Calao Systems has started shipping half a dozen expansion modules for its tiny USB key-sized Linux computer. The company has also launched a new low-powered USB computer that runs FreeRTOS, and offers CAN and LIN (local interconnect network) bus expansion.

Located in the French Alps near Grenoble, Calao makes tiny boards in both USB and 128-pin QIL (quad in-line) form factors. The company supplies most boards pre-installed with the open-source U-Boot bootloader and Linux 2.6-series kernels. GNU toolchains also appear to be available from the company.

Calao's USB-926x and available case
(Click for details)

Calao's new expansion modules work with its USB-9260 (pictured above), which launched about a year ago. The modules can be used to add storage, digital I/O, 3-axis accelerometers, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, and GPM/GPRS — everything needed to prototype a variety of mobile hardware and software designs. For added prototyping flexibility, there's also a header board that adapts any of Calao's USB stick PCs to 1/10th-inch pins compatible with surface mount connectors from SMD.

Calao's new expansion boards include:

DAB-GPI
Adds Micro-SD, RTC, RS232, SPI, I2C and One-Wire port

DAB-IMU
Adds Micro-SD, RTC, 3 axis accelerometer, 3 axis magnetometer and 3 axis gyrometer

DAB-WLS (WiFi)
Adds Micro-SD, RTC and WiFi module (Ezurio WISMC01BI)

DAB-WLS (BlueTooth)
Adds Micro-SD, RTC and BlueTooth module (Ezurio TRBLU23-00200)

DAB-QSS2HEADER
Converts USB to 1/10th-inch pins for SMD prototyping boards

Additional new modules (photos unavailable) include:

• DAB-WLS (BlueTooth Long Range) — adds Micro-SD, RTC and BlueTooth (Ezurio BTM402)
  DAB-GPS — adds Micro-SD, 3 axis accelerometer, 3 axis magnetometer and GPS module (U-blox LEA-5H)
  DAB-GSM (coming soon) — adds Micro-SD and GSM/GPRS module
  PRB-USB-QSS-025 — adds Prototyping board for SMD

New USB-S103V-C0X low-powered USB stick computer

Additionally, Calao has added a low-power USB stick computer. The USB-S103V-C0X (pictured at right) is powered by an ST Micro STM32F103VBT6 processor, featuring ARM's Cortex M3 core clocked at 72MHz. The computer appears to lack sufficient memory resources to run uClinux; however, Calao supplies FreeRTOS with it. I/O and other features include:

• CAN bus
• LIN bus
• Micro-SD
• RTC (real-time clock)
• USB Host can be connected to USB/serial converter (FTDI FT2232C) or STM32 device port
• JTAG and Serial port over USB ( FTDI Mode)
• JTAG over USB (FTDI mode) or external JTAG port (STM32 mode)
• PC serial port can be connected to STM32 (programming) or expansion board (ezurio firmware udate)
• Possibility to have an external JTAG port (STM32 mode)

Availability

Calao's new expansion boards and are mostly available now, through its web-shop, here. Datasheets and other product details may be found on the company's main website, here.

 
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