firmware

Posted on by Debashis Das - 1 Comment on FalCAN Probe is an open-source, STM32-based USB to CAN/RS-485/RS-422 adapter

FalCAN Probe is an open-source, STM32-based USB to CAN/RS-485/RS-422 adapter

FalCAN Probe v0

Most USB-to-bus adapters, including tools like CANTact Pro or MeatPi’s Ollie V1 and V2, typically support either CAN or RS-485/RS-422 as fixed-function serial devices. In contrast, the FalCAN Probe by Anders B. Nielsen is a multi-protocol USB adapter based on the STM32F042 microcontroller. The FalCAN Probe is a compact open-source USB Type-C board that connects a computer to CAN, RS-485, and full-duplex RS-422 networks. Instead of using a fixed USB bridge, it exposes the MCU’s native USB interface along with SWD and GPIOs, and can also be used as a small Arm Cortex-M0 development platform. FalCAN Probe specifications: MCU – STMicro STM32F042C6Tx Arm Cortex-M0 microcontroller @ 48 MHz with 32KB flash, 6KB SRAM Host Interface – USB 2.0 Full Speed via USB Type-C port Interfaces (non-isolated) CAN bus via Texas Instruments SN65HVD230 transceiver; enumerates as a GS_USB CAN device when jumper JP4 is open RS485 and full-duplex RS422 via dual […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments on Ploopy Bean open-source hardware pointing stick mouse runs QMK firmware

Ploopy Bean open-source hardware pointing stick mouse runs QMK firmware

Ploopy Bean

The Ploopy Bean is a 3D-printed, open-source hardware pointing stick mouse that runs QMK open-source firmware on a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller to control four Omron D2LS-21 buttons and a friction nub. Ploopy is a Canadian company known for its open-source hardware computer accessories. We first covered their headphones in 2023, but they’ve also made a trackball mouse, a trackpad, a USB knob, and other accessories since then. The Bean is just the latest addition. Ploopy Bean specifications: Bean Pointing Stick PCB Microcontroller Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU USB – 1x USB-C port for power and data Buttons – 4x Omron D2LS-21 buttons configured as left click, right click, middle click, and click-to-drag/scroll by default (but customizable) Sensor – Texas Instruments TMAG5273 high-precision 3D hall effect sensor for the nub; up to 20,000 ksps sample rate, detects 3+ microns movements 3D-printed parts – Top, bottom, and spring for red nub Accessories […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments on Study compares Rust and C languages for embedded firmware development

Study compares Rust and C languages for embedded firmware development

Rust vs Embedded C

There’s a lot of hype around the Rust programming language, and I’m seeing it being adopted by various projects, not least the Linux kernel. However, so far it was unclear to me whether it was suitable for embedded firmware development since the hardware resources are limited on microcontrollers. A low memory and storage footprint is required, and optimal performance may also be important, for example, to lower the power consumption of battery-powered devices. A research paper by STMicroelectronics, Inria, and the Freie Universität Berlin, entitled “Lessons from an Industrial Microcontroller Use Case with Ariel OS” published on ArXiv hosted by Cornell University, attempts to answer this question using embedded C and Rust, and the conclusion is that Rust is a viable option: As Rust gains traction for developing safer systems software, a reality check for the microcontroller hardware segment becomes necessary. How ready is the Rust ecosystem for this segment? Can […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments on Prunt Board 3 3D printer control board offers smoother and quieter operation (Crowdfunding)

Prunt Board 3 3D printer control board offers smoother and quieter operation (Crowdfunding)

Prunt Board 3

Prunt Board 3 is a 3D printer control board with six TMC2240 stepper drivers, two 15A heater outputs, four fan outputs, four thermistor inputs, and four endstop inputs that is designed to offer smoother and quieter operation. The hardware is said to offer better ESD protection than boards such as the Duet 3 Mini 5+ or BTT SKR 3 EZ and supports hardware-accelerated step generation, but the magic happens with the Prunt firmware and associated server, which enable a 31-phase velocity profile for smoother operation and higher-quality prints compared to boards running Klipper or Marlin firmware. Let’s have a look at the hardware first. Prunt Board 3 specifications: 6x TMC2240 stepper drivers, all capable of running at 3A with minimal airflow 2x 15A heater outputs with short circuit protection (1.3 µs response time) Fan outputs 4x fan outputs supporting 2, 3, and 4-pin fans, all up to 2A with short […]

Posted on by Debashis Das - 1 Comment on M5Stack Cardputer goes off-grid with new Mesh Kit featuring LoRa, GNSS, and Meshtastic support

M5Stack Cardputer goes off-grid with new Mesh Kit featuring LoRa, GNSS, and Meshtastic support

