WisTrio LORA Tracker by RAK Wireless is based on the RK5205 chipset. It’s a LoRaWAN Module that has extremely low power consumption device supports multiple global bands, contains a variety of onboard sensors, offers standard IO (I2C, GPIO, UART and ADC) and several antenna options (SMA & IPEX). All of this on the 96Boards IoT Edition standard footprint!
We have come along different LoRa GPS tracker boards such as Rak Wireless RAK811 etc, but if for some reason, you’d also like your board to comply with 96Boards IoT Edition form factor, Rak Wireless just launched Wistrio LoRa Tracker RK5205 for $49.50 plus shipping on Aliexpress and Amazon.
Specifications:
LoRa Module – RAK5205 module with SX1276 LoRa chipset, STM32L1 Arm Cortex-M3 microcontroller
LoRa Connectivity
LoRaWAN 1.0.2 protocol
OTAA/ABP activation
Programmable bitrate up to 300 Kbps
Support for global bands: EU433, CN470, EU868, US915, AS923, AU915, KR920, and IN865
SMA & iPEX antenna options
Location – Quectel L76-L GNNS chip supporting GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and QZSS system (pin-to-pin compatible with u-blox Max7)
Sensors – LIS3DH 3-axis accelerometer, BME680 environmental sensor reporting gas, pressure, humidity and temperature data
Expansion Header – I2C, GPIOs, UART and ADC
Power Supply – Rechargeable battery via micro USB port, or 5V solar charging port
Power Consumption / Low power modes – 16uA (sleep mode), support GPS Power-off mode, MCU & Sensor Support sleep mode
Dimensions – 60 x 30 x 11.45 mm (96Boards IoT Edition)
A tiny, open source, plug-and-play Linux dev board with Wi-Fi and lots of storage.
Meet Omega2 Pro, the most powerful Omega yet.
The Omega2 Pro is the next generation of our highly successful Omega2 and the most powerful IoT computer we’ve made yet. It is a standalone device – the processor, memory, gigabytes of storage, and Wi-Fi radio are all built-in, and it’s smaller than a breadboard.
The storage is pre-loaded with the OpenWrt embedded Linux distro, so getting started is as easy as plugging in a Micro USB cable for power and taking a few minutes to go through the browser-based setup wizard.
Developing
The Omega2 Pro makes it easy to jump right into building your project on your own terms:
All you need is a Micro USB cable to provide power and it’s up and running.
Hosted on the Omega2 Pro, OnionOS provides an intuitive user interface through your browser. Write code, run commands, and use apps to interact with your Omega2 Pro – no installation required.
Develop your project in your favorite language: Python, GoLang, NodeJS, PHP, C, C++, and many more are supported.
Features
Software
The Omega2 Pro will use the OnionOS web-based GUI that comes with different apps to control the device.
Braiins Systems has taken the initiative of releasing the first bitcoin mining pool, which is compatible with Antminer and Dragonmint mining rigs, and works with Braiins’ Slush Pool mining pool. This is a new alpha version of a new Linux distribution designed for ASIC mining. Based on OpenWrt Braiins OS, it is dubbed as the “first fully open-source, Linux-based system for cryptocurrency embedded devices.” The designers of Braiins OS, built it perfectly to work with Slush Pool, but can also function with other mining pools. Braiins OS is built to observe hardware, the conditions of its functions , and also address errors and give report on performance. The firmware offers hacking apparatus to enable customized images. About the OPKG packaged software, Braiins says it enables “seamless firmware updates”. All factory transitional images are signed with GPG and uploaded to a series of GPG servers for verification.
The Braiins OS is capable of using bitcoin ASIC mining chips with AsicBoost technology, and it is hailed for its reduced power consumption by up to 20 percent. Braiins uses Bitmain’s algorithm for now, but the company intends to switch to their custom open-source bitstream whenever this becomes possible. Braiins CEO Jan Čapek in the Bitcoin magazine, says that even though Bitmain’s own Linux-compatible software for its Antminer systems is claimed to be open source, a lot of its features are secretly closed off. This renders it impossible to give a befitting software image to record the state of the mining system at a given time. Čapek also states that the Bitmain software lacks open source FPGA code for the dual Cortex-A9 enabled Xilinx Zynq SoC, and other components are absent.
