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March 6, 2026March 8, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Echo Pyramid enables smart voice interaction applications on M5Stack Atom ESP32 IoT controllers

Designed for M5Stack Atom, AtomS3, and AtomS3R series IoT controllers based on ESP32 or ESP32-S3 wireless SoC, the Echo Pyramid base enables smart voice interaction applications such as far-field voice recognition, voice assistants, voice control, and more. The device features a built-in speaker, a MEMS microphone, an ES8311 HD audio codec for playback and capture, and an STM32 MCU for touch areas and RGB LED management. It’s powered via a USB Type-C port and can be expanded through a 4-pin connector for I2C modules. Echo Pyramid specifications: Supported IoT controllers – M5Stack Atom, AtomS3, and AtomS3R Microcontroller – STMicro STM32G030F6P6 32-bit Arm Cortex-M0+ CPU @ 64 MHz with 8KB SRAM, 64 KB flash Audio HD Codec – ES8311, handles playback and recording Microphone – LMA3729T381-0Y3S MEMS microphone ADC – ES7210 for microphone input Built-in speaker on the bottom of the pyramid Amplifier – AW87559 Class-D speaker driver for the speaker […]

March 6, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

DFRobot launches low-power, low-cost Fermion: BMV080 air quality sensor module

Fermion BMV080 Fanless Air Quality Sensor (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10)

Just last year, we reported on the SparkFun Air Quality PM1/PM2.5/PM10 Sensor, based on the Bosch BMV080 fanless air-quality sensor and priced at around $65. DFRobot has now launched a low-cost alternative, the Fermion: BMV080, which provides the same fanless, laboratory-grade PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 sensing capabilities for just $29.90. The sensor uses laser-based light-scattering technology with fanless optical counting to detect particles as small as 0.5 μm. This avoids fan noise, dust buildup, and mechanical wear, which are common with fan-based PM sensors, and, on top of that, it has a service life of up to 10 years. It measures particulate concentrations in a 0–1000 μg/m³ range with 1 μg/m³ resolution and ±10 μg/m³ of accuracy. The sensor supports I2C and SPI interfaces, and consumes about 70 mA in continuous measurement mode with a 6 μA sleep current, making it suitable for battery-powered systems. DFRobot’s Fermion: BMV080 specifications: Sensor IC […]

March 6, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

WiFi and Bluetooth LE can now be used simultaneously on Arduino boards with NINA-W102 (ESP32) module

Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect WiFi and Bluetooth

Today I learned that WiFi and Bluetooth LE could NOT be used simultaneously on Arduino boards featuring the ESP32-based u-blox NINA-W102 wireless module, impacting the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect, Arduino MKR WiFi 1010, and Arduino Nano 33 IoT boards. It’s a long-running problem since the first Arduino board with NINA-W10 was introduced in 2018, and meant you could use WiFi or Bluetooth LE, but not both simultaneously. The good news is that the issue has finally been fixed, thanks to a new firmware for the module and new WiFi and BLE libraries. More specifically, you’ll need the following libraries and firmware: WiFiNINA library version 2.0.0 or later ArduinoBLE library version 2.0.0 or later NINA-W102 firmware version 3.0.1 or later The libraries can easily be updated in the Library Manager in the Arduino IDE, and the firmware needs to be updated with the Firmware Updater Tool in Tools > WiFi101 / […]

March 4, 2026March 4, 2026 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

Renesas RA0E3 Arm Cortex-M23 MCU is a stripped-down RA0E1 for cost-sensitive applications

Back in 2024, Renesas first released the RA0E1, an ultra-low-power Cortex-M23 MCU designed for cost-sensitive applications, followed by the RA0E2, with extended temperature range support (-40°C to +125°C). The company has expanded its lineup with the RA0E3, a stripped-down version of the RA0E1 with less memory, fewer peripherals, and fewer GPIOs, designed for small and budget-focused applications for sensing, motor assist, safety, and basic system control. The MCU retains the same 32 MHz Arm Cortex-M23 (Armv8-M) core but now comes with 16KB flash and 2KB SRAM. It features an 8-channel 16-bit TAU timer, a 32-bit interval timer, a 10-bit ADC with a temperature sensor, a Data Transfer Controller, and serial interfaces including SPI, I²C, and UART (with LIN support). Additionally, it comes with up to 17 GPIOs, pull-ups, open-drain support, and built-in clock sources. It has an operating voltage range of 1.6V to 5.5V and supports −40°C to +125°C operation […]

February 27, 2026February 28, 2026 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

