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Remote access to Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 platform for Software Developers

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Low Raspberry Pi availability on the IoT market

Many companies have been impacted by the global chip shortage and supply chain issues, including electronics and automotive industries. This problem also touched the main producer of small board computers, Raspberry Pi. Company’s CEO, Eben Upton said that they had difficulty meeting demand for many of its products, but that it was taking steps to ensure devices were delivered despite supply constraints. 

“We’ve consistently been able to build around half a million of our single-board computers and Compute Module products each month. Where units do appear, bots often attempt to scalp stock which is then resold at higher prices elsewhere” said Upton. 

Sadly, for the average consumer who wants to build home projects or test software with Pi products, Raspberry Pi is prioritizing commercial and industrial customers. 

TECHBASE’s ModBerry with Compute Module 4 supply

As one of leading manufacturers of industrial solutions based on Raspberry Pi Compute Modules, TECHBASE is steadily fulfilling all the orders according to the schedule agreed with customers. For best customer service TECHBASE chose to order CM4 modules in advance to provide best lead time for all deliveries. Standard configurations of ModBerry 500 devices with Compute Module 4 are now shipped within several weeks.

Alternatively TECHBASE designed a solution to provide a first experience for customers and software developers, delivering a Raspberry Pi based platform available pre-purchase. The demand for hardware is high, therefore a remote development platform can speed up the process and make it easier for users in need of testing their products.

Raspberry Pi CM4 remote access platform

As part of the service, you will be able to try out the Raspberry Pi Ecosystem based on the CM4 module. Devices equipped with this module are located at our company headquarters and will be available for testing for 1 month. After contacting our representative, we will be able to adjust specific hardware resources and connect specific sensors and meters so that you have an insight into the specific functioning of the device.

This form of device sharing will allow you to test your software on the Raspberry Pi platform without the need to physically purchase the device. After the trial period expires, you will be able to either extend the access to the remote platform after consulting our sales department or purchase devices with parameters ideally suited to you and your software’s needs.

This Remote Access Program is mainly aimed at Software Developers, application developers for monitoring and processing data from external sources, IoT startups and all industries related to home and industrial automation. Thanks to the program, you can gain access to the latest technologies, try your software without the need to purchase over-expensive solutions and establish long-term cooperation with a hardware manufacturer on preferential terms. By getting to know our hardware, you will be able to offer your customers a fully complete service.


Hardware available via Remote Access Platform

Two devices can be configured for users applying to TECHBASE’s remote access program. Both of these devices are powered with Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 and offer a wide array of applications:

ModBerry 500 CM4ClusBerry-2M

About cluster Raspberry Pi solution

For smaller projects and IoT prototyping, the company designed a smaller and ready-to-deploy cluster device including two independent ModBerry I/O mainboards and two Compute Module 4’s. The ClusBerry-2M offers similar resources as double ModBerry 500-CM4 with software cluster management tools – Docker and K3s Lightweight Kubernetes solutions.

Each module can perform various tasks, from standard I/O gateway, wireless modem, Gigabit LAN router to NAS file server and AI Gateway with Google Coral Edge TPU modules. You can manage your cluster modules at ease, boot modules from one to another, upgrade firmware crosswise and provide safe operation of each module. The modules are connected to each other to provide such features and allow quick healing of the dual cluster.

Ease of transition from remote to target hardware solutions

Remote platform users after the R&D process is complete will be able to smoothly transition to target solutions, in this case the Raspberry Pi based hardware. TECHBASE offers support for the entire process, from remote access to the solution, user manual for devices and servers, and the subsequent selection of appropriate hardware devices and their perfect adaptation to the end used needs.

Join CM4 Remote Access program

The program is available to Software Developers and customers interested in remote testing of IoT hardware solutions after brief consultation with our Sales Department. To participate in the program, contact us via email: sales@a2s.pl or Live Chat at: https://iiot-shop.com/ 

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ModBerry 500-CM4 with ESP32 for power management

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Sleep functionality for ModBerry 500 CM4 devices

ModBerry 500-CM4-PM series from TECHBASE company is an extended version of Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 based devices for better power management in changing conditions of industrial applications. With the help of the integrated ESP32 module and the Arduino environment, the module can manage boot, sleep mode, or safe shutdown of the device in case of unexpected drop in the power network.

In the last few years developers marketed a wide range of ARM-based development boards, lacking in enhanced power management, especially sleep and wake up modes, commonly used in PC-grade computing. These boards are not adjusted for battery power supply, so it’s natural that sleep/wake functions should be implemented. In connection with the development of solutions based on Linux-SBC, key factor is adding sleep modes to any remote installation

ESP32 based addon module for Raspberry Pi

The TECHBASE sleep/wake add-on module can wake a device using a scheduler/timer that has built-in algorithms or can be programmed by the user. Modules based on ESP32-ROVER are used in Moduino X series boards. For Raspberry Pi, the ESP32 provides a lightweight and low-power solution. The program can also be woken up by external triggers, such as changes in input state. Various scenarios can be configured for sleep, shutdown, and wake functions, ensuring continuous operation of devices, the security of data, and the continuity of work in the event of a power outage.

