OpenCV 5 open-source computer vision library has recently been released with a brand-new DNN (Deep Neural Network) engine that provides better ONNX coverage and enables LLM/VLM support. The fifth version of the popular CV library also adds support for Intel, Arm, Qualcomm, and RISC-V hardware acceleration, improved 3D vision, and various new core features such as new data types, real N-dimensional and scalar support, and performance improvements. OpenCV 5’s DNN Engine OpenCV 4.x supports about 22% of ONNX operators, and the new DNN engine in OpenCV 5 brings coverage to over 80%. That means models with dynamic shapes that used to fail on OpenCV 4.x, should now work, as the 5.x engine was rebuilt around a typed operation graph with proper shape inference, constant folding, and operator fusion. The table below shows the main difference between OpenCV 4.x and OpenCV 5 Since it’s quite a big change, to make sure […]
SamuRoid – A Raspberry Pi-powered 22-DOF humanoid robot with Multimodal LLMs and ROS support
Shenzhen Xiao R Geek Technology (XiaoR GEEK) SamuRoid is a 22-DOF bionic humanoid robot built around a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. Designed for researchers, educators, and robotics developers, the robot combines a traditional Robot Operating System (ROS) environment with modern embodied AI capabilities. The concept of SBC-powered humanoid robots is not new, and we have previously seen similar robots, such as the Tonybot and PiMecha, which focused on basic servo control, OpenCV vision, and beginner-friendly programming. Compared to those, SamuRoid is priced significantly higher but offers a more advanced setup with tighter hardware-software integration and support for multimodal interaction that combines vision, voice, and large language models. We have also seen a simpler, but larger bipedal robot like the Mini π. SamuRoid specifications SBC – Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (4GB or 8GB RAM options) Actuators – 22x XRS-series bus servos delivering ≥ 30 kgf · cm of torque at 12V […]
UGV Beast – An off-road tracked AI robot built for Raspberry Pi 4/5
Waveshare UGV Beast is an off-road robot with tracked wheels designed for Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 SBC handling AI vision and strategy planning, while an ESP32 sub-controller takes care of motion control and sensor data processing. If the design feels familiar, it’s because it’s a variant of the UGV Rover unmanned ground vehicle we covered in 2024, which replaces the six wheels of the original model with two continuous tracks, as found in military tanks, for better driving in difficult terrain. Waveshare UGV Beast specifications: Supported SBCs – Raspberry Pi 4B or Raspberry Pi 5 Multi-function driver board/sub-controller Main SoC – ESP32 wireless microcontroller with WiFi, Bluetooth, ESPNOW connectivity Motor drivers – 2x TB6612FNG chips Peripheral interfaces 4x motor control connectors 2x servo connectors Lidar USB (4-pin) and UART (USB-C) connectors 2x 4-pin I2C connectors Sensor – 9-axis attitude sensor (ICM20948) for image stabilization Misc – EN and user […]
reComputer Industrial R2135-12 review – A Raspberry Pi CM5-powered fanless Edge AI PC with Hailo-8 AI accelerator
Hello, today I am going to review the reComputer AI Industrial R2135-12 from Seeed Studio. This is an industrial edge computer built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 platform. The model is configured with 8 GB LPDDR4 memory and 32 GB eMMC storage. It provides a rich set of I/O options, including dual Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0/USB 2.0, HDMI output, and industrial interfaces such as RS-485/RS-232, CAN, and GPIO, along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support and a wide DC power input range suitable for industrial environments. In addition to standard checking and benchmarking the device, I will also include a hands-on demo application in which the system runs an AI model for real-time people detection from a USB camera, then sends detection results to an external ESP32 microcontroller to drive LED matrices for visually highlighting the locations of detected people. I made the following YouTube video to quickly demonstrate […]
