Tinker Edge T, is an SBC developed by ASUS that comes equipped with an i.MX8M and an Edge TPU, running the Debian-based Mendel OS Linux on a coral SOM module with a cross-platform OS flash tool that enables easy OS image flashing to SD cards and USB drives, enabling users to get their system up and running quickly.
It seems to be an open-spec board, much like Asus’ earlier released Rockchip RK3288-based Tinker Board S, and it is probably planned to serve as Asus’ equivalent of Google’s Coral Dev Board. The board offers two faster-10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen1 ports, a USB 3.2 Type-C OTG port with both power and peripheral support while the Coral Dev Board has USB 3.0 host, USB 3.0 Type-C power, and micro-USB serial console ports. The Tinker Edge T lacks the Coral Dev Board’s audio features: 3.5mm audio jack, two digital PDM mics, and stereo speaker header, but it comes with three PWM, a set of I2S pins on the Raspberry Pi-like 40-pin expansion header, and supplies dual 4-lane, MIPI-CSI2 interfaces.
The Asus Tinker Edge T is also designed such that it delivers 45 watts of power with a DC head power supply, enabling stable system operation, and full I/O performance, even with multiple connected devices. This is a significant feature as the power design of most SBC’s including the Coral Dev Board is usually 5v, 3A.
Some of the specifications and features of the board as listed by Japanese retailer Physical Computing include:
NXP i.MX 8M SOC
GC7000 Lite (1GHz) GPU
Quad-core ARM A53 (1.5GHz), Coretex-M4 CPU
Dual-CH LPDDR4 1GB
Google Edge TPU Neural Network Processor
8GB eMMC with 1 x Micro SD (TF) card slot (push / pull) for storage
2 x MIPI 24-pin CSI-2
RTL8211F-CG Gbit LAN, 802.11 b / g / n / ac & Bluetooth 4.2
USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A ports x 2, USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C OTG port x 1
2-19V DC Power input
0 ~ 50 ℃ operating temperature range
0% to 85% RH
Mendel Linux OS
3.37 ”x 2.125” Size
I/0
– 1 x 40-pin headers include:
– up to 28 x GPIO pins
– 1 x SPI bus
– 2 x I2C bus
– 2 x UART
– 3 x PWM
– 1 x PCM / I2S
– 2 x 5V power pins
– 2 x 3.3V power pins
– 8 x ground pins
– 1 x Boot mode switch
– 1x 2-pin Reset header
– 1 x 2-pin DC Fan header
The product launch announcement mentioned the provision of a robust API and SDK that enables users to deploy machine-learning models, for applications like image classification and object detection, easily
No price information was provided in the announcement but the Tinker Edge T board is listed on Physical Computing for 21,600 JPY (about $200), and $168.35 on Provantage.
W600 – PICO is currently the most recent board released by Wemos. The company is responsible for boards like the D1 and D32. This board is based on a Winner Micro – W600 SoC. The first time users had the opportunity to work with the chip when Seeed released multiple boards starting from late 2018. None of these boards allowed users to utilize the features the chip had to offer ultimately.
The W600 is an Arm Cortex M3 with a clock speed of 80 MHz and 1 MB of Flash. The chip supports hardware cryptography and a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Initially, the W600 has been hinted to take over the ESP8266, but it was never really adopted by the maker community, just like other similar boards. It stayed as a Wi-Fi-to-Serial bridge and had features that already existed in the ESP8226. Nevertheless, the W600 board is still appealing to some users because it houses an ARM core, unlike the ESP8226, which is based on the Xtensa cortex giving it some advantages when used in specific ways.
However, the new board is now changing things as it comes pre-loaded with the Micropython firmware on board. There is a micro USB port available as a source of power and for loading programs. It is connected using a CH340 USB – TTL chip. On both sides of the board, there are 10 pin headers. Some of these are the Wakeup, reset, +5V, and GND pins.
The W600 is an Arm Cortex-M3 running at 80MHz with 1MB of Flash on-chip as well as 2.4GHz WiFi support.
