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December 10, 2024December 10, 2024 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Sipeed’s MaixCAM-Pro AI camera devkit adds 2.4-inch LCD, 1W speaker, PMOD interface on top of WiFi 6 and BLE 5.4

Sipeed has recently released the MaixCAM-Pro AI camera devkit built around the SOPHGO SG2002 RISC-V (and Arm, and 8051) SoC which also features a 1 TOPS NPU for AI tasks. The module includes a 2.4-inch color touchscreen and supports up to a 5MP camera module. Other features include WiFi 6, BLE 5.4, optional Ethernet, built-in audio capabilities, a PMOD interface, GPIOs, and more. Additionally, it features an IMU, RTC chip, and AXP2101 power management for enhanced performance. The module is designed for AI vision, IoT, multimedia, and real-time processing applications. Just a few months back, Sipeed introduced the MaixCAM AI camera devkit, which is also built around the SOPHGO SG2002 RISC-V SoC. The new module improves on the MaixCAM with a redesigned PCB, upgraded casing, and various new features including a 2.4-inch IPS touchscreen (640×480), a 1W speaker, expanded IO interfaces, a power button, and an illumination LED. It also […]

December 5, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - No Comments

u-blox MAYA-W4 tri-radio IoT module features NXP IW610 chipset with Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 radios

Last year, we covered the u-blox MAYA-W3 module, which was based on the Infineon AIROC CYW5551x chipset and utilized separate chipsets for 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequencies. Now, u-blox has introduced the MAYA-W4 series, a host-based Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and 802.15.4 module built on the NXP IW610 chipset. Designed for industrial and commercial applications such as building automation, energy management, smart homes, and healthcare, the MAYA-W4 series supports SISO Wi-Fi 6 with a 20 MHz channel width, ensuring reliable performance in dense network environments. These modules can function as access points, stations, P2P devices, or in mixed modes. The MAYA-W4 modules are compatible with the Matter protocol over Thread and Wi-Fi, facilitating seamless integration across ecosystems. With a compact size of 10.4 x 14.3 mm, these modules rank among the smallest Wi-Fi 6 SMD modules and are available with integrated antennas or U.FL connectors. Rigorous testing […]

December 4, 2024December 5, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Silicon Labs SiWG917Y and SiWN917Y are ultra-low power WiFi 6 and Bluetooth LE 5.4 IoT modules

Silicon Labs SiWG917Y and SiWN917Y are pre-certified, ultra-low power 2.4 GHz WiFi 6 and Bluetooth Low Energy (LE) 5.4 modules made as an extension of the Wireless Gecko Series 2 Arm Cortex-M33 microcontroller family and designed for IoT applications such as Smart Home devices, building automation solutions, healthcare devices, industrial sensors, and asset trackers. The SiWG917Y module is used as a standalone solution where all application code runs on an Arm Cortex-M4 core, and the SiWN917Y module is designed as a Network Co-processor so customers can execute their application on a separate MCU while the wireless module manages WiFi 6 and BLE 5.4. Silicon Labs SiWx917Y modules specifications: Microcontroller MCU Arm Cortex-M4F application core up to 180 MHz (225 DMIPS performance) Arm Cortex-M4 network wireless processor running up to 160 MHz, Accelerators – Integrated FPU, MPU, NVIC, Matrix vector processor (MVP) Memory 672 KB embedded SRAM shared by Cortex-M4 and […]

December 4, 2024December 4, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

CapibaraZero firmware enables low-cost Flipper Zero alternatives based on ESP32-S3 hardware

CapibaraZero ESP32-S3 Flipper Zero alternative

CapibaraZero open-source firmware aims to offer a low-cost alternative to Flipper Zero for ESP32-S3-based hardware platforms and soon other gizmos with ESP32 wireless microcontrollers, notably the LilyGO T-Embed CC1101, similar to the original T-Embed with ESP32-S3 WiSoC, but also featuring a Texas Instruments CC1101 Sub-GHz microcontroller and an NXP PN532 NFC/RFID module. The Flipper Zero is a popular portable multi-tool for pentesters and hardware hackers based on STMicro STM32WB55 Bluetooth 5 LE & 802.15.4 wireless microcontroller and a TI CC1101 Sub-Ghz MCU that got involved in controversies such as a ban proposal in Canada last year due to its (dubious) potential use for car theft. Since then we’ve seen several alternatives such as Monstatek M1 (that’s yet to be delivered to backers…) and HackBat open-source hardware with Raspberry Pi RP2040, ESP8266 WiFi module, and the CC1101 RF transceiver. The CapibaraZero firmware offers another way to create your own cheap Flipper […]

