Category: Ubuntu

Canonical shows EdgeX on ARM


First demo of EdgeX on ARM in cross-host setup featuring Ubuntu Core and Ubuntu systems both running the EdgeX cluster. The Dell 5k Edge Gateway, based on Ubuntu Core Snappy, has been running the core EdgeX services (basically 11 out of 12) using the official Docker snap. The RPi3, based on Ubuntu, has been running EdgeX device virtual service.

The EdgeX Foundry Project is a vendor-neutral project launched by the Linux Foundation, aligned around a common goal: the simplification and standardization of the foundation for edge computing architectures in the Industrial IoT market, while still allowing the ecosystem to add significant value. The seed for the new project is a fully-functional, Alpha-grade edge platform based on over 125,000 lines of code donated by Dell with references to other open source projects and developed with feedback from their partners, customers, and even competitors. The EdgeX project has already garnered a diverse and experienced membership base of supporting companies that is continuing the development of the architecture and code base. The goals of EdgeX include to provide a flexible microservices architecture that can support the use of any combination of heterogeneous ingredients plugged into a common interoperability foundation, to be agnostic to hardware CPU (e.g., x86, ARM), OS (e.g., Linux, Windows, Mac OS), and application environment (e.g., Java, JavaScript, Python, Go Lang, C/C++) to support customer preferences for differentiation, to allow services to scale up and down based on device capability and use case and more.

Arrow shows Dragonboard 410c Development Board

Posted by – November 7, 2017

Arrow shows the Dragonboard 410c, a Qualcomm Snapdragon based development platform for IOT and industrial platforms. The 410c is based upon a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410E (Quad Core Cortex A53 and Qualcomm Adreno 306), has 1gb of ram and 8gb flash storage plus sd expansion. The 410c supports Android 5.1 (Lollipop) on Linux Kernel 3.10, Linux based on Debian 8.0,Open Embedded, Ubuntu Core, and Windows 10 IoT Core. The 410c in terms of connectivity has a ; One 40-pin low speed expansion connector: UART, SPI, I2S, I2C x2, GPIO x12, DC power; HDMI Full-size Type A connector, one micro USB (device mode only), two USB 2.0 (host mode only), micro SD card slot; 60-pin high speed expansion connector: 4L MIPI-DSI, USB, I2C x2, 2L+4L MIPI-CSI and Footprint for one optional 16-pin analog expansion connector for stereo headset/line-out, speaker and analog line-in.

Screenly NFC Retail Tags on Ubuntu Core

Posted by – November 7, 2017

Screenly is a London based company. Screenly technology enables interaction between smartphones and consumer devices inside of stores using NFC technology. When an NFC smartphone is placed on a tag an experience appears on the screen. The technology utilizes NFC, Raspberry PI and Ubuntu Core. Screenly can be remotely managed from the web. The services costs around with $995 per screen per month with lower prices for higher volumes.

Daqri Smart Helmet with Augmented Reality

Posted by – November 7, 2017
Category: VR, Smart Glass, Intel, MWC, Ubuntu

Daqri is a company which produces information technology for industrial uses. The Daqri Smart Helmet is a VR/AR helmet for industrial applications that uses 360-degree navigation cameras to analyze environments. Augmented reality can provide detailed information about work that is going on at a glance. The Smart helmet runs Ubuntu Linux and is based upon an Intel Core M7 processor, Intel realsense cameras, and offers 720p projection for each eye.

Qualcomm ARM Server Centriq 2400 at Linaro Connect San Francisco 2017

Posted by – September 30, 2017

This is the Qualcomm 48-core (custom Qualcomm Falkor cores) Centriq 2400 ARM Server reference evaluation board. Featuring 48-cores with 12 DIMM slots of DDR4 RAM memory, dual PCI riser boards for fully customizable setup. At Linaro Connect SFO17, the ARM team is demonstrating an ELK big data demo with ElasticSEarch, Logstash and Kibana for graphic visualization running on Qualcomm Centriq 2400 processor. The Qualcomm Centriq 2400 processor is designed for cloud computing running these microservices in containers seamlessly. There is a 2nd demo of Linuxkit with NGINX running in a container. Both demos use Docker containers running on Ubuntu 16.04.

Purism Librem Debian phone, fully open source, Librem 11, 13, 15 Laptops

Posted by – September 29, 2017

Purism Phone is crowdfunding at https://puri.sm/shop/librem-5/ ($847’454 raised thus far) runs PureOS based on Debian Free/Libre and Open Source software and a GNU+Linux Operating System, it can run most GNU+Linux distributions, it’s runs many other upstream projects, it’s world’s first ever IP-native mobile handset with end-to-end decentralized communications via Matrix, with a 5″ display, Security focused by design, Privacy protection by default, works with 2G/3G/4G, GSM, UMTS, and LTE networks with an i.MX8 or i.MX6 CPU separate from Baseband with open-source GPU drivers, Hardware Kill Switches for Camera, Microphone, WiFi/Bluetooth, and Baseband. Purism also has a track record of delivering fully open source Intel powered laptops the Librem 11 2-in-1, the Librem 13 and the Librem 15.