Board Specification
SoC – Winner Micro W600 Arm Cortex-M3 MCU @ 80MHz with 1MB Flash.
Wireless Connectivity – 2.4GHz 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi 4 up to 150 Mbps.
USB – 1x Micro USB port (via CH340 USB to TTL chip)
Expansion –
2x 10-pin headers with 15x GPIO
9x PWM.
1x I2C.
1x SPI
1x UART.
Wake Up.
Reset Pin
5V and 3.3V supply.
Power Supply – 5V via micro USB port.
Operating Voltage: 3.3V
Dimensions – 33.0mm by 20.3mm
Weight – 3g
Wemos has provided a wiki page with further information that might be needed. Detailed instructions for beginners on how to get started can be found here. There are also instructions for users who would like to reflash and updated the firmware. Tutorials are provided to help users learn how to use the on-chip RTC, networking, and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI).
Furthermore, this new board is most likely the cheapest board Wemos has introduced into the community. It is currently being sold for $2.10 on Ali-Express. Although it is stated on the official Ali-express store has not been available again but it is available on some other stores here.
The TGR2050 Series provides exceptional performance with new touch screen operation for improved functionality to support research and development, test and service functions
Farnell, the Development Distributor, announced the availability of the TGR2050 series of next generation Radio Frequency (RF) signal generators from Aim-TTi. Electronic design and test engineers will benefit from the small footprint and lightweight design of the new-to-market TGR2050 Series, offering the best price/performance ratio in its class. These RF signal generators build upon Aim-TTi’s reputation for manufacturing high-quality and reliable products and are now available for same day despatch from Farnell.
The TGR2050 series includes TGR2051 and TGR2053 RF signal generators which provide exceptional performance with high signal purity, high frequency accuracy and stability, a large signal amplitude range, low phase noise and fast amplitude and/or frequency sweeps. Extensive and flexible analogue and digital modulation capabilities make these signal generators ideal for research and development, test and service work.
Both models also offer improved functionality with intuitive touch screen operation. Advanced remote-control connectivity accommodates sophisticated new automated systems and compatibility with Aim-TTi’s previous RF instruments, ensuring simple integration with existing systems.
Key features of the TGR2050 Series RF signal generators include:
High frequency accuracy and stability, high signal purity with excellent phase noise, output power levels of -127dBm to +13dBm, and flexible analogue and digital modulation capabilities.
A sweep function enabling signals of varying frequency and/or amplitude to test a full range of input conditions quickly and efficiently. Sweeps can be set to run in either direction, with linear or logarithmic spacing. Alternatively, list mode (accessible within the instrument or from remote interfaces) can be used to analyse the response at set frequencies and amplitude.
A TGR-U01 option adding an extensive range of digital modulations: FSK, GFSK, MSK, GMSK, HMSK, 3FSK, 4FSK, PSK, ASK and OOK. Built in NRZ patterns include Square wave, 7, 9, 11 and 15-bit PRBS. Digital modulation capabilities also include advanced filtering. External digital modulation signals can be applied to the carrier waveform via the MOD in/out on the rear panel.
James McGregor, Global Head of Test and Tools for Farnell says: “The new TGR2050 Series of RF signal generators from Aim-TTi is an excellent addition to Farnell’s market-leading Test range. This series delivers exceptional performance at a class-leading price point. In 2019, Farnell invested over £4 million in the Test category and as we begin 2020 we remain committed to further increasing the breadth of our portfolio, to ensure electronic design professionals have access to the latest and most advanced test and measurement technologies.”
Customers also benefit from Farnell’s in-house test and measurement specialists who provide 24/5 technical support as well as access to free online resources, data sheets, application notes, videos and webinars.
Aim-TTi is a leading producer of innovative and cost-effective function generators, precision and RF instruments, including the PowerFlex, Multi-range and Precision Power Supplies.
The Aim-TTi TGR250 Series RF signal generators are available from Farnell in EMEA, Newark in North America and element14 in APAC.
