Tomisin Olujinmi, Author at CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

January 2, 2024January 2, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 2 Comments

Tillitis Tkey is an open-source RISC-V security key in a USB-C case

Tillitis’ TKey is a small, simple security key in a USB-C form factor, and described as a “new type of flexible USB security token” that is inspired by DICE (Device Identifier Composition Engine) and measured boot powered by a simple 32-bit RISC-V core, the PicoRV32, in a Lattice iCE40 UP5K FPGA. While we have covered hardware security modules in the past, this is the first security key we have seen that is based on an FPGA running a RISC-V core. The security token lacks persistent, onboard storage, unlike alternatives such as Yubikey Neo. Apps need to be loaded onto the key every time it is connected to a host device. It uses measured boot to generate a unique identifier for each application and is more secure than the alternatives since private keys are not stored on the device. Also, the hardware and software for the TKey are completely open-source for […]

December 29, 2023December 28, 2023 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

Aper-Oculus is an open-source camera development board for AMD Xilinx’s Kria SoM (Crowdfunding)

The Aper-Oculus board is an open-source hardware camera carrier board for the AMD Xilinx Kria system-on-modules aimed at high-speed computer vision applications. The carrier board is built around the Sony SLVS-EC (Scalable Low-Voltage Signaling with Embedded Clock), a high-speed interface standard that delivers high-resolution video output to the FPGA. It also features several connectivity options, including dual MIPI connectors, USB 3.0, DisplayPort, and SATA to accommodate the varying demands of AI and robotics projects. The Kria K24 and K26 SOMs are adaptive system-on-modules designed for edge and vision applications. These small modules are ruggedized and come with hardware acceleration enabled out-of-the-box. The Kria lineup also includes a series of starter kits, such as the KR260 Robotics Starter Kit, which are designed for early evaluation and development. Aper-Oculus specifications: Processor-Board Support – Compatible with AMD Xilinx Kria SOMs Video Interface – SLVS-EC for high-speed, high-quality video input Expansion – FMC connector […]

December 27, 2023December 26, 2023 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

GlowStitch LEDs – A machine-sewable LED board for adding lights to wearables and crafts (Crowdfunding)

GlowStitch LEDs is an innovative new project that is aimed at making machine-sewable LEDs for wearable tech and special crafts of all forms. The LEDs are made from flexible circuit boards which makes them sewable with a machine and usable for various creative projects by makers, cosplayers, fashion designers, and hobbyists. Until now, sewing LEDs to clothing and soft circuits (e-textiles) had to be done by hand with conductive thread, an arduous process that requires a lot of patience. With the GlowStitch LEDs, creative projects can be prototyped using conductive tape and actualized with a sewing machine. This project has a focus on education and the kit is designed to be used by makers of all skill levels. The LED strips can be machine-washed. However, the maker recommends hand-washing with no tumble dry. The battery should always be removed before washing. Although this is not a kit that requires coding […]

December 26, 2023 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

AAEON COM-R2KC6 – A COM Express Module featuring the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2000 Series

AAEON, a Taiwan-based hardware manufacturer, has released the COM-R2KC6, a new COM Express module in the Type 6 compact form factor. This computer-on-module board is the first COM Express module to feature AMD’s mid-range processor series, the Ryzen Embedded R2000 series. The R2KC6 will be sold with an R2000 CPU, with TDP ranging from 15W to 45W and up to 4 cores and 8 threads (4C/8T). The R2000 SoCs provide up to two times the I/O connectivity and CPU core count of their R-series predecessors. Relatedly, ADLINK recently announced a COM Express Type 7 module based on AMD’s Ryzen Embedded V3000 processor. The COM-R2KC6 supports four simultaneous 4K displays through an embedded DisplayPort (eDP) connector and three Digital Display Interface (DDI) connectors. This means the integrated AMD Radeon Vega 8 graphics card can be used to its maximum potential. Additional graphics support is available through the board’s PEG x4 slot. […]

