Affordable Olimex RT1010-Py Board: MicroPython on 500 MHz NXP i.MX RT1011 Cortex-M7 MCU

Olimex has released the RT1010-Py board, a small development board powered by a 500 MHz NXP i.MX RT1011 Cortex-M7 MCU. The board is designed to run MicroPython and is about four times faster than the Raspberry Pi Pico.

The RT1010-Py board features two 20-pin GPIO headers that expose various interfaces such as SPI and I2C. It also includes a microSD card slot for storage, two buttons, and a USB-C Type port for power and programming. Additionally, the board has a 12-pin fUEXT connector that allows users to connect Olimex’s UEXT modules via a flat cable.

In terms of specifications, the RT1010-Py board is equipped with an NXP iMX RT1011 crossover microcontroller, which features an Arm Cortex-M7 clocked at 500 MHz and 128KB SRAM/TCM. It has 2MB SPI Flash storage and a microSD card slot for additional storage. The board also has a USB 2.0 OTG Type-C port for connectivity.

Expansion options on the RT1010-Py board include two 20-pin headers with up to 15x GPIO, 3x UART, 2x SPI, 2x I2C, 1x I2S, 4x PWM, and 5x analog inputs. It also features an fUEXT connector with support for 3.3V, GND, I2C, SPI, and UART.

Other features of the RT1010-Py board include an RTC with a 32.768 kHz crystal, RESET and BOOT buttons, and power supply via a 5V USB-C port. The board has dimensions of 53.34 x 25.4 mm.

The NXP i.MX RT1010 board can run MicroPython with support for all hardware interfaces such as GPIO, I2C, and SPI. The user manual for the board is available in PDF format. The board also supports PlatformIO, although there are no board-specific documentation for it. The KiCAD and PDF schematics for the board are available on Olimex’s GitHub page.

For easier expansion, Olimex has designed the RT1010Py-DevKit as a carrier board for the RT1010-Py board. The devkit features support for the RT1010-Py board via 2x 20-pin headers. It also includes 2x 250VAC/10A relays, 2x UEXT connectors for expansion modules, a boot configuration slide switch, status LEDs, power and user buttons, and a USB-C power supply connector. The RT1010Py-DevKit has dimensions of 75 x 55 mm.

While the RT1010Py-DevKit is supposed to be open-source hardware, the schematics and user manual have not been released yet.

The RT1010-Py board is available for purchase from Olimex for 15 Euros, while the RT1010Py-DevKit is available for an additional 10 Euros. It is worth noting that Adafruit has previously launched a larger NXP i.MX RT1010 board called the Metro M7, which follows the Arduino UNO form factor and supports CircuitPython.

Source: CNX Software – Embedded Systems News.