Diamond Systems has unveiled a Stevie carrier board for Nvidia’s high-end Jetson AGX Xavier module. Diamond also promoted some other Jetson carriers and embedded systems, which all ship with Linux BSPs. They include Diamond Systems’ Elton, also for the Xavier, the Jethro and Ziggy carriers, both of which support the earlier Jetson TX2 and industrial-temperature Jetson TX2i. Diamond also included the Ziggy-based ZiggyBox mini-PC and its Jetbox-Nano enclosure for Nvidia’s Jetson Nano Development Kit for the Jetson Nano module.
STEVIE™ carrier for NVIDIA Jetson AGX Xavier
At 105 x 92mm, the Stevie board is slightly larger than the 100 x 87mm Jetson AGX Xavier module. The high-end Nvidia Xavier has 10x the energy efficiency and more than 20x the performance of the Jetson TX2. It features 8x ARMv8.2 cores and a 512-core Nvidia Volta GPU with 64 tensor cores and 2x Nvidia Deep Learning Accelerator (DLA) engines. Available also is a 7-way VLIW vision chip, and also a 16GB 256-bit LPDDR4 RAM and 32GB eMMC 5.1. Stevie enables a host of real-world ports for easier connectivity. coastline ports features includes an HDMI port, 2x Gigabit Ethernet, and 2x USB 3.1 ports. The block diagram available suggests there’s another HDMI port, which probably serves as an input interface.
The Stevie board enables connectors for up to 8x MIPI-CSI HD cameras or 4x 4K cameras. It is also equipped with a micro-SD slot plus mini-PCIe and M.2 slots supporting I/O add-ons and SSD storage. Additional features include 2x CAN, 4x serial, an audio interface, and a 9-20VDC input. Stevie’s MCU-driven data acquisition circuit has a 12-bit A/D up to 1MSPS, 12-bit D/A, and 3.3V GPIO. Diamond offers support for these interfaces with a free C-language programming library, a GUI control panel for “convenient control and monitoring of real-world processes and also a ready-to-run data logging capability.”
The CTI Rogue carrier for the Xavier has a similar set of I/O. It enables more USB ports and M.2 slots but is limited to 6x CSI cameras. Let’s take a look at the other Jetson carriers and embedded systems promoted.
Jethro
Jethro
Jethro’s carrier extends the mid-range hexa-core Jetson TX2 module with 256-core Pascal graphics, and also the similar Jetson TX2i, which enables-40 to 85°C and 10-year support. The two modules feature 8GB LPDDR4, 32GB eMMC 5.1, and 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth. The 107 x 76mm Jethro has the same temperature range of the TX2i. It enables headers with latching connectors, which improves ruggedization. Available also is 9-18VDC (TX2) or 5.5-18VDC (TX2i) DC input.
Jethro carrier features a microSD slot and an M.2 2242 socket for up to 256GB SSDs. It is further equipped with a mini-PCIe slot that supports Nimbelink Skywire cellular modules. Interface options include single GbE, USB 3.0, and HDMI headers plus 2x USB 2.0, 2x RS-232, and 2x 4-lane CSI camera inputs. Available also is a DAQ array and software stack with 12x GPIO much like the Stevie and Elton.
Ziggy, ZiggyBox, and Jetbox-Nano
Ziggy
The Ziggy has conventional coastline ports, and has a TX2-like 87 x 50mm footprint. Unlike Stevie, it supports -40 to 85°C. Coastline ports include GbE, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, micro-USB OTG, and HDMI. interface features include 2x RS-232, a single 4-lane CSI connector, and a utility connector with I2C, UART, power, and reset pins. Available also is a DAQ layout and power inputs which are identical to Jethro’s. Additionally, a microSD slot is on the flipside.
Ziggy Box
The ZiggyBox system exposes all real-world ports and incorporates COM/DIO and DAQ ports. It features WiFi and Bluetooth antennas for the TX2/TX2i’s wireless module, with a heat sink, and support for an optional fan.
