CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

June 2, 2025June 3, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

ESP32-P4 Smart 86 Box features 4-inch square touch display for Smart Home and IIoT applications

Designed for Smart Home or industrial IoT (IIoT) applications, Waveshare’s ESP32-P4 Smart 86 Box is equipped with a 4-inch square touchscreen display, an ESP32-C6 module with WiFi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity, and a range of connectors. Two models are offered: the ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-4B with a MIPI CSI camera connector and a 28-pin GPIO header, and the ESP32-P4-86-Panel-ETH-2RO with a bottom board that features an RS485 serial interface, two relays, a 10/100Mbps Ethernet RJ45 connector, and 6V-30V DC input. ESP32-P4 Smart 86 Box specifications: Main module – ESP32-P4-Core Module Microcontroller – ESP32-P4NRW32 MCU Dual-core RISC-V microcontroller @ 400 MHz with AI instructions extension and single-precision FPU Single-RISC-V LP (Low-power) MCU core @ up to 40 MHz GPU – 2D Pixel Processing Accelerator (PPA) VPU – H.264 and JPEG codecs support Memory – 768 KB HP L2MEM, 32 KB LP SRAM, 8 KB TCM, 32MB PSRAM Storage – 128 KB HP ROM, 16 […]

June 2, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

u-blox ZED-F20P triple-band GNSS module provides 25Hz RTK/PPP-RTK with centimeter accuracy for drones and robots

The u-blox ZED-F20P is a high-precision, triple-band GNSS module designed for fast-scaling applications, such as drones, ground robots, and other dynamic platforms. It supports L1/L2/L5 bands and delivers centimeter-level accuracy using RTK and PPP-RTK correction methods. Designed for low power consumption and fast convergence, the ZED-F20P operates at 25 Hz and integrates various security features, making it suitable for lightweight and mobile platforms. It is fully compatible with the existing ZED module footprint and UBX protocol, allowing easy integration and upgrade paths within the ZED portfolio. The module works with the ANN-MB2 all-band antenna and supports u-blox’s PointPerfect Flex and Live correction services, offering rapid, base station–free accuracy in challenging environments. These features make this suitable for applications like robotic lawnmowers and autonomous aerial systems. u-blox ZED-F20P specifications: Storage – Internal Flash for firmware GNSS receiver u-blox F20 engine (672-channel) GPS – L1C/A, L2C, L5 QZSS – L1C/A, L1C/B*, L2C, […]

Graperain Samsung, Rockchip RK3588, and Qualcomm CPU modules, SBCs, and carrier boards

June 2, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

Bestechnic BES2700YP Arm Cortex-M55 Bluetooth Audio SoC targets headphones, earbuds, portable speakers

Bestechnic BES2700YP is an Arm Cortex-M55 Bluetooth Audio SoC designed for Smart earbuds with adaptive ANC, Smart Bluetooth headphones/headsets, ANC hearing-aids, Bluetooth speakers, and other portable audio devices When I wrote about the Ambiq Apollo330 Plus SoC family last week, I realized it was the first time I covered Arm Cortex-M55 microcontrollers with built-in wireless, in that case Bluetooth LE 5.4 and 802.15.4 (Thread/Matter) radios, and that’s how I came across the BES2700YP SoC with a more narrow use cases since it’s made for Smart Bluetooth audio applications. BES Technic BES2700YP key features and specifications: CPU Subsystem – Arm Cortex-M55 core Sensor Hub Subsystem – Arm STAR-MC1 core (improved Arm Cortex-M33 core) with sensor engine, BECO NPU, and VAD (Voice Activity Detection) Memory – 4 MB SRAM shared across the CPU, Bluetooth, and Sensor Hub cores Storage – Flash in package, boot ROM Bluetooth Subsystem Arm STAR-MC1 core (Arm Cortex-M33 […]

June 1, 2025June 1, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

ESP32-P4 development board features 3.4-inch or 4-inch round IPS touchscreen display

Waveshare ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-3.4C and ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-4C ESP32-P4-based development boards feature a 3.4-inch and a 4-inch round IPS display, respectively, a 10-point capacitive touchscreen, and a wide 170° viewing angle. They also integrate two microphones with echo cancellation for voice AI applications and offer Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 (LE) connectivity via an ESP32-C6 module. Designed for AIoT and HMI projects, the boards also include USB ports, a camera connector, a speaker connector, and a microSD card slot. Target applications include Smart Home control panels, voice-controlled interfaces, digital dashboards, indoor environmental monitoring, PC performance monitoring, and other secure IoT and edge computing applications. Waveshare ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-3.4C/4C specifications Main module – ESP32-P4-Core Module Microcontroller – ESP32-P4NRW32 MCU Dual-core RISC-V microcontroller @ 400 MHz with AI instructions extension and single-precision FPU Single-RISC-V LP (Low-power) MCU core @ up to 40 MHz GPU – 2D Pixel Processing Accelerator (PPA) VPU – H.264 and JPEG codecs support Memory – […]

