and power contacts offering USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbit/s, 1 m) and high power up to 8A, suited for high-speed intercom boxes and next-generation hubs
  • New ultra-high density: 30 contacts (24x signal, 6x power) in Ø 14.0 mm (size 10), supporting multi-protocol data transmission (such as HDMI, USB, Ethernet) and extending the popular high-density layout offering for instrumentation applications, unmanned systems, and sensor and IoT interconnections.

Increased density and optimized packaging factors for design flexibility

The increased density and optimized packaging factor offered by the MiniMax series apply to a varied array of lightweight and compact solutions, from various connector configurations, through cable assemblies with straight, right-angle or 60° overmolding, to electronic solutions including hubs, flash drives and flex PCB circuits tailored to the size, weight and power (SWaP) requirements of entire electronic systems and ecosystems.

This provides OEM engineers with more flexibility in terms of design when it comes to choosing from different connectivity solutions in line with specific system-level and field-application engineering requirements, harsh operating environments, as well as cost-efficiency criteria.

Smaller connectivity yields big advantages in terms of design integration. For example, the 12 mm diameter receptacle (size 08) with up to 24 power and signal contacts represents up to a 45% space saving compared to standard receptacles with a similar number of contacts. The external dimensions of electronic devices are affected by the growing demand for sensors and mobile (or wearable) electronics as well as for autonomous robotics and vehicles. This implies ever-lighter components. With up to 75% weight saving, the Fischer MiniMax™ Series achieves both size and weight reduction, maximizing performances while minimizing the integration burden.

One of the smallest and densest connectors in the world is a Fischer MiniMax™ connector. The connector in size 06 includes up to 12 power and signal contacts in a footprint of just 10 mm. This represents a density factor of 0.83, a unique technological feature for a connector with standard 0.5 mm contacts. The density factor is equal to the receptacle diameter divided by the number of contacts available in that receptacle size.

When ruggedized for durable life cycles, lightweight and ultra-miniature solutions further increase flexibility and facilitates design integration for demanding applications. The main reliability features of the Fischer MiniMax™ Series are 5,000 mating cycles, 360° EMC shielding, IP68 sealing -20m/24h, gas tightness to 10-6 mbar l/s, high corrosion resistance, operating temperatures from -40 °C to +135 °C, blind mating, three secure locking mechanisms (quick-release, push-pull, screw), and cable assemblies with straight or angled bend relief overmolding.

Two use cases: Robust, high-density miniaturization applied

Lidar (laser imaging detection and ranging) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). YellowScan, based in southern France, designs lightweight UAV-lidar mapping solutions for surveying operations such as a survey of ruins, topographic studies of road and rail corridors, and an airborne survey of the Amazon in French Guyana that maps both canopy and terrain to study the impacts of climate change. The key connectivity requirements for lidar systems such as the YellowScan’s Mapper using three Fischer MiniMax™ connectors are: space and weight, rugged material, vibration resistance, dust and rain proofing with high IP sealing, large pin count and EMI shielding.

YellowScan’s Mapper uses three Fischer Minimax™ connectors: 4 pins for the external power port; 24 pins (RJ45 and Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter, UART) for the LiveStation port; and 19 pins (USB and General Purpose Input/Output, GPIO) for the optional camera port

Strain gauge sensors. To ensure that machines and systems in robotics, medical technology or the automotive industry are operated safely and precisely, the forces and torques need to be monitored constantly. One proven methodology for obtaining reliable results is strain gauge technology. Since the sensors are very small, connectivity also has to be suitably minimized, and data transmission must remain stable even when there are high vibrations. The engineers of ME-Meßsysteme based in Germany have chosen the compact and robust Fischer MiniMax™ Series to meet these requirements in data transmission and vibration resistance.

The 6-axis force sensors of ME-Meßsysteme use the powerful, robust MP11 connectors in the Fischer MiniMax™ Series.

More info:

www.fischerconnectors.com

Aufero Laser 2 – The fastest laser engraver ever, is it actually made for novices?

We are in an era of Personalization. Customized Gifts, daily necessities, small DIY projects, and even clothing accessories are in high demand for personalization. This is one of the reasons why laser engraving machines have become increasingly popular in the past years. However, some of the key obstructions to the beginner user, are the price and complexity of the machines.