AntMiner S9
Čapek says:
The problem is that most of the people out there are not able to build a complete S9 image as it is not quite obvious that all the components are provided by Bitmain.
For you to be capable of building a complete system, you need the first stage bootloader (sometimes called SPL), u-boot, Linux kernel, Linux system (buildroot/openwrt?), FPGA bitstream (+ sources) and cgminer sources. So, there are still a number of things that are to be reviewed that are still closed source.
A backdoor feature called Antbleed built to provide security against theft or hijacking of hardware is provided by Bitmain, and due to the fact that we have been exposed to the existence of Antbleed, Čapek was inspired to design the backdoor-free Braiins OS. Sources say the company is making plans to gradually expand to other hardwares. They also state on their website that they plan to support images built for SBCs, including Bitcoin & Lightning software. We patiently await these new expansions.
An alpha version of Braiins OS is available now. More information may be found on the Braiins OS website.
TE Connectivity’s MS5837-02BA sensors are one of the smallest gel-filled watertight altimeters on the market.
TE Connectivity’s MS5837-02BA barometric pressure sensors take devices to the next level. These sensors are one of the smallest gel-filled watertight altimeters on the market. The ultra-small gel filled pressure sensors are optimized for both altimeter and barometer applications. Expanding on TE’s MS5837 series of ultra-compact digital altimeters, the generation 2 bar models offer options for chlorine resistance and shielding.
Typical Interface Circuit
Features
Provide precise digital 24-bit pressure and temperature value with ultra-low power consumption
Support design flexibility with ultra-small size while providing precise outputs: 3.3 mm x 3.3 mm x 2.75 mm
Enable depths up to 100 m with watertight seal with 1.8 mm x 1.8 mm O-ring
Enhanced construction and design materials offer a high endurance, chlorine resistant model suited for devices that will be exposed to environments with chlorine
Reduce signal noise and interference that may be experienced with sensors installed in plastic housings or high electrical noise environments with these shielded models
Texas Instruments’ 4 V to 40 V, 1 A converter features high-efficiency Eco-mode™ at light loads
Texas Instruments’s LMR14010A is a pulse-width modulated (PWM), DC-to-DC, buck (step-down) regulator that features a wide input range of 4 V to 40 V, suitable for a wide range of applications from industrial to automotive. An ultra-low 1 µA shutdown current prolongs the battery life. The fixed operating frequency of 0.7 MHz allows the use of small external components while minimizing output ripple voltage. The number of external components is limited by implementing soft-start and compensation circuits internally.
The LMR14010A is optimized for up to 1 A load current and has a 0.765 V nominal feedback voltage. This regulator has built-in protection features including pulse-by-pulse current limit, thermal sensing, and shutdown due to excessive power dissipation. It is available in a low-profile TSOT-6L package (2.9 mm × 1.6 mm × 0.85 mm).
Features
Input voltage range: 4 V to 40 V with transient protection to 45 V
0.7 MHz switching frequency
Ultra-high efficiency at light load currents with Eco-mode
Classic computing on modern hardware: an expandable eZ80 CPU card running bare-metal Lisp.
The MakerLisp machine is a portable, modular computer system, designed to recapture the feel of classic computing, with modern hardware.
The machine centers on a 2” x 3.5” business card-sized CPU, which can be used stand-alone, or plugged in to a 2” x 8” main board, for expansion into a full computer system. A 3D-printed, or laser-cut wood, enclosure holds a small keyboard, an LCD monitor, the circuit boards, and a prototyping area with a breadboard for electronics experimentation and development.
The MakerLisp Machine is a vehicle for students and educators who want to learn, create, and explore fundamentals of computer science and digital electronics, in a small, self-contained system. It’s also great for hobbyists and enthusiasts of vintage computing.
Specifications
50 MHz eZ80 CPU
256 k code flash memory
1 Mb zero wait state RAM
USB/UART bridge
Battery-backed real-time calendar clock
FAT filesystem micro-SD card
Connector for prototyping/expansion board gives access to GPIOs, USB keyboard, and VGA Display (prototyping/expansion, USB controller, and VGA controller boards available as accessories)
What can you do with the MakerLisp Machine?
