Development platform speeds real-time projects

22nd February 2019

Mick Elliott

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To connect the power and flexibility of the latest STMicroelectronics STM32MP1 microprocessor with the strength of the STM32 and 96Boards ecosystems, Arrow Electronics has introduced the Avenger96 Development Platform and System on Module (SoM) The SoM, based on the Linaro 96Boards specification, can be used in production systems as well as for development.

STM32MP1 combines multicore MPU performance with industrial longevity. Its heterogeneous architecture, combining two 650MHz Arm Cortex-A7 application processor cores and one 209MHz Arm Cortex-M4 core, lets users run open-source applications such as a Linux-based human-machine interface (HMI) on top of real-time control.

Featuring a Vivante 3D GPU with OpenGL ES 2.0 support, it is ideal for entry-level to mid-range MPU applications such as industrial communication, motor control, or building automation.

Creating the Avenger96 Board & System on Module, Arrow worked with design specialist DH electronics to integrate high-speed interfaces for users to unleash STM32MP1’s performance.

These include Gigabit Ethernet and HDMI ports, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) radio, USB2.0 including OTG and dual Host interface, two-lane MIPI DSI display output, and CSI-2 camera input.

Targeting embedded and smart-building applications, Avenger96 is compliant with 96Boards Consumer Edition extended version.

This lets users leverage open-source community software development and take advantage of the large variety of 96Boards-compatible mezzanines – choosing from hundreds of add-on cards by third-party partners -- to quickly extend functionality, with features such as context sensing, image capture, IoT WAN connectivity, and many others.

Moreover, Avenger96 users can benefit from the extensive tools and software provided by ST’s STM32Cube ecosystem.

These include embedded software and the STM32CubeMX configurator, which eases project setup and now features new extensions to support Linux development and share peripherals between the A7 and M4 cores.

On top, STM32CubeMX now helps to configure and fine tune the DDR SDRAM interface of STM32MP1. Users can also take advantage of OpenSTLinux, a mainlined Linux distribution, to simplify open-source development and reduce time to market.