STMicroelectronics’ STM32MP21 microprocessor family combines a 1.5 GHz 64-bit Arm Cortex-A35 application core with a 300 MHz 32-bit Arm Cortex-M33 core for real-time processing. It is designed for “cost-aware” edge applications in smart factories, smart homes, and smart cities. The new STM32MP21 is a cost-optimized version of the earlier STM32MP23 and STM32MP25 that does without an AI accelerator (yes, those still exist!), GPU, H.264 decoder and encoder, or PCIe Gen2 / USB 3.0 interfaces. It still offers a MIPI CSI-2 camera interface, two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces with Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN), and strong security targeting SESIP Level 3 and PCI pre-certification. STM32MP21 specifications: CPU – Arm Cortex-A35 core running at up to 1.2 or 1.5 GHz with 128KB L2 cache Real-time MCU – Arm Cortex-M33 core with FPU/MPU running at up to 300 MHz GPU – None VPU – None AI accelerator – None Memory 456 KB SRAM 256KB AXI SYSRAM […]
Year 2025 in Review, CNX Software stats, and looking ahead to 2026
Time for the last post of 2025, as the year is almost over. I’ll look back at key developments and notable products launched in 2025, share some CNX Software website traffic statistics, and look ahead to 2026. Year 2025 in Review After 22 product releases in 2024, Raspberry Pi calmed down a little bit in 2025, and the highlights of the year included the Raspberry Pi 500+ mechanical keyboard, the 5-inch variant of the Raspberry Pi Touch Display 2, and a Raspberry Pi 5 1GB RAM. What didn’t quite stop were the accessories from third parties for Raspberry Pi SBC and Raspberry Pi Pico boards. The most exciting Arm SoC release of 2025 was probably the 12-core CIX P1 Armv9 SoC found in Radxa Orion O6 SBC, MINISFORUM MS-R1 Arm mini PC, and Orange Pi 6 Plus board, but while performance was fine, it was overhyped in 2024, and software […]
MicroPython v1.27 adds support for ESP32-C5, ESP32-P4, and STM32U5 microcontrollers
MicroPython is one of the most popular firmware for microcontrollers due to its ease of use. The MicroPython v1.27 release adds support for some interesting microcontrollers, namely Espressif Systems ESP32-C5 and ESP32-P4, thanks to an update to the ESP-IDF v5.5.1 framework, as well as STMicroelectronics STM32U5, and features a range of other changes. These include improvements to the test suite to cater to the increasing number of supported hardware platforms, the introduction of tier levels for different hardware platforms, various optimizations and bug fixes, updated libraries, new ESP32 and STM32 boards, and more. The last time we reported on a MicroPython release was for v1.24, which added support for Raspberry Pi RP2350 and ESP32-C6 microcontrollers. Other MicroPython v1.27 highlights: Test suite improvements Auto-detecting if the target has Unicode support Automatically including float tests when possible Always including stress tests Improving the skipping of tests that use slice and the […]
HealthyPi 6 – A portable Wi-Fi 6 biosignal acquisition device with ECG, PPG, respiration, and temperature sensors (Crowdfunding)
Designed by ProtoCentral Electronics in India, the HealthyPi 6 is an open-source, portable, research-grade biosignal acquisition device designed for academic research, education, and prototyping. It targets labs, classrooms, and field studies that need professional-quality physiological measurements without bulky desktop systems or proprietary lock-in. Building on the HealthyPi 5 (2023) and HealthyPi 4 (2019), the HealthyPi 6 is a standalone device with 3-channel/5-lead ECG, dual-wavelength PPG for heart rate and SpO₂, respiration via impedance pneumography, skin temperature sensing, and a 9-axis IMU for motion and artifact detection. Built around the STM32H757 real-time microcontroller and an ESP32-C6 handling Wi-Fi 6 and BLE connectivity, the device features a USB-C port, onboard flash and microSD storage, and 48+ hours of operation on a charge. Modular HealthyLink ports allow for EEG, EMG, GSR, additional analog inputs, triggers, and co-processors expansion. These features make it suitable for cardiovascular and sleep research, rehabilitation studies, wearable prototyping, biosignal […]
tinySA is a low-cost handheld spectrum analyzer with built-in signal generator
