Samsung extended its Artik line with a Linux-driven Artik 7 COM and dev kit for gateways with 8x Cortex-A53 cores, plus two Cortex-M4 based Artik 0 modules.

Samsung started shipping its Linux-ready, dual Cortex-A7 Artik 5 and octa-core -A7/-A15 Artik 10 modules and carrier board kits earlier this year, and announced an Artik IDE and Artik Cloud IoT aggregation platform in May. Now Samsung’s Artik project has expanded the platform with its first 64-bit board — a gateway-oriented Artik 7 module that runs Linux on eight Cortex-A53 cores. It also launched its first Cortex-M based Artik module with an Artik 0 featuring Cortex-M4F cores.

Samsung’s updated Artik module family, left to right: Artik 0, 5, 7, 10
(click image to enlarge).

The Artik 7, initially available in an Artik 710 model, has a faster processor than the similarly octa-core Artik 10, but it has less memory and flash, as well as reduced graphics. Samsung appears to have dropped its previously announced Artik 1 module with dual MIPS MicroAptiv MCU cores. Instead, a search for Artik 1 leads you to the new Artik 0 page. The Artik 0 is split into a Bluetooth-ready Artik 020 and an Artik 030 with 802.15.4 support for ZigBee and Thread.

Despite the lack of open source licensing, Samsung has gone out of its way to extensively document the Artik modules. Like the Artik 5 and 10, the Artik 7 ships with Fedora Linux. However, Ubuntu Core and Tizen 3.0 support are on the way, and will presumably extend to the very similar Artik 7. The Artik 0, meanwhile, is supported with Silicon Labs’s Simplicity Studio 4.0 IDE.

Samsung also launched new device management features in Artik Cloud, making it easier to organize and manage a fleet of IoT devices. In addition, the company revealed new partners in the Artik ecosystem: Arrow Electronics, Mujin, Naver Corp., Kong Tech, and its hardware partner on Artik 0, Silicon Labs.

 
Artik 710 (Artik 7)

The Artik 710 is billed as an “affordable option to power high-end gateways and multimedia applications. It’s bigger than the Artik 1020, the flagship Artik 10 model, measuring 49 x 36mm compared to 39 x 29mm. The Artik 710 has a 0 to 70°C operating range.

Artik 710 module (left) and block diagram
(click images to enlarge)

The Artik modules are unusual in that Samsung does not name the SoCs on the boards. The Linux-driven Artik 5, 7, and 10 appear to use variations of existing Samsung mobile SoCs. The Artik 710’s processor subsystem appears to be based on the Samsung S5P6818 found on FriendlyARM boards like the NanoPi M3 and NanoPC-T3.


Artik 710 processor subsystem (left) and software stack
(click images to enlarge)

The S5P6818 similarly has eight 1.4GHz Cortex-A53 cores and a Mali 400 GPU. The Mali T600 on the Artik 1020 is replaced on the 710 with a lesser Mali T400.

Compared to the Artik 1020, the Artik 710 has half the RAM and a quarter of the eMMC flash, with 2GB and 4GB, respectively, and the RAM is slightly slower at 800MHz. It only has one 5-megapixel MIPI-CSI camera interface instead of two (16MP and 3MP).

Artik 1020 module (left) and its processor subsystem
(click images to enlarge)

Like the 1020, the 710 supplies an HDMI interface and 4-lane MIPI-DSI, and it adds an LVDS connection. The 710 also offers the 1020’s I2S audio interface, but it lacks the separate PCM audio channel.

Wireless functionality is almost identical. There’s onboard 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1 and LE, and ZigBee. It also adds support for the similarly 802.15.4 Thread. The Artik 710 also adds a GbE MAC missing on the 1020, although an external PHY is required.

The Artik 710 loses the Artik 1020’s USB 3.0 interface, but there’s still a USB 2.0 host, and the USB device port has moved to OTG. Other I/O seems to be a slight improvement, with 2x SPI, 3x UART, 2x PWM, 6-channel ADC, SDIO/eMMC 5.0, and 4x I2C, including one software-defined I2C.

While the Artik 1020 has 95x GPIO, the 710 provides 31x dedicated and 79x multiplexed signals. The advanced Artik security features appear to be the same, including a Trustonic TEE and a secure element.