May 31, 2025May 31, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

Wio Tracker L1 Pro is a battery-powered, ready-to-use Meshtastic LoRa node

Wio Tracker L1 Pro LoRa based off grid messaging device

The Wio Tracker L1 Pro is a battery-powered LoRa node pre-flashed with the Meshtastic firmware for low-power off-grid messaging and GPS coordinates sharing. It integrates a Semtech SX1262 LoRa module for wireless data transmission and uses a Nordic nRF52840 Bluetooth 5.0 SoC to process and display the data. The L1 Pro also features a 1.3-inch OLED display, a rechargeable battery, a USB Type-C port, and a solar panel connector housed in a durable 3D-printed enclosure. It is fully compatible with the Grove ecosystem and offers expansion via PTH headers and an SWD interface. Wio Tracker L1 Pro specifications: SoC – Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840 CPU – 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4F microcontroller @ 64 MHz Memory & storage – 1 MB Flash, 256 KB RAM Wireless – Bluetooth 5, Thread, ANT, Bluetooth Mesh, 802.15.4 (Zigbee), 2.4 GHz proprietary Display 1.3-inch OLED display with 64 x 28 resolution Active Area – 34.5mm x 23.0mm x 1.47mm […]

May 30, 2025May 30, 2025 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Battery-powered SQUiXL devkit pairs 4-inch touchscreen display with ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth SoC

Unexpected Maker’s SQUiXL is a battery-powered ESP32-S3 WiFi and Bluetooth IoT controller and development platform with a 4-inch touchscreen display with 480×480 resolution. Designed for makers, hardware engineers, embedded developers, and home automation enthusiasts, the SQUiXL integrates with 8MB PSRAM and a 16MB SPI flash for plenty of resources for the firmware. Other features include a microSD card, an amplifier with speaker connector, a haptic driver and motor, an RTC, and a STEMMA/Qt connector for expansion. SQUiXL specifications: WiSoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX7 @ up to 240 MHz with vector instructions for AI acceleration Memory – 512KB RAM Wireless – 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 LE + Mesh Memory – 8MB octal PSRAM Storage 16MB QSPI flash MicroSD card slot (multiplexed with audio amplified) Display – 4-inch 480×480 RGB display with capacitive touch (GT911) Audio MAX98357A I2S Audio Amplifier (multiplexed with microSD card […]

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

May 30, 2025May 30, 2025 by Debashis Das - No Comments

DFRobot Edge101 ESP32 industrial IoT controller offers isolated RS485 and CAN Bus interfaces

DFRobot Edge101 is an industrial-grade IoT controller built around the ESP32 MCU, designed as a bridge between development boards and industrial IoT systems. Housed in a full metal enclosure, it comes with various protection features including surge, ESD, lightning, overvoltage, and reverse polarity protection, and supports continuous 24/7 operation in harsh environments. It integrates RS-485, CAN bus, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RTC, and supports expansion via a PCIe slot for 4G LTE cellular communication, making it suitable for automation, environmental monitoring, and remote data acquisition in industrial or outdoor settings. The IoT controller also offers flexible mounting options such as DIN rail or ear mounting. DFRobot Edge101 specifications: Wireless MCU – Espressif Systems ESP32 CPU – Dual-core Tensilica LX6 microcontroller @ up to 240 MHz Memory – 520 KB SRAM, 16 KB RTC SRAM Wireless – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 4.2 Storage – 4MB SPI NOR flash, MicroSD card slot Connectivity […]

May 30, 2025May 30, 2025 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Atum A3 Nano development board combines Agilex 3 FPGA and USB-Blaster III programmer (Crowdfunding)

Terasic’s Atum A3 Nano is a compact FPGA development board built around Altera’s largest Agilex 3 FPGA (A3CZ135BB18AE7S). The FPGA features 135K logic elements, embedded memory blocks (6.89 Mbit M20K, 1.4 Mbit MLAB), and 368 multipliers, making it suitable for demanding applications such as robotics, automotive systems, smart city infrastructure, consumer electronics, and advanced image processing. Measuring just 85 x 70 mm, the Atum A3 Nano board includes 64 MB SDRAM, Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI output, a microSD card slot, and an onboard USB-Blaster III programmer accessible via a USB Type-C port. Expansion options include a 40-pin GPIO header and two PMOD headers, and the board also features user I/Os like LEDs, buttons, and switches. Additionally, it supports add-ons such as displays, cameras, wireless modules, and motor control kits. Atum A3 Nano specifications: FPGA – Altera Agilex 3 A3CZ135BB18AE7S 135,110 logic elements 6.89 Mbit M20K, 1.4 Mbit MLAB 368 18×19 multipliers 4 I/O […]