What are 96Boards?
96Boards are range of open hardware specifications created by Linaro to make the latest ARM-based processors available to developers at a reasonable cost.
The specs are then used to create a standard board layout for processor independent development platforms that can be used by software application, hardware device, kernel and other system software developers. 96Boards are suitable for rapid prototyping and hobbyist projects. They can also be incorporated into new systems for a wide range of applications like point of sale (POS), robotics and drones, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, IoT, high-end audio and industrial control.
Why Do They Call It 96Boards?
There are four editions of the 96Boards specifications including the Consumer Edition, the Enterprise Edition, the Internet of Things Edition and the SoM Edition (SoM). Each edition has several variants adding up to 54 brands of 96Boards each with unique functionality and improved capacity for high performance computing and several AI applications. Perhaps one day, there’ll be 96 different variations of 96Boards. ????
All 96Boards editions generally allow a third-party ecosystem to develop around expansion (mezzanine) boards/peripherals/displays etc. that can be used on any 96Boards compliant board. These boards can easily be purchased online via Amazon, Alibaba, Farnell, Digikey, Mouser, etc.
What are the Different Types of 96Boards?
We’ll go through the four 96Boards editions with some of their specifications and also Mezzanine board briefly:
- Consumer edition (Ce) – is a low-cost Software Development Platform that is easily extensible and designed to support Low-Cost Single Board Computer use, Open Source community software development, Maker community, Embedded System OEMs requiring low cost off-the-shelf CPU modules and Community engineering activities.
Qualcomm® Robotics RB3 Development Platform and Thor96 are common brands of the consumer edition.
ALPR on 96Boards Consumer Edition. Source: 96Boards and other websites.
- Enterprise Edition (Ce) – is a Software Development Platform designed for advanced ARM SoCs suitable for high-end embedded networking, server management, and other engineering activities like Open source upstream development.
The Standard EE is a low-cost, stand-alone board with compact form factor design that can be connected on a desk to an off-the-shelf low-cost power supply, network connection and storage.
Akebi96 and Poplar are brands of Enterprise Edition.
ALPR on 96Boards Enterprise Edition. Source: 96Boards and other websites.
- INTERNET OF THINGS EDITION (IOT) – is a low cost compact IoT development platform with consistent software stacked across devices in different form factors across a Cortex-ARM SoC making it suitable for edge device prototyping as well as other embedded products.
Intelligent sensors and controls are sometimes included in the design with the aim of supporting development in the Internet of Things (IoT) space.
Brands of the IoT Edition include 4IoT – Geniatech and Stinger96 – Shiratech.
ALPR on 96Boards Internet of Things Edition. Source: 96Boards and other websites.
- SOM EDITION (SOM) – is designed for developing reliable and cost-effective embedded platforms that can be used for building Wireless and Compute products.
The Wireless SoM Edition are designed to support interchangeable wireless module applications and the modules may also be used independently for basic sensor/controller applications or attached to a smart device.
The Compute SoM Edition is designed to support industrial application development with system-on-module approach and also system ODMs/OEMs requiring off-the-shelf production using ready CPU modules with Upstream and Long Term Support.
96Boards SoM Carrier Board and TB-96AI are brands of SoM Edition.
ALPR on 96Boards SOM Edition. Source: 96Boards and other websites.
- Mezzanine EDITION – are designed by 96Boards to allow expansion of the 96Boards Consumer Edition or Enterprise Edition with new interfaces for IoT, industrial control, and other embedded applications.
Examples of Mezzanine boards are Audio Mezzanine Board and E-con Systems Camera Mezzanine.
ALPR on 96Boards Mezzanine Edition. Source: 96Boards and other websites.
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