Seeed Studio has added two members to its XIAO family of tiny MCU boards with the XIAO MG24 and XIAO MG24 Sense boards based on Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 multi-protocol wireless SoC and designed for battery-powered Matter over Thread and Bluetooth LE 5.3 applications. Both 21×17.8 mm USB-C boards feature a 78MHz Silabs MG24 Cortex-M33 microcontroller with 256kB SRAM and 1536KB flash, an additional 4MB SPI flash on-board, and 22 pins and pads for GPIO pins, analog inputs, and power signals, plus a reset button and two LEDs. The “Sense” model adds an analog microphone and a 6-axis IMU sensor. XIAO MG24/MG24 Sense specifications: SoC – Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 (EFR32MG24B220F1536IM48-B) MCU cores Arm Cortex-M33 @ 78.0 MHz with DSP instruction and floating-point unit for user application Arm Cortex-M0+ core for wireless Memory – 256 KB RAM Storage – 1536 KB flash Wireless protocols – Matter, OpenThread, Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy 5.3, [...]

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The post Meet Seeed Studio XIAO MG24, Tailored for Battery-Powered Matter Applications appeared first on Latest Open Tech From Seeed.

Siterwell wireless and wired smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms offer a low false alarm rate and high precision detection thanks to a maze design, dual-wavelength light technology, and AI-powered scene learning. Siterwell is a high-tech enterprise that provides integrated solutions across various fields, including smart security, smart home, and smart city based on IoT technology and security products. They are committed to advancing home safety with innovative and efficient solutions. Siterwell smoke alarms specifications and highlights: High-precision detection with an alarm accuracy of 99.96% Design optimized to decrease the number of false alarms with Maze design/micro-mesh design to reduce interference from other particles such as mosquitoes/dust/smoke particles Dual-wavelength light detection to accurately detect smoke from both fast-burning and smoldering fire Mechanical creep simulation, mechanical impact simulation, air-fluid dynamics simulation, and optical modeling to prevent false alarms while cooking AI-powered scene learning – Upon activation, the device begins to learn [...]

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Engineer and YouTuber Carl Bugeja recently developed CodeCell, a tiny ESP32-C3 development board designed as the brain for robots, wearables, and smart home devices. This module features a nine-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) for motion fusion and an optional VCNL4040 light sensor. It includes a USB Type-C port for data and power as well as a lithium-polymer battery with a charging circuit. Measuring just 18.5 x 18.5mm this compact board is even smaller than other tiny ESP32 development boards such as Waveshare’s ESP32-S3-Zero and Seeed Studio’s XIAO ESP32S3. However, the Epi C3 is smaller at 23 x 12.75 mm, and so are the Unexpected Maker NANOS3 (25 x 10 mm) and Unexpected Maker OMGS3 (28 x 11 mm). CodeCel ESP32-C3 mini development board specification Microcontroller – ESP32-C3 RISC-V MCU 160MHz 32-bit RISC-V processor core 400kB SRAM, 4MB flash storage Wi-Fi 4 and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connectivity Sensors Vishay VCNL4040 light [...]

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We have received another Zigbee device from SONOFF for review, namely the ZBMINIR2 which we’ll review with both eWelink adn Home Assistant. Many people may be familiar with the first-generation mini Zigbee Switch that SONOFF released in 2020, known as the ZBMINI. ZBMINI was one of the early Zigbee Switch models, which also acted as a Zigbee Router. The ZBMINIR2 is SONOFF’s second-generation mini Zigbee Switch including both software and hardware upgrades compared to its predecessor. Improvements include a smaller size, better signal quality, an increase in the number of supported devices (2x), wider coverage (5x), and additional features. Let’s dive into the details. Unboxing ZBMINIR2 Zigbee switch Inside the box, you’ll find a small user manual and the ZBMINIR2 device as usual. It is notably smaller than the predecessor model, which makes installation much easier in many cases. For example, it can now fit into the wall box behind [...]

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The Renesas RX260 and RX261 two new 64 MHz microcontrollers part of the high-performance, high-efficiency RX product family with integrated capacitive touch-sensing and high power efficiency in both active and standby modes. The microcontrollers are based on the RXv3 core with a performance score of 355 CoreMark @ 64MHz, which is “2.5 times higher than competing 64 MHz class MCUs.” The chips are also power-efficient, with a consumption rate of 69μA/MHz during active operation and 1μA only in standby mode. According to Renesas, the chips are up to 25% more efficient in active mode and 87% more efficient in standby mode than other 64 MHz class MCUs. Another competing factor is the onboard 8KB of data flash, eliminating the need for external EEPROM. The RX260 and RX261 Group MCUs support noise- and water-resistant capacitive touch via Renesas’ third-generation capacitive touch IP (CTSU2SL). They also integrate an “automatic judgment function” that [...]

