HAUI 3Gang Touch Display is a 7-inch wall-mount Home Assistant dashboard with MQTT support

The HAUI 3Gang Touch Display is a wall-mount smart home control dashboard designed specifically to run Home Assistant, OpenHAB, Domoticz, or any other web-based home automation dashboard. Built around a Raspberry Pi 3B+ since it’s one of the cheapest options following Pi 4/5 price hikes, the HAUI (Home Assistant User Interface) replaces standard wall switches and fits into a standard single-gang electrical box, while its front panel spans roughly a three-gang footprint, hence the “3Gang” name. It runs a customized version of FullpageOS Linux distribution with a Chromium browser in kiosk mode and includes built-in MQTT integration along with SSH...

Luckfox Aura is a Linux SBC with RV1126B processor, 3 TOPS NPU, and dual CSI

Luckfox has expanded its Linux SBC lineup with the new Aura, a compact board based on the Rockchip RV1126B processor. Similar to the earlier Pico Pi and Lyra Pi series, it combines a Raspberry Pi-sized form factor with a quad-core Cortex-A53 CPU, a 3 TOPS NPU, dual MIPI CSI interfaces, and 4K H.264/H.265 video support. […]

Demystifying TFT LCD Display Specifications: A Guide for Buyers

When it comes to purchasing a new display, whether for a smartphone, computer monitor, or any type of screen, the technical specifications can often be overwhelming. TFT LCD displays have become ubiquitous in our daily lives, offering vibrant visuals and crisp images. However, understanding the various specifications associated with TFT LCD displays is crucial to make an informed purchasing decision. In this guide, we will demystify the jargon and shed light on essential factors to consider when buying an LCD screen.

Resolution refers to the number of pixels on the display, typically expressed as width x height....

ESP32-P4 security key features 2-inch touchscreen, 3,000+ password capacity (Crowdfunding)

MiixKey is a compact, offline ESP32-P4-based hardware security key and password manager that securely stores passwords, passkeys, NFC cards, and smart card credentials in a single portable device. It features a 2-inch touchscreen and is designed for users, developers, enterprises, government staff, and cybersecurity professionals who need secure offline credential management without relying on cloud services or smartphone apps. Previously, we wrote about security keys like the YubiKey and Google Titan Security Key, which are great for FIDO2 and U2F login, but they don’t have a display or user interface, so managing passwords or switching credentials usually requires a phone or computer. MiixKey fixes...

Toradex Zinnia Linux IoT Gateway offers dual GbE, WiFi 5, 4G LTE, I/Os, and simplified software deployment

Toradex Zinnia is an industrial IoT gateway based on the company’s Verdin system-on-module, powered by a choice of NXP or Texas Instruments SoC, with dual Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5, optional 4G LTE or 5G connectivity, a few USB ports, an I/O connectors, and a wide 9-36V power supply range. The first model is based on an NXP i.M 8M Plus SoM with 4GB LPDDR5 and 32GB eMMC flash preloaded with the company’s Torizon OS Linux distribution. Other SoM available are based on TI AM62/AM62P, NXP i.MX 8M Mini, or NXP iMX 95. The gateway targets edge AI and...

Engicam expands MicroGEA lineup with 25 × 25 mm NXP i.MX 93 module

Engicam has updated its MicroGEA family with the new MicroGEA MX93, a compact system-on-module based on the NXP i.MX 93 processor. The 25 × 25 mm module combines dual Arm Cortex-A55 cores, LPDDR4X memory, onboard eMMC storage, and industrial temperature support. The launch follows earlier MicroGEA modules based on STM32MP1 processors, continuing the company’s focus […]

Study compares Rust and C languages for embedded firmware development

There’s a lot of hype around the Rust programming language, and I’m seeing it being adopted by various projects, not least the Linux kernel. However, so far it was unclear to me whether it was suitable for embedded firmware development since the hardware resources are limited on microcontrollers. A low memory and storage footprint is required, and optimal performance may also be important, for example, to lower the power consumption of battery-powered devices. A research paper by STMicroelectronics, Inria, and the Freie Universität Berlin, entitled “Lessons from an Industrial Microcontroller Use Case with Ariel OS” published on ArXiv hosted by...

Bringing Characters to Life: A Beginner LCD and Microcontroller Lesson for STEM Classrooms

Whether you’re a veteran STEM teacher or just beginning to integrate electronics into your curriculum, teaching students how microcontrollers and LCDs work together is a great gateway into the world of embedded systems. In this lesson, we’ll walk through a beginner-friendly project that brings characters to life on a 16×2 character LCD using an Arduino-compatible Seeeduino microcontroller.

The Dallas One-Wire Temperature Sensor: A Revolutionary Device in Digital Temperature Sensing

The Dallas One-Wire Temperature Sensor, commonly represented by models like the DS18B20, is a small but powerful device that has revolutionized the way we measure temperature digitally. Combining simplicity, accuracy, and versatility, this sensor has become a staple in a variety of industries and DIY projects.

The Dallas Semiconductor Corporation, later acquired by Maxim Integrated, introduced the One-Wire technology to simplify data communication between sensors and microcontrollers. The DS18B20 emerged as a standout device in their lineup, offering precise temperature readings and unique features that addressed the growing demand for efficient and compact temperature sensors. Its release marked a...

Renesas RZ/V2H Robotics Development Kit handles AI vision, motor control, and power management with a single board

Renesas WS125-V2HRDKREFZ is a Robotics Development Kit (RDK) powered by Renesas RZ/V2H Arm Cortex-A55/R8/M33 microprocessor and designed for high‑performance AI vision applications leveraging the MPU’s built-in 80 TOPS (sparse) AI accelerator. The kit ships with 16GB LPDDR4, 64MB QSPI flash, a 64GB microSD card, and appears to be partially inspired by the Raspberry Pi 5 with a 40-pin Raspberry Pi GPIO header, a 16-pin PCIe Gen3 FFC connector, two MIPI CSI connectors, and a micro HDMI port. Other features include a Gigabit Ethernet port, two USB 3.2 ports, two CAN-FD interfaces, and a 12-24V DC input voltage range. Renesas WS125-V2HRDKREFZ...