CNX Software - Embedded Systems News

August 30, 2026August 30, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Radxa Linkr – A USB drive-sized IP KVM with USB-C, Ethernet, and WiFi support

Radxa Linkr is a compact, USB flash drive-sized IP KVM that connects to the target through HDMI and USB for video, keyboard, and mouse emulation. The user can control it over USB-C, Ethernet, or WiFi client/access point, even before the OS is booted. The device does not require any specific apps, since all you need is a web browser. The company also highlights support for Tailscale VPN, two-factor authentication, and AI agents such as OpenClaw and Hermes. Radxa Linkr specifications: SoC – Rockchip RV1106G3 CPU – Arm Cortex A7 @ 1.2GHz with an integrated RISC-V co-processor. NPU – 1 TOPS 4th-gen Rockchip NPU with hybrid quantization (int4, int8, int16) ISP – 3rd-gen 5MP high-performance ISP VPU – 3072×1728 (5MP) @ 30fps H.265/H.264 encoding, 16MP @ 60FPS JPEG snapshot System Memory – 256MB DDR3L on-chip memory Storage for OS and virtual media images Optional 16 GB eMMC flash MicroSD card slot Display Input – […]

August 29, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - 2 Comments

ACEMAGIC Kron Mini K5 (Core 3 304) review – Part 1: Specifications, unboxing, teardown, and first boot

ACEMAGIC Kron Mini K5 Intel Core 3 304 unboxing review

ACEMAGIC sent us a sample of the Kron Mini K5 Wildcat Lake mini PC for review. The computer is offered with either an Intel Core 3 304 or Core 5 320 CPU, and features triple display output, 2.5GbE and WiFi 6 networking, and several USB ports, but, interestingly, no Thunderbolt/USB4 ports. The company provided us with the entry-level variant pairing an Intel Core 3 304 penta-core processor with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. In this first part of the review, we’ll list the mini PC’s specifications, go through an unboxing and a teardown, before booting it into Windows 11. In the next parts, we’ll review it using Windows 11 and Ubuntu 26.04 in depth with feature testing and benchmarks. ACEMAGIC Kron Mini K5 (Intel Core 3 304) specifications The company hasn’t put up a product page for this exact model just yet, so we gathered specifications from our […]

Fanless AMD Ryzen Embedded 8840U/8640U Edge AI Computer supports up to 256GB DDR5 SO-DIMM memory

Fanless AMD Ryzen Embedded 8000 Edge AI computer

IBASE AA400-N is an “ultra-compact” fanless edge AI computer powered by an AMD Ryzen Embedded 8840U/8640U processor with up to 8 cores, 16 threads, and a combined 39 TOPS of AI performance for machine and robotic vision, autonomous inspection, smart retail, industrial automation, and other data-intensive, space-constrained applications. The most intriguing part of the specs and announcement is the claim of up to 256GB DDR5 capacity through two SO-DIMM modules, implying availability of 128GB DDR5 SO-DIMM memory modules. The system also comes with a 256GB M.2 NVMe SSD, features 8K-capable HDMI and DisplayPort video interfaces, two 2.5GbE jacks, M.2 sockets for optional WiFi, Bluetooth and 4G/5G cellular connectivity, a few USB ports and a COM port. IBASE AA400-N specifications: AMD Ryzen Embedded 8000 Series processors AA400-NM – AMD Ryzen Embedded 8840U CPU – 8-core/16-thread Zen4 “Hawk Point” processor up to 3.3 GHz / 5.1 GHz (Turbo) GPU – AMD […]

August 28, 2026August 28, 2026 by Debashis Das - 1 Comment

Spark Solder one-handed USB-C soldering iron supports TS100 tips, integrates solder feeder (Crowdfunding)

Spark Solder is a compact, USB-C-powered one-handed soldering iron with a built-in motorized solder feeder for convenient one-handed operation. It supports standard TS100 tips, delivers up to 45W of heating power, and features a 1-inch LCD for adjusting the temperature and solder feed speed. While smart, portable soldering irons are very common these days, using one can still be tricky when you have to handle the iron, solder wire, and components at the same time. Spark Solder solves this by adding a replaceable solder capsule and a two-axis motorized feeding system to the handle, leaving one hand free for easier assembly, prototyping, and repairs. Spark Solder specifications: Display – 1-inch TFT display for adjusting temperature, solder extrusion speed, and tip profiles Soldering Power output – Up to 45W Temperature Range – 200°C to 450°C Heat-Up Time – Reaches 300°C in 6 seconds Temperature Stability – ±2°C (via PID control) Tip […]