December 24, 2023December 23, 2023 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 2 Comments

Pi-Cast is a portable KVM switch based on Raspberry Pi CM4 (Crowdfunding)

The Pi-Cast KVM is a compact, open-source KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) over IP device based on the Raspberry Pi CM4. It is powered by PiKVM, an open-source IP-KVM solution, and allows you to control and manage other devices remotely regardless of the operating system or even if one isn’t installed. The Pi-Cast KVM is capable of controlling any device with HDMI and USB ports. It works for low-level access and enables BIOS and UEFI configuration without an operating system installed. You can turn off and start the target system, as well as check for low-level hardware problems, all from a web browser. The Pi-Cast KVM is similar to the PiKVM v3 but is built around the Raspberry Pi CM4 (like the PiKVM v4) instead of being a HAT for Raspberry Pi SBC. The company behind this device has compared the Pi-Cast with market alternatives such as PiKVM v4 Plus and […]

December 21, 2023 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

Samsung announces ISOCELL Vizion 63D and Vizion 931 sensors for robotics and extended reality applications

Samsung Electronics, the world’s second-largest technology company by revenue, has introduced two new camera sensors in its ISOCELL Vizion lineup, the Vizion 63D and the Vizion 931. The Vizion 63D is the world’s first indirect time-of-flight (iToF) sensor with an integrated depth-sensing image signal processor (ISP) according to the company, and is tailored for capturing high-resolution 3D images. The Vizion 931 is a global shutter sensor that has been optimized to capture rapid motion without visible distortion. The 63D is an indirect time-of-flight sensor that measures the phase shift between emitted and reflected light and uses this measurement to construct a 3D map of its surroundings. It features an integrated image-signal processor that performs depth sensing and can reportedly process images at up to 60 frames per second in QVGA resolution (320×240). Vizion 63D captures images at a pixel size of 3.5 µm (the industry’s smallest in iToF sensors, according […]

December 20, 2023 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

Persee N1 – A modular camera-computer based on the NVIDIA Jetson Nano

The Persee N1 is a modular camera-computer kit recently launched by 3D camera manufacturer, Orbbec. Not too long ago, we covered their 3D depth and RGB USB-C camera, the Femto Bolt. The Persee N1 was designed for 3D computer vision applications and is built on the Nvidia Jetson platform. It combines the quad-core processor of the Jetson Nano with the imaging capabilities of a stereo-vision camera. The Jetson Nano’s impressive GPU makes it particularly appropriate for edge machine learning and AI projects. The company also offers the Femto Mega, an advanced and more expensive alternative that uses the same Jetson Nano SoM. The Persee N1 camera-computer also features official support for the open-source computer vision library, OpenCV. The camera is suited for indoor and semi-outdoor operation and uses a custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for enhanced depth processing. It also provides advanced features like multi-camera synchronization and IMU (inertial measurement […]

December 20, 2023December 19, 2023 by Tomisin Olujinmi - 4 Comments

Raspberry Breadstick – A RP2040-based development board in a quirky form factor

The Raspberry Breadstick is a breadstick-shaped development board that is designed for ease of use. Unlike other development boards, the Breadstick is built to fit directly on your breadboard and interface with the other electronic components in your project without the need for lengthy jumper wires. It serves to deliver a prototype that is neat, straightforward, and easy to troubleshoot. It is based on Raspberry Pi’s debut microcontroller, the RP2040, which is the same MCU chip that powers the Raspberry Pi Pico and several other boards. We recently covered the Waveshare RP2040-PiZero that comes in the Pi Zero’s form factor. The RP2040 is cheap and supports C/C++, MicroPython, and CircuitPython. The Breadstick has other interesting features such as a lineup of 24 addressable RGB LEDs with fast refresh rates, a 6-axis inertial measurement unit for collecting acceleration and rotation data, as well as 16MB of external flash storage for your […]