VoltJots Issue 33

Issue 33

Author

VoltJots
March 20, 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of the VoltJots newsletter, providing you links to the very best electronics and IoT news, products, and projects.

Hope you enjoy! Until next week,

VoltJots

NEWS & ARTICLES

Texas Instruments has introduced the world's smallest microcontroller (MCU). It's a seriously tiny chip yet boasts 16KB of memory, a 3-channel 12-bit ADC, six GPIO, and compatibility with UART, SPI, I2C.

Meet the HexBoard, a MIDI controller using a Raspberry Pi RP2040 chip, with a grid of hexagonal keys and customizable lights that can be hacked and adapted to suit your own needs.

Low-code and no-code platforms let you create edge AI applications on local devices, making it easy to process data quickly and securely without needing extensive coding skills.

Security researchers found undocumented Bluetooth commands in the ESP32, initially labeled a "backdoor," but later clarified as debugging tools that don't pose a real security risk, with Espressif planning a firmware update to disable them.

Stay up-to-date on the latest advancements and trends in power electronics, a field that's driving innovation in energy efficiency, sustainability, and modern technology.

PROJECTS & TUTORIALS

RinGPT's a smart doorbell that uses AI to chat with visitors, notify you remotely, and control door access, all powered by a Unihiker board.

Imagine controlling something with just your thoughts, using a Raspberry Pi-powered device that responds in real-time to your brain waves! [video]

Build your own PCB-based decade resistance box for cheap using these free design files.

This project uses the ESP32-CAM to create a real-time face detection and counting system, capturing high-res images and processing them with Python and OpenCV for efficient monitoring and automation solutions.

Create a simple two-wheeled balancing robot using an MPU6050 sensor, Arduino Uno, L298N motor driver, and DC motors, all powered by lithium batteries and mounted on a sturdy PVC board.

PRODUCTS

The PicoCalc Kit is a handheld terminal with a backlit keyboard, based on the Raspberry Pi Pico board and an STM32 microcontroller, that can run various programming languages and comes with a 4-inch display and stereo speakers.

The Pimoroni Pico Plus 2 W is packing the RP2350 microcontroller, 16MB flash, 8MB PSRAM, USB-C, and 2.4GHz wireless/Bluetooth, all while keeping the classic Pico 2W footprint for easy upgrades.

e-con Systems is launching advanced camera solutions for the new Renesas RZ/V2N processor, featuring ultra-low light and global shutter technology, perfect for industrial automation, smart surveillance, and robotics at embedded world 2025.

Check out a few of the latest boards and modules showcased at embedded world 2025, including: Congatec's conga-TC750 Computer-on-Module (COM), Acromag's AcroPack mezzanine module, and VersaLogic's Sabretooth AI Embedded Computer.

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