CrowPi 3 AI Learning Kit is powered by a Raspberry Pi 5 SBC, works with Arduino Nano, BBC Micro:bit, and Raspberry Pi Pico boards
Elecrow CrowPi 3 is the latest CrowPi learning and development kit featuring 41 built-in modules and over 150 lessons, and offering compatibility with Raspberry Pi 5, Arduino Nano, BBC Micro:bit, and Raspberry Pi Pico single board computers and development boards. It follows the CrowPi portable learning kit (Raspberry Pi 3B+/Zero), CrowPi 2 Raspberry Pi 4 electronics learning laptop, and CrowPi L laptop (Raspberry Pi 4 models), but the CrowPi 3 is the first to focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning with a Raspberry Pi 5 and support for LLMs like DeepSeek, Google Gemini, and OpenAI chat besides courses about electronics and computer vision. CrowPi 3 specifications: Compatible boards Raspberry Pi 5 (required) – Broadcom BCM2712 quad-core Arm Cortex-A76, up to 2.4GHz, 4GB or 8GB RAM. OS: Raspberry Pi OS (Debian Linux) or others Optional via headers or slots Arduino Nano Raspberry Pi Pico 1/1 W/2/2 W BBC micro:bit Display – […]
Luxonis OAK4 standalone AI vision camera features Qualcomm QCS8550 SoC with up to 52 TOPS performance
Luxonis OAK 4 is a standalone AI vision system/camera powered by a Qualcomm DragonWing QCS8550 platform delivering up to 52 TOPS of AI performance for on-device real-time perception without relying on a host computer. Four variants are offered: OAK 4 S, OAK 4 D, OAK 4 D Pro, and OAK 4 CS. All four feature 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 48 MP RGB camera sensor with rolling shutter, although the OAK 4 CS model can feature a 5MP global shutter camera thanks to support for wappable lenses. Depth sensing is implemented through an OV9282 sensor in the OAK 4 D and OAK 4 D Pro (dual camera) models, and the latter also adds a laser dot projector to improve depth perception. Luxonis OAK 4 specifications: SoC – Qualcomm DragonWing QCS8550 CPU – 1x GoldPlus core @ 3.2 GHz + 4x Gold cores @ 2.8 GHz + 3x […]
PitFusion thermal imager for Raspberry Pi combines Melexis MLX90640 sensor and RGB camera (Crowdfunding)
IVMECH Mechatronics’ PitFusion is a thermal imager designed for the Raspberry Pi based on a Melexis MLX90640 32×24 thermal sensor and an Adafruit 0V5647 RGB sensor comparable to the Raspberry Pi Camera Module v1.3. The kit enables users to capture thermal and visible images simultaneously, and can be useful for automation, robotics, security (human/pet motion detection), non-contact temperature measurement, and environmental monitoring applications. PiFusion specifications: Thermal Sensor – Adafruit LX90640 with 32 x 24 pixel array Camera Sensor – Adafruit 0V5647 comparable to the RPi Camera Module v1.3 with 2592 x 1944 resolution Temperature Range – -40°C to 300°C Frame Rate – Up to 32 Hz (thermal), 30 fps (camera) Spectral Range – 8 µm to 14 µm (optimal for human body and object detection) Host Interfaces – I2C for thermal sensor, CSI for camera) Dimensions – 40 x 30 x 10 mm Weight – 15 grams IVMECH says the […]
Walnut Pi 2B is an Allwinner T527 octa-core SBC with Raspberry Pi 5 form factor and interfaces
Walnut Pi 2B is a single board computer (SBC) powered by an Allwinner T527 octa-core Cortex-A55 SoC with a built-in 2 TOPS AI accelerator that closely follows the Raspberry Pi 5 design for compatibility with most HAT+ expansion boards and accessories. The Walnut Pi 2B SBC ships with 1GB to 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, an optional 32GB eMMC flash, and features a microSD card slot, gigabit Ethernet, four USB ports, a WiFI and Bluetooth module, MIPI DSI/CSI connectors, and the same PCIe FFC connector as found on the Raspberry Pi 5, and a 40-pin GPIO. One of the most obvious differences is that it only comes with one micro HDMI port instead of two on the Pi 5. Let’s check out the specifications to find other changes. Walnut Pi 2B specifications: SoC – Allwinner T527 CPU Octa-core Arm Cortex-A55 processor with four cores @ 1.80 GHz and four cores @ 1.42GHz […]









