Tomisin Olujinmi, Author at CNX Software

July 25, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 9 Comments

TinyWatch S3 is an open-source, customizable smartwatch powered by ESP32-S3 SoC

The TinyWatch S3 is an ESP32-S3 development board in a smartwatch form factor from Seon Rozenblum, also known as Unexpected Maker. It is powered by the ESP32-S3 wireless microcontroller with 8MB quad SPI flash storage and 2MB of additional QSPI PSRAM. It features a 240 x 280 LCD with capacitive touch (via a CST816T module) and several onboard sensors including a 6-axis inertial measurement unit, a magnetometer, and a MEMS microphone. It has a USB-C port for power, programming, and charging a connected LiPo battery (250mAh or 500mAh). While the product’s firmware is still in active development, it is usable as a watch and even a daily driver. The TinyWatch S3 is described as a “wrist-wearable ESP32-S3 development board” but lacks pin headers and is not breadboard compatible. The hardware is open-source but the product is mostly useful for firmware development, testing, and other general projects. The firmware is being […]

July 23, 2024July 23, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

Raspberry Pi RP2040-based Pico Video4 display board features 4 composite video outputs

The Pico Video4 Display is a Raspberry Pi RP2040-powered board that supports up to 4 analog composite video display interfaces with dedicated frame buffer memory accessible via SPI. The four video outputs are sent out through an RCA connector and a VGA DB15-HD connector that uses the red, green, and blue channels to create a composite video signal. The Pico Video4 Display is based on the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller chip and the VLSI VS23S040 four-megabit static RAM device with a video display controller that can output NTSC, PAL, and VGA video from the memory array. It provides the composite video outputs with a dedicated frame buffer and other hardware. This ensures that the RP2040’s limited processing power and memory are not hogged up in generating the video signal, leaving room for other major tasks. It has 8 inputs that are voltage-compatible to the input voltage, from 5V to 12 […]

July 19, 2024July 19, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

Femtosense introduces the AI-ADAM-100 system-in-package for affordable, efficient AI-based voice processing on the edge

Femtosense’s newest release, the AI-ADAM-100, combines a low-power Arm Cortex M0+ microcontroller from ABOV Semiconductor with the Femtosense Sparse Processing Unit (SPU), an in-house neural processing unit. This combination powers AI voice processing and cleanup capabilities on edge devices. It leverages sparsity techniques to ensure that models can run on edge devices without intensive processing. Sparsity in AI refers to the presence of zeroes or non-zero values in the matrices and tensors used in machine learning models. No computation is required for these zero weights, heavily reducing processing requirements. The Femtosense AI-ADAM-100 aims to bring voice control to various devices such as home appliances, hearing aids, industrial headsets, and consumer earbuds. These appliances can implement voice user interfaces that allow users to talk naturally in their own words. On-device voice cleanup functionality would reduce infrastructure costs and improve the accuracy of the data sent to the cloud. The Femtosense SiP […]

July 17, 2024July 18, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 3 Comments

RK3568-based MYC-LR3568 system-on-module comes with up to 8GB RAM, 32GB storage for cost-sensitive Edge AI applications

MYIR Tech has announced the release of the Rockchip RK3568-based MYC-LR3568 Edge AI system-on-module (SoM) offered in a compact 381-pin expansion LGA package design. It features up to 8GB LPDDR4 RAM, 32GB eMMC flash storage, a power management integrated circuit, and various connectivity options. The base configuration of the MYC-LR3568 system-on-module offers only 2GB RAM and 16GB storage but the module supports up to 8GB RAM and 32GB eMMC storage. It supports several video codecs, including 4K 60fps H.265/H.264/VP9 decoding and 1080P 60fps H.265/H.264 encoding, for high-quality video playback and recording. The MYC-LR3568 SoM works with Debian and Linux operating systems. It is designed for cost-sensitive industrial applications including but not limited to IoT gateways, NVR storage, industrial control, human-machine interface (HMI), cloud terminals, and facial recognition systems. MYIR Tech’s MYC-LR3568 specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3568 (B2 or J variant) CPU RK3568B2 – Quad-core processor with four Cortex-A55 cores @ 2.0 […]

