wearables News - CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

STMicro STM32C5 entry-level, 144 MHz Cortex-M33 MCU features up to 1MB flash, 256KB SRAM, Ethernet, CAN Bus

Not to be confused with the just-released STM32U3B5/C5 ultra-low-power MCUs, the entry-level STM32C5 Arm Cortex-M33 MCU family is designed for industrial sensors, smart home devices, electronic locks, thermostats, wearables, robotic actuators, and computer peripherals. The MCUs are manufactured using ST’s 40 nm flash process, clocked at up to 144 MHz, and feature 128 KB to 1 MB of flash and up to 256 KB of SRAM, with a dynamic power consumption of <80 µA/MHz. Key features include Ethernet, USB, OctoSPI, CAN bus, DMA, and various peripherals, including ADCs, comparators, and an op-amp. Security is also enhanced, with the series targeting SESIP3 and PSA Certified Level 3 through features such as side-channel attack-resistant crypto, Hardware Unique Keys (HUK), and a Coupling and Chaining Bridge (CCB) for secure key storage. STM32C5 key features and specifications: MCU core Arm Cortex-M33 32-bit CPU @ 144 MHz with single-precision FPU, DSP instructions, and MPU Performance […]

March 3, 2026March 3, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite wearable platform offers 5G RedCap, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 6.0, built-in AI accelerator

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite is described as the “world’s first Personal AI wearable platform”, and features an NPU for on-device AI delivering up to 12 TOPS of performance at low power, supporting 2B parameter models. It delivers up to 5x single-core CPU improvement and up to 7x faster GPU compared to the previous-generation Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 Wearable Platform while offering up to 30% more battery life for multi-day battery life, thanks to a 3nm architecture. The new Snapdragon Wear Elite platform also supports fast charging with up to 50% charge in under 10 minutes. Snapdragon Wear Elite specifications: CPU – Up to 2.1 GHz GPU Qualcomm Adreno 3D GPU supporting OpenGL ES 3.2, Vulkan 1.2, and OpenCL 2.0 APIs 2.5D GPU co-processor clocked at up to 500 MHz ISP – Qualcomm Spectra AI accelerator – Qualcomm Hexagon NPU; up to 12 TOPS of AI performance; support for up tp 2B […]

March 3, 2026 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Quectel RM255C mid-tier 5G RedCap M.2 and LGA modules support LTE Cat 4 fallback, multi-constellation GNSS

Quectel RG255C NA (Left) and RM255C GL (Right) mid tier 5G RedCap GPP release 17 modules

Quectel has just announced two new 5G RedCap modules, the RM255C-GL (Global, M.2) and RG255C-NA (North America, LGA), both of which are 3GPP Release 17-compliant 5G RedCap (Reduced Capability) modules designed to bridge the gap between LTE Cat 4/6 and full-featured 5G. Both the modules support 5G Sub-6GHz SA with LTE Cat 4 fallback, peak data rates of up to 223 Mbps downlink and 123 Mbps uplink, and backward compatibility with Rel-15/16 networks. Additionally, the modules support optional multi-constellation GNSS via Qualcomm IZat Gen 9VT technology along with various interfaces such as USB 2.0 and PCIe 2.0 (plus UART, SPI, I2C, SGMII, PCM on the RG255C-NA). Both support dual SIM, DFOTA, and embedded protocol stacks, and are suitable for industrial IoT, smart grids, video surveillance, mobile hotspots, wearables, and other medium-speed applications. Quectel RM255C-GL and RG255C-NA specifications: Connectivity 5G NR – 3GPP Release 17 RedCap (Reduced Capability) Sub-6 GHz Standalone (SA) […]

February 18, 2026February 18, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

AsteroidOS 2.0 open-source smartwatch OS released, now supports around 30 devices

AsteroidOS 2.0 Linux-based, open-source smartwatch operating system has just been released with features such as always-on display support, Tilt-to-Wake, a customizable QuickPanel, multiple launcher styles, Nightstand mode, performance improvements, and support for about 30 devices. It’s been a long journey. We first noted the open-source project in 2016 when Florent Revest showcased a basic user experience on the LG G Watch, just before giving a talk at FOSDEM 2016 introducing AsteroidOS. This was followed by the launch of the Connect Watch (crowdfunded) AsteroidOS smartwatch in 2017 by a French company (which didn’t get funded), and AsteroidOS 1.0 was released in 2018. So it’s been ten years since it all started, and the developers have now released AsteroidOS 2.0. AsteroidOS 2.0 highlights: New features Always-on Display, Tilt-to-wake, Palm-to-sleep Heart rate monitor app Initial step counting support Music volume control Compass support Support for Bluetooth HID and Audio Design, Usability, and App Improvements […]