November 25, 2024November 25, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 9 Comments

$7 Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W board launched with 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless module

As expected, the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W – the wireless version of the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 – is now available with an extra 2.4GHz WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.2 wireless module at an official price of $7. We’ll go through the specs and perform a mini review in this post trying out both WiFi and Bluetooth code samples. It’s not the first Raspberry Pi RP2350 with WiFi and Bluetooth we’ve seen, as Pimoroni introduced the Pico Plus 2 W board with an RP2350B MCU and Raspberry Pi RM2 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth module, and iLabs launched the Challenger+ RP2350 WiFi6/BLE5 board relying on ESP32-C6 wireless module. However, the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W is the official board, is cheaper, and will certainly be the most popular/widely used. Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W specifications Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W specifications: SoC – Raspberry Pi RP2350 CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @ […]

November 25, 2024November 25, 2024 by Sayantan Nandy - 3 Comments

nRF54L15 DK: A Development Kit for nRF54L15, nRF54L10, and nRF54L05 SoCs with Bluetooth, Thread, and Zigbee

The nRF54L15 DK is a development kit designed to evaluate the wireless SoCs of the nRF54L15, nRF54L10, and nRF54L05 wireless SoCs. These SoCs support multiple wireless protocols, including Bluetooth Low Energy, Bluetooth Mesh, Matter, Thread, Zigbee, and 2.4GHz proprietary protocols, with data rates of up to 4Mbps. The kit integrates the nRF54L15 SoC and provides emulation capabilities for the nRF54L10 and nRF54L05, enabling flexible testing and development across the nRF54L Series. The nRF54L series SoCs differ in memory configurations to meet various application requirements. The nRF54L15 includes 1.5 MB of non-volatile memory (NVM) and 256 KB of RAM for high-performance applications. The nRF54L10 features 1.0 MB of NVM and 192 KB of RAM for mid-range use cases, while the nRF54L05 offers 0.5 MB of NVM and 96 KB of RAM for entry-level designs requiring fewer resources. The kit is supported by the nRF Connect SDK and tools, providing access to […]

November 18, 2024November 18, 2024 by Tomisin Olujinmi - No Comments

Qualcomm QCC730M dual-band WiFi 4 and QCC74xM WiFi 6, BLE 5.3, and 802.15.4 modules target low-power and IoT edge devices

Qualcomm has added two new IoT modules to its wireless connectivity product series: the Qualcomm QCC730M ‘micro-power’ WiFi 4 module and the QCC74xM tri-radio module, with both modules designed for smart homes, smart appliances, medical devices, and industrial applications. The Qualcomm QCC730M is a dual-band, micro-power Wi-Fi 4 module with a 60MHz Arm Cortex-M4F MCU, 640kB SRAM, 1.5MB RRAM, hardware crypto accelerator, and secure boot, debug, and storage. Its low-power design is ideal for portable, battery-powered IoT devices like IP cameras, sensors, and smart locks. Based on the Qualcomm QCC730 module, it features a 36-pin LGA package with a PCB antenna or RF connector and supports up to 4MB of optional NOR flash. The Qualcomm QCC74xM is Qualcomm’s “first programmable connectivity module,” integrating a 32-bit RISC-V module, optional stacked memory (PSRAM and NOR flash), and a tri-radio chipset for WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and IEEE 802.15.4 (Thread and Zigbee). Its […]

November 6, 2024November 8, 2024 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 181 Comments

Giveaway Week 2024 – RAKwireless Blues.ONE LoRaWAN, LTE-M, and NB-IoT devkit

For the fourth year in a row, RAKwireless is participating in CNX Software’s Giveaway Week, and this year, the company is offering the Blues.ONE IoT development kit with LoRaWAN, LTE-M, and NB-IoT connectivity and 500MB of cellular data through the Blues NoteCard. The devkit can be used to prototype or develop IoT devices for industrial automation and asset-tracking applications and relies on the WisBlock modular IoT prototyping system with the RAK13102 WisBlock Blues Notecarrier, the Blues NoteCard, a WisBlock Base Board, and a WisBlock Core module. Blues.ONE kit content: RAK4631 WisBlock Core Module based on Nordic Semi nRF52840 Arm Cortex-M4F microcontroller @ 64 MHz with 1 MB Flash, 256 KB RAM, Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0 protocol stack Semtech SX1262 LoRa Transceiver with LoRaWAN 1.0.2 protocol stack RAK19007 WisBlock Base Board with 4x sensor slots, 1x IO slot, a USB Type-C port, a rechargeable battery connector, and a solar panel connector […]