July 16, 2024July 16, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 7 Comments

Qsen-07 multi-sensor wireless board can detect CO2, VOC, temperature, humidity, ambient light, and attitude

The Qsen-07 multi-sensor board is an ESP32 wireless development board that combines several useful sensors into one device, making it easier to control, monitor, and enhance your home environment. It is a recent product from Maker Go, a China-based hardware company, which claims the board is “fully integrated with ESPHome and Home Assistant“. But as noted in a reader’s comment below, ESPHome on ESP32-C6 is still a work in progress, and the YAML configuration file for the board has yet to be provided by the company. The Qsen-07 multi-sensor board is “designed for health-conscious and tech-savvy homeowners” and can monitor air quality and other environmental variables to ensure a safe and smart living space. It features up to seven sensors, including two air quality sensors, a temperature and humidity sensor, an ambient light sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, an attitude gyro sensor, and an optional radar sensor. The Aosong AGS10 […]

July 12, 2024July 12, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 8 Comments

$180 Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition is an all-in-one retrocomputing platform based on the Zilog Z80 microprocessor

The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition is a system that aims to bring retrocomputing to the modern age with the aid of a motherboard built around the Zilog Z80 microprocessor and several peripherals. The Zeal 8-bit Computer project began in early 2021 and has been released in bits and pieces since then. Now, a finalized version tagged the “Complete Edition” is ready for release to the public. It promises a modern retrocomputing experience with the simplicity of retro computers and support for relatively recent features such as VGA graphics, TF cards, and NOR flash. The Zeal 8-bit Computer Complete Edition includes the following components: the Zeal 8-bit Computer motherboard, the Zeal 8-bit Video Board, and a 3D-printed enclosure with a touch sensor for turning the board on/off. The Zeal 8-bit Video Board is based on a Lattice ECP5 FPGA and can output up to 65,536 colors via VGA. It also […]

July 10, 2024July 10, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 1 Comment

The ESP32 Marauder Pocket Unit v2 is a wireless penetration device with an onboard GPS module and touchscreen

The ESP32 Marauder Pocket Unit with GPS v2 is a portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth penetration tool powered by an ESP32 module and used to test and analyze wireless networks. It features a 2.8-inch touchscreen, two 18650 batteries, an SD card slot, an LED battery indicator, and two external antennas for 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and GPS. ESP32 Marauder Pocket Unit v2 specifications: Microcontroller – ESP32 Wi-Fi & Bluetooth SoC Storage – MicroSD card slot for file sharing, backup, and firmware updates (8GB SanDisk memory card included) Display – 2.8-inch capacitive touchscreen USB – USB-C port for charging GNSS – Embedded GPS module Antenna – External dual antenna SMA connectors for WIFI and GPS Misc 1x battery status indicator Reset and Power buttons Power – 2x 18650 batteries Dimensions – 92 x 71 x 46mm The ESP32 Marauder device is based on JustCallMeKoko’s ESP32Marauder Project, a suite of Wi-Fi/Bluetooth offensive and defensive tools […]

July 7, 2024July 9, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 10 Comments

SkyByte Mini Wi-Fi-controlled drone runs the open-source ESP32-Drone firmware (Crowdfunding)

The SkyByte Mini is a simple, miniature drone powered by the ESP32-WROOM-32 WiFi and Bluetooth module, and comprised of an MPU6050 inertial measurement unit, coreless motors, and plastic propellers. The Espressif ESP32-WROOM-32 module on the board provides a wireless connection that can be used to control the drone from a mobile app. The printed circuit board uses an “all-in-one” design that removes the need for 3D-printed parts and makes for a more compact final product. The drone’s functionality can be extended with external sensors to suit desired applications. It can be used for hobbyist and educational purposes. SkyByte Mini drone specifications: Wireless Module – ESP32-WROOM-32 module, dual-core Tensilica processor, with integrated Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2 LE Motor control – 4x SI2302 N-Channel 20V MOSFET USB – USB-C port for power and programming Sensor – TDK Invensense MPU6050 IMU 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer Misc- 3x debugging LEDs, 1x power LED, […]