CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

March 17, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 5 Comments

DFI GHF51 Ryzen Embedded R1000 SBC is about the Size of a Raspberry Pi

We’ve seen a fair amount of AMD Ryzen Embedded boards over the last few months including 3.5″ Ryzen Embedded SBC‘s such as Kontron SBC-VR1000 and IBASE Technology IB918, as well as larger boards such as SAPPHIRE FS-FP5R 5×5 motherboard. The most compact Ryzen Embedded board we covered so far must have been the upcoming Sapphire NP-FP5 based on Ryzen R1305G processor with a 4″x4″ (10.16 x 10.16 cm) form factor. But DFI GHF51 1.8″ SBC takes the crown of the smallest Ryzen Embedded SBC, with the business card / Raspberry Pi sized board measuring just 84 x 55 mm, and featuring an AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000-series processor combined with up to 8GB RAM. DFI GHF51 specifications: SoC – AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000 Series with Radeon Vega 3 GPU; 12W CPU System Memory – 2GB/4GB/8GB single-channel DDR4 3200MHz Storage 1x 16GB/32GB/64GB eMMC flash 64Mbit SPI Flash for BIOS (supports UEFI boot […]

March 16, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Omnichip Devkit 2 Features Nordic nRF52832 based zGlue ZiP Multichip Module

We first covered zGlue Integration Platform (ZiP) in 2018 when the company introduced its chip-stacking technology with a fitness tracker based on ZGZL1BA ZiP equipped with chips from Dialog Semiconductor, Analog Devices, Macronix, MCube and others. The concept is similar to SiP (System-in-Package), but zGlue claims the costs and lead times are much lower with the technology. Earlier this year, ZiP was back in the news thanks to Antmicro GEM custom RISC-V/Arm ASIC, and today, I was informed about zGlue Omnichip devkit 2 that is equipped with a ZiP of the same name, and that can be used to evaluate the technology. zGlue OmniChip ZiP zGlue OmniChip ZiP is a multichip module with the following ICs (aka Chiplets) and specifications: Nordic Semiconductor nRF52832 Cortex-M4F microcontroller with Bluetooth LE and NFC connectivity Texas Instruments BQ25120AYFPR battery charger, buck regulator Maxim Integrated MAX86140ENP+ optical pulse oximeter Texas Instruments TMP108AIYFFR temperature sensor Bosch […]

ArmSoM RK3588 AIModule7 NVIDIA Jetson Nano-compatible SOM

March 16, 2020 by Stephen Vicinanza - No Comments

Adidas GMR Smart Insole Uses Google Jacquard for Enhanced Soccer Tracking

The Adidas GMR (pronounced Gamer) The new Adidas GMR tracking insole is connected to EA Sports FIFA Mobile for smartphone access and data gathering and uses Google’s Jacquard technology for touch-sensitive clothing. Past Shoes for Movement Tracking An athletic shoe that tracks steps was reported on in by CNX Software in the past, in the Xiaomi 90 Minutes Ultra Smart Running Shoe article. A Little About Project Jacquard Jacquard Technology which had been focused on touch-sensitive clothing is where a small device is woven into the item, like in the Levi Trucker Jacket. The tag tracks physical attributes and movements. Jacquard Technology was introduced by Google in 2015 and has been focused on expanding into other areas besides clothing. The tag is accessed through Bluetooth and can record a variety of motion, impact, and other physical aspects of life. The relay in the tag helps the app record the data […]

March 15, 2020March 15, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

Radiona ULX3S Open Source Hardware ECP5 FPGA Development Board Launched for $99 and Up (Crowdfunding)

ULX3S Lattice ECP5 FPGA Educational Board

Last summer, we wrote about Radiona ULX3S education board combining a Lattice Semi ECP5 FPGA with an Espressif Systems ESP32 WiFi & Bluetooth WiSoC. Designed for a digital logic course at the University of Zagreb, the board is open-source hardware with KiCAD hardware design files released on GitHub, and programmable with the Arduino IDE (FPGArduino) and ProjectTrellis open-source toolchain. At the time, there was only a version based on Lattice ECP5 85F with 84K LUT, but they’ve now made versions with cheaper variants of ECP5 FPGA and launched the board on Crowd Supply. Radiona ULX3S specifications: FPGA (one of the other) Lattice ECP5 LFE5U-85F-6BG381C with 84K LUT Lattice ECP5 LFE5U-45F-6BG381C with 44K LUT Lattice ECP5 LFE5U-12F-6BG381C with 12K LUT System Memory – 32MB SDRAM @ 166 MHz Storage – 4–16MB Quad-SPI Flash for FPGA config and user data storage; MicroSD slot Audio – 3.5 mm jack with 4 contacts (analog […]