$20/month Laptop Subscription service by INSYS


INSYS is a Portuguese company that offers electronics as a monthly service. You can rent a small ulraportable laptop for 20 Euros a month. This 12.5″ display laptop has aluminum body and Ultrabook form factor. The devices can be locked remotely using anti theft technology. The device will lock down if subscription is not paid.

Socionext 24-core ARM Server SynQuacer SC2A11, 60% lower power than Intel at same performance

Posted by – June 27, 2017

Socionext presents SynQuacer SC2A11 cloud ARM server based on 24-core ARM Cortex-A53 highly integrated low-power server system suitable for edge computing which processes data at the edge of the cloud in the IoT era. Socionext develop high power efficiency processor chip, and it is 60% power reduction on same performance compare to conventional chip. Also it is very good performance in parallel processing, like hadoop. This high power efficiency processor chip will be suitable for various application in the IoT era.

Cavium ThunderX2 at Computex 2017, Windows Server on ARM, Foxconn (Ingrasys), Inventec, Gigabyte

Posted by – June 18, 2017

Cavium ThunderX2 is the world’s most powerful ARM Processor for Data Center optimized for compute, storage, network and secure compute workloads in the cloud. Cavium ThunderX2 provides the world’s biggest single thread and multi-thread dual socket ARM Server performance, with 100s of Gigabits of I/O bandwidth, up to 1TB RAM through multiple DDR4 72bit memory controllers, Thunderx2 can run Windows Server on ARM also known as the Project Olympus and it runs every type of ARM Linux Server.

TechNexion Factory Tour


TechNexion is a design and manufacturing company showing in this video its engineering team, that designs IoT smart devices, development boards for the needs of projects like the ARM powered Android Things ecosystem by Google or Amazon Alexa Voice-Recognition development platform and its advanced manufacturing capabilities. In the video, we get a direct glimpse of how ARM modules and systems are designed and how much automation is being utilized in a smart SMT factory. The video tour takes you through all production stages from the module design to SMT manufacturing to post production functional testing. The factory churns out up to 250K PCBA per month. Filmed on location at the TechNexion factory in Taipei, Taiwan in June 2017.

Android Things Development Board by TechNexion


TechNexion shows the Android Things ARM Powered development platform designed to enable energy-efficient, secure and portable applications for Google’s Internet of Things ecosystem strategy. The development platforms provide hardware that developers need to speed up their IoT projects on the Android Things platform as well as onto other supported platforms such as Ubuntu, Debian, Yocto Project, regular Android and more. TechNexion also continues to build on its complete lineup of System on Modules designed for modular, versatile, scalable and low-power applications that can be easily integrated into other devices for all types of IoT development.

faytech 2017 factory tour: Industrial kiosk PC embedded indoor, outdoor touch device manufacturer


Here is my third factory tour with faytech Tech. Co., Ltd (after I filmed the faytech 2013 tour and the faytech 2015 tour) , this time at their newest factory location, seeing over the past few years this company develop from a small startup company to a world leading industrial touch device manufacturer with advanced in-house manufacturing capabilities is quite impressive. You can see for yourself in this video how they develop. In the video, Arne Weber, CEO of faytech, walks us through their new factory. Currently they are on two floors, one for office and production, the other one as warehouse, incoming material check and test area featuring also several special innovative projects.

For any industrial or commercial touch devices projects, for embedded, PC, monitor, outdoor, indoor, rugged or optical bonded you can contact faytech to see if they can provide you with the right solution (as you can see how I filmed how faytech works with their partners and customers in New York for example) doing it their way to combine German engineering with Asian production capabilities and service, interested parties can contact faytech here:

faytech Tech. Co., Ltd.
Tel: +86 755 8958 0612
sales@faytech.com
http://www.faytech.com
Fl 5 & 6, Bldg F, First Phase,
Hongmen Tech Zone,
Shangxue Duan, Jihua Road,
Longgang, Shenzhen
http://www.facebook.com/faytechtouch
http://www.twitter.com/faytechshenzhen

Fairphone2 with Ubuntu Touch ported by UBPorts

Posted by – May 8, 2017

UBports has ported Ubuntu Touch to the Fairphone 2 smartphone. The Fairphone 2 is designed to be ethical, repairable, upgradeable, and controlled by the user. The Fairphone 2 has a Snapdragon 801 processor, 2mp front camera, 8mp back camera, 5″ 1080p display, 32GB of storage, 2gb of ram, MicroSD and Micro-USB.

