The New Beaglebone X15

There's a very powerful new Open Source (hardware and software) embedded development board out from the makers of the Beaglebone series of boards.

The Beagleboard X15

This new board's  specs read more like a low end Intel NUC board's specs (ok.. maybe not). But the kicker is, the boards are open source, and there are ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN GPIO pins. These are broken out on 4 60 pin connectors along the bottom of the board. That is a ton of GPIO. For Comparison the Arduino has 16 GPIOs broken out, and the venerable Raspberry Pi has 26 GPIO pins.

Additionally it has eSATA and HDMI outputs.

And for once (!) they helped out case makers by placing the outputs mostly along two opposite sides of the board (instead of all around it randomly).

Backing up all these inputs and outputs are a 750-MHz C66x DSP and a Quad-core PRU and a Dual-core Cortex-M4. That's 7 independent cores (aside from the main OS processor) on 3 processors working on real time response to inputs or program logic.

I haven't even mentioned the 2 Gigabit RJ-45 Network ports, making it a handy stand alone router.

It runs Debian out of the box (from its embedded flash memory), peripherals can be hooked up via USB 3.0.

Unfortunately it will be over $1 per GPIO, the prices being mentioned are in the $200 range.

Making it as much as an HP Stream Mini, but that's a very different animal.

I hope to see these boards used in some projects to do some seriously heavy lifting.

Like for example running all the operations on just this board for a Pick and Place CNC machine with 4 axis movement and 3 cameras and multiple spool controls. Or a drone with all the automatic features and multiple cameras.

What's Next 9/22/2015

What's Next: A quick look into future technology news

Open Source Hardware:

Autodesk has pulled a complete turn around on open source policy as evidenced by the recent release of the designs for the ember printer, down to the recipe for the resin used. The ember is a desktop Stereolithography printer, that casts an image from a high resolution projector into optically actived resin.

Image Credit

NoSql Databases:
Scylla is a new rendition of NoSql Datastores. Written in a highly optimized C++ environment, taking maximum advantage of all available cores, this database leads to 1000% the performance of previous Java based solutions. Who knew, Java's not the fastest language in the world.

Scylla is also open sourced, instructions for install are here

Thoughts on Open Source from PBS Idea Channel

Facing not being able to produce work because my equipment OEM locked down software sounds awful.

I'm sure the various companies will at some point be clever enough to realize being able to work on your equipment and get running again is a desirable "Feature".  Which will in fact be back-treading to how things used to be.

Let's hope it goes in the more open source direction, because repair-ability is a desirable (if not entirely Critical "feature").

Free Software helped me make a business card

I've got a brand new business card

Being that I'm not quite willing to publish my info free an clear on the internet.. here's a privacy minded version..

In making this card I used all Free and Open source software and fonts!

I used the Linux operating system (Mint standard install).

http://www.linuxmint.com/

Within linux I used the VERY Excellent Inkscape software (fully free and open source)

But: If you want to follow in my footsteps, you don't need Linux, Inkscape is available in all the major operating systems, it even works nearly identically. In my experience its also very solid and hard to crash/mess up. I really cannot say enough good things about Inkscape, if it does the task you need, it should be the first choice!

https://inkscape.org/

The font is Open Sans, which some friends of mine with lots more design experience recommended. It is provided free from Google.

https://www.google.com/fonts/specimen/Open+Sans

The graphic is a video card I scanned years ago for another project.

Thanks to my various friends and family that helped with the design decisions, you know who you are (I'm ok at design on a good day).


If you want to make high quality graphics, but don't want to talk to a banker first, Inkscape should be your first stop.

As another bonus:
Many Maker types are using inkscape as a lightweight CAD, they make the designs in inkscape then publish them to the laser cutter at home or the local makerspace.

Low Buck Internet Radio

Makezine posted a video showing how to mate a USB sound card with a cheap WIFI router, a little open source software and this combination becomes a cheap and easy internet radio. No computer required (for the audio output).

Heck add a LCD and a few buttons and there would be no need for a computer anywhere in this setup. But I guess that would make it more like the cost of the radios he shows at the start of the video...

Anyone wanna donate the supplies so I can try this (to get my Christianrock.net fix in the kitchen or outside for example)

Open Source WIFI Drivers

Broadcom recently announced releasing the drivers for their very common wireless chipsets.

This means suddenly the software to run WIFI in linux isn't such a hassle or a hack for anyone who is using (or might use) and Broadcom chipset.

It also means drivers and software will be included in Linux and other Open Source Operating systems, without any wonky licensing issues.

Way to go Broadcom!!

Check out their website..

News Via Hardocp and Here

Open Source Graphing Calculator

Really less of a dedicated calculator platform and more of a handheld linux computer with a touchscreen interface.

This graphing calculator is built using a beagle board a particularly well apportioned open-source single board computing platform.

I personally wish for a calculator with gigahertz class processing (like the beagle board) and easy to use software (like the ti-89).

Not that a format like a kindle or i-pad wouldn't work just fin. It's simply a matter of the software.