CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

July 14, 2025July 13, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Renesas RA2T1 low-power Cortex-M23 MCUs target BLDC/PMSM motor applications

Renesas RA2T1 microcontroller (MCU) group

Renesas has recently launched the RA2T1 group of low-power motor control MCUs, built around a 64 MHz Arm Cortex-M23, for low-cost single-motor applications like power tools, fans, and home appliances. Designed for Brushless DC Electric Motors (BLDC) and Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM), the RA2T1 supports both trapezoidal and FOC control techniques, thanks to its integrated 3-channel Sample and Hold (S&H) circuits that enable accurate 3-phase current detection. It also includes PWM shutdown features and various analog and digital peripherals in compact packages as small as 4×4 mm QFN. Previously, Renesas introduced the RA8T1, also a motor control MCU based on the Cortex-M85 core with Helium instructions and DSP extensions. Ideal for AI-enhanced motor control in industrial and robotics applications. Around the same time, Infineon launched the PSOC Control C3x series, with real-time motor control and security features along with fast ADCs, high-resolution PWM, and PSA Level 2 compliance. Renesas […]

July 13, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

Review of GL.iNet Comet (GL-RM1) KVM-over-IP solution and ATX power control board

GL-RM1 Comet KVM review ATX power control board

GL.iNet sent me a Comet (GL-RM1) remote KVM box for review, along with a GL-ATXPC ATX Power Control Board. I’ll start this review with an unboxing and a teardown, then I’ll use the GL.iNet Comet with a Raspberry Pi 4 SBC to control it from a web browser in the LAN and the GLKVM app from the Internet. Finally, I’ll connect the GL-ATXPC and GL-RM1 to an Orion O6 mini-ITX motherboard to test ATX power control. GL.iNet Comet (GL-RM1) unboxing I received a parcel with two retail boxes: one for the GL-ATXPC ATX power control board and the other for the GL-RM1 Comet Remote KVM. The GL-RM1 ships with an HDMI cable, an Ethernet cable, a USB-A to USB-C cable for keyboard/mouse emulation, and a USB-C to USB-C cable for power, as well as a card with a QR code to connect with GL.iNet, and a getting started guide in […]

LattePanda Carrier Board Design Challenge

July 12, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

TermDriver 2 is a USB-to-serial adapter with a built-in color display (Crowdfunding)

TermDriver 2 USB-to-serial debug board display

USB-to-serial debug boards are commonly used for board bring-up, checking for issues when a board does not boot, or accessing the serial console in systems without networking or video output. You’d just connect GND, Tx, and Rx wires to the target board, and a USB cable to the host, before running a terminal program like Putty, Minicom, or Bootterm with the correct parameters, and you should be good to go. That’s the theory, but sometimes Tx and Rx may be inverted, the baudrate is not advertised, and so on. So Excamera Labs decided to make the TermDriver 2, an improved USB-to-serial with a small built-in display to more easily debug those issues. It can also be used in standalone mode, showing the serial console output on the tiny screen without having to connect it to a host. TermDriver 2 specifications: MCU – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ MCU @ […]

July 11, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

M5Stack Stamp-S3A WiFi and BLE IoT module benefits from optimized antenna design, lower power consumption

M5Stack Stamp-S3A, also known as M5StampS3A, is an update to the M5Stamp S3 ESP32-S3 module introduced in 2023 with an optimized antenna design, lower power consumption, a larger user button, and a different logic for the RGB LED control. Other features remain the same with 8MB Flash, RGB LED, input button, and 23 GPIOs all in a tiny 26 x 18mm form factor. Two versions are available: the Stamp-S3A without pre-soldered headers and the Stamp-S3A PIN1.27 with headers soldered on the board and an orange heat-resistant cover. M5Stamp-S3A specifications: WiSoC – 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 LE + Mesh Connectivity 2.4 GHz WiFi 4, 20 MHz and 40 MHz bandwidth, IEEE 802.11 b/g/n protocol, up to 150 Mbps Bluetooth 5, […]

July 11, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

Hugging Face’s Reachy Mini is an open-source AI robot for your computer or Raspberry Pi 5

