Harnessing the Power of AI in Industrial Automation (Sponsored)

ModBerry 500 CM5 AI predictive maintenance

The industrial IoT (IIoT) landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). Among the frontrunners of this revolution is the ModBerry 500 CM5, a cutting-edge IoT platform enhanced by optional AI modules like the Hailo-8L and Geniatech AIM-M2. With the integration of these modules, the ModBerry 500 CM5 becomes a powerhouse for industrial automation, offering unparalleled performance and scalability. Let’s dive into the exciting capabilities of this innovative combination and explore the current and future applications of AI in IIoT. ModBerry 500 CM5: The Core of Smart Industrial Automation At the heart of the ModBerry 500 CM5 is the powerful Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5, featuring a quad-core Cortex-A76 processor and support for up to 16GB of RAM. When paired with AI acceleration modules like the Hailo-8L and Geniatech AIM-M2, the ModBerry 500 CM5 evolves from an IoT hub into a sophisticated AI-enabled system capable […]

Cervoz M.2 SFP Ethernet expansion modules support long cables (up to several kilometers) for robotics

Cervoz M.2 SFP Ethernet module

Cervoz M.2 MEC-LAN-2001-SFP and MEC-LAN-2002-SFP are M.2 SFP Ethernet expansion modules delivering gigabit Ethernet speed over long distances for robotics using an Intel i210-IS controller compliant with IEEE 802.3x and 802.3z standards. Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP/SFP+) cages are usually associated with high-speed Ethernet connections of over 10 Gbps, but another advantage of SFP cages over RJ45 jacks is that they allow for data transmission over several kilometers, while RJ45 Ethernet is typically limited to about 100 meters. The Cervoz M.2 SFP Ethernet expansion modules would allow laying out long cables in logistics centers, smart factories, transportation hubs, and energy management facilities where Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) operate across long distances. Cervoz M.2 MEC-LAN-2001-SFP and MEC-LAN-2002-SFP specifications: Ethernet 1x or 2x Gigabit Ethernet connectors via Intel i210-IS controller(s) Support Wake-on-LAN and Hot-Swap function 1x or 2x SFP cages via MEC daughter board Host interface – M.2 B+M Key edge connector with […]

Allwinner T536 quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 & RISC-V industrial SoC supports ECC RAM, up to 3 TOP AI accelerator

Forlinx OK536-C Allwinner T536 development board

Allwinner T536 SoC features four Cortex-A55 cores, a 600 MHz RISC-V core, and a low-power RISC-V for power management, as well as support for ECC memory and an optional NPU with up to 3 TOPS of AI performance. The processor is designed to work in the industrial temperature range (-40 to +85°C) and offers plenty of I/Os, including two Gigabit Ethernet, a USB 3.1 DRD and PCIe Gen2 conbo, MIPI DSI, RGB, and LVDS display interfaces, paralle CSI and MIPI CSI camera interfaces, CAN FD, SPI, I2C, UART, several ADC, and more. The SoC is designed for interactive terminals, smart manufacturing, and other Edge AI industrial equipment. Allwinner T536 specifications: CPU cores Quad-core Arm Cortex-A55 @ up to 1.6GHz Single-core E907 RISC-V core @ up to 600 MHz Single-core E902 RISC-V MCU for low-power management GPU – G2D hardware accelerator with rotate, mixer, and scaler functions ISP Max resolution – […]

Raspberry Pi CM4-powered CODESYS industrial controller supports EtherCAT, Modbus, up to 32 I/O modules

EDATEC ED-PLC2010

EDATEC ED-PLC2010 is an industrial controller powered by a Raspberry Pi CM4, supporting EtherCAT and Modbus interfaces, up to 32 I/O modules, and preloaded with CODESYS runtime for real-time core and visualization capabilities. DIN Rain-mountable Raspberry Pi CM4 industrial controllers are not exactly new, with products such as Modberry 500 CM4 and Edgebox-RPI4 announced shortly after the launch of the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 in 2020. More recently (2024), Seeed Studio introduced the reComputer R1113-10 IoT gateway, and Sfera Labs launched the Strato Pi Max. TECHBASE also upgraded the Modberry 500 with a more powerful CM5 module. EDATEC ED-PL2010 mostly differentiates itself by shipping with a licensed version of CODESYS runtime for industrial automation. It’s also possible with other vendors, but the license might need to be purchased separatly. EDATEC ED-PLC2010 specifications: SoM – Raspberry Pi CM4 SoC – Broadcom BCM2711 CPU – Quad-core Cortex-A72 SoC @ 1.5GHz GPU […]