ORTUR, which has been at the forefront of the laser engraving industry, has experienced through customer support most of the issues described above.

This barrier to entry on price and know-how is exactly the problem Aufero Laser 2 Product line is trying to mitigate.

In order to serve more novice users, ORTUR released its entry-level engraving machine sub-brand Aufero and its first model for beginners—— Aufero Laser 1 several months ago. Soon after, Aufero brought its upgraded Aufero Laser 2, which is also positioned for entry to the intermediary users, allowing a bigger work area but maintaining a simple and stable platform. All the Ortur Know-How, at a friendly price, starting at only $269.

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The most complete introductory guide in the industry, even someone never used can get started easily

After getting the machine, novices may be confused and will have countless questions: how to install with a lot of parts and brief manuals? Where to download the engraving software? How to engrave different materials? How to set parameters? And so many other questions… Don’t worry, Aufero has The most complete introductory guide in the industry, which can help you “from beginner to master”.

First of all, Aufero Laser 2 is equipped with a 71-page manual covering 10 languages. Every step, component, and operation is detailed in the form of color pictures. Just follow the tutorial step by step and only cost 20 minutes to finish installing independently, which is very convenient. If you feel that the manual is also trouble, Aufero has also released detailed installation videos, and it is easier to follow the video to install.

It’s not easy to be so detailed, because Aufero constantly listens to users and quickly updates and optimizes the product. After the release of Aufero Laser 1, its plug-and-play feature was widely praised, but some users reported that its manual was too brief and inconvenient to install and use. Only three months after the release of the first generation, Aufero has made the manual to the most detailed level in the industry in its second-generation product, so that all novices can easily get started.

From that can see its attention to the user’s voice and the products.

At the same time, as a multi-functional laser engraving machine that can engrave a variety of materials, Aufero also provides videos about engraving tutorials for various materials, which is very intimate.

Before you start engraving, you may still not know how to set the parameters of engraving, especially you are still inexperienced in how to set different pictures. Then the parameters of the 50 pictures provided by Aufero are very useful. You can directly refer to this parameter for setting at first. Of course, if you don’t know what pictures to use to test the machine, Aufero also provides some materials for testing, all aspects have been considered for you.

If you still don’t know how to use it, you can follow those solutions:

  1. Please find all the documents you need at: https://ortur.tech/auferolaser2/ or https://we.tl/t-qYcLLMpSVn
  2. For support inquiries, please use Ortur’s Ticketing System at: https://ortur.tech/support
  3. Please join the Facebook Communities to get and give: https://www.facebook.com/groups/orturusergroup/ and https://www.facebook.com/groups/291604525730905
  4. Assembly Video in YouTube of Aufero Official: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5g531FhcsljOSrK72Lwm8Q

The fastest engraving speed ever, stable, efficient, and easy to use

Although Aufero Laser 2 is a model for beginners, it is not as low-profile as many entry-level models, but instead brings excellent hardware and software configuration, making it have super fast engraving speed: the ordinary engraving speed is 10000mm/min, which has reached the high-end level of the industry, which is not enough. Its maximum engraving speed even reached 15000mm/min, which directly refreshed the industry record and became the fastest laser engraving machine at present!

To have such amazing results is naturally inseparable from the luxurious configuration of its software and hardware. Aufero Laser 2 uses ORTUR’s newest ninth-generation motherboard. Compared with the previous generation motherboard, the speed is increased by 10%, its movement is smoother and more delicate, and its engraving precision is higher. With the current industry’s most advanced ORTUR 1.8 firmware version, the stable FreerTOS system and the faster ESP32 chip naturally bring the engraving speed that breaks through the industry.

At the same time, the engraving area of Aufero Laser 2 has also been upgraded to 390x390mm, which is larger than two 15-inch large-screen laptops put together, which means that you can engrave larger materials, such as whole logs, clothing, and so on, which has wider applicability. In addition, Aufero Laser 2 also uses an X-axis structure with a low center of gravity, which can ensure the accuracy of engraving at extremely high engraving speed, and its XY-axis scale is also convenient for placing engraved objects.

