CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

August 6, 2019 by Stephen Vicinanza - No Comments

Arm Releases Pelion Connectivity Management 2.0 Platform with Greater Automation

Arm has announced its latest version of Pelion IoT Platform, a no-upgrade needed platform Pelion Connectivity Management 2.0 a SaaS with an automation engine. Previously, we reported on the Sigma Delta Technologies modular devkit that was designed to work with the cloud-based Arm Pelion 1.0 device management service through the Mbed OS, focused on IoT development. The Pelion Connectivity Management 2.0 adds a level of automation that the Pelion 1.0 didn’t have, but that the company felt the customer base in the IoT industry wanted. The new features expand on the Pelion platform, through the Mbed OS, which helped the platform expand through cloud-based management services. The loudest voices in the ever-expanding and transforming IoT industry have said that automation is the key to removing barriers that allow IoT to scale. Pelion 1.0 already offered a single, cloud-based connectivity solution for managing IoT devices. Pelion 2.0 allows IoT devices to […]

August 5, 2019 by Stephen Vicinanza - No Comments

IBase IBR210 i.MX 8M SBC Targets Multi-Display Digital Signage

The latest release from IBase is a single board computer that seems to be designed for the mass business markets, especially in signage. The IBR210 is a 3.5-inch (147 x 102 mm) low-power multimedia SBC based on the NPX ARM Cortex-A53/Cortex-M4 i.MX 8M processor that comes in either a dual or quad-core running in the 1.3 GHz to 1.5 GHz frequency range. The unit was announced on August 1, 2019, but as of yet there is no pricing information. The GPU is a Vivante GC7000Lite/GC7000VLX, and an integrated Cortex-M4F real-time core, in the i.MX8M. Although for the i.MX8M Mini is a faster and newer SoC, the i.MX8M supports 4K video and HDR. The system runs Android 9 or Yocto v2.5 Linux, with up to 3GB soldered LPDDR4 and up to 64GB eMMC. The video output supports 4K via HDMI 2.0, while there are 2 USB 3.0 ports. The board supports […]

August 5, 2019August 5, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

Pine64 SoEdge-RK1808 AI Module Delivers 3.0 TOPS via Rockchip RK1808 SoC

SOPINE Model A Baseboard + SoEdge-RK1808

A few weeks ago, Ameridroid reported Pine64 would soon launch SoRock and SoEdge systems-on-module, but at the time there was virtually no info except SoRock would be likely based on either RK3328 or RK3399 and work on the existing Clusterboard, while SoEdge would be an AI Neural module for Artificial Intelligence tasks, with up to 3 TeraFLOPS of performance. I did not write about it at the time, simply because there was so little information, but this morning I’ve just received some photos of SoEdge-RK1808 module fitted to a baseboard that looks to be SOPINE Model “A” carrier board. SoEdge-RK1808 SoM Let’s try to derive the specifications from the photos even though some components appear to be blurred out or just unclear: SoC – Rockchip RK1808 dual-core Cortex-A35 processor with 3.0 TOPS NPU (Neural Processing Unit) System Memory – 2GB RAM (2x 8GBit Micro DDR4-2400) but limited PC-2133 Storage – […]

August 5, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

How to Decode Markings on FBGA Memory Chips

SDRAM chips often come in compact FBGA (Fine-Pitch Ball Grid Array) packages, which do not leave enough space to write the full part number. So instead component manufacturers rely on abbreviated part markings that often have nothing to do with the actual part numbers. For example, the Micron SDRAM chip above has markings that read “PPE39 7LW75 D9WDL”. We know it’s a Micron part because of the logo, but if you search any on the number on the chip, you won’t find anything on the web. Instead, you need to look for the marking decoder from the chip company. Micron calls it the FBGA and Component Marking Decoder. Usually we need to use the second number on the chip, but in that case, it did not work, and I had to use the third number. I got my answer. Somehow the company does not link to any product page. Searching […]

August 4, 2019August 11, 2021 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 57 Comments

Amlogic S912 vs Amlogic A311D/S922X-B Benchmarks Comparison

A few days ago we compared Amlogic A311D to Rockchip RK3399 since both the top-of-the-line processors from Amlogic and Rockchip are currently available. Rockchip RK3588 will even be faster, but we need to wait until Q1 2020 at least before it becomes available, and delays are not unheard of, so I’d expect it may take about one year before I can get my hands on a sample. Another comparison is against Amlogic S912, the previous high-end processor from the company. Amlogic A311D and S922X-B are newer and will be faster but it’s interesting to find out just how much. Note the Amlogic S922X found in ODROID-N2 is clocked at a lower speed compare to A311D/S922X-B, so performance will be somewhat lower. Since I recently benchmarked Khadas VIM3 with Amlogic A311D processor, I decided to dust off my old Khadas VIM2 Amlogic S912 development board, fit it a large heatsink, install […]

August 3, 2019 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

Android Gaming on Khadas VIM3 SBC (Video)

I started playing with Khadas VIM3 Basic SBC powered by Amlogic A311D processor and 2GB RAM, and noticed Android benchmarks, especially 3D graphics were significantly better (40% improvement) than the ones of Rockchip RK3399. So I decided it may be interesting to show Android gaming on the single-board computer, and installed the latest version of Android 9.0 with Google Play store. Finally I connected the RF dongle of Tronsmart Mars G01 wireless gamepad, as well as USB keyboard and mouse to get some fun. Since the board only has two USB type-A ports, I also inserted MINIX NEO S2 USB-C + SSD hub to connect the gamepad RF dongle. Then I tried to install and play four games Beach Buggy Racing Installed via Google Play Played with Tronsmart gamepad. Perfectly smooth with max graphics settings. Similar to other TV boxes or boards. Riptide GP2 Installed via Amazon Store Played with […]

August 3, 2019 by Stephen Vicinanza - No Comments

Actcast Combines IFTTT-like Service with AI and Raspberry Pi 3 / Zero

In a report on April 30, 2017, Idein had developed GPGPU accelerated object recognition for the Raspberry Pi platform. That development led to the beta release of the ActCast IoT platform, which was announced on July 29, 2019, and uses deep learning algorithms for object and subject recognition. The program is for use with IoT and AI. The idea is to increase performance and link the system to the web for even more solutions. What it Does The use of physical world information in IoT projects has many applications. Such as a doorbell that sees a person, can then recognize the person. Ultimately letting the user know over the web through a smartphone, the person should be let in. And then the system unlocks the door. So Actcast is a bit like IFTTT with artificial intelligence / computer vision capabilities. Edge Computing Bringing the source of data closer to the […]

August 2, 2019June 9, 2021 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 1 Comment

FiRa Consortium Ultra Wide-Band Ecosystem To Deliver Precise Indoor Positioning

The FiRa Consortium has just been established by the ASSA ABLOY Group which includes HID Global, and NXP Semiconductors, Samsung Electronics, and Bosch, and joined by Sony Imaging Products & Solutions Inc, LitePoint and the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) in order to grow the Ultra-Wideband (UWB) ecosystem providing accurate positioning for a variety of mobile and consumer applications. The FiRa stands for “Fine Ranging”, and UWB technology relies on the IEEE 802.15.4z standard that provides real-time centimeter accuracy indoor positioning. The consortium claims “UWB technology outperforms other technologies in terms of accuracy, power consumption, robustness in RF connection, and security, by a wide margin”, especially in challenging environments. The main roles of the FiRa Consortium will be to develop an interoperability standard, and promote the development of UWB applications. Some of the use cases include: Seamless Access Control – UWB can identify an individual’s approach toward or away from a […]