JetBox-Nano
Diamond offers a Jetbox-Nano enclosure kit for Nvidia’s $99 Jetson Nano Development Kit. At 125 x 95 x 34mm, the steel enclosure is “rugged” and “low-cost.” Its standard ports are visible on one side, and the left side enables access to the serial port and camera flex cable port. However, on the right side, there is a GPIO port and optional connector and on the rear is a programming button for software updates. Finally, there is a DIN-rail mount available.
Elton
Elton
According to Diamond, the Elton board is the only Nvidia Jetson carrier that features a PCI/104-Express expansion socket. Elton is aimed at direct deployment, and has a 100 x 87mm size. According to Diamond, the -40 to 85°C. tolerant system is designed for “high performance computing and AI applications in mobile and harsh environments.”
Elton’s PCI/104-Express connector supports PCI-104, PCIe/104 type 1 (x8 lane), and PCIe/104 OneBank (4x x1 lanes). The M.2 socket available, supports up to 256GB PCIe x4 NVMe storage, and a USB-based LTE socket supports NimbeLink SkyWire cellular modems. Elton features an industry-standard MIPI-CSI camera socket, which enables up to 8x HD or 4x 4K cameras. Additional interfaces include 2x GbE, 2x USB 3.1, 2x USB 2.0, 4x RS-232/422/485, and 2x CAN, plus. Media features includes HDMI, LVDS, and audio interfaces. Available also is a DAQ interface, software stack just like Stevie’s, with 6x ADC, 2x DAC, and 13x GPIO.
According to Diamond, all the connections use pin headers compatible with common latching and non-latching cables, thereby improving shock and vibration resistance. Finally, there’s also a UFS flash socket, a heat spreader, battery support, enclosure mounting tabs, and series of cable and connector options.
There’s no pricing or availability information provided for the “preliminary” Stevie carrier for the Jetson AGX Xavier. The other boards and systems are available now without pricing. More information can be found on Diamond’s Stevie, Elton, Jethro, Ziggy and ZiggyBox, and Jetbox-Nano product pages.
From its lack of simple things like code IntelliSense to more complex requirements like a debugger, quite a number of articles and comments have been written in the past about the inadequacies of the Arduino IDE. Many have pointed out how the IDEs’ attempt at simplifying things makes it unusable for professional embedded software developers. The Arduino team has however been listening and a few months back announced the release of the Arduino IDE Pro. For today’s article, we will take a look at the new IDE and discuss some of its new features along with their uses.
ARDUINO PRO IDE
The Arduino Pro IDE is part of Arduino’s plan to provide users with tool options for use in project development. While the Pro IDE is a product still in development, the Alpha binary was released by Arduino during the announcement to allow interested users to get their hands on it and provide feedback. The initial release plan included features like;
A Dual Mode – The Dual mode allows users to switch between the Classic Arduino look and Pro’s File System view which only reveals advanced features when you need them
Modern fully-featured development environment – The New Pro IDE comes with a Modern look, multi-panel IDE with an integrated file system view which makes developing large, multi-file, repository-based projects easy.
Debugger – The debugger is one of the major demands of professional firmware developers and it’s one of the features scheduled to be implemented in future versions of the IDE. Some of the debugger features highlighted for the IDE include the ability to; Set breakpoints, view trace, step through execution and debug applications without the use of the serial monitor and the timing issues it brings.
Support for Additional Languages – While the embedded world still regards C and C++ as official languages, it is impossible to ignore the growing influence around the use of other programming languages like Python. Obviously seeing a future where this will be mainstream, the New Pro IDE is being designed with the ability to support other programming languages
Support for third-party plug-ins and board – The Classic Arduino IDE made life easier for a lot of users with the Arduino Library and Board managers, which made it easier to install Board definitions and several third-party libraries. The Arduino Pro IDE will also support these in several ways in a cleaner more modern environment
Basic Code Intellisense – Yes, we will finally be getting some code auto-complete features in the Pro IDE. While Arduino claims these features may be limited to ARM boards, here is hoping it’s usable across board.
Git Integration – Version control is not negotiable for the type of large projects the Pro IDE is being created to serve.
Dark Mode – For certain users, the Darkmode isn’t just to ease off the pressure on the eye, it’s a geek statement, but either way, taking the light out will definitely make long term development easier for users.