Powerful performance, don’t need to worry about compatibility and install drivers to support mainstream Win 10 and Mac systems. And even Aufero will release its dedicated APP to further simplify the operation. In March, Aufero will also launch a new version of the OOC2.0 offline control screen, which can operate the engraving machine normally without a computer. It can be said to be a fast and easy-to-use benchmark.

Compatible with a variety of laser modules, multiple functions can be easily expanded

Modularity is an essential function of high-end engraving machines. It is not only convenient for novices to install the machine, but also expands more functions later. Aufero Laser 2 naturally also supports modular customization. For example, its laser module can be freely matched with ORTUR’s LU2-2, LU2-4-SF, LU2-4-LF, LU2-10 (10W) to cope with multiple complex scenes.

  • Option 1-LU2-2 Laser Module ($329.99 – $269.99):
  1. Fixed focus laser module, smaller luminous cavity, smaller focal spot.
  2. LU2-2 Laser Module is more suitable for engraving high-precision patterns, but the speed is not very fast, and it is not very suitable for cutting.

This laser plug featured high-precision patterns and is suitable for materials with low hardness. You can use it to engrave your favorite patterns on the phone case, engrave unique texts on bread/steak, engrave photos with wood instead of paper photos, easily complete “decoupage” paintings with paper, and make leather such as wallets, belts, etc. Print your own unique logo on the product, etc., and you can use your creativity at will.

  • Option 2-LU2-4-SF ($429.99 – $369.99):

  1. Short focus, smaller focal spot, and high laser energy density.
  2. While having a good cutting ability, it is more suitable for engraving materials with higher hardness, such as stainless steel, and the speed is also faster.

This laser module has a good cutting ability, but better engraving performance, suitable for materials with higher hardness, such as glass, stone, ceramic, stainless steel, and so on. For example, you can engrave a commemorative pattern on the transparent glass to make beautiful artwork for your friends; you can also engrave a personalized image on a small slab stone, which is also a beautiful decoration at home; If you are a shop owner, you can also engrave the logo of your own shop on small pieces of ceramics and give them to your patrons; you can even engrave your own business card information on the stainless steel sheet, making it the most unique durable stainless steel business card.

  • Option 3-LU2-4-LF ($429.99 – $369.99):

  1. Telephoto. Longer Depth of Field.
  2. It has a good engraving effect and is more suitable for cutting thicker boards.
  3. There is air assist, so it is not easy to have black edges, but you need to bring your own air compressor

While this laser module has a good engraving effect, the cutting effect is more perfect. You can use some beautiful wooden boards with your own personal design to cut them into artworks of different shapes; of course, in addition to wooden boards, it also supports various materials such as leather and black acrylic, it can also Cut these materials into the shape you want and engrave your design.

  • Option 4-LU2-10(10W)

LU2-10

It is important to mention that this laser module has a power of 10W, which is the highest in the industry. So it is also equipped with a dual-fan cooling system. The powerful power makes it not only can be capable of general engraving work but also can easily cut materials such as 10mm pine board. At the same time of strong power, the focus is also controlled very small (about 0.135*0.08mm), which is also capable of high-precision work.

All in all, the Aufero Laser 2 can adapt to most of your demands, you can only use your creativity and let it do with other things.

In addition, Aufero Laser 2 also supports the third-generation digital laser modules of the LU3 series, which can be modularized to expand more functions, such as the aforementioned OOC2.0 offline control panel (24V version), OE2.0 detachable protection Covers, flame detectors, emergency stop switches, etc., which are very expandable.

A four-layer safety protection system to protect the safety of novice throughout the process

For beginners, safety is also a very important part. So Aufero Laser 2 has designed a 4-fold safety protection system.

First, the Active Position Protection. When the laser engraving machine is moved horizontally/vertically, it will automatically stop the work of the laser head to protect the user. This anti-collision technology ORTUR was developed as early as 2019. Compared with the anti-collision technology that other brands just released this year, it is obviously more mature and perfect.

Second, the new function Laser Beam Safety Watchdog has been added. When there is a bug in the machine, or there is a poor USB connection between the machine and the computer, in order to prevent the laser module from going out of control and causing fire hazards, the laser watchdog will be activated to stop the laser module from outputting laser light.