February 14, 2026February 15, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Android 17 Beta 1 released with H.266/VVC support, camera improvements, and more

Google has just announced the release of Android 17 Beta 1 with performance improvements, H.266/VVC video codec support, smoother camera mode transitions, privacy and security enhancements, and more. The company is not releasing Developer Previews anymore, and instead follows the “continuous Canary channel” announced with the first Android 16 Developer Preview. So, with Android 17, the very first release is the “Beta 1” release. Some of the key changes in Android 17 so far: Developers can’t opt out of orientation and resizability restrictions on large screen devices (sw > 600 dp), so they’ll have to make sure their apps work on tablets, foldables, and desktop windowing environments. With one exception: apps categorized as games with android:appCategory flag. Google published a separate blog post about the change. Performance improvements and tools Lock-free MessageQueue that will reduce missed frames. Added Generational garbage collection to ART’s Concurrent Mark-Compact collector. This aims to reduce […]

February 12, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers – nRF52833-based, ultra-slim, full-body VR trackers offer up to 48h battery life (Crowdfunding)

Designed by SlimeVR in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers are open-hardware, IMU-based, ultra-slim, full-body VR trackers designed for virtual reality gaming, motion capture, VTubing, and more. The trackers provide full-body positional tracking without base stations, cameras, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth. Each tracker uses an IMU to measure absolute rotation and transmits data over a custom 2.4 GHz ESB protocol via a dedicated dongle supporting up to 10 trackers, eliminating occlusion issues and router setup. Based on Nordic Semi’s nRF52833 wireless MCU, the split “butterfly” design places the PCB and 90 mAh battery side-by-side to achieve a thickness of under 7 mm and a weight below 10 grams, while a flexible interconnect improves comfort when worn under clothing. The system offers a 100–200 Hz refresh rate, <15 ms latency, over 48 hours of battery life with USB-C charging and OTA firmware updates. SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers specifications: Wireless MCU – Nordic nRF52833 CPU […]

January 20, 2026January 19, 2026 by Debashis Das - 4 Comments

EnviroGo ESP32-S3 wearable environmental monitor features 7 sensors (Crowdfunding)

EnviroGo s 7 in 1 ESP32 wearable environmental monitor

EnviroGo is an ESP32-S3-based wearable environmental monitor that tracks Organic Compounds (VOCs), UV index, temperature, humidity, air pressure, light, and motion via a 9-axis MEMS sensor. It is designed for indoor and outdoor use, and can be worn, clipped to a bag, or magnetically mounted, making it suitable for homes, offices, travel, labs, and daily use where real-time environmental data is needed. EnviroGo supports built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity through the ESP32-S3 WiSoC, features a small 0.96-inch IPS display, a microSD card slot for local data logging, and an RTC for time-stamped records. The device samples data at configurable intervals, uses RGB LEDs and a buzzer for visual and audible alerts, and can process data locally with AI-based prediction to spot trends such as rising VOC levels or humidity changes (with a stated 7-day learning period). EnviroGo is designed for IoT developers, researchers, smart home users, and health-conscious individuals who […]

December 27, 2025 by Debashis Das - 5 Comments

ESP32-C6 development board features 1.8-inch AMOLED touch display, built-in mic and speaker, IMU, RTC, and more

Waveshare ESP32-C6-Touch-AMOLED-1.8 is an ESP32-C6-based touch display development board featuring a 1.8-inch capacitive AMOLED display, a 6-axis IMU, RTC, audio codec, microSD card slot, USB-C for power and programming, power/boot buttons, and various I/Os including I²C, UART, USB, and GPIO pads. Compared to boards like Waveshare ESP32-S3-LCD-1.28, ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.69 (based on ESP32-S3), and ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-3.4C/4C (based on ESP32-P4), this board is based on the ESP32-C6 wireless SoC with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 LE, Zigbee, and Thread connectivity. It also includes a 16 MB external flash and a 368 × 448 AMOLED display with 16.7 million colors and capacitive touch support. Power is managed by an AXP2101 PMIC for Li-ion battery support and charging. Typical applications include smart home control panels, wearable and handheld IoT devices, voice-enabled assistants, data loggers, portable dashboards, and HMI-focused embedded prototypes. Waveshare ESP32-C6-Touch-AMOLED-1.8 specifications: SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-C6 CPU Single-core 32-bit RISC-V clocked up to 160 MHz […]