Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible UDOO KEY hits Kickstarter goal

It enables machine learning applications using TinyML, TensorFlow Lite, MicroPython, C and C++.

The board comes in two versions: UDOO KEY and UDOO KEY PRO. Both feature Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and BLE; UDOO KEY PRO also features a 9-axis IMU and a digital microphone. The board is fully compatible, both hardware and software-wise, with Raspberry Pi Pico and ESP32.

The KEY will also grant access to Clea, the upcoming AI-as-a-service platform by SECO Mind, SECO’s daughter company Today, AI is very misunderstood,” said Maurizio Caporali, Co-CEO of SECO Mind. “Many AI use cases don’t require a powerful processing unit, and that’s where UDOO KEY comes in. For the first time ever in the world of Edge AI, the user has the option to build an AI project on their terms, using either Raspberry Pi RP2040, ESP32, or both. Several companies we are in touch with find it difficult to take advantage of the AI revolution. UDOO KEY and Clea make this as easy as it gets.

Shipping is expected to start in January 2022. The Early Bird UDOO KEY is available at $4, while the Early Bird UDOO KEY PRO is available at $9. Both are limited to 1,000 units.

UDOO has also made available two special kits, built in collaboration with Arducam and Seeed Studio.

It hit its initial $10,000 goal in 90 minutes on the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. At the time of writing it has raised $32,668 from 1,139 with 43 days to go.

Pi Pico-compatible

The Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible part of UDOO KEY is built upon a Raspberry PI RP2040 dual Arm Cortex-M0, featuring a QSPI 8MB flash memory, 133 MHZ clock, and 264KB of on-chip SRAM.

The ESP32 is based on a dual-core Xtensa 32-bit LX6, with 16 MB flash memory, 8MB PSRAM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Energy. The two microcontrollers can talk to each other via serial port and SWD.

The company writes:

The user can program the two microcontrollers in an easy way via a USB-C connector and decide whether to talk with RP2040 or ESP32 via jumper. The UDOO KEY provides many more interfaces: three fully programmable LEDs, and the same pinout of Raspberry Pi Pico, making it 100% compatible with it, both hardware and software-wise. Last but not least, the UEXT connector is accessible from the ESP32, which exposes the I2C, UART and SPI interfaces.

The UDOO KEY also mounts two powerful sensors: a 9-axis IMU and a digital microphone, plus a standard UEXT connector to easily add sensors and other interfaces. Thanks to the on-board ESP32 microcontroller, the UDOO KEY features full Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n connectivity, Bluetooth and BLE v4.2.

You can find more on the UDOO KEY and campaign at key.udoo.org

UDOO is a SECO brand of Open Source Mini PCs for makers and professional developers.

The latest board marks the fifth crowdfunding campaign by UDOO, which has raised more than $2 million in previous Kickstarter campaigns, says the company.

Source: Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible UDOO KEY hits Kickstarter goal


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