Third, set the Exposure Duration Detection and Limitation. If you go to pour a coffee or answer a phone call in the middle of debugging the laser power, if the machine is not instructed within 30 seconds, the machine will automatically stop working to prevent any possible safety hazards.

Fourth, it has a Safe Power Control System. When the engraving machine is turned off, the mainboard will cut off the current output to the laser module to avoid any hidden dangers that may occur. Imagine that when you are finished using it, you don’t need to manually unplug it. After the machine is turned off, the power supply will automatically stop, and the laser will stop working. So, if you are an inexperienced novice, nuanced security protection design may bring you more security.

In a word, whether you are a novice who is the first time to buy an engraving machine or an experienced engraver, Aufero’s complete safety protection can buy and use with confidence.

Summary: Master-level powerful performance, the best choice for the novice.

Looking at it entirely, you will find that Aufero Laser 2 not only provides the most novice-friendly experience in the entire industry but also is different from other products that it’s for novices but in fact shrinking and reducing, Aufero Laser 2 brings this product comes with top software and hardware and extremely outstanding performance. Combined with its starting price of just $269, it definitely has high-cost performance. For beginners looking to buy a laser engraver, the Aufero Laser 2 is a perfect choice.

In fact, as a leader in the laser engraving machine industry, ORTUR has always represented the industry’s top technology and excellent products. So it becomes the first brand recommended by LaserGRBL.

However, compared to the high-end market and products it is good at, products like Aufero Laser 2 that have both excellent performance and friendly novice experience may have greater significance: let more people use laser engraving machines and transform more ideas into extraordinary works.

Just like these meaningful stories from ORTUR users: “A coffee shop owner used an ORTUR laser engraver to create personalized advertisements and became famous among customers in big cities; a French wine estate owner used an ORTUR laser Engraved with memories that belong to each barrel of wine; a Hollywood filmmaker used an ORTUR laser engraver to customize a unique electric guitar memorabilia for his behind-the-scenes team; there’s even an Italian gentleman in a restaurant use The steak with the words ‘Marry Me’  proposed successfully to his girlfriend.” It is no doubt that more ordinary users will also use Aufero Laser 2 to create more outstanding works and beautiful stories…

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Meet the Coin-Sized GPS Cat Tracker – the Katzen Tracker

Cats are adorable creatures but with a knack for wandering and getting lost every now and then, so much that a common desire among owners is usually to have a reliable way to track them. While a host of adaptable tracking solutions exist, German Engineer, Gerhard Peter felt this is worth a bespoke solution and recently shared the progress he has made with the device, which he’s calling the KatzenTracker; German for Cat Tracker.

While this started off as a personal DIY project for Peter, it has grown into a global product with a huge following and a growing pre-order list as a testament. Fitted into a coin-sized, circular, 30mm. multilayer PCB, the Kazen tracker is based on the EMB-LR1276S 868 / 915 MHz wireless module which features the ultra-low-power, LoRa enabled, 32-bit Cortex SAM R34 microcontroller and comes pre-configured for communication over LoRaWAN, allowing users to easily connect to individual gateways or networks like TTN.

With the EMB-LR1276S taking as little space as possible, the Katzen tracker fits the remarkably small-sized ORG1410 GPS from Origin GPS on the device to acquire location data. To get information on the cat’s movement/activity, the Kazentracker also features the 2mm² miniature low-power, BMA400 tri-axial accelerometer from Bosch.

In addition to the miniature sensors, the device comes with a reset switch, an ultra-low-power 3.3V regulator, and an installed 100 mAH (150 mAH nominal) LiPo battery with a protection circuit and charging controlled by the TI BQ21040 charge controller. For notification purposes, the device features a piezo speaker, Broadcom RGB LEDs, and an electronic ink (e – ink) display, all of which provide feedback to the pet owner via alarms and indication/display of information such as the power status among others.

Key Features and Specifications of the Katzen tracker

  • SoC: Embit LR11276S SoC with integrated LoRa®/LoRaWAN® being compliant with the latest LoRaWAN® specs, along with an integrated crypto unit to protect communication
  • MCU: SAM-R34
  • Power Supply:
    • 5V charging voltage via USB-3
    • Installed 150mAH nominal LiPo Battery
  • GPS: ORG1410 GPS module
  • Accelerometer: Bosh BMA400 tri-axial accelerometer
  • Wireless: LoRa antenna module, external LoRa antenna
  • Misc: Reset switch, piezo speaker

The Katzentracker project is not open source, but useful information about its development and other general details can be found on the project’s Wiki and Twitter pages.