M5Stack Unit PoE-P4 – A tiny PoE-powered ESP32-P4 development kit with MIPI DSI/CSI and USB-C connectors

The M5Stack Unit PoE-P4 is a tiny, PoE-powered development kit built around the ESP32-P4NRW32 SoC. The module integrates a 10/100Mbps Ethernet PHY, supports IEEE 802.3at PoE for single-cable power and data, and provides MIPI DSI/CSI display and camera interfaces. It’s designed as a network-enabled node with built-in PoE (up to 6W output), a USB Type-C host port, and a separate USB Type-C OTG/download interface, along with an RGB LED, IR transmitter, user button, Grove (HY2.0-4P) port, Hat expansion header, and SDIO/ISP expansion interfaces, making it suitable for industrial HMI panels, PoE smart terminals, camera/vision acquisition nodes, smart home controllers, and edge computing devices. M5Stack Unit PoE-P4 specifications: SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-P4NRW32 CPU Dual-core 32-bit RISC-V HP (High-performance) CPU @ up to 400 MHz with AI instructions extension and single-precision FPU Single-RISC-V LP (Low-power) MCU core @ up to 40 MHz Memory 768 KB HP L2MEM (for dual-core CPU), 32 KB […]

February 26, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Arduino Matter Discovery Bundle educational kit combines Arduino Nano Matter with three Modulino modules

Arduino has just announced the Arduino Matter Discovery Bundle (AKX00081), an all-in-one development kit designed to help users learn, prototype, and build Matter-over-Thread smart home devices quickly. The kit is based on the Arduino Nano Matter development board and works with the Matter ecosystem, including compatible platforms such as Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Home Assistant. The bundle also includes a Nano Connector Carrier with Grove and Qwiic interfaces, a microSD slot, and various IO options. The kit features three Qwiic-based Modulino nodes, namely a Latch Relay, a Distance module for presence detection, and a Thermo module for temperature and humidity sensing. Arduino Matter Discovery Bundle specifications: Main board – Arduino Nano Matter MCU – SiLabs MGM240SD22VNA MCU core – 32-bit Arm Cortex-M33 with DSP (digital signal processing) instruction and FPU (floating-point unit) @ 78 MHz Storage/Memory – 1536 KB flash program memory, 256 KB RAM data memory […]

February 24, 2026February 24, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Inkplate 13SPECTRA 13.3-inch E-ink Spectra smart color display supports Arduino, MicroPython, ESPHome (Crowdfunding)

Soldered Electronics has made ESP32-based e-paper displays for years, starting with the launch of the Inkplate 6 in 2019. The Inkplate 13SPECTRA is their latest model based on an ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth SoC and a 13.3-inch E-Ink Spectra color display with 1600 x 1200 resolution. More specifically, it’s powered by an ESP32-S3-WROOM-2-N32R16V module with 32MB SPI flash and 16MB PSRAM, features a microSD card slot for data storage, a USB-C port for data and power, a JST connector for an optional 3,000 mAh LiPo battery, and expansion capabilities through three Qwiic connectors and GPIO expander pins. Inkplate 13SPECTRA specifications: Wireless module – ESP32-S3-WROOM-2-N32R16V SoC – ESP32-S3 dual-core Xtensa LX7 processor (up to 240 MHz) with wireless connectivity System Memory – 16 MB PSRAM Storage – 32 MB flash Wireless – Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz), Bluetooth 5 (LE), Storage – MicroSD card slot Display 13.3-inch E-Ink SPECTRA color e-paper […]

February 16, 2026February 19, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

Project Aura – A neat, easy-to-assemble, DIY Air quality monitor compatible with Home Assistant

Project Aura is an ESP32‑based DIY air quality monitor that combines a touchscreen display and industrial sensors. It is fully integrated with the Home Assistant open-source home automation platform. The words “DIY” and “open source” often imply manufacturing the board yourself and soldering components, but that’s not the case for Project Aura. It’s based on off-the-shelf components connected through cables without any soldering requirements, while the enclosure can be 3D printed. The firmware is equally easy to install through a one-click web installer. Project Aura key components: Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-4.3 – ESP32-S3 board with 16MB flash, 4.3-inch IPS display (800×480) with capacitive touch. Similar to the ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-4.3B but using PH2.0 connectors instead of a terminal block for I/Os Sensirion SEN66 + Adafruit breakout for data capture PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10 particle levels (full spectrum of particles from smoke to pollen) CO2, VOC, and NOx for air freshness, volatile chemicals, and exhaust […]