Learn Lisp, in an implementation and dialect made just for “Lisp on Bare Metal” educational/DIY projects. With its built-in USB/UART connection to a terminal emulator, and a micro-SD card for your files, put it in your shirt pocket and take your “Lisp world” with you wherever you go.
Plug the CPU card into the expansion board and start using the GPIOs and the Lisp-we-know to control, communicate with, and learn about, electronics and I/O devices. The MakerLisp Machine is an apt vehicle for fundamental computer science and digital electronics education. And the software development environment is completely self-contained, no downloading and flashing of your programs, no other computer and development tools or software required.
Connect any USB keyboard and any VGA monitor, and have a late 70’s/early 80’s classic micro-computer, with modern hardware, but an unmistakably vintage feel. The eZ80 processor is a binary-compatible, extended Z80. This machine is a great playground for CP/M enthusiasts. On the eZ80, running at 50 MHz, your favorite programs will be FAST.
Or use the CPU card and expansion board like any other embedded development system, the standard cross development tools work perfectly. Put whatever you want in the eZ80’s 256k of flash code memory, connect whatever you want to the expansion board. It’s just about the cheapest and fastest eZ80 embedded development system you can buy.
If you have used some form of hardware especially those legacy ones or something like the Arduino and other embedded systems you must have come across the term Serial Port, FTDI chip, USB to Serial, or RS232 at some point. So what are those? Well, they mean the same thing – Serial Communication
Serial Port is a serial communication interface that has been the backbone of industrial data transfer and even embedded computers (MCUs, SBC, SoC and Others) still provide support for it in one way or the other way. Although you might not be seeing the traditional RS-232 serial port again, the serial port still get used along with USB to Serial converters using things like FTDI chip.
Serial ports are not going out of market anything soon despite the fact we have modern – high speed interfaces like FireWire, USB, Ethernet, and Wireless, merely because they are super easy to use and require no particular custom driver and operating systems already provide support for them. But, what you can do when there is no Serial Port available to a system? What about creating a Virtual Serial (COM) port?
Virtual serial ports are great when access to serial ports is not available, and a software application needs a connection to a serial device but cannot connect to it due to a physical lack of serial ports. Here, the computer will be reconfigured to send serial port data over LAN (local area network) or some other interface and then send data back to itself. This is basically is a virtual serial port. So how do you create one? Use a virtual serial port software, they are several of them and the Virtual COM Port Driver from Eltima is one I have tried out that seems interesting.
The Virtual COM Port Driver allows anyone to create virtual serial ports and connect them via a virtual null modern cable. The serial port emulator by Etima seems to emulate a serial port behavior quite well if not entirely. The software provides flexible port creation, management, and removal of ports. With it, applications can exchange data on the virtual ports and this is a great way of testing embedded system communication without necessary having the device physically available .
The Virtual COM Port Driver is available in two licenses which are not free:
Standard – $139.95
Pro – $199.95
Virtual COM Port Driver is not a free software to use, but it offers 14 day trial for Pro version (didn’t try out the standard). Although both licenses state that you can create an unlimited number of virtual ports, but actually you can create a max of 127 virtual ports pairs (at least on my computer). This conclusion comes after giving the software a try. The ports created shown instantly on the computer.
Virtual Ports in device manager
The interface is pretty okay and offers enough information on how to navigate it. It provides 8 major operating modes:
Pairing – For creating and pairing of the virtual ports.
Split – Provides the ability to split a real port into several virtual ports.
Join – Multiple real ports can all be joined into one single port.
Merge – Multiple virtual and/or real ports can be merged.
Switch – Something similar to join.
Redirect – It can be used for redirecting all serial traffic from any real port to another real or virtual port.
Share – Allowing sharing of a single port among multiple applications. it’s great if you don’t want always disconnect to use another app.
Complex – It gives you options to add multiple operating modes together.
All these features combined make the Virtual COM Port Driver a compelling software for serial ports manipulation but what about the price tag? I must say the price tag is high, especially for someone looking for some virtual ports to play around but still, it provides functionality beyond what you will ever get from free software.
The Virtual COM port driver is great for industries and bushiness applications and especially if you work with a lot of legacy tools, it might as well be better off than free tools but if you do basic serial port stuff it might just be overkill.