M5Stack has just launched the Cardputer Mesh Kit, a portable, card-sized Meshtastic communication terminal built around the ESP32-S3-powered Cardputer-Adv controller and a new LoRa expansion module (CapLoRa-1262). The kit is essentially a modular upgrade to the original Cardputer, where the base unit handles the UI via a 56-key keyboard and a 1.14-inch LCD. The added “Cap” module adds a Semtech SX1262 transceiver and an AT6668 GNSS module, allowing for off-grid text messaging and GPS location tracking without relying on cellular networks. Cardputer Mesh Kit specifications: Core Controller (Cardputer-Adv): Wireless MCU module – M5Stack M5Stamp S3A with SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3FN8 CPU Dual-core 32-bit Xtensa LX7 microcontroller with AI vector instructions up to 240MHz RISC-V ULP co-processor Memory – 512KB SRAM Storage – 8MB flash Wireless – 2.4GHz WiFi 4 (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE + Mesh 2.4GHz 3D antenna USB – 1x USB Type-C port Expansion connectors for I/Os such as SPI, I2C, […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments on LimeSDR Micro M.2 2280 SDR card pairs NXP LA9310 baseband processor with LMS7002M RF transceiver (Crowdfunding)

LimeSDR Micro M.2 2280 SDR card pairs NXP LA9310 baseband processor with LMS7002M RF transceiver (Crowdfunding)

LimeSDR Micro

The LimeSDR Micro M.2 2280 software-defined radio (SDR) card combines an NXP LA9310 baseband processor and a Lime Microsystems LMS7002M transceiver, and targets integration into portable or embedded solutions with a spare M.2 PCIe Gen3 x1 socket. The module is offered in a 1T2R configuration by default, but can be expanded to 1T4R via an FPC connector, supports a 30 MHz to 3.8 GHz frequency range, and up to 100 MHz bandwidth. Target applications include 4G LTE/5G, future RAN research, custom user equipment/modems, drone communications, IoT, satellite communications, and custom waveform generation. LimeSDR Micro M.2 SDR card specifications: SoC – NXP LA9310 programmable baseband processor Vector Signal Processing Accelerator (VSPA) Gen 2 up to 80 GFLOPs Control Processor – Arm Cortex-M4 at up to 307 MHz Storage – 512 Kbit EEPROM memory for NXP LA9310 initial configuration RF Lime Microsystems LMS7002M RF transceiver Channels – 1T2R expandable to 1T4R via […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments on Trail Mate open-source firmware leverages Meshtastic and MeshCore for ESP32 off-grid handhelds

Trail Mate open-source firmware leverages Meshtastic and MeshCore for ESP32 off-grid handhelds

Trail Mate open source firmware

vicliu624’s Trail Mate is an open-source firmware for off-grid communication and GPS coordinates sharing, leveraging the Meshtastic, MeshCore, and other projects, and designed for ESP32 handhelds such as LILYGO’s T-LoRa Pager or M5Stack’s Tab5 with a LoRaWAN module. The Trail Mate firmware provides a fixed north-up GPS map, direct LoRa text messaging through Meshtastic or MeshCore mesh networks without relying on a smartphone, and prioritizes stability, efficiency, and interoperability over feature density. Trail Mate user interface highlights: Simple main menu with four icons: GPS, LoRa chat, tracker, and system utilities. GPS map Fixed North-Up map orientation (no rotation) Fully offline map rendering from SD card tiles (png/jpg files) Three switchable base layers: OSM / Terrain / Satellite Optional contour overlay for terrain shape awareness Real-time position marker for the current GPS fix Discrete zoom levels optimized for embedded systems Simple breadcrumb trails for path awareness Fast in-page layer switching via […]

Posted on by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments on picoZ80 – A Z80 microprocessor drop-in replacement based on Raspberry Pi RP2350B and ESP32

picoZ80 – A Z80 microprocessor drop-in replacement based on Raspberry Pi RP2350B and ESP32

picoZ80

The picoZ80 board is a drop-in replacement for the Z80 microprocessor based on the Raspberry Pi RP2350B dual-core Cortex-M33 microcontroller and an ESP32 wireless SoC for WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. My first computer was a ZX81 powered by a Zilog Z80 microprocessor, which was eventually phased out in 2024 after almost 50 years of production. But retro computing enthusiasts keep the platform alive, usually with softcore FPGA implementations such as MiSTer. The picoZ80 is different as it relies on the programmable I/O (PIO) state machines from the RP2350B MCU to reproduce cycle-accurate address, data, and control buses of the Z80 MPU. picoZ80 specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2350B CPU – Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 CPU @ up to 150/300 MHz  (the two RISC-V cores do not appear to be used by the project) Memory – 520KB SRAM Storage – 8KB OTP flash Package – QFN-80 Memory – 8MB PSRAM Storage 16MB flash […]

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