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Waveshare has recently launched the Pico-DALI2 expansion module for ESP32-Pico series boards designed to enable DALI communication for customized control of multiple lighting groups. It is compatible with development boards such as the ESP32-C6-Pico and ESP32-S3-Pico and includes a DALI communication screw terminal for connecting external DALI devices. DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is a standardized protocol used for lighting control in building automation systems. The latest version of the DALI2 protocol is better than the old one in that it offers enhanced interoperability, additional features like multi-master configurations, and better energy management capabilities. DALI2 devices can communicate bidirectionally, meaning controllers can send commands and also receive status feedback from lighting devices, allowing for more complex automation and diagnostics. We can get more information about DALI from Wikipedia. We have previously seen the uses of DALI in Texas Instruments MSPM0 Arm Cortex-M0+ microcontrollers as an interface and in Acme CM3-Home [...]

The post DALI2 expansion module for ESP32-C6-Pico and ESP32-S3-Pico boards facilitates Smart Lighting integration appeared first on CNX Software - Embedded Systems News.

This is a great opportunity to get an amazing X18 offer that is not to be missed! Redroad brings great value for money and offers a powerful cleaning device with the X18 cordless vacuum cleaner delivering 33,000 Pa of suction power. Thanks to its 33,000Pa suction power, the X18 easily sweeps away dirt hidden deep in carpet fibers and floor crevices. With a variety of professional brush heads that can be switched freely, it can effectively clean the crevices of sofas and the top of bookshelves to keep your home environment always clean. Redroad X18’s 33000Pa super strong suction power can easily absorb pet hair, debris, hidden in the depths of the carpet dust, and even soybean-sized particles of garbage so that the floor is quickly restored to its original cleanliness and tidyness. This prevents the user from repeating cleaning in the same location as often required with vacuum cleaners [...]

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Infineon’s PASCO2V15 CO2 sensor is a compact and precise carbon dioxide sensor that uses photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) leveraging its built-in microphone and IR emitter to detect CO2 levels by measuring pressure changes caused by the absorption of infrared light by CO2 molecules. The sensor is highly precise (±50 ppm ±5%) and can cover a wide range (0 to 32,000 ppm). it also includes features like pressure compensation and automatic baseline offset correction for reliability. With its small size and low power consumption, the PASCO2V15 can be integrated into HVAC systems, room controllers, smart thermostats, air purifiers, and other devices to optimize ventilation and improve energy efficiency. PASCO2V15 CO2 sensor specifications Sensor technology  – Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (PAS) with Non-Dispersive Infrared (NDIR) principles Gas measured – Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Measurement range – 0 to 32,000 ppm Accuracy – ± (50 ppm +5%) of reading between 400 ppm and 3000 ppm Output Interfaces [...]

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NXP has recently announced the release of  NXP i.MX RT700 RT700 AI crossover MCU following the NXP i.MX RT600 series release in 2018 and the i.MX RT500 series introduction in 2021. The new i.MX RT700 Crossover MCU features two Cortex-M33 cores, a main core clocked at 325 MHz with a Tensilica HiFi 4 DSP and a secondary 250 MHz core with a low-power Tensilica HiFi 1 DSP for always-on sensing tasks. Additionally, it integrates a powerful eIQ Neutron NPU with an upgraded 7.5 MB of SRAM and a 2D GPU with a JPEG/PNG decoder. These features make this device suitable for applications including AR glasses, hearables, smartwatches, wristbands, and more. NXP i.MX RT700 specifications: Compute subsystems Main Compute Subsystem Cortex-M33 @ up to 325 MHz with Arm TrustZone, built-in Memory Protection Unit (MPU), a floating-point unit (FPU),  a HiFi 4 DSP and supported by NVIC for interrupt handling and SWD [...]

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Authored by Mengdu and published on Hackster, for sharing purposes only.

AI gadgets Rabbit R1 & SenseCAP Watcher design, UI, user experience compared – hardware/interaction highlights, no application details.

