LiPo battery powered Olimex boards use ESP32-S2’s USB OTG interface

Olimex ESP32-S2 LiPo USB Boards

Last year, Olimex introduced ESP32-S2-DevKit-LiPo and ESP32-S2-WROVER-Devkit-LiPo boards optimized for battery-powered applications with as little as 30uA deep sleep power consumption. ESP32-S2 processor comes with a USB OTG interface, but at the time, Espressif Systems ESF-IDF SDK did not support programming via the built-in USB interface, so Olimex added CH340T USB to serial converter for programming. The good news is that the SDK can now support USB programming without an external chip, so the company designed new versions of the boards without a USB to serial chip with namely ESP32-S2-DevKit-LiPo-USB and ESP32-S2-WROVER-Devkit-LiPo-USB boards. The specifications are basically the same as previously except for the removal of the USB to serial chip, support for USB OTG, and even lower power consumption: Wireless module: ESP32-S2-DevKit-LiPo – ESP32-S2-WROOM with Espressif ESP32-S2 single-core 32-bit LX7 microprocessor up to 240 MHz with  128 KB ROM, 320 KB SRAM, 16 KB SRAM in RTC, 4MB SPI […]

Engicam PX30.Core SoM & devkit run Ubuntu 20.04 with mainline Linux

PX30 Ubuntu 20.04 mainline Linux

Linux 5.11 was released a few days ago, and it’s always interesting to check out the changelog to find new hardware platforms that support mainline Linux. One of those is Engicam PX30.Core SoM based on Rockchip PX30 quad-core Arm Cortex-A35 processor. Engicam also worked with Amarula Solutions to develop an Ubuntu 20.04 image with mainline Linux compatible with EDIMM 2.2 and CTouch 2.0 carrier boards for PX30.Core CPU module. Engicam PX30.Core SoM Specifications: SoC – RockChip PX30 quad-core Arm Cortex-A35 @ 1.2GHz with Mali-G31 MP2 GPU with support for OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0, and 3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan VX 1.0, 1080p60 video encoding/decoding System Memory – Up to 2 GB DDR4 Storage – 4GB eMMC flash (other capacities on request) Audio – Audio codec on module SO-DIMM edge connector Display Interfaces –  24-bit Parallel RGB, 18/24-bit LVDS Camera interface – 4-lane MIPI-CSI for up to 8MP camera Audio – I2S […]

Feather compatible shield Integrates BG96 Module with LTE Cat-M1, NB-IoT, and GPS

qTop BG96 FeatherWing

Last week, I wrote about the Pebble Board, an nRF9160 based LTE-M and NB-IoT GPS tracker board that connects with Thingsboard. I was soon informed about a similar solution based on Quectel BG96 and compatible with the Feather form factor. Meet IoT-Bots.com’s qTop  Adafruit Feather Compatible shield. In case you wonder, why they did not call it a FeatherWing, that’s because as it’s slightly larger, and the boards are “Adafruit Feather Compatible (AFC) from the interface connection perspective only.” Key features and specifications: Wireless module – Quectel BG96 Cellular – LTE Cat M1, NB-IoT, and EGPRS module offering maximum data rates of 375 kbps downlink and uplink GNSS – GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou/Compass, Galileo, QZSS Nano SIM card holder and u.FL connector (3) for cellular connectivity u.FL connector (4) for GNSS Expansion Feather expansion connector (11) 6-pin qJam interface connector (12) with I2C for extra sensors Misc – Network status LED, […]

Pine64 unveils Quartz64 SBC powered by Rockchip RK3566 SoC

Quartz64 RK3566 SBC

We may just have written about Geniatech RK3566/RK3568 development board, but as expected, Pine64 has now unveiled more details about Quartz64 SBC powered by Rockchip RK3566 SoC. As we’ll see below, the design is very similar to RK3399 based RockPro64, but the new model adds a native SATA 3.0 port, an integrated battery charging circuitry, an ePD port for e-Ink displays, and supports more memory with up to 8GB LPDDR4 RAM. Quartz64 Model A preliminary specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3566 quad-core Cortex-A55 processor up to 1.8 GHz with Arm Mali-G52 GPU supporting OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan 1.1, 0.8 TOPS NPU for AI acceleration System Memory – 2GB to 8GB LPDDR4 Storage SPI Flash optional eMMC module from 16GB up to 128GB capacity bootable SDHC/SDXC MicroSD card up to 256GB (or is it 2TB?) SATA 3.0 port (multiplexed with USB 3.0) Video Output / Display Interfaces HDMI 2.0a up […]