As of the time of this writing, the Cat tracker is not yet available for sale, but Peter has provided a pre-order page for those interested in the device, and manufacturing and delivery are expected to start soon.

PineNote Developer Edition Linux-based Notepad Computer Device at $399

PineNote Developer Edition Tablet

Recently, we covered PinePhone Pro Explorer Edition Linux-based Smartphone built around the Rockchip RK3399S highly integrated with 4GB LPDDR4 RAM and 128GB eMMC flash storage. Pine64 has captured the embedded system news due to the availability of the PinePhone Keyboard case and PineNote Developer Edition. This article primarily focuses on the PineNote Linux-based notepad computer device that is a combination of notebook, tablet, and e-ink panel powered by the Rockchip RK3566 system-on-chip.

As mentioned above, the tablet features RK3566 that comes with a 64-bit quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor core clocked at a frequency of 1.8GHz. Moreover, the SoC comes with an embedded Mali G52 2EE GPU, 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, and 128GB eMMC flash storage. These specifications are optimized for it to be one of the fastest Linux-based e-readers on the market. However, the tablet’s internal memory might seem less for multitasking and high-end games.

Specifications of PineNote Developer Edition Tablet

  • System: Rockchip RK3566 featuring 64-bit quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor core
  • GPU: Mali G52 2EE
  • Storage: 128GB eMMC flash memory
  • Memory: 4GB LPDDR4 RAM
  • Display:
    • Size: 10.3-inches
    • Resolution: 1404×1872 pixel resolution
    • Touch-type: Capacitive multi-touch panel
  • Wireless connectivity: 2.4/5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth: 5.0
  • Audio system: Built-in stereo speakers and 4x DMIC interface
  • Battery: 4000mAH LiPo battery
  • Charging: Charging: USB Type-C, DC 5V – 3A
  • Operating system: Not yet ready
  • Dimension: 191.1×232.5×7.4 mm
  • Weight: 438g

PineNote Developer Edition Tablet Interface

At size 10.3-inch, the notebook provides a 1404 x 1872 px resolution with 227 dots per inch and 16 grayscale levels. The capacitive multi-touch panel gives an enhanced user experience with support for the EMR pen digitizer. When it comes to wireless connectivity, the hardware doesn’t stay behind market leaders by supporting IEEE802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.

For the audio system, the PineNote Developer Edition offers built-in stereo speakers and a DMIC interface for multiple microphones. When it comes to the battery life of the device, the hardware incorporates a 4000mAh LiPo battery, which can be charged using a DC 5V @3A through a USB Type-C connector.

Important note: As the name says, the PineNote Developer Edition tablet is supposedly only available to developers at this time as the PineNote software is still in the making. Even when the device is officially sold on the store at $399, the tablet is only ready for experienced developers and there is no default OS for the PineNote.

MAX77540 Step-down converter boasts 94 % peak efficiency

The MAX77540 from Maxim Integrated is a high-efficiency step-down converter with two 3 A switching phases.

It uses an adaptive COT (constant on-time) current-mode control architecture, and the two 3 A switching phases can be configured as either one (2Φ, 6 A) or two (1Φ, 3 A each) outputs. Its wide input voltage range enables a direct conversion for sub-1 V outputs from 3-cell Li+ batteries, USB PD, and 12 VDC supply rails.

The output voltages are preset with resistors and are further adjustable through an I2C-compatible interface.

With 94% peak efficiency, low quiescent current, and compact solution size, the MAX77540 is ideal for battery-powered, space-constrained equipment.

Features include 4 V to 16 V input voltage for single-stage conversion and less than 55 mm2 total solution size for high power density.