Altech DO-1 Modbus monitor connects to up to 128 Modbus RTU/TCP devices

Altech DO-1 Modbus monitor

US-based Altech Corp has recently announced the DO-1 universal monitor for Modbus devices to enable companies to easily monitor, collect, and analyze their equipment and process data such as temperature, humidity, pressure, vibration, and energy usage without any subscription fees or licenses. The DO-1 is a vendor-agnostic solution that connects to up to 128 RTU-TCP Modbus devices, features 5GB of internal data storage expandable up to 128GB with a microSD card, dual Ethernet, and optional WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. The device also implements dual power input with a 12V/24V DC input via a terminal block, and 5V via micro USB as power backup. Altech DO-1 specifications: Storage 5GB for data storage (I assume from 8GB eMMC flash) MicroSD card slot up to 128GB Networking 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet RJ45 port (LAN1) Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 port (LAN2) LAN1 and LAN2 can be configured in switch or 2-port mode Optional WiFi 802.11 b/g/n […]

IOL HAT adds an IO-Link compatible master to Raspberry Pi for industrial IoT sensors and actuators

Raspberry Pi IO-Link HAT

Pinetek Networks’ IOL HAT is a Raspberry Pi expansion board using the IO-Link (IEC 61131-9) protocol to interact with industrial sensors. It’s based on the Analog Devices MAX14819 IO-Link master transceiver and offers two SDCI (“Single-Drop Digital Communication”) connectors. While work on the IO-Link communication protocol started in 2006, and the IEC 61131-9 “Single-drop digital communication interface (SDCI) for small sensors and actuators” standard was adopted in 2013, it only recently came onto our radar with products like the STMicro EVLIOL4LSV1 IO-Link actuator board and Renesas CCE4511 IO-Link master and ZSSC3286 IO-Link sensor signal conditioner. The IOL HAT brings the IO-Link standard for industrial IoT communication to the Raspberry Pi. IOL HAT specifications: IO-Link chip – Analog Devices MAX14819 dual IO-Link master transceiver with integrated framers and L+ supply controllers 2x SDCI ports for IEC 61131-9 (IO-Link) sensors and actuators Host connection (one or the other) PT-1201 model – 40-pin […]

Microchip SAMA7D65 Cortex-A7 MPU comes in SoC and SiP packages with up to 2Gbit integrated DDR3L memory

Microchip SAMA7D65 Cortex A7 MPU

Microchip has recently released the SAMA7D65 MPU, a high-performance Arm Cortex-A7 embedded processor designed for HMI and connectivity applications across industrial, home, medical, and appliance markets. The MPU is available in both System-in-Package (SiP) and System-on-Chip (SoC) variants and features various display interfaces, including MIPI DSI, LVDS, and 8-bit Serial RGB interfaces, along with a 2D GPU for graphical acceleration. Memory and storage options include support for 16-bit DDR2/DDR3/DDR3L and LPDDR2/3 memory, optional 1 Gbit or 2 Gbit DDR3 RAM, NAND Flash, eMMC Flash, and SD card. It features dual Gigabit Ethernet with TSN support, an I3C controller, five CAN-FD interfaces, and three high-speed USB ports. Additionally, it comes with various security features, including physically unclonable function (PUF), secure boot, key storage, and cryptographic accelerators for AES, SHA, RSA, and ECC. Microchip SAMA7D65 SoC/SiP specifications: CPU – Arm Cortex-A7 core up to 1 GHz Arm TrustZone, NEON, FPU 32KB L1 I-cache […]

STMicro STM32MP23 Cortex-A35/M33 MPU features a 600 GOPS NPU for industrial IoT and ML applications

STM32MP235 block diagram

STMicroelectronics STM32MP23 is a dual-core Cortex-A35 general-purpose microprocessor (MPU) with a Cortex-M33 real-time core, and 600 GOPS of performance operating at up to 125°C and designed for industrial and Internet-of-Things (IoT) edge computing, advanced HMI, and machine-learning (ML) applications. It follows the STM32MP25 series unveiled in 2023 and launched the following year as the first member of the STM32MP2 family. The STM32MP23 is a cost-down version of the STM32MP25 with similar specifications (and pin-to-pin compatible packages), but the new family has a weaker 0.6 TOPS NPU, and tops at two Ethernet ports for the high-end parts instead of three. Ditto for CAN Bus interfaces (2x vs 3x). Other changes include a 16-bit memory interface and the lack of PCIe and USB 3.0 interfaces. STM32MP23 specifications: CPU – Single or dual Arm Cortex-A35 cores running at up to 1.5 GHz or 1.2 GHz with 512KB L2 cache Real-time MCU – Arm […]

UP 7000 x86 SBC