Pebble Tracker nRF9160 GPS & cellular IoT platform connects to IoTeX blockchain (Crowdfunding)

Pebble Tracker nRF9160 board

Nordic Semi nRF91-series of Cortex-M33 SoCs with NB-IoT and LTE-M (eMTC) cellular IoT connectivity was first unveiled in 2018. The first member of the family is nRF9160 System-in-Package (SiP) which also comes with GPS, and we’ve found it Nordic’s own Thingy:91 devkit, as well as in various modules and development boards from third parties. There’s now a new kit called Pebble Tracker that features Nordic Semi nRF9160 with NB-IoT, LTE-M, and GPS connectivity, as well as environmental, motion, and light sensors. The cellular IoT prototyping platform works with the IoTeX blockchain to design decentralized IoT solutions with higher security. Pebble Tracker hardware specifications: Wireless module – Nordic Semi nRF9610 SiP MCU Core -​ Arm Cortex-M33 @ 64 MHz Storage & Memory – 1 MB flash, 256 KB SRAM Connectivity – LTE-M / NB-IoT modem with support for bands from 700 MHz to 2.2 GHz) Security – Arm TrustZone IoT SIM […]

microZERO is a compact, Arduino compatible Microchip SAMD21 module (Crowdfunding)

microZERO SAMD21 Arduino module

SRKH Designs’ microZERO is a tiny, Arduino compatible module based on Microchip SAMD21 Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontroller for applications such as drone control, mobile platforms such as cars, trucks, boats and bikes, and other products working in demanding environments. The company has also designed two baseboards, namely Dev Board A with RGB color high resolution IPS display and the more classic Dev Board B, both mostly following Arduino UNO form factor to get started with development and/or evaluation. microZERO specifications MCU – Microchip SAMD21G18 Arm Cortex-M0+ @ 48 MHz with 256KB flash, 32KB SRAM Storage – 16MB SPI flash memory for additional storage and remote firmware upgrades I/Os 32x protected IO with 6x ADC, SPI, I2C, 6x PWM, TCC, USART, 1-WB, I2S, and USB 1 Mbps CAN controller with fully isolated and filtered CAN transceiver for maximum signal integrity 2mm pitch footprint Security – Microchip ATECCA508/608 software protection encryption IC Misc […]

Ready! Model 100 is a retro computer shell for Raspberry Pi, SBCs, Nano/Pico-ITX boards (Crowdfunding)

Ready Model 100 Raspberry Pi SBC Computer Shell

We recently wrote about Devterm, a modular, retro-looking portable computer that looks like a typewriter with an extra-wide display, and takes Raspberry Pi CM3-series modules, or other compatible modules made by Clockwork based on Rockchip RK3399 or Allwinner H6. If you’re into this kind of device, but would like to use your own Raspberry Pi,  another SBC,  an Intel NUC motherboard, a Nano/Pico-ITX board, or even your smartphone, Ready! Model 100 single board computer expansion system may be worth looking into. Ready! Model 100 key features and specifications: Compatibility – Accommodates any hardware using 5V or 12V power input including smartphones, or arm or x86 SBCs such as Raspberry Pi 4, and compact motherboard following NUC, 4×4, 5×5, or Nano/Pico ITX form factors. Storage – Space for SSD Display – 8.8-inch 1920×480 “3xVGA” HDMI Touchscreen Video Output – HDMI (if dual HDMI supported on SBC) Audio – 10W stereo speaker […]

Geniatech RK3568 Development Board to support Android 11 and Linux

RK3568 development board

RK3566 and RK3568 are the latest AIoT processors from Rockchip equipped with four Arm Cortex-A55 cores, a Mali-G52 GPU, and an impressive range of peripherals that make them suitable for all sorts of applications including AI edge computing and network video recorder (NVR). We already know Pine64 is working on Quartz64 SBC based on Rockchip RK3566, but I’ve just noticed Geniatech’s “RK3568 development board” that should offer even more features since the processor comes with extra I/Os compared to its little brother. Let’s have a look. Geniatech RK3568 development board specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3568 quad-core Cortex-A55 processor up to 2.0 GHz with Arm Mali-G52 GPU supporting OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.2, OpenCL 2.0, Vulkan 1.1, 0.8 TOPS NPU for AI acceleration System Memory – Up to 4 GB LPDDR4 Storage – Up to 128 GB eMMC 5.1 flash, 1x SATA 3.0 port, MicroSD card slot, M.2 socket for NVMe SSD (See […]

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