Advanced power management solution

Most advanced configuration includes use of ESP32 module, known from the successful, lightweight Moduino X series, for extra logic for wake up / sleep scripts. This addon will allow the RaspberryPi-based ModBerry device to be woken up by the internal ESP32 controller. 

Moduino-ModBerry symbiosis allows a wide range of wake-up/sleep schedule customization, in order to perform best and save energy according to power supply state. Arduino and MicroPython environments provide libraries to control different scenarios of data and power management.

Sleep mode with additional power backup

Additional power management option for ModBerry devices is sleep functionality enhanced with SuperCap UPS energy backup device. This solution allows programming scenarios including the execution of chosen actions, in order to save data, send a notification and restart/shutdown the controller after completion.

ModBerry 500-CM4-PM availability

The preliminary ModBerry 500-CM4-PM devices are available on request and delivery time will be specified by the Sales Dept. depending on the size of the project. Contact via email or Live Chat here: https://iiot-shop.com/

Arduino-aided ModBerry 500-CM4 with ESP32 for power management

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Sleep functionality for ModBerry 500 CM4 devices

TECHBASE company designed an extended version of Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 based devices, ModBerry 500-CM4-PM series for better power management in changing conditions of industrial applications. With the use of GPIO the module can manage boot, sleep mode or safe shutdown of the device in terms of unexpected drop in the power network with help of built-in ESP32 module and Arduino environment.

In the last few years developers marketed a wide range of ARM-based development boards, lacking in enhanced power management, especially sleep and wake up modes, commonly used in PC-grade computing. These boards are not adjusted for battery power supply, so it’s natural that sleep/wake functions should be implemented. In connection with the development of solutions based on Linux-SBC, key factor is adding sleep modes to any remote installation

ESP32 based addon module for Raspberry Pi

With built-in algorithms and the possibility to program on your own, the TECHBASE’s sleep/wake addon module can wake the device using a scheduler/timer. The module itself is based on ESP32-WROVER, used in the Moduino X series. ESP32 as a lightweight and low-powered solution is a perfect aid system for Raspberry Pi. Another option is wake on external triggers, e.g. change of input state, etc. All the options for sleep, shutdown and wake can be configured for various scenarios to ensure constant operation of devices, safety of data and continuity of work in case of power failure in any installation.

Sleep mode with additional power backup

Additional power management option for ModBerry devices is sleep functionality enhanced with SuperCap UPS energy backup device. This solution allows programming scenarios including the execution of chosen actions, in order to save data, send a notification and restart/shutdown the controller after completion.

Advanced power management solution

Most advanced configuration includes use of ESP32 module, known from the successful, lightweight Moduino X series, for extra logic for wake up / sleep scripts. This addon will allow the RaspberryPi-based ModBerry device to be woken up by the internal ESP32 controller. 

Moduino-ModBerry symbiosis allows a wide range of wake-up/sleep schedule customization, in order to perform best and save energy according to power supply state. Arduino and MicroPython environments provide libraries to control different scenarios of data and power management.

ModBerry 500-CM4-PM availability

The preliminary ModBerry 500-CM4-PM devices are available on request and delivery time will be specified by the Sales Dept. depending on the size of the project. Contact via email or Live Chat here: https://iiot-shop.com/



ZigBee Mesh used in industrial IoT applications

ZigBee Mesh used in industrial IoT applications

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ZigBee mesh‘s usefulness for IoT is partly due to the fact that it is an open standard. The same products can be used all over the world, which gives customers a large selection of available option. The high competition between products and producers means that the created solutions are innovative, characterized by high quality and give customers a considerable choice. Many suppliers of cooperating elements of this ecosystem mean that they are not limited to any specific brands or specific semiconductor manufacturers.

Competitiveness of ZigBee based solutions

With a maximum data bandwidth of 250 kbps at 2.4 GHz, ZigBee is slower than other popular wireless standards such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, but it doesn’t matter in typical sensor applications. ZigBee Mesh is designed to send small data packets at relatively long intervals, which is usually sufficient to collect data from temperature sensors, safety sensors, air quality monitoring systems and similar subsystems. In the meantime, the low bandwidth affects the low power needed for the system to work, so that ZigBee nodes can usually work for many years on a single AAA battery.

ZigBee Power Consumption. Source: ZigBee Alliance
ZigBee Power Consumption. Source: ZigBee Alliance

With low power consumption, ZigBee supporting products typically have a short transmission range – typically from 10 to 15 meters, and the signal they emit is easily disturbed by obstacles on the route, or changes in the environment. However, the beauty of ZigBee devices lies in their work as part of a lattice topology network, where each of them transmits signals between themselves over a total of longer distances. The grid topology also means that damage to a single device will not stop the entire network, as communication can simply be redirected.