Artik 710 Development Environment (left) and block diagram
(click images to enlarge)

The Artik 710 can be bought with an Artik 710 Development Environment that comprises an Interposer Board with a built in Artik 710 module, a Platform Board, and an IF Board. The Interposer Board provides a Gigabit Ethernet port, a micro-HDMI port, a micro-USB OTG port, and an LVDS interface. Other features include wireless antenna connectors with bundled antennas, and various switches and LEDs.


Artik 710 Interposer Board
(click image to enlarge)

The Platform Board provides a USB 2.0 host port, an SD slot, an audio jack, and MIPI-CSI and -DSI connections. The board also provides a 5V DC input, several UART interfaces, JTAG and battery connectors, and the power switch.


Artik 710 Platform Board detail (left) and Interposer board with IF board on right
(click images to enlarge)

The IF board refers to interface rather than infrared, and offers a wide variety of GPIOs laid out in breadboard style. Digi-Key’s shopping page also shows an optional 5-megapixel Camera Board, as well as a Sensor Board with accelerometer, gyroscope, humidity, magnetometer, pressure, and temperature sensors.

 
Artik 020 and 030 (Artik 0)

Designed for HVAC, lighting, industrial sensors, and personal health monitoring, the Artik 0 platform offers a choice of an Artik 020 model with Bluetooth 4.2 or an Artik 30 with 802.15.4 (ZigBee and Thread), both at 2.4GHz. Only the 020 model is shipping now, however. The 15 x 12.9 x 2.2mm modules seem to be otherwise identical except for the TX power, which is listed as up to +8 dBm for the 020 and up to +10 for the 030.

Artik 020 (left) and 030 wireless modules

The Artik 0 modules are built around the Silicon Labs Wireless Gecko, a 40MHz Cortex-M4F SoC with floating point and wireless stacks. The SoC provides the module with its 32KB RAM, 256KB flash, and a crypto chip with random number generator.


Block diagrams: Artik 020/030 (left) and Silicon Labs Wireless Gecko
(click images to enlarge)

Interfaces on the Artik 020 include 12-bit ADC, 2x ACMP, and an IDAC. There are 25x analog channel pins and 25x GPIO, plus an 8-channel DMA controller, 12-channel PRS, and dual 16-bit timer/counters.

Other features include a 32-bit real time counter/calendar, a 16-bit low energy timer, a 32-bit ultra low energy timer/counter, and a 16-bit pulse counter. The modules are further equipped with a I2C with SMBus support, a low energy UART, a watchdog timer, and dual universal synch/asynch receiver/transmitters. The boards operate on a 1.85V (2.4C for DC-DC) to 3.8V single power supply, and can endure temperatures of -40 to 85°C.

Both modules appear to use essentially the same Silicon Labs built Artik 0 Main Board. The board provides a 1.28-inch, 128 x 128mm Memory-LCD display, as well as a power input, battery cell holder, an Ethernet port, and a mini-USB port. You also get breakout pads, various user and reset buttons, LEDs, expansion header, and a debug connector.

Artik 020 Main Board (left) and the Main Board’s block diagram
(click images to enlarge)

There’s also a “simplicity” connector, which appears to refer to the available Silicon Labs Simplicity Studio 4.0 IDE, based on Eclipse 4.5. The IDE provides tools for energy profiling, configuration and wireless network analysis, and is supported with demos, examples, documentation, technical support, and community forums.


Artik 020 Main Board detail view
(click image to enlarge)

The Artik 0 modules are said to offer GATT-based profiles, and are capable of hosting end user applications. As a result, “no external microcontroller is required in size, price or power constrained devices,” says Samsung.

 
Further information

The Samsung Artik 710 is available as part of the development kit at Digi-Key in prices starting at $262.25. More information may be found on the Artik 7 product page and in the Samsung Artik 7 and Artik 0 announcement.

The Samsung Artik 020 is available as part of the Main Board development kit at Digi-Key, for $99, including the module. The Artik 030 is available for pre-order at Digi-Key for $499, including the module. More information on both the Artik 020 and 030 may be found at Samsung’s Artik 0 product page.