Better known for its artificial intelligence software solutions, Hugging Face has now introduced the Reachy Mini open-source desktop robot, designed to deploy AI applications that interface with the physical world. The robot comes with a camera, microphones, and a speaker, and can move its 6 DoF (degrees of freedom) head, rotate its body, or wave its antennas. Two versions are available: The Reachy Mini Lite designed for computers running Mac, Linux, and soon Windows, and the Reachy Mini autonomous robot, powered by a Raspberry Pi 5, adding wireless connectivity, a few more microphones, an accelerometer, and battery support. Both models share most of the same specifications: The Reachy Mini is programmable in Python for now, but JavaScript and Scratch will soon be supported too. We’re also told that over 15 robot behaviors will be provided at launch on the Hugging Face hub, so users will be able to get started […]

July 11, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

Industrial 6-Channel RP2350 relay module offers RS485 interface, Raspberry Pi Pico HAT support

Waveshare RP2350-Relay-6CH is a Raspberry Pi RP2350-based industrial 6-channel relay module with an isolated RS485 interface, 7 to 36V DC input via a terminal block, and support for Raspberry Pi Pico HATs. Each relay is isolated and can handle 250VAC/30VDC up to 10A, a USB-C port is used for firmware updates, and the module also includes a buzzer, a few LEDs, as well as Reset and BOOT buttons, with everything housed in a DIN-Rail enclosure. Waveshare RP2350-Relay-6CH specifications: Microcontroller – Raspberry Pi RP2350B CPU Dual-core Arm Cortex-M33 @ 150 MHz with Arm Trustzone, Secure boot OR Dual-core RISC-V Hazard3 @ 150 MHz Either two cores can be used. Memory – 520 KB on-chip SRAM Package – QFN-80 Relay – 6x relays Contact rating – ≤10A 250VAC/30VDC Contact form – 1NO 1NC via screw terminals Optocoupler isolation USB – USB Type-C port for power, data, and firmware flashing Serial Isolated RS485 […]

Rockchip RK3568, RK3588 and Intel x86 SBCs and SoMs in 2025

July 10, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

GEEKOM Mini IT12 2025 Edition Review – Part 3: Ubuntu 24.04 on an Intel Core i7-1280P mini PC

GEEKOM Mini IT12 2025 Edition review performance ubuntu 24.04

We’ve already checked out GEEKOM Mini IT12 2025 Edition mini PC’s hardware with an unboxing and a teardown, and tested the Intel Core i7-1280P mini PC with Windows 11 Pro in detail in the second part of the review. We’ve now had time to test the Mini IT12 2025 Edition mini PC with Ubuntu 24.04, so we’ll report our experience with Linux in the third part of the review. We’ll specifically go through system information, test key features, benchmark the system and compare it against the earlier Mini IT12 “2023 Edition” powered by an Intel Core i7-12650H processor, because checking out storage and USB performance, WiFi 6 and 2.5GbE network performance, stress testing the mini PC, and finally measuring fan noise and power consumption. Ubuntu 24.04 installation We decided to install Ubuntu 24.04 LTS alongside Windows 11 in a dual-boot configuration, so we resized the Windows 11 partition by about […]

July 10, 2025July 11, 2025 by Debashis Das - 7 Comments

Axiomtek KIWI330 1.6-inch ultra-compact Intel N50 SBC is smaller than a Raspberry Pi

Axiomtek KIWI330 1.6 inch ultra compact SBC

Axiomtek has launched the KIWI330, a 1.6-inch ultra-compact SBC built around the Intel N50 processor. It comes with 4GB LPDDR5 RAM and a 64GB NVMe SSD in a compact 72 x 56 mm form factor, which is even smaller than a Raspberry Pi or the company’s earlier KIWI310 SBC. Despite its tiny size, the SBC features three USB 3.2 Type-C ports (one with DisplayPort), eDP display support, an M.2 Key E 2230 slot for wireless or AI module, and optional MIO expansion modules for COM, LAN, or GPIO. The KIWI330 is suitable for AIoT systems, intelligent gateways, and industrial edge devices. Axiomtek KIWI330 SBC specifications: Alder Lake-N SoC – Intel Processor N50 dual-core processor up to 3.4 GHz with 6MB cache, 16EU Intel UHD Graphics @ up to 750 MHz; TDP: 6W Memory – 4GB LPDDR5 Storage – 64GB NVMe SSD (BGA package) Video Output eDP interface USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C DP […]