Geniatech Embedded Solutions, Developer Board 4X, world’s smallest Snapdragon 410 board


Geniatech presents their new Embedded and Develpment board Solutions, with full in-house support and development for customized development for interested customers around the world. Supporting Windows 10 IoT Core, Android and some Linux. Geniatech shows their new Developer Board 4X, the world’s smallest 64bit Qualcomm 410 based board, can be used for home applications, to easily connect everything to advanced IoT.

64GB RAM Linux Laptop by Tuxedo Computers

Posted by – March 31, 2017

Tuxedo Computers assembles tailor-made Tuxedo Linux Laptops and Desktops, with all types of Ubuntu Linux flavors pre-installed with all drivers working, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Cinnamon, Mate and Elementary OS, they try to provide customized higher specs at a lower price than buying a Windows machine. Their desktops and notebooks are assembled in Germany.

Yang Zhang, Director of 96Boards and Robert Wolff, Host of 96Boards Open Hours


Yang Zhang is the Director of Linaro’s http://96boards.org with Robert Wolff host of http://96boards.org/openhours talk about the status of the 40+ 96Boards that are in development, the 96Boards standard and latest news, IoT boards, extended boards, Enterprise boards and what may happen in the future.

Qualcomm Snapdragon at Embedded World 2017


The Qualcomm Snapdragon platform is originally designed for mobile, but now can be embedded into Interactive kiosks, Digital signage, Robotics, High-tech toys, in flight entertainment, medical imaging and all kinds of ideas for any advanced IoT. Qualcomm positions their Snapdragon processors for Embedded to provide a superior performance, low power consumption and integrated connectivity to make devices more aware, connected, intelligent and interactive. The Snapdragon platform offers development kits, single-board computers and scaling up to customer solutions, integration services and production-ready, customizable System-on-Modules (SOMs). At Embedded World 2017, Qualcomm talks about Snapdragon 410E, Snapdragon 600E and also talks about the upcoming 820 series for embedded all with long term support (at least until 2025) to provide their maximum performance. With many projects to be born out of the Dragonboard 410c and showing off other solutions such as the Geniatech Developer Board 4, the small Geniatech DB4x 410 based module, the Altierre Systems powered embedded vision real-time synchronized multi-camera 130-degree panorama 4K system that is in the Panacast 2, eInfoChips eragon 820, Inforce, Kiteboard Snapdragon 410 board with a LTE sim card slot and more. All these Qualcomm Snapdragon based Embedded products can support multiple operating systems Android, Linux thanks to the availability of the open source Freedreno GPU driver and Windows 10 support also.

Qualcomm Dragonboard 410c at Linaro Connect Budapest 2017

Posted by – March 17, 2017

Following the http://96boards.org/openhours/ session at Linaro Connect Budapest 2017, Lawrence King, Engineer, Sr. Staff/Mgr at Qualcomm Canada, talks a bit about the history of Dragonboard (since my video of an early Dragonboard filmed with him at Computex 2011) leading to the Dragonboard 410c, the ecosystem that is being built around it and some of what’s to come from Qualcomm with Dragonboard.

Nvidia Tegra X2 in Jetson TX2 Developer Kit, dual Denver2 + quad ARM Cortex-A57, Pascal GPU


Nvidia Tegra X2 features two Nvidia custom Denver 2 cores, four ARM Cortex-A57 cores with Nvidia’s Pascal GPU (made of 256 CUDA cores) made on TSMC’s 16nm FinFET+. Nvidia Tegra X2 (codenamed “Parker”) delivers up to 1.5 teraflops of performance, about 50% more performance than Nvidia Tegra X1. Enabling Artificial Intelligence (AI), for building advanced robots, drones, smart cameras, portable medical devices, enabling the processing of complex deep neural networks on the edge of the IoT world. While X1 could do 4K at 30fps encode, 4K 10bit 60p decode, X2 can encode 4K H265 at 60p and decode 4K 12bit 60p. Memory bandwidth has more than doubled from 25.6GB/s to 58.3GB/s, you can buy the Nvidia Jetson TX2 Developer Kit for $599 at https://store.nvidia.com/store?Action=DisplayPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=nvidia&id=QuickBuyCartPage

Freedreno enables Linux distros on Dragonboard 820c 96Boards

Posted by – March 14, 2017

Rob Clark, maker of the open source GPU driver Freedreno shows off his latest Freedreno open source GPU working on an upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 based Dragonboard 820c development board, one that is going to use an expanded 96Boards specification to add PCI-E and Gigabit Ethernet ports among other things to the development board. This Freedreno and 820 board provides a significant jump in performance for the GPU, possibly 4x to 5x between the Adreno 306 in a Dragonboard 410c and the Adreno 530 in a Snapdragon 820 based board. The availability of the Freedreno open source GPU driver on Qualcomm based development boards means that these development boards can run all sorts of Linux distributions, including Debian, not just Android. You can read more about the Dragonboard 820c here.