DFRobot recently introduced an exciting new all-in-one single board computer (SBC) development platform known as UNIHIKER. This remarkable device comes equipped with its own 2.8" touchscreen, offering seamless plug-and-play programming capabilities. DFRobot representative Liang Li expressed great enthusiasm about the UNIHIKER, hailing it as a groundbreaking addition to the single-board computer landscape. With its intuitive design and built-in 2.8" touch screen, the UNIHIKER simplifies setup and programming, supporting multiple programming software options. Li anticipates that the UNIHIKER will inspire innovation and progress across various domains.
Powering the UNIHIKER is the Rockchip RK3308, featuring a quad-core Arm Cortex-A35 application-class processor operating at up to 1.2GHz. It is complemented by 512MB of RAM and 16GB of flash storage, pre-loaded with a Debian Linux-based operating system. The device also includes a microSD card slot for expandable storage. Additionally, the UNIHIKER incorporates a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 module, along with a GigaDevice GD32VF103 RISC-V microcontroller coprocessor for real-time tasks. These components seamlessly interface with the on-board button, microphone, light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, LED, and piezoelectric buzzer.
The UNIHIKER's PCB features an edge connector at the bottom, resembling the popular BBC micro:bit design, albeit without the larger alligator clip holes for wearables. The front of the device boasts a dominant 2.8" touchscreen display with a resolution of 240×320 pixels. Furthermore, the board incorporates a USB Type-C connector for data and power, a USB Type-A port for peripherals, and three/four-pin "Gravity" ports to connect other hardware. The primary aim of the UNIHIKER is to expedite user onboarding. The flash memory comes pre-loaded with a Jupyter Notebook specifically configured for the device's hardware, enabling direct in-browser programming. The platform also supports development using popular tools such as VS Code, Thonny, or standard text editors. Python serves as the preferred programming language, facilitating easy access to the hardware. Moreover, the UNIHIKER supports MQTT and offers a web interface for enhanced functionality. For further details on the UNIHIKER, interested individuals can visit the official website. DFRobot has already commenced orders for the platform, which is priced at $79.90.
