I understand that a good price and powerful capabilities for embedding sensors, motors, and several other robotic components, is the key for an appreciated prototype board such as Raspberry Pi and Arduino.
I have high hopes for a new entry in the single board computer world called UDOO. The UDOO has archived the power of four Raspberry Pi board and additional functionality from the Arduino Due in a palm-sized ARM computer board able to run Android and Linux.
There is an increasing demand for educational and creativity tools for students, teachers, hobbyists, or researchers. The UDOO is ready for simple prototyping projects such as blinking LEDs, but it feels like home in advanced projects such as autonomous robots able to run artificial intelligence algorithms.
Based on dual or quad core ARM cortex-A9 processors, UDOO perform very well on both Android and Linux OS. For General-purpose input/output (GPIO) connector is engineered a dedicated ARM processor able to control a wide range of robotic parts.
Designed as a multi development platform solution, the UDOO allow you to choose the configuration based on your electronic and programming skills. Easy to use and with proper documentation, the ARM computer board breaks the barrier and let you dig more in the Internet of Things. Why? Because UDOO let you to switch between operating system by replacing the MicroSD card and rebooting the system, is a powerful computer for fast processing and the ability to run libraries such as OpenCV, PureData and openFramework, and many more features for software development and design. As a multimedia system, the ARM board can be enriched with touch screens, full HD video projection, and a wide range of controllers.
Even it has inside four Raspberry Pi boards plus the functionalities of an Arduino Due, the price is not as high as I’m expecting. Nevertheless, I have to recognize that is huge compared with the price of Raspberry Pi or the price of Arduino Due. The price ranges from $99 to $135. Even more, the final price can be increased with accessories and several other taxes for shopping.
Specifications
- Processor: Freescale i.MX 6 ARM Cortex-A9 CPU Dua/Quad core 1GHz;
- Microcontroller: Atmel SAM3X8E ARM Cortex-M3 CPU (same as Arduino Due);
- RAM: DDR3 1GB;
- GPIO: 76 fully available;
- Size: 4.33 inch x 3.35 inch (11 cm x 8.5 cm);
- Connectivity: HDMI and LVDS + Touch (I2C signals), S/PDIF, I2S/AC97/SSI, RJ45 (10/100/1000 MBit), WiFi, Mini USB and Mini USB OTG, 2xUSB;
- Audio: Analog Audio and Mic;
- FlexCAN (Flexible Controller Area Network) through pin headers;
- SATA (Only Quad-Core version);
- Camera connection;
- Micro SD (boot device);
- Power Supply: 12V and External Battery connector;
- Arduino-compatible R3 1.0 pinout;
- USB bluetooth dongle;
There are many goals to be reached by this ARM prototype board, which is designed for a new generation of single board computers for engineers, designers, and software developers.
A large community, a comprehensive documentation, and a wide range of tutorials can help anyone to enter into the world of prototyping with UDOO.