August 28, 2026August 29, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Microduck – A duck-like biped robot designed for physical AI experimentation and fun

Pollen Robotics and Hugging Face have unveiled the Microduck, a 25 cm tall biped robot with 15 motors, a camera, a depth sensor, two motion sensors, and an articulated beak that can pick up objects. This follows the launch of the Reachy Mini desktop robot earlier this year that featured a Raspberry Pi CM4 module or could interface to a computer instead. In some ways, we may think of the Microduck as a Reachy Mini with legs, but the company says both are different products. The Reachy Mini targets human-robot interaction, while the Microduck focuses on motion/action, although it also features a microphone and a speaker for audio interaction. Microduck specifications: SoC – Rockchip RK3566 CPU – Quad-core Cortex-A55 processor @ up to 1.8 GHz GPU – Arm Mali-G52 NPU – 0.8 TOPS AI accelerator VPU 4Kp60 H.265/H.264/VP9 video decoder 1080p60 H.264/H.265 video encoder System Memory – 1GB RAM Storage […]

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Debashis Das - 2 Comments

USB-C Deskradar – An ESP32-C3 ADS-B flight tracker with a 1.28-inch round display

USB C Deskradar, Live ADS B Flight Tracker

The USB-C Deskradar is an ESP32-C3-based, aviation-themed ADS-B flight tracker that tracks and displays live aircraft positions around your location on a sonar-style circular grid. A 1.28-inch round display and a 3D-printed enclosure provide a real-time view of flights around a configured location. As we’ll see further below, it appears to be an open-source project that was picked up by Chinese vendors and started popping up on AliExpress as an inexpensive desk gadget. USB-C Deskradar specifications: Wireless module –16-pin ESP32-C3 Super Mini module SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-C3FH4, single-core 32-bit RISC-V microcontroller @ up to 160 MHz; 400 KB SRAM; 4MB flash USB – USB Type-C port for programming Ceramic antenna Display – 1.28-inch round TFT color LCD with GC9A01 controller; 240×240 resolution; driven via SPI Misc Hardware button (connected to GPIO 9 / BOOT pin, active LOW) Short tap – Cycles radar range presets (e.g., 5, 10, 15, 25 […]

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

Opener is an open-source reference implementation of the DECT NR+ massive IoT, low-latency standard

Opener open-source DECT NR+ implementation

Opener is an open-source reference implementation of the DECT NR+ protocol stack, formally known as DECT-2020 NR, used for massive IoT (mMTC) and low-latency (URLLC) machine-to-machine communication applications. It is developed by the Opener Initiative, supported by the OpenDECT-X project, and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The standard itself supports up to one million devices per km², years of battery life for low-power sensors, non-IP and IPv6 traffic, mesh networking, and random-access operation. It is also designed for ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) with sub-millisecond air-interface latency, a 99.999% reliability target, and scheduled access for bounded latency. Contrary to 3GPP cellular communication networks, DECT NR+ does not rely on centralized infrastructure and uses context-based rather than fixed device roles. It operates in the license-exempt spectrum in the 1880–1930 MHz range (1.9 GHz), and will be extended to the 3.8–4.2 GHz band, at least in […]

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft) - No Comments

LUNYEE 3020 Nova review – A desktop CNC router with 710W spindle tested with UGS and Easel software

We’ve gotten a sample of the LUNYEE 3020 Nova desktop CNC router for review. The machine features a 710W trim router spindle suitable for carving wood, acrylic, and aluminum. The drive system relies on dual HG15 linear guides and 1204 ball screws for enhanced rigidity and motion accuracy, and the machine integrates NEMA 17 stepper motors with 0.89 N·m torque. It supports Windows, Linux, and Mac systems and works with GRBL-compatible CNC software such as UGS, Fusion 360, VCarve, Easel, and LightBurn. LUNYEE sent us the CNC router with a dust shoe and a CNC vise worktable for review. We will cover the specifications, go through an unboxing, and show how to assemble and set up the machine before testing it with UGS and Easel programs using wood and acrylic as test materials suitable for the bits provided by the company. LUNYEE 3020 Nova desktop CNC router specifications Control Board […]