Story

The world of AI gadgets is rapidly evolving, with companies racing to deliver intelligent home companions. Two such devices, the Rabbit R1, and SenseCAP Watcher, recently caught my attention through very different means – brilliant marketing drew me to purchase the former, while the latter was a review unit touted as a “Physical AI Agent” by Seeed Studio.

Intrigued by the potential convergence between these products, I embarked on an immersive user experience testing them side-by-side. This review offers a candid assessment of their design, user interfaces, and core interactions. However, I’ll steer clear of Rabbit’s app ecosystem and third-party software integration capabilities, as Watcher lacks such functionality by design.

My goal is to unravel the unique propositions each gadget brings to the AI gadgets market and uncover any surprising distinctions or similarities. Join me as I separate gimmick from innovation in this emerging product category.

Packaging

Rabbit really went all out with the packaging for the R1. As soon as I got the box, I could tell this wasn’t your average gadget. Instead of cheap plastic, the R1 comes cocooned in a crystal-clear acrylic case. It looks and feels incredibly premium.

It allows you to fully admire the R1’s design and interactive components like the scroll wheel and speakers before even taking it out. Little etched icons map out exactly what each part does.

The acrylic case doesn’t just protect – it also doubles as a display stand for the R1. There’s a molded pedestal that cradles the plastic body, letting you showcase the device like a museum piece.

By the time I finally got the R1 out of its clear jewel case, I was already grinning like a kid on Christmas day. The whole unboxing makes you feel like you’re uncovering a precious gadget treasure.

While the Watcher is priced nearly half that of the Rabbit R1, its eco-friendly cardboard packaging is anything but cheap. Extracting the Watcher unit itself is a simple matter of gently lifting it from the integrated enclosure.

At first glance, like me, you may puzzle over the purpose of the various cutouts, folds, and perforations. But a quick peek at their wiki reveals this unassuming exterior actually transforms into a multi-functional stand!

Echoing the form of a desktop calendar, a central cutout cradles the Watcher body, allowing it to be displayed front-and-center on your desk like a compact objet d’art. A clever and well-considered bit of innovation that deserves kudos for the design team!

Interaction Logic

Despite being equipped with speakers, microphone, camera, scroll wheel, and a touchscreen display – the R1 restricts touch input functionality. The touchscreen remains unresponsive to touch for general commands and controls, only allowing input through an on-screen virtual keyboard in specific scenarios like entering a WiFi password or using the terminal interface.

The primary interaction method is strictly voice-driven, which feels counterintuitive given the prominent touchscreen hardware. It’s puzzling why Rabbit’s design team limited core touch functionality on the included touchscreen display.

The overall operation logic also takes some getting used to. Take the side button dubbed the “PTT” – its function varies situationally.

This unintuitive behavior tripped me up when configuring WiFi. After tapping “connect”, I instinctively tried hitting PTT again to go back, only to accidentally cancel the connection instead. It wasn’t until later that I realized using the scroll wheel to navigate to the very top option, then pressing PTT is the correct “back” gesture.

While not necessarily a flaw, this interaction model defies typical user expectations. Most would assume a core navigation function like “back” to be clearly visible and accessible without obscure gestures. Having to precisely scroll to the top option every single time just to return to the previous menu is quite cumbersome, especially for nested settings trees.

This jarring lack of consistency in the control scheme is truly baffling. The operation logic appears haphazardly scattered across different button combinations and gestures depending on the context. Mastering the R1’s controls feels like an exercise in memorizing arbitrary rules rather than intuitive design principles.

In contrast to the Rabbit R1, the Watcher device seems to have a much simpler and more consistent interaction model. This could be attributed to the fact that the Watcher’s operations are inherently not overly complex, and it relies on a companion smartphone app for assistance in many scenarios.

Like the R1, the Watcher is equipped with a scroll wheel, camera, touchscreen, microphone, and speakers. Additionally, it has various pin interfaces for connecting external sensors, which may appeal to developers looking to tinker.

Commendably, the current version of the Watcher maintains a high degree of unity in its operational logic. Pressing the scroll wheel confirms a selection, scrolling up or down moves the cursor accordingly, and a long press initiates voice interaction with the device. This level of consistency is praiseworthy.

Moreover, the touchscreen is fully functional, allowing for a seamless experience where users can choose to navigate via either the scroll wheel or touch input, maintaining interactivity consistency while providing independent input methods. This versatility is a welcome design choice.

However, one minor drawback is that the interactions lack the “stickiness” found in smartphone interfaces. Both the scroll wheel and touch inputs exhibit a degree of frame drops and latency, which may be a common limitation of microcontroller-based device interactions.