March 14, 2020March 14, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 10 Comments

Wio Terminal Features Microchip SAMD51 MCU, Dual-Band WiFI & Bluetooth WiFI, and 2.4″ LCD

Microchip SAM D5x Arm Cortex-M4 microcontrollers were introduced in 2017, and the next year we started to see Arduino or MicroPython compatible board brought to market including Adafruit Metro M4 or Tachyon boards. Seeed Studio has now introduced its own Arduino & MicroPython compatible SAMD51 platform with Wio Terminal also integrating an RTL8720DN dual-band WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 chip, and 2.4″ LCD display. There are also Grove connectors to add sensor modules, and a 40-pin header to use the device like a Raspberry Pi HAT. Wio Terminal features and specifications: MCU – Microchip SAMD51 (ATSAMD51P19) Arm Cortex-M4F microcontroller @ 120 MHz (can be overclocked to 200 MHz) with 192KB RAM, 512KB flash Storage – 4MB external SPI flash, MicroSD card slot up to 16GB Display – 2.4″ LCD screen with 320×240 resolution (ILI9341 driver) Audio – Microphone and buzzer Connectivity – Dual-band WiFi 4 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 5.0 via […]

March 13, 2020March 15, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 3 Comments

2.5-inch Pico-ITX SBC Offers LVDS, HDMI & DisplayPort Video Interfaces, Dual Gigabit Ethernet

Today I learned that Pico-ITX boards were also called 2.5-inch boards since they are about the size of a 2.5-inch SATA drive. Kontron pITX-APL V2.0 is one such 2.5-inch Pico-ITX SBC powered by an Intel Atom E39XX or Celeron Apollo Lake processor. The board can drive three independent displays via its 24-bit LVDS interface, HDMI and mini DisplayPort 1.2 output, comes with two Gigabit Ethernet ports and support for 4G LTE connectivity via M.2 slot and SIM card socket. Those features make it suitable for a wide range of applications including industrial client applications, kiosk, infotainment, digital signage, and POS systems. Kontron pITX-APL V2.0 specifications: Apollo Lake SoC variants Intel Atom x7-E3950 quad-core processor @ up to 2.0 GHz with 18EU Intel HD graphics; 12W TDP Intel Atom x5-E3940 quad-core processor @ up to 1.8 GHz with 12EU Intel HD graphics; 9.5W TDP Intel Atom x5-E3930 dual-core processor @ up […]

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

March 13, 2020March 13, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 6 Comments

K1 Smart Lock Box Secures Door Keys with Fingerprint, Mobile App, or Passcode (Crowdfunding)

We’ve previously reported about smart dock look solutions such as Xiaomi Sherlock M1 which allows you to provide access control without keys using your smartphone instead. Security concerns aside, one disadvantage of the Xiaomi smart lock is that it is only compatible with some doors, and can be complicated to install. YEEUU TECH has found a way that works with all doors with K1 smart lock box, a simple rugged box used to store physical keys, and that can be opened with a smartphone app, fingerprints, or a passcode. K1 smart lock box features and specifications: Bluetooth connectivity Permanent or temporary passcode unlock via backlit keypad; up to 100 passwords Permanent or temporary fingerprint unlock (optional); up to 50 fingerprints Remote control and instant share Time window support In-app management, access logs USB – 1x USB Type-C port for emergency power to open the box when batteries are dead Security […]

March 12, 2020 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 4 Comments

FriendlyELEC SOM-RK3399V2 CPU Module Gets 4GB LPDDR4 RAM Upgrade

Last year, FriendlyELEC launched SOM-RK3399 system-on-module (SoM) powered by Rockchip RK3399 hexa-core processor combined with 2GB DDR3 memory, 16to 64GB flash, and a built-in WiFi 5 module. Contrary to most SoM’s on the market, SOM-RK3399 could work in standalone mode thanks to two USB-C ports, although it could also be integrated into a carrier board to create a complete development board with more ports and interfaces. The company has now introduced an update with SOM-RK3399V2 CPU module with 4GB LPDDR4 RAM, as well as a small change in the layout for the LED’s and buttons, but the rest of the features remain the same. The company also appears to have changed the way they handle cooling with SOM-RK3399V2 shipping with a heatsink, while SOM-RK3399 cooling was handled by a heatsink + cooling connected to the carrier board. SOM-RK3399V2 specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3399 big.LITTLE hexa-core processor with 2x Cortex-A72 cores […]

Boardcon LGA3576 Rockchip RK3576 System-on-Module designed for AI and IoT applications