Applications cover consumer, industrial automation, communications, building and infrastructure, and healthcare

more information: https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/products/power/switching-regulators/MAX77540.html

Abracon ACR1004GC GNSS + GPS L5 Chip Antenna

Abracon ACR1004GC GNSS + GPSL5 Chip Antenna is a compact, low-profile loop antenna that provides centimeter-level accuracy and high efficiency of up to 80%. The ACR1004GC offers L1 peak gain of 2.85dBi and L5 peak gain of 1.91dBi and operates in the 1.166GHz to 1.186GHz and 1.561GHz to 1.61GHz frequencies. Other features include multiband (upper band GNSS + GPS L5), linear polarization, and omnidirectional azimuth pattern. The antenna dimensions are 10mm x 4mm x 1.5mm. Abracon ACR1004GC GNSS + GPS L5 Chip Antenna is ideally suited for M2M, automotive, tracking, and smart applications.

Features

  • Compact, low-profile loop antenna
  • Multiband – upper band GNSS + GPS L5
  • Linear polarization
  • Omnidirectional azimuth pattern
  • High efficiency, up to 80%
  • RoHS/RoHS II compliant
  • Centimeter level accuracy

Applications

  • IoT
  • M2M
  • Automotive
  • Tracking
  • Fleet management
  • Smart agriculture
  • Smart cities

Specifications

  • 1.166GHz to 1.186GHz, 1.561GHz to 1.61GHz operating frequencies
  • 2.85dBi L1 peak gain
  • 1.91dBi L5 peak gain
  • -12dB return loss
  • 50Ω impedance
  • 10mm x 4mm x 1.5mm dimensions
  • -40°C to +85°C operating temperature range

more information: https://abracon.com/datasheets/ACR1004GC.pdf

PWM Temperature Controlled FAN using TC648 and NTC sensor

The project described here is a switch mode fan speed controller for use with brushed or brushless DC motors. Temperature proportional speed control is accomplished using pulse width modulation (PWM). 10K Ohms NTC is used to sense the temperature. The project is built using TC648 chip and configured with auto-shutdown mode. In Auto-Shutdown mode, fan operation is automatically suspended when the measured temperature is lower than 25 degrees centigrade. The fan is automatically restarted and proportional speed control is restored when the temperature exceeds 25 degrees centigrade. An integrated Start-Up Timer ensures reliable motor start-up at turn-on, or when coming out of Shutdown mode. MOSFET Q1 is provided to drive the Fan up to 3A of load. A few fans require a PWM signal to work. Use gate of MOSFET to take out the direct PWM signal.

PWM Temperature Controlled FAN using TC648 and NTC sensor – [Link]

DC-HV DC Converter – 200V @ 20mA Output with 12V DC Input

This is a low-cost DC-HV DC converter built using TL3843 Low-Power Current-Mode PWM Controller from TI. Screw terminal connectors are provided for input and output, onboard LED D1 indicates the input supply. The project provides 200V DC @ 20mA output from 12V DC supply input.

DC-HV DC Converter – 200V @ 20mA Output with 12V DC Input – [Link]

TinyML Image Classification On ESP32-CAM Development Board and Edge Impulse Studio

TinyML Image Classification

Recent breakthroughs in embedded machine learning have increased the demand for TinyML applications. In dealing with TinyML, there is an excellent platform to get started and build complex projects, Edge Impulse. We have also witnessed several new embedded devices coming to market primarily designed with TinyML capabilities. This is only possible because of the support from the communication in solving some of the really critical problem statements.

[Marcelo Rovai] published a detailed write-up on learning image classification on embedded hardware, ESP32-CAM, and showcasing the flexibility brought in by the affordable and powerful development board. As Edge Impulse has captured the market for TinyML easy implementation, the embedded developer has decided to use Edge Impulse Studio for the software side. Circling back to the hardware, ESP32-CAM incorporates the Espressif’s ESP32-S microcontroller chip along with a highly integrated ArduCam OV2640 camera.

Supporting I2C, SPI and UART communication give the opportunity to interface external devices and sensors. Since the hardware does not have a USB-TTL serial module for programming, the maker uses a special adapter to upload the load onto the ESP32-CAM. For those unfamiliar with the ESP32-CAM module, the hacker recommends referring to some of the online resources publicly available with a highlight on the books and tutorials of Rui Santos.

