news
Open Hardware/Modding: Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and More
-
Sound-reactive Sideboard
To control the LEDs, I’m using an ESP32-based LED controller with a line-in module and an ADC (analog-digital converter). After some experimenting, I’ve found this board to work well. I’ve connected 6 WS2812B LED strips to 3 pins and installed them with an aluminium profile into the doors. The frosted windows and profiles diffuse the light nicely so you can’t make out individual LEDs really.
On the software side, I’m using a sound-reactive port of the WLED project. WLED is Free and Open Source software, of course. Though its user interface can be a little unwieldy, it’s also very powerful and integrates nicely with homeassistant, so it can be controlled automatically. -
Arduino ☛ Train and deploy your own Hey Hi (AI) models in Arduino® App Lab – now fully integrated with Edge Impulse!
We’re excited to introduce a powerful new capability in Arduino App Lab: native integration with Edge Impulse for training and deploying your own custom Hey Hi (AI) models. This update makes it easier than ever to bring machine learning into your App Lab projects.
-
Raspberry Pi ☛ Cornell students' 2025 Pico projects
Cornell’s entire Digital Systems Design Using Microcontrollers course was written around RP2040, the chip embedded in our Pico boards. The Raspberry Pi Pico range is perfect for these sorts of projects — it’s tiny, fast, and versatile enough for both beginners and more experienced users. Here are just a few of the projects from last semester: [...]
-
CNX Software ☛ Dabao board features open-source hardware Baochip-1x RISC-V MCU (Crowdfunding)
An open-source hardware board usually features a closed-source microcontroller or processors, but the Dabao evaluation board goes further with the open-source Boachip-1x MCU, whose RTL files are available. It’s also manufactured in such a way that it is inspectable with the Infra-Red, In Situ (IRIS) technique, so users can look at the silicon and confirm they’ve got the right chip in a non-destructive way. Baochip-1x is a “general-purpose” microcontroller with a 350 MHz Vexriscv RV32-IMAC CPU core, a BIO accelerator for I/Os with four 700MHz PicoRV RV32-EMC CPU cores, 4MB of ReRAM, 2MB SRAM, a USB interface, various other I/Os, and hardware secure elements such as cryptography accelerators, key stores, one-way counters, true random number generation, and hardware attack countermeasures such as glitch sensors and a security mesh.
-
Linux Gizmos ☛ Engicam introduces SmarCore iQ6 SMARC module with Dragonwing IQ-6
Engicam has introduced the SmarCore iQ6, a SMARC 2.2 system-on-module based on the Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ-6 Series. The module targets industrial, IoT, and edge computing applications requiring a compact embedded platform with multimedia and AI capabilities.
-
Linux Gizmos ☛ Grinn ReneSOM-V2H module runs Renesas RZ/V2H vision AI processor
Polish embedded systems company Grinn has introduced the ReneSOM-V2H, described as the world’s smallest SoM based on the Renesas RZ/V2H processor. Measuring 37 × 42.6 mm, the module targets edge AI and vision-based systems such as smart cameras, robotics platforms, and industrial inspection devices.
-
CNX Software ☛ Raspberry Pi CM5 industrial computer features RS485/RS232/CAN Bus/DIO interfaces, dual Ethernet, optional 4G/5G cellular module
Waveshare IPCBOX-CM5 is an industrial-grade mini computer built around the Raspberry Pi CM5, featuring RS485, RS232, CAN Bus, and DI/DO terminal blocks, dual Ethernet, an M.2 socket for NVMe SSDs or Hey Hi (AI) accelerators, and a wide 7V to 36V DC power input. The system is compatible with all CM5 variants and integrates GbE and 2.5GbE ports, a 4K-capable HDMI video output, multiple USB 3.2/2.0 ports, and an M.2 B-Key slot plus a Nano-SIM card slot for 4G LTE/5G cellular modules. Other features include microSD card support for Raspberry Pi CM5 Lite models, a PWM fan header, a buzzer, an audio jack, an RTC battery header, and a speaker connector.
-
CNX Software ☛ NanoPi NEO3 Plus – A tiny Rockchip RK3528A headless SBC with Gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0 port, GPIO header
FriendlyELEC NanoPi NEO3 Plus is an ultra-compact headless SBC powered by a Rockchip RK3528A SoC paired with 1GB RAM, whose main interfaces are a Gigabit Ethernet jack, a USB 3.2 port, and a 26-pin GPIO header. I can still remember using its predecessor, the NanoPi NEO3, based on a Rockchip RK3328, which I reviewed with Armbian in 2020. The new model is similar, with a quad-core Cortex-A53 SoC but clocked at 2.0 GHz instead of 1.5 GHz, and offered with a black metal case instead of a white plastic case.
-
System76 ☛ Launch Keyboard tips to make you more productive
Tips & tricks for the newly redesigned Launch Configurable Keyboards.