LWMalloc is a lightweight dynamic memory allocator for embedded systems

LWMalloc is an ultra-lightweight dynamic memory allocator designed for embedded systems that is said to outperform ptmalloc used in Glibc, achieving up to 53% faster execution time and 23% lower memory usage. Malloc can cause memory fragmentation on embedded systems, potentially leading to crashes after the firmware runs long enough. Garbage collection is one technique for lowering fragmentation, but it’s not always practical on resource-constrained devices, and some simply avoid using malloc in their firmware, preferring static memory allocation or memory pools to improve reliability. Custom dynamic memory allocators are another option, and that’s what LWMalloc provides. LWMalloc is described...

nRF54L15 Connect Kit – A compact Bluetooth 6.0 LE, 802.15.4, and NFC development board

MakerDiary nRF54L15 Connect Kit is a compact Nordic Semi nRF54L15 development board offering Bluetooth 6.0 LE, 802.15.4 (Zigbee/Thread), and NFC connectivity as well as two 20-pin headers for expansion. It has the same form factor as the earlier nRF9151 Connect Kit board with LTE-M, NB-IoT, and GNSS connectivity, and still features an nRF52820 MCU connected over UART to the nRF54L15 to handle programming and debugging through the board’s USB-C port, as well as power management, and a button and a few LEDs. nRF54L15 Connect Kit specifications: Wireless MCU – Nordic Semi nRF54L15 wireless SoC CPU Arm Cortex-M33 @ up to...

September Exclusives at PCBWay: Big Savings on PCBs and 3D Printing (Sponsored)

This September, PCBWay is bringing you two exciting limited-time offers that showcase both style and versatility. Whether you’re designing with PCBs or prototyping with 3D printing, these will help you create more while spending less. Offer One: Free Purple Solder Mask in PCBs Tired of generic green solder mask? In September, switch things up—get purple PCBs, without any additional charge for color. Originally starting at $38.43, now you can get 10 purple PCBs for just $5. Purple PCBs not only add aesthetic value but also reflect creativity in your projects. Whether you’re showcasing your work at exhibitions, impressing clients with...

Beelink EQi13 Pro mini PC review – Part 1: specifications, unboxing, teardown, and first boot

The Beelink EQi13 Pro is a Windows 11 Pro mini PC available with a choice of two Raptor Lake processors: Intel Core i5-13500H or Intel Core i7-13620H. It supports up to 32 GB of RAM, ships with an up to 1TB M.2 SSD, and offers various ports, including two HDMI 2.0 ports, a 10 Gbps USB-C port, a USB 2.0 port, and three USB 3.0 ports. It also features two gigabit Ethernet ports, dual-band WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. Beelink provided a review sample of the EQi13 Pro mini PC powered by an Intel Core i5-13500H processor and equipped...

(Updated) Radxa CM4 compute module supports 8K video, WiFi 6, and PCIe expansion

Radxa has published hardware specifications for its upcoming CM4 compute module, an Edge AI platform built around the Rockchip RK3576(J) processor. The module is not yet available for purchase, but Radxa has released full documentation to help developers prepare for adoption in future designs. The CM4 integrates an octa-core CPU with four Cortex-A72 and four […]

Rockchip RV1126B-P quad-core Cortex-A53 SoC shows up in AI Vision system-on-module

Boardcon MINI1126B-P is a system-on-module (SoM) powered by a Rockchip RV1126B-P 64-bit Arm SoC with a 3 TOPS NPU and a 4K H.264/H.265 encoder and decoder designed for AI vision applications. Rockchip RV1126 quad-core Arm Cortex-A7 camera SoC with a 2 TOPS AI accelerator has been around since 2021, but the RV1126B(-P) is a new chip with four Cortex-A53 cores and a 3 TOPS NPU. The MINI1126B-P SoM is one of the first hardware platforms with the new SoC, and an update to the company’s MINI1126 with the RV1126 SoC, so let’s have a closer look. Rockchip RV1126B-P AI camera...

SONOFF Dongle Plus MG24 – A Zigbee/Thread USB Dongle based on SiLabs EFR32MG24 SoC

SONOFF Dongle Plus MG24, also called Dongle-PMG24, is a Zigbee/Thread USB dongle based on Silicon Labs’ EFR32MG24 wireless SoC, which offers the same features as the SONOFF ZBDongle-E with an EFR32MG21 SoC, but with “better performance”. SONOFF says the Dongle Plus MG24 comes with 300% more RAM (256KB) and 100% more flash (1536KB) than the ZBDongle-E/Dongle Plus E (I wish the company would just stop giving two names for each of its products…), offers a range of up to 200 meters with the provided 3dBi antenna. SONOFF Dongle Plus MG24 specifications: Wireless SoC – Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 MCU core –...

ACMER X1 – A large 3-in-1 120W & 4W IR water-cooled Laser engraver & CNC router (Sponsored)

ACMER X1 Ultra is a DIY maker’s dream, featuring a large 3-in-1 120W diode, 4W IR laser engraver, and CNC router with a large work area of around 2.5 x 1.2 meters, catering to the needs of most users. However, the company is fully aware that different users have different needs, so they create different versions of the machine: the X1 with a work area of 76.7 x 76.7 cm and no CNC support, the X1 Plus with a work area of about 1.2 x 1.2 meters, and the aforementioned X1 Ultra. You’ll find the key specifications for all three variants...

BML Designing RISC-V SoCs with FPGAs : Part-RISC-V Assembly Language

2025.09.01 : I’m Kevin Hubbard, Electrical Engineer. I’ve spent the majority of my 30+ year career designing digital logic circuits in ASICs and FPGAs. It’s been an amazing journey that I hope others will pursue. I’m giving back now in writing this “BML Designing RISC-V SoCs with FPGAs” series which starts here.

This chapter explains RISC-V assembly language. With Bare-Metal SoC development, a minimal amount of assembly language knowledge is required.

CPUs, for the most part, don’t execute software programming languages like C or even assembly language. CPUs execute machine code, the lowest-level form of software instructions—a sequence of binary or hexadecimal...

RIMU modular IoT controller features 4.3-inch touchscreen display, stackable design for expansion (Crowdfunding)

DENGTEC RIMU is a modular ESP32-S3-powered IoT controller with a 4.3-inch touchscreen display and magnetic pogo pins to add a range of stackable modules for I/Os, RGB LED and DMX512 lighting control, power monitoring, and more. The RIMU host is equipped with 32MB NOR flash for the firmware, either 4GB or 8GB SD NAND flash for data storage, an I/O port for expansion, a buzzer, a gyroscope, a vibration motor, and more. It can be mounted using its tripod thread or on a DIN rail with an adapter. It features a 1,050 mAh battery that can be charged through the...