When I mentioned that “it relies on a companion smartphone app for assistance in many scenarios, ” I was referring to the inability to perform tasks like entering long texts, such as WiFi passwords, directly on the Watcher‘s small screen. This reliance is somewhat unfortunate.

However, given the Watcher’s intended positioning as a device meant to be installed in a fixed location, perhaps mounted on a wall, it is understandable that users may not always need to operate it directly. The design team likely factored in the convenience of using a smartphone app for certain operations, as you wouldn’t necessarily be handling the Watcher itself at all times.

What can they do?

At its core, the Rabbit R1 leverages cloud-based large language models and computer vision AI to provide natural language processing, speech recognition, image identification and generation, and more. It has an array of sensors including cameras, microphones and environmental detection to take in multimodal inputs.

One of the Rabbit R1’s marquee features is voice search and question answering. Simply press the push-to-talk button and ask it anything, like “What were last night’s NBA scores?” or “What’s the latest on the TikTok ban?”. The AI will quickly find and recite relevant, up-to-date information drawn from the internet.

The SenseCAP Watcher, while also employing voice interaction and large language models, takes a slightly different approach. By long-pressing the scroll wheel on the top right of the Watcher, you can ask it profound existential questions like “Can you tell me why I was born into this world? What is my value to the universe?” It will patiently provide some insightful, if ambiguous, answers.

However, the key difference lies in contextual awareness: unlike the Rabbit R1, the Watcher can’t incorporate your current time and location into its responses. So while both devices might ponder the meaning of life with you, only the Rabbit R1 could tell you where to find the nearest open café to continue your existential crisis over a cup of coffee.

While both devices offer voice interaction capabilities, their approaches to visual processing showcase even more distinct differences.

Vision mode allows the Rabbit R1’s built-in camera to identify objects you point it towards. I found it was generally accurate at recognizing things like office supplies, food, and electronics – though it did mistake my iPhone 16 Pro Max for older models a couple times. This feature essentially turns the Rabbit R1 into a pocket-sized seeing-eye dog, ready to describe the world around you at a moment’s notice.

Unlike the Rabbit R1’s general-purpose object recognition, the Watcher’s visual capabilities appear to be tailored for a specific task. It’s not designed to be your all-seeing companion, identifying everything from your morning bagel to your office stapler.

Things are starting to get interesting. Seeed Studio calls the SenseCAP Watcher a “Physical AI Agent” – a term that initially puzzled me.

The term “Physical” refers to its tangible presence in the real world, acting as a bridge between our physical environment and Large Language Model.

As a parent of a mischievous toddler, my little one has a habit of running off naked while I’m tidying up the bathroom, often resulting in them catching a chill. I set up a simple task for the Watcher: “Alert me if my child leaves the bathroom without clothes on.” Now, the device uses its AI to recognize my child, determine if they’re dressed, and notify me immediately if they attempt to make a nude escape.

Unlike traditional cameras or smart devices, the Watcher doesn’t merely capture images or respond to voice commands. Its sophisticated AI allows it to analyze and interpret its surroundings, understanding not just what objects are present, but also the context and activities taking place.

I’ve experienced its autonomous capabilities firsthand as a working parent with a hectic schedule. After a long day at the office and tending to my kids, I usually collapse on the couch late at night for some much-needed TV time. However, I often doze off, leaving the TV and lights on all night, much to my wife’s annoyance the next morning.

Enter the Watcher. I’ve set it up to monitor my situation during late-night TV watching. Using its advanced AI, the Watcher can detect when I’ve fallen asleep on the couch. Once it recognizes that I’m no longer awake, it springs into action. Through its integration with my Home Assistant system, the Watcher triggers a series of automated actions: the TV switches off, the living room lights dim and then turn off, and the air conditioning adjusts to a comfortable sleeping temperature.

The “Agent” aspect of the Watcher emphasizes its role as an autonomous assistant. Users can assign tasks to the device, which then operates independently to achieve those goals. This might involve interacting with other smart devices, making decisions based on observed conditions, or providing insights without constant human input. It offers a new level of environmental awareness and task execution, potentially changing how we interact with AI in our daily lives.

You might think that devices like the Rabbit R1 could perform similar tasks. However, you’ll quickly realize that the Watcher’s capabilities are the result of Seeed Studio’s dedicated efforts to optimize large language models specifically for this purpose.

