A sneak preview of Arduino TRE powered by Texas Instruments
Next saturday 5th of October Massimo Banzi with Jason Kridner and Gerald Coley (Texas Instrument) will talk about the new collaboration on Arduino TRE during a talk at Maker Faire Rome ( from 15.30 in Room G – Archimede).
Arduino TRE, based on the Texas Instruments Sitara AM335x ARM Cortex-A8 processor is the “most powerful Arduino to date” and the first that will be able to run “full Linux.”
Thanks to the 1-GHz Sitara AM335x processor, Arduino developers get up to 100 times more performance with the Sitara-processor-based TRE than they do on the Arduino Leonardo or Uno. This performance opens the doors to more advanced Linux-powered applications. The Sitara-processor-based Linux Arduino can run high-performance desktop applications, processing-intensive algorithms or high-speed communications.
The Arduino TRE is two Arduinos in one: the Sitara-processor-based Linux Arduino plus a full AVR-based Arduino, while leveraging the simplicity of the Arduino software experience. The integration of the AVR Arduino enables the Arduino TRE to use the existing shield ecosystem so that innovators can expand the Arduino TRE to develop a wide range of high-performance applications such as 3D printers, gateways for building automation and lighting automation, telemetry hubs that collect data from nearby sensors wirelessly, and other connected applications that require host control plus real-time operations.
In addition, the Arduino TRE is partially the result of a close collaboration between Arduino and the BeagleBoard.org foundation. These open hardware pioneers share a passion for expanding open source development and making technology accessible for artists, designers and hobbyists. The TRE design builds upon the experience of both Arduino and BeagleBoard, combining the benefits of both community based boards.
“By choosing TI’s Sitara AM335x processor to power the Arduino TRE, we’re enabling customers to leverage the capabilities of an exponentially faster processor running full Linux,” said Massimo Banzi, co-founder, Arduino.
“Our customers now have a scalable portfolio at their fingertips, from the microcontroller-based Uno to the TRE Linux computer.”
The Arduino TRE is expected to be available in spring 2014 but you’ll be able to see it live during Maker Faire Rome.
See more pictures of Arduino TRE on Flickr.
October 3rd, 2013 at 17:30:52
Excellent!
Do we have specs and pricing yet? Will there be an integrated JTAG debugger, as there is with the BeagleBone?
October 3rd, 2013 at 18:38:03
What kind of AVR will be used on the board? An atmega328 or atmega32u4?
October 3rd, 2013 at 20:24:36
According to the TI page, it’s going to have an ATmega32u4.
October 4th, 2013 at 09:47:19
The tiny 2-row connector at the right of the logo, either it’s a strange new design, or someone tried to plug something the wrong way!
October 4th, 2013 at 12:58:59
The Sitara AM335x have I/O capabilities that easily outperform an ATmega32u4. Why not using RTAI or Xenomai to run a virtual Arduino directly on the Sitara AM335x ? For a lot of simple applications, a Linux executable with SCHED_FIFO scheduling should be enough.
October 4th, 2013 at 15:00:02
MORE INFO!
I have so many questions I don’t know where to start. Please please release some specs!
October 4th, 2013 at 20:59:16
This wouldn’t be a “shot across the bow” to Raspberry Pi, would it? Not that I’m complaining, just wondering. The reference to “full Linux” is what got me thinking this way.
October 4th, 2013 at 21:21:06
[…] man this is great news Arduino Announces new Boards and Collaboration with Intel and T.I. A sneak preview of Arduino TRE powered by Texas Instruments One cannot even begin to imagine the magnitude of awe and amusement that is caused by this kind […]
October 5th, 2013 at 00:58:33
I see an HDMI slot.. So this thing is aimed squarely at the Raspberry Pi. But I’m betting the price is going to be up around $100-$150.. Maybe I’m wrong, but the Due couldn’t even get it’s price down below Pi level, and it’s 1/4 the unit that this thing is.
October 5th, 2013 at 11:39:02
So… it’s a kind of BeagleBoard with an additional AVR MCU on it?
October 6th, 2013 at 02:30:35
I guess the price will play a important role on making it as popular as Rasperry Pi.
October 6th, 2013 at 08:33:35
Please make it possible to use the audio jacks as analog and digital GPIOs because there are many devices out there that can communicate over the audio jack, like graphical calculators from Casio or Texas Instruments, MP3-Players like iPod Nano, etc.
October 6th, 2013 at 13:11:33
Why do they keep including the (hugest part on that board) Ethernet socket? Doesn’t everyone have WiFi these days?
October 7th, 2013 at 17:08:22
As far I’ve understood the Arduino Tre is a BeagleBone Black glued via a serial port to an Arduino Leonardo. I beg your pardon for roughly simplify what I’ve learned talking with a promoter at the MakerFaire in Rome last sunday.
October 8th, 2013 at 11:18:00
Is it possible technically to bootstrap a new Android kernel? Stock vanilla, for example, with support of custom HW modules?
October 8th, 2013 at 15:35:08
Please!!! Don’t do the mistake to provide only 512MB of RAM!
Give us 1024MB to be able to do also development on this Linux machine. It will be fantastic!
So please! Think twice! Is better for us to buy only this board instead of this and another dedicated PC for development. Many of us may be forced to delay the acquisition of this board because they need a PC first!
October 13th, 2013 at 16:28:49
So would you be able to run a different linux-based operating system on it?
October 16th, 2013 at 11:18:13
The new board has new and improved featured compared for example with Uno, but two of the most important features are the real-time support and the full version of Linux that can run on it. A full overview of what can do this board can be found here http://www.intorobotics.com/short-overview-specifications-arduino-tre/
March 1st, 2015 at 20:02:20
Eagerly waiting for the TRE to be available. Any idea when they will be ready?
June 25th, 2015 at 14:37:09
Well, it is summer 2015. Now more than a year overdue. What’s going on?
October 23rd, 2015 at 10:44:11
Both male headers seem crooked
January 3rd, 2016 at 11:34:02
Where can we pick one of these up? I really like the looks and very interested in implementing this for a large project.
January 3rd, 2016 at 11:34:38
Ive been anxiously waiting since 2013 as well!!!!