SolidRun’s “i.MX 8M Mini SOM” runs Linux on NXP’s up to quad-core, 1.8GHz -A53 i.MX8M Mini and works with the HummingBoard Pulse board. The module has 4GB RAM, optional WiFi/BT, and a 24 TOPS/W Gyrfalcon Lightspeeur 2803S NPU.

SolidRun announced an i.MX8M Mini based compute module aimed at “a wide range of IoT and industrial applications” including “digital assistant solutions, autonomous cars, security camera systems, video and audio analytics, and digital signage.” The Linux- and Android-supported i.MX 8M Mini SOM has the same 47 x 30mm footprint as last year’s i.MX8M-based i.MX8 SOM and similarly works with the open-spec HummingBoard Pulse board that was announced with the i.MX8 SOM.

i.MX 8M Mini SOM (left) and with HummingBoard Pulse
(click images to enlarge)

Both modules update the company’s similarly open-spec, but i.MX6-based, MicroSOM modules, which fueled several earlier, sandwich-style HummingBoard SBCs and CuBox mini-PCs. Unlike the i.MX8 SOM, the i.MX 8M Mini SOM does not appear to work with the CuBox.

NXP’s i.MX8M Mini module, which has been adopted by a variety of modules and SBCs in recent months, most recently including Avnet’s MSC SM2S-IMX8MINI SMARC 2.0 module, has a more advanced 14LPC FinFET process than the i.MX8M, resulting in lower power consumption and higher clock rates for the 1x, 2x, or 4x Cortex-A53 (1.8GHz) and single Cortex-M4 (400MHz) cores. NXP’s first embedded heterogeneous multi-core SoC has lower-powered GCNanoUltra (3D) and GC320 (2D) graphics cores with video acceleration that tops out at 1080p60 resolution instead of 4K.

Gyrfalcon Lightspeeur 2803S

To “unleash the true potential of edge AI,” SolidRun has added a Gyrfalcon Lightspeeur 2803S Neural Accelerator chip to the module. The 9 x 9mm CNN AI acceleration chip supports edge AI applications based on TensorFlow, Caffe, and PyTorch deep learning frameworks. Based on Gyrfalcon’s Matrix Processing Engine architecture, the Lightspeeur 2803S “offers multi-dimensional, high-speed neural network processing at very low power, rated at 24 TOPS/W per chip,” says SolidRun.

You can purchase the i.MX 8M Mini SOM in Solo, Dual, or Quad models for one to four cores. They are otherwise identical except that the Solo ships with up to 3GB LPDDR4-3000 while the others can go to 4GB. An undisclosed amount of optional eMMC will also be available along with some optional QSPI-NOR flash. There’s also a GbE controller and optional 802.11n and Bluetooth 4.1/5.0.

i.MX 8M Mini SOM, front and back
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The i.MX 8M Mini SOM provides media I/O including HD-ready MIPI-DSI, 4-lane MIPI-CSI for HD input, and an advanced digital audio serial interface. The 20-channel, [email protected] audio interface supports DSD512 and SPDIF and has 8x PDM DMIC channels.

Additional I/O available over the Hirose DF40 connectors includes 2x USB 2.0, 2x serial, 2x I2C, 4x PWM, 75x GPIO, and single SPI, JTAG, and PCIe 2.0. The 5V board has 3.3V I/O voltage and supports an RTC. The temperature range is listed as “commercial or industrial.”

 
HummingBoard Pulse review

The optional HummingBoard Pulse will soon be available with the i.MX 8M Mini SOM as an alternative to the earlier i.MX8 SOM. The latter configuration sells for $182 to $276.

HummingBoard Pulse, front and back with earlier i.MX8 SOM
(click images to enlarge)

The HummingBoard Pulse is a bit larger than the first-gen HummingBoards at 102 x 69mm, and it replaces the GPIO in favor of single mini-PCIe, M.2, and SIM slots. Like the HummingBoard Gate, it provides a Mikrobus connector for adding Click modules.

The Pulse is notable for its dual GbE ports. Other features include 2x USB 3.0, USB Type-C, and HDMI 2.0 ports. You also get an RTC, IR receiver, 7-36V input, a heatsink, and an optional metal enclosure.

 
Further information

The i.MX 8M Mini SOM is “coming soon” starting at $56. More information may be found on SolidRun’s i.MX 8M Mini SOM product page.