Industrial use of ZigBee Mesh

One of industrial IoT devices, supporting ZigBee Mesh technology is eModGATE from TECHBASE. Economical, ESP32-based solution can serve as an end-point in any installation or works well as a gateway, gathering data from scattered sensor mesh across the installation. For more information check Industrial IoT Shop with all the configuration options for eModGATE, including ZigBee modem.

Check eModGATE options
ESP32-WROVER-B

Moduino X with ESP32-WROVER-B now available for purchase

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Upgraded Espressif’s ESP32 module platform for Moduino X

Espressif, a manufacturer of popular ESP32-based IoT solutions, has developed a new version of the ESP32-WROVER module, called ESP32-WROVER-B. Updated module, in addition to the dual-core LX6 microprocessor, has now twice the amount of RAM, compared to previous version of the WROVER module. The ESP32 module can work with Pseudo Static RAM. Up to now, modules with up to 4MB RAM have been the most common. Recently Espressif Systems introduced a new ESP32-WROVER-B module, which is equipped with up to 8MB pSRAM.

ESP32-WROVER-B

The new module is compatible with TECHBASE’s Moduino X series of IIoT devices. The system works with MicoPython, ESP-IDF (freemask based on FreeRTOS with light-weight Internet Protocol), Mongoose OS, Zephyr Project and is Arduino compatible. ESP32-WROVER-B is based on the ESP32-D0WD system with dimensions 5 x 5 mm, which replaced the earlier ESP32-D0WDQ6 (6 x 6 mm). The ESP32-D0WD model has 2 CPU cores that can be controlled independently. The CPU clock frequency can also be configured in the range of 80 to 240 MHz.

Updated Moduino X with ESP32-WROVER-B also comes with variety of Flash Memory available: 4MB and 16MB.

To read more about Industrial Moduino X solution, visit: https://moduino.techbase.eu/

To order sample devices, loor for  ESP32-WROVER-B option in Moduino X product configurator module:

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Moduino ESP32 controller now powered with Pycom modules

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New base platforms for Moduino device

Revised version of TECHBASE’s Moduino edge controller offers now support and compatibility with wide range of Pycom’s compute modules with built-in communication interfaces, e.g. LoRa, Sigfox, NarrowBand-IoT / LTE cat. M1/NB1 and WiFi/BT4.2, similarly to standard Moduino devices, powered by Espressif’s ESP32-WROVER module.

With new Moduino platform you can choose from variety of Pycom modules to power the unit, in order to receive specific wireless features. At the present day Moduino supports these models:

    • WiPy 3.0 with WiFi & Bluetooth 4.2
    • SiPy with WiFi/BT and Sigfox
    • LoPy4 with WiFi/BT and LoRa, Sigfox
    • GPy with WIFi/BT and NarrowBand-IoT / LTE cat.M1/NB1
    • FiPy with WIFi/BT and LoRa, Sigfox, NarrowBand-IoT / LTE cat.M1/NB1

If physical network connection is a must, you can always choose standard Moduino ESP32 with Ethernet expansion module to ensure communication via LAN. Of course the possibility to choose wired-to-wireless communication is also available with the Moduino configurator.

All Pycom-based Moduino solutions are compatible with wide range of interface expansions for standard Moduino ESP32 platform, e.g. RS-232/485, Analog I/Os, Digital I/Os, Relay, CAN and many more, including SuperCap & OLED screen options. You can find the whole list of available expansions here: https://iiot-shop.com/product/moduino/

To read more about Industrial Moduino X solution, visit: https://moduino.techbase.eu/

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ESP32-WROVER-B

Moduino X now with ESP32-WROVER-B support

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Upgraded Espressif’s ESP32 module platform for Moduino X

Espressif, a manufacturer of popular ESP32-based IoT solutions, has developed a new version of the ESP32-WROVER module, called ESP32-WROVER-B. Updated module, in addition to the dual-core LX6 microprocessor, has now twice the amount of RAM, compared to previous version of the WROVER module. The ESP32 module can work with Pseudo Static RAM. Up to now, modules with up to 4MB RAM have been the most common. Recently Espressif Systems introduced a new ESP32-WROVER-B module, which is equipped with up to 8MB SPI PSRAM.

ESP32-WROVER-B

The new module is compatible with TECHBASE’s Moduino X series of IIoT devices. The system works with MicoPython, ESP-IDF (freemask based on FreeRTOS with light-weight Internet Protocol), Mongoose OS, Zephyr Project and is Arduino compatible. ESP32-WROVER-B is based on the ESP32-D0WD system with dimensions 5 x 5 mm, which replaced the earlier ESP32-D0WDQ6 (6 x 6 mm). The ESP32-D0WD model has 2 CPU cores that can be controlled independently. The CPU clock frequency can also be configured in the range of 80 to 240 MHz.

Updated Moduino X with ESP32-WROVER-B also comes with variety of Flash Memory available: 4MB, 8MB and 16MB.

To read more about Industrial Moduino X solution, visit: https://moduino.techbase.eu/

To order sample devices, visit our new Industrial IoT Shop and ask our Sales Department via chat about new Moduino X with ESP32-WROVER-B module:

BUY NOW