TinyML Image Classification Hardware

Starting with the software side of the TinyML Image Classification project, the initialization of the ESP32-CAM development board onto the Arduino IDE is the same as done for other setups. The first thing for any hardware development project is to test the board by blinking the LED. For the employed hardware, the built-in LED is connected with GPIO33, which will ease the code building process. For this specific project, [Marcelo Rovai] also decides on testing the Wi-Fi wireless communication and the onboard camera.

With TinyML, a set of technics associated with machine learning inference on embedded devices, we should limit the classification to three or four categories due to limitations (mainly memory in this situation).

Training the model with Edge Impulse Studio has a dataset containing images of several fruits and vegetables with each category being split into train, test, and validation with 100, 10, and 10 images respectively. The model in this case reached an accuracy of 77%, which is decently good for the amount of RAM on the ESP32-CAM development board. Once the software is uploaded to the hardware, the setup seems to work perfectly fine, just as expected for the initial goal.

For more details on the TinyML Image Classification project, visit the complete write-up on the Hackster project.

Meet the All New Orange Pi 3 LTS

Shenzhen-based electronics manufacturer; Xunlong Software Co., has announced the release of the latest member of its Orange Pi Family; The Orange Pi 3 LTS, designed for projects that require SBCs with high processing power but highly compact form factor.

Built around the Allwinner H6 SoC which features the Quadcore 64bit, 1.8 GHz Arm Cortex-A53 processor, the Orange Pi 3 LTS provides a slimmed-down version of the Orange Pi 3 with a few features, like the multiple USB ports, PCIE interface, and others from the original Orange Pi 3, sacrificed to reduce the size of the board and keep cost low.

Fitted into a Raspberry Pi like 85 x 56mm form factor, the Orange Pi 3 LTS features the high-performance, multi-core GPU Mali T720 with OpenGL, DirectX, ASTC, and support for Floating point operation greater than 70 GFLOPS. It also comes with a 2GB LPDDR3 shared by the CPU and GPU, and 8GB eMMC flash, and an onboard Allwinner AW859A, which replaces the Ampak AP6256 on the previous version, providing WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0.

For Interfaces, the Orange Pi 3 LTS replaces both the DC jack and micro-USB OTG port on the original OPI 3 with a USB Type-C input, and the 4x USB 3.0 ports and single USB 2.0 port with a single USB 3.0 and dual USB 2.0 ports. The board retains the 4K-ready HDMI 2.0 port alongside the GbE, the TV CVBS video output port / A/V jack, mic input, 26-pin GPIO, IR receiver, and a microSD slot.

The features and specifications of the Orange Pi 3 LTS are highlighted below:

  • SoC: Allwinner H6: Quad-core, 64-bit 1.8GHz Cortex-A53 processor with multi-core GPU Mali T720 supporting OpenGL ES3.1/3.0/2.0/1.1, Microsoft DirectX 11 FL9_3, ASTC, Floating point operation greater than 70 GFLOPS
  • Memory: 2GB LPDDR3 (shared with GPU)
  • Storage: 8GB EMMC Flash
  • Power Source: 5V/3A via USB-C
  • Controls Systems:
    • AXP805 Chip for power management
    • YT8531C Network Chip that supports 10/100M/1000M Ethernet
  • Wireless Connectivity:
    • AW859A WIFI+Bluetooth Chip
    • Support IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
    • Support BT5.0
    • IR Receiver for IR remote control
  • Multimedia:
    • Video:
    • HDMI 2.0a output
    • TV CVBS output
  • Audio:
    • HDMI Output
    • 3.5mm Audio output port
  • Expansions/Connectors:
    • Micro SD card slot
    • USB: 1x USB 3.0 host, 2x USB 2.0 host
  • Peripherals (low-level): 26pin connector with 1x SPI, Multiple GPIOs,1x I2C, 1x UART
  • Misc:
    • Power button (SW4), Power LED, Status LED
  • OS:
    • Supports Android 9.0, Ubuntu, and Debian
  • Dimension: 56mm*85mm

The Orange Pi 3 LTS is compatible with Android 9.0, Ubuntu, and Debian Operating systems.

The SBC is currently available for purchase for $35.00 on AliExpress and Amazon store, and since it is open source, docs such as schematics and other open hardware resources are expected to be released on Github soon.

More information on the Orange Pi 3 LTS can be found on the OrangePi website.

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