Hello RISC-V! We got samples of the new ESP32-C3 module and it is only 13×17 mm

We got some engineering samples of ESP32-C3 modules.

They are smaller than ESP32-WROOM and WROVER and measure just 17x13x2.5 mm!

This is the first Espressif product with RISC-V core, the datasheet is on their web.

This is also the first SOC with RISC-V core we have access to, so we are excited to learn more the ISA on low level.

Any resources to recommend? Is there something like small disassembler/monitor with few commands like read/write to memory and list code, which to allow you to write in assembly and run code?

Found this on GitHub today https://github.com/andportnoy/riscv-disassembler

Linux tip: How to reset device connected to USB port

Sometimes devices connected to USB ports need to be re-set. It’s not unusual GSM modems and WiFi dongles to freeze and the only way to bring them back to life is to remove and re-attach.

OLinuXino USB ports has power switches and current limiters which can be controller by Linux drivers.

After some experimenting we found that it’s not so easy actually to do it with the standard file system and shell.

A friend suggested to try this code. It worked very well, so here is how to use it. First you need to download and compile it, then to make it executable:

$ mkdir usbreset
$ cd usbreset
$ wget $ https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jkulesza/usbreset/master/usbreset.c
$ cc usbreset.c -o usbreset
$ chmod +x usbreset

Then you need to see where your USB device is. In our case I connected MOD-WIFI-R5370 WiFi USB dongle:

$ lsusb

you will see something like:

Bus 002 Device 039: ID 148f:5370 Ralink Technology, Corp. RT5370 Wireless Adapter

to reset this device use the command:

./usbreset /dev/bus/usb/002/039

The device USB port will be power off for a second then power on again.

All above is tested and work with official Olimex Linux images from images.olimex.com, but should work on other Linux distributions too.

COVID-19 quarantine projects to try with eduArdu while at home :)

Keep social distance while drinking with friends 🙂

No this is not an eduArdu project, but it is still fun to implement.

The eduArdu Social Distance project is using the onboard Ultra sound distance meter and beeps with its buzzer when someone comes closer than 1.5 meters from you.

The eduArdu Infrared Thermometer project uses MOD-IR-TEMP and scans surface temperature from a distance of few centimeters. If the read temperature is above 38 C it will beep with the buzzer to warn you.

Both projects are easy to implement together with your children.

OSHW Audi style Bike Turn Signal LED Lights soldering kit is ready for Open Fest Workshop

Bike-TSL-Kit now is ready and we are looking forward to see you at Open Fest Workshop.

As always the workshop will be free to participate.

Do not forget to book kit by e-mail to info@olimex.com for Open Fest Workshop, as we will have just 100 kits for the workshop.

If you have soldering iron, twizzers and cutters take them with you as we will provide 6 sets, but previous workshops proven there will be long tail of people wanting to participate/solder and having soldering tools will spare you the waiting.

Here is small video clip how Bike-TSL-Kit works when assembled:

We are looking forward to see you there and have fun together!

Writing applications for OLinuXino with GTK

Many times I hear from customers – Linux has no good UI, it’s made for servers but we want to make apps with windows drop boxes, check boxes etc.

Recently we found Simon Long’s C GUI Programming book and made two “windows” examples for OLinuXino.

We recommend you first to download the book and read it then to look at the code we made and uploaded to GitHub.

In the README.TXT you will find step by step instructions how to install and configure GTK for OLinuXino.

Then you can try the code and modify for your need.

GPIO example allow you to read or write GPIO state to any of the GPIO connectors of OLinuXino.

I2C example will allow you to interface to any of our UEXT boards with I2C interface. The example we test with MOD-IO.

First Steps with Snap4Arduino and eduArdu tutorial in Bulgarian and video is GitHub

Our Bulgarian customers often blame us that we post and make documents in English, but we really think that if one decided to work in IT industry and deal with programming and electronics should learn English and supporting documentation in two languages just double the burden for us.

eduArdu is educational board targeting kids so it’s a different story. This is why we made small tutorial how to use eduArdu with Snap4Arduino in Bulgarian language and uploaded it to GutHub in PDF and ODT format.

On Youtube we uploaded video for the same with English text.

So we hope now both English and Bulgarian customers will be pleased 🙂

We just uploaded on Youtube video for eduArdu features and how to install and use the Arduino examples from GitHub

eduArdu OSHW educational board is in stock

Right before Christmas we got eduArdu in stock!

All hardware sources and software libraries and demo codes are now on GitHub

If you come to our workshop this Saturday (15/12/2018) you may download and install in advance Arduino IDE, Snap4Arduino and the demo codes for eduArdu.

We made another pack of eduArdu named eduArduQS (quick start), two servo motors, LiPo1400mA battery, USB-micro cable, and pack of 7 cables with crocodile clamps for makey-makey like experience.

First Steps with eduArdu workshop on 15th of December!

On December 15th together with our friends from TuxCon we will make workshop with our new educational board eduArdu in Olimex training building.

If you want to be part of this even come and join us, the event is free to participate.

We will show you how to use all eduArdu features with Arduino and Snap.

Be prepared to play games with fruits and people-touch, to make animations with LED matrix, to generate music, detect intruders with the PIR sensors, to switch on and off air conditioners and even create music instruments!

Educators may apply for free board which to receive at this event.

 

eduArdu update

I blogged about eduArdu the EUR 15 educational Arduino based board at the beginning of October, the plan was to have prototypes in 2 weeks which unfortunately didn’t happen, anyway now we have first prototypes built and work on the software support.

We are preparing Arduino libraries for all features:

• scrolling text and writing images on the LED8x8 matrix
• playing single tone and multi tone sounds on the buzzer
• measuring the temperature with the on-board sensor
• measuring the light with LDR
• detecting movements with the PIR sensor
• reading distance to objects with Ultrasound sensor
• reading the Joystick status
• driving servo motors connected to the two  connectors
• reading audio signals via microphone
• driving RGB and the red LEDs on board
• reading resistance on the 6 GPIOs to implement Makey-makey
• receive IR remote commands and transmit IR codes to control air conditions, TVs etc.

TuxCon is preparing free Arduino day in “Prof. Asen Zlatarov” school in Parvomay on December 15th, where volunteers will teach students how to program in Arduino and make the first steps in programming and electronics.

TuxCon is non for profit organization and does all events free of charge aiming to spark interest in kids for IT technologies. If you want such event to be provided in your school please write in TuxCon facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/tuxcon.mobi/

Scratch gets lot of attention for enabling even very small kids to program with visual blocks. We though it would be good eduArdu to support it and add blocks to Scratch which to allow embedded board programming with Scratch.

I’ve tested Scratch 1 many years ago, it was relatively easy to add hardware board support at that time via Python web server running jango and communicating with Arduino fermata. It’s obsoletenow and in maintenance mode i.e. no bug fixes and developments.

Scratch 2.0 was re-writen in Action script and uses Adobe Flash technology for animation, really bad choice as we did try to use it several times with Linux and never succeed. This version is also in maintenance mode now.

So we moved to test Scratch 3.0 which is re-written in HTML5 and looks great, but unfortunately they closed the extensions for boards and now support officially just Microbit and Lego. Probably this is their way to get some money for their efforts. There are issues open from people who use other boards and wanted to migrate their old projects to 3.0 posted almost year ago without any action, so we really are puzzled after all this popularity they got, this is the best way to shoot themselves in the leg.

Fortunately there are many alternatives to Scratch, like Snap

It’s totally open for adding blocks and has tens of GitHub projects adding blocks for different robot platforms, Arduino, Raspberry pi etc embedded stuff.

So we will add support for eduArdu in Snap too.