Quite a number of work on features and bug fixes has been done since the first release. The current version (which still has some stability issues) was released in December with fixes to some of the problems from the previous versions. Some of the things fixed in the latest version(v0.0.3) as listed on the Github page include;
Install/uninstall/update cores and libs (pinning a specific version)
Fixed macOS shortcuts
Restore last opened sketch when switching mode
Fixed search toolbar for libs
Select the right CLI version to avoid conflict with local installations
Avoid duplicates in outline view
Fixed serial monitor
Confirm Exit is now working
Fixed text contrast while using the dark theme
Arduino, no doubt, deserves a lot of credit for setting the maker community ablaze with their series of boards which were instrumental to the journey of several makers and while they have had a lot of setbacks in recent times which slowed down their influence on the community, the pro-IDE might just be the next game-changing tool they need to get back to the community frontlines.
ROHM today announced the availability of a highly integrated and efficient power management IC (PMIC),BD71850MWV, optimized for NXP® Semiconductors’ i.MX 8M Nano family of application processors, which features exceptional computing, and audio performance.
It is the latest addition to ROHM’s growing portfolio of PMICs designed for NXP’s i.MX application processors. With the BD71837AMWV for i.MX 8M Quad and Dual applications processors and the BD71847AMWV for i.MX 8M Mini family application processors, ROHM offers power solutions for all members of the i.MX 8M series.
i.MX 8M Nano applications processors allow customers to incorporate a voice interface to audio streaming devices at minimal cost. They integrate up to four Arm® Cortex®-A53 cores operating at up to 1.5GHz along with an Arm Cortex-M7 that operates at up to 750 MHz for low standby power consumption. In addition, support for advanced audio functions and various high-speed interfaces makes the i.MX 8M Nano ideal for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications.
Leveraging ROHM’s expertise in analog power and advanced BCD process, BD71850MWV integrates all power rails required by the processor as well as power supplies for DDR and common system IO. In addition to DC/DC converters with industry-leading efficiency of 95%, the PMIC features programmable power sequencer for flexible power control and management, seamless hardware control interface to i.MX 8M Nano, buffered sleep clock, protection functions, etc. The high level of integration, customizations for i.MX 8M Nano applications processors, and programmability help to shorten development time, to lower system BOM cost and to minimize the solution footprint. This product is the only* PMIC mounted on the i.MX 8M Nano processor evaluation kit by NXP semiconductors, allowing users to immediately evaluate the operation with the processor. (*As of January 2020)
ROHM will continue to expand its product portfolio to support future members of the i.MX 8M family while offering optimized solutions for different applications and market segments.
With the diffusion of the IoT (Internet of things) and the numbers of Wi-Fi and wireless nodes continuing to grow together the applications requiring power (more than you can do with a battery and/or an ultra-low consumption node), the idea of using only one cable to bring connectivity and power – especially to a large number of nodes – is becoming more and more popular and welcomed in a lot of applications.
The source of a PoE circuit (often called an injector because the power is generated not used) is something we can rarely control. It is simply a DC power between 21 and 44 V with enough power capacity to allow the proper “class” standard of PoE (let’s say between some watts and some tens watts). Our experience as an industrial manufacturer (and user) suggests to us that we have to focus our attention on the PoE “adapter” that is the place where the PoE power is used and transformed.
We are industrial oriented, and considering the amount and the kind of toy PoE adapters on the market that we have seen and tested, for consideration in our SBC applications, we felt we needed something more to properly power our industrial devices, where the 24/7/365 mission profile is a must. We were unable to find an extended temperature range module that would keep up with our SBC offerings, because it seems no one offers it with proper assurances and, for example, meets the need for conformal coating, necessary to survive the condensing humidity. Last but not least, these modules were not protected from spike, surge, cabling errors (typical problems that you can face on the power line of a complex wiring). So, your “industrial application”, we hope made with a Novasom board, probably will fail because you cannot find an industrial rugged certified PoE module, minded and build to last…Till now.