The tinySA is a compact, low-cost handheld spectrum analyzer and RF signal generator designed for hobbyists, radio amateurs, educators, and engineers. It comes in three different variants and can be used for RF debugging, signal inspection, interference hunting, filter testing, antenna-related measurements, and basic RF education, both in the field and on the bench. The product line includes the tinySA Basic, tinySA Ultra, and tinySA Ultra+, which mainly differ in their supported frequency ranges and performance. The tinySA Basic supports 100 kHz to 350 MHz on its low input and up to about 960 MHz on the high input, while the Ultra and Ultra+ models can observe signals up to 12GHz. The devices run from an internal rechargeable battery with USB-C charging, support firmware updates, internal self-test and calibration routines, marker and peak detection, configurable frequency span and amplitude settings, and PC control over USB. Input protection limits are specified at +10 […]
STEVAL-ROBKIT1 – A robot evaluation kit based on STM32H725 and STM32G0 microcontrollers
The STEVAL-ROBKIT1 is an evaluation kit for robotics applications based on ST’s STM32H725 and STM32G0 Arm microcontrollers. It’s the first such robot kit from the company, and it targets both traditional engineering teams, educators, and students. The kit features an STM32H725 main board, an STM32G0 motor-control PCB, and a 1.53MP camera + ToF sensor module, as well as a robotic frame, wheels, and motors with encoders. It does not require a soldering iron for assembly to make it easier for students. STEVAL-ROBKIT1 key components and features: Main board – STEVAL-ROBKIT1-1 SoC – STMicro STM32H725IGT6 Arm Cortex-M7 microcontroller @ 550 MHz with 1MB flash, 564 KB SRAM with ECC Wireless – BlueNRG-M2 Bluetooth LE 5.2 SoC Sensors 6-axis IMU (LSM6DSV16BX) Magnetometer (LIS2MDL) Microphone (MP34DT06J) Expansion – 40-pin Raspberry Pi-like header Motor control board – STEVAL-ROBKIT1-2 SoC – STMicro STM32G071CBT6 Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller at 64 MHz with 128 KB flash, 36KB SRAM Motor […]
PhaseLatch Mini – An STM32-based low-cost SDR digitizer with two 12-bit ADCs, 210 kS/s USB streaming
PhaseLatch Mini is a low-cost STM32-based SDR digitizer for the previously released Phase Loom (tuner aboard), built in a Blue Pill–style form factor for HF, FM, and VHF experimentation. The board uses two 12-bit ADCs that sample I and Q at the same time, combine both readings into a 32-bit data word, and send the data over USB at about 210,000 I/Q sample pairs per second using just the standard USB CDC interface. It includes SMA inputs, a built-in ~100 kHz low-pass filter network, USB-C connectivity, ferrite-filtered power, and dedicated 8 MHz/32.768 kHz crystals for stable timing. Other features of the board include dynamic timer tuning, circular DMA, ISR-driven packet chaining, and a lock-free USB feed path to maintain high-rate streaming. PhaseLatch Mini specifications: Microcontroller – ST STM32F103C8 Arm Cortex-M3 @ 72 MHz USB Interface – USB-C 2.0 (Full-Speed) port; CDC class; RAW vendor class planned ADC subsystem Dual simultaneous […]
BenchVolt PD – An USB-C PD lab power supply with five channels and arbitrary waveform generator (Crowdfunding)
BenchVolt PD is a five-channel, open-source USB-C PD lab power supply that turns any USB Type-C charger/power bank into a compact, portable bench PSU. Designed for makers, engineers, and field technicians, it delivers up to 100 W with fixed, adjustable, and waveform-capable outputs, making it an alternative to bulky lab units. It integrates three low-noise fixed rails (1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.3 V), two adjustable outputs (0.5–5 V and 2.5–32 V), and supports up to 3A per channel with current limiting. An STM32 MCU handles sequencing, real-time safety checks, and monitoring. The device also features a 1.9-inch display and a rotary encoder for monitoring and control. It also includes protections for overcurrent, temperature, and power budgeting. BenchVolt PD specifications: MCU – STMicroelectronics STM32F030F4 32-bit Cortex-M0 @ 48 MHz with up to 256KB of flash Display – 1.9-Inch TFT display (320 x 170) showing voltage, current, thermal, and PD status Power […]