When it comes to analyzing object behaviors, the Rabbit R1 often provides ambiguous answers. For instance, it might suggest that a person “could be smoking” or “might be sleeping.” This ambiguity directly affects their ability to make decisive actions. This is probably a common problem with all devices using AI at the moment, too much nonsense and indecision. We sometimes find them cumbersome, often because they can’t be as decisive as humans.

I think I can now understand all the reasons why Seeed Studio calls it Physical AI Agent. I can use it in many of my scenarios. It could detect if your kid has an accident and wets the bed, then alert you. If it sees your pet causing mischief, it can recognize the bad behavior and give you a heads up.

If a package arrives at your door, the Watcher can identify it’s a delivery and let you know, rather than just sitting there unknowingly. It’s an always-vigilant smart camera that processes what it sees almost like having another set of eyes monitoring your home or office.

As for their distinct focus areas, the ambition on the Rabbit R1 side is to completely replace traditional smartphones by doing everything via voice control. Their wildest dream is that even if you metaphorically chopped off both your hands, you could just tell the R1 “I want to order food delivery” and it would magically handle the entire process from ordering to payment to confirming arrival – all without you having to lift a finger.

Instead of overcomplicating it with technical jargon about sensors and AI models, the key is that the Watcher has enough awareness to comprehend events unfolding in the physical world around it and keep you informed, no fiddling required on your end.

Perhaps this duality of being an intelligent aide with a tangible physical embodiment is the core reason why Seeed Studio dubs the Watcher a “Physical AI Agent.” Unlike disembodied virtual assistants residing in the cloud, the Watcher has a real-world presence – acting as an ever-present bridge that allows advanced AI language models to directly interface with and augment our lived physical experiences. It’s an attentive, thoughtful companion truly grounded in our reality.

Concluding

The Rabbit R1 and SenseCAP Watcher both utilize large language models combined with image analysis, representing innovative ways to bring advanced AI into physical devices. However, their application goals differ significantly.

The Watcher, as a Physical AI Agent, focuses on specific scenarios within our living spaces. It continuously observes and interprets its environment, making decisions and taking actions to assist users in their daily lives. By integrating with smart home systems, it can perform tasks autonomously, effectively replacing repetitive human labor in defined contexts.

Rabbit R1, on the other hand, aims to revolutionize mobile computing. Its goal is to replace traditional smartphones by offering a voice-driven interface that can interact with various digital services and apps. It seeks to simplify and streamline how we engage with technology on the go.

Both devices represent early steps towards a future where AI is more deeply integrated into our daily lives. The Watcher showcases how AI can actively participate in our physical spaces, while the R1 demonstrates AI’s potential to transform our digital interactions. As pioneering products, they offer glimpses into different facets of our AI-enhanced future, inviting us to imagine a world where artificial intelligence seamlessly blends with both our physical and digital realities.

There is no clear “winner” here.

Regardless of how successful these first iterations prove to be, Rabbit and Seeed Studio have staked unique perspectives on unleashing productivity gains from large language AI. Their distinct offerings are pioneering explorations that will undoubtedly hold a place in the historical arc of ambient AI development.

If given the opportunity to experience them first-hand, I wholeheartedly recommend picking up both devices. While imperfect, they provide an enthralling glimpse into the future – where artificial intelligence transcends virtual assistants confined to the cloud, and starts manifesting true cognition of our physical spaces and daily lives through thoughtful hardware/software synergies.

The post Next-Gen AI Gadgets: Rabbit R1 vs SenseCAP Watcher appeared first on Latest Open Tech From Seeed.

SONOFF ZBMINIR2 is a tiny Zigbee smart switch that looks very similar to the SONOFF Zigbee Extreme (ZBMINIL2) but requires a neutral wire and can act as a Zigbee router with up to 64 sub-devices. It also supports new features such as “Turbo mode” for extended range and “detach relay” mode where the states of external switches and relay are separated, so operating the external switch button won’t affect the relay state. The tiny wireless switch can fit into the smallest EU-type/86-type/120-type mounting boxes and works with gateways supporting the Zigbee 3.0 protocol such as ZBBridge Pro, NSPanel Pro, and other compatible Zigbee 3.0 hubs. It also supports external switches (momentary, door, SPDT, and rocker), voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Home, and like other SONOFF devices is designed to be controlled through the eWelink mobile app by default. SONOFF ZBMINIR2 specifications: MCU – Unspecified – Potentially the same [...]

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