Our new class of PoE PD adapters has been developed to exactly fit this gap, giving you a warranted rugged solution that you can use to power your devices.
Perfect to be used with your Novasom board!
The Novasom PoE adapters is a class of PoE PD devices designed to the standard IEEE802.2AX, while adding more features to this standard to allow a long lifetime in an industrial environment. These products are industrially designed, considering a 27/7/365 mission profile, an extended temperature range -40 85°C and critical EMC conditions to assure a long life without effort., from a HW and a SW point of view, thanks to the RASPMOOD approach.
The Novasom PoE Adapters will be available at the Booth Texim Europe at the Embedded World 2020 in Nuremberg.
This is a tiny USB-C PD QC4 module that is able to deliver four voltages 9V-12V-15V-20V depending on the module you have purchased. There are two versions of the module. One is the 15V,20V version and you can select the output voltage using a solder jumper and the other is the 9V, 12V and you select the voltage in the same way. The seller notes that the module you purchase may provide a randomly selected voltage and you have to check before powering your device. Also, it doesn’t support charging information negotiation or other voltages and it is not guaranteed to be compatible with all the chargers. In other words, you should use the modules on your own risk and always test it before applying an output voltage on your devices.
Vishay VCNL36821S IRED Integrated Proximity Sensor is fully integrated with an infrared emitter, a photodiode for proximity measurement, and a signal processing IC in a single package with a 12-bit ADC. With a range of up to 30cm (12″), this stand-alone component simplifies the use and design-in of proximity sensors as no mechanical barriers are required to optically isolate the emitter from the detector. The VCNL36821S is offered in a miniature, surface mount, 2.55mm x 2.05mm leadless package (LLP) with a low profile of 1mm. The device is designed to meet the low height requirements needed for use in smartphones, mobile phones, digital cameras, and tablet PC applications.
Features
Surface mount package type
2.55mm x 2.05mm x 1.0mm (LxWxH) in dimension
Integrated modules
Infrared emitter (IRED)
Proximity sensor (PS)
Signal conditioning IC
Interrupt function
Small light hole opening design
Immunity to red glow issues (940nm)
1.7V to 3.6V supply voltage range
Low power consumption I2C (SMBus compatible interface)
168-hour floor life, MSL 3, according to J-STD-020
I2C bus (PS) output type
-40°C to +85°C temperature compensation
Specifications
Supply voltage range
1.7V to 3.6V sensor
2.5V to 3.6V IR LED
Temperature range
-40°C to +85°C operating
-40°C to +100°C storage
100µA to 300µA supply current
1µA (typical) shutdown current
940nm (typical) peak wavelength of IRED
156mA (maximum) IRED driving current
Lead-free, halogen-free, and RoHS compliant
With its standard I2C bus serial digital interface, easy access is allowed to the “proximity signal”. The programmable interrupt function offers wake-up functionality for the microcontroller when a proximity change occurs reducing processing overhead by eliminating the need for continuous polling. The implemented infrared emitters cathode is connected to the driver internally and does not need to be externally connected. The IRED features a peak wavelength of 940nm, emits light that reflects off an object to allow detection within 30cm of the sensor, and has a programmable drive current from 50mA to 156mA.
After launching EM3288 SBC based on RK3288 in 2016, Boardcon introduced Idea3288 with a more compact structure this month.
The Idea3288 SBC is equipped to deliver 4K Ultra HD video at 60Hz through HDMI 2.0, making it suitable for applications that require 4K video decode capabilities. And the miniDP, MIPI DSI and LVDS output up to 3840*2160 resolution also supported.
Idea3288 detail views
The platform is available with a WiFi&BT module with 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. It is equipped with a 4G LTE (optional) that delivers 100Mbps downlink and 50Mbps uplink data rates.
CM3288
The Idea3288 is designed to be flexible to meet customer’s application requirements. It is well suited Intelligent POS, TV box, Access control system, automotive IoT, Vending Machine and Commercial Display.
Idea3288
Idea3288 specifications
CPU – Rockchip RK3288 Quad-core Cortex-A17 @ 1.8GHz
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