Eltima is giving away 2x free licenses of Virtual COM Port Driver for Electronics-Lab.com visitors. So if you want to get one for free just send your name and emailaddress to info@electronics-lab.com and we will provide you the license key. First come – First served. [update 15:35pm GMT] The first two users who win the licenses are: Uwe Sedlak and Josue Sb. Thanks for your participation.
This board provides 12V/200mA DC and 1.2V to 6V/500mA DC Adjustable output with input of 7.4V 2x LiPO batteries. The board is a step up DC-DC Convert based on CS5171 and LM317 adjustable regulator. The Step up DC-DC converter provides 12V DC from 7.4V ( 2x LiPO batteries) and LM317 provides 1.2V to 6V Adjustable Output. The tiny board can directly fitted at the back of the 2 x LiPO CR18650 battery holder using 2xM3 screws. Trimmer potentiometer P1 provided to adjust V2 1.2V to 6V DC. BT1 LiPO Battery , CN1 12V Output, CN2 1.2V 6V Output.
This board provides 12V/200mA DC and 1.2V to 6V/500mA DC Adjustable output with input of 7.4V 2x LiPO batteries. The board is a step up DC-DC Convert based on CS5171 and LM317 adjustable regulator. The Step up DC-DC converter provides 12V DC from 7.4V ( 2x LiPO batteries) and LM317 provides 1.2V to 6V Adjustable Output. The tiny board can directly fitted at the back of the 2 x LiPO CR18650 battery holder using 2xM3 screws. Trimmer potentiometer P1 provided to adjust V2 1.2V to 6V DC. BT1 LiPO Battery , CN1 12V Output, CN2 1.2V 6V Output.
Gyroscopes are present in virtually any modern electronic gadget. They re used in a host of techs, like cell phones, vehicles, drones and wearables. The gyroscopes used presently in our phones will most likely be MEMS-based. Caltech, has gone some extra miles, by successfully developing a new type of gyroscope that is 500 times smaller and 30 times more sensitive than the MEMS version. This research was published in Nature this month.
The conventional MEMS-based gyroscopes functions, by measuring the forces of two identical masses that are oscillating and moving in opposite directions. On the other hand, the optical gyroscope that the Caltech research team developed makes use of lasers rather than MEMS to attain the same result. Even thought the optical gyroscopes are effective in theory, in practice they have been hard to shrink, because the noise-to-signal ratio is inversely proportional to the optical gyroscope’s size.
The new optical gyroscope, is based on Sagnac Effect. This effect was discovered by French physicist Georges Sagnac, and the effect is based on Einstein’s principle of general relativity to identify changes in angular velocity. Majorly, a laser is divided into two beams, and each beam is projected along one side of a disk. As a result of light always traveling at a constant speed, the two beams get to the end of the disk at the same time, as long as the disk is not in motion. If the disk is spinning, the laser beams will get to the end-point out of sync.
The gyroscope measures that difference in synchronization, as the end-point beam has little changes in its properties that can reveal changes in the state of an object, like if you just picked up your phone, or dropped it. The Sagnac Effect however, is often prohibitively sensitive to noise in the signal. Things like small thermal fluctuations, vibrations from moving objects or loud noises can disrupt the beams as they travel.
The smaller the gyroscope is, the more easily it gets disrupted. Infact, the smallest high-performance optical gyroscopes operational today are close to the size of a golf ball. This makes it hard for it to be placed in little gadgets like a watch. To counteract these problems, the Caltech research team came up with the idea of lengthening the path that the laser beams will travel, enabling them to place small disks instead of large ones, while still attaining the same level of accuracy. According to Ali Hajimiri, Bren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Medical Engineering in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, and the leader of the study, the technique is referred to as “reciprocal sensitivity enhancement.” In this context, “reciprocal” means that it affects both beams of the light inside the gyroscope in the same way.
This technique functions by using two disks instead of one, and then changing the direction that the light travelling from back and forth. This extends the path that the beams are travelling to several thousand rotations instead of one. If the path of the beams is longer, the amount of noise is more even across the two beams, therefore smoothing out defects from outside interference, and this results to an accurate measurement when the beams meet each other at the end. Even though the research has been gain some attention, we should note that it takes a long time for innovations like this to get from the lab to the factories for commercial production. The research has proven that designing optical gyroscopes of this tiny size is possible , but producing the results into a commercial product may take many years to achieve.
login
