Arduino UNO Q Review: When an Arduino Stops Being Just a Microcontroller
イチケン / ICHIKEN
The Arduino UNO Q has arrived, and Ichiken sees it as a preview of what the next generation of Arduino could look like. Arduino boards have always been microcontrollers, but the UNO Q adds a Qualcomm SoC that runs Linux. In this review, Ichiken looks at how the board differs from earlier UNOs, what the hardware contains, and how it performs in three modes: as a traditional microcontroller board connected to a PC, through the new Arduino App Lab, and as a standalone single-board computer.
A Familiar Form Factor, Much Denser Inside
Next to the UNO R3 and R4 Minima, the UNO Q looks different right away. The components are placed very differently and the ICs are packed much more densely. Ichiken says the layout is closer to the R4 WiFi than to the other earlier models. The basic form factor is still the same as previous UNO boards.
A Qualcomm SoC Running Linux
The chip in the center is a Qualcomm QRB2210 SoC. Ichiken calls this the surprising part. Arduino has been a microcontroller platform until now, and the UNO Q runs Linux and behaves like a single-board computer. The SoC has a quad-core Cortex-A53 at 2 GHz and a built-in GPU, which Ichiken rates as fairly capable.
The board has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of eMMC storage on the back. Ichiken says this should be much faster than a Raspberry Pi–style setup that loads its OS and data from an SD card, and plans to test that later.
The Microcontroller Is Still There, and Much Faster
Ichiken wondered whether turning the board into a single-board computer meant losing the microcontroller. It did not. The back of the board carries an STMicroelectronics STM32U585 with an Arm Cortex-M33 at 160 MHz, 2 MB of flash, and 786 KB of SRAM. It runs the Zephyr real-time OS.
The R4 Minima's Renesas microcontroller runs at 48 MHz with 256 KB of flash and 32 KB of SRAM, so the specs have improved a lot. Ichiken cautions that the UNO Q runs an RTOS, which makes a direct comparison difficult, but estimates it could be several times faster.
The two processors also work together. You can write programs on the single-board computer side and flash them to the microcontroller, so development can happen entirely on one board.
Extra Headers, Matrix LEDs, and Wireless
The standard UNO headers expose only a fixed number of pins, and Ichiken considers that a waste given how many pins the microcontroller and SoC have. To address this, the underside has two additional connectors. They link to the microcontroller and SoC pins and are designed for uses such as analog signal input and output.
Like the R4 WiFi, the UNO Q has a matrix LED display and a wireless module. It supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth 5.1.
Certification Status and Price
Ichiken bought this unit from DigiKey. Neither the box nor the board carried the Japanese technical conformity mark (giteki), though the FCC mark was present. Ichiken therefore ran the board under Japan's special exception system for experimental use of uncertified devices.
Ichiken had a similar experience with the Raspberry Pi 5. A unit bought from DigiKey at launch had no certification mark, and one bought about a year later had the mark printed on the board. Ichiken suspects the UNO Q may get certified eventually and plans to buy another one in six months to a year.
The board cost about 7,000 yen at DigiKey. Ichiken places it in the price range of low-cost single-board computers and describes it as a little cheaper than a Raspberry Pi 4.
Mode One: A Classic Microcontroller Board
The first test used the board the traditional way: connected to a PC over USB and programmed from the Arduino IDE. Ichiken wrote an LED-blink ("L-chika") sketch, and it ran as expected. With the Arduino IDE you can keep using the C-based Arduino language, just as before.
Because the board has a wireless module, it can also be programmed over Wi-Fi without a USB cable. Ichiken tried this, and the blink program uploaded and ran over Wi-Fi. Ichiken thinks wireless programming is quite convenient.
Mode Two: Arduino App Lab and the Weather Forecast Example
Arduino App Lab is a new development environment made for the UNO Q. It lets you combine the SoC and the microcontroller in one project, and it includes a range of examples. Ichiken tried the Weather Forecast example.
According to its readme, the SoC connects to the internet and fetches weather forecast data. It processes that data, and the microcontroller shows the weather on the matrix LEDs. Each project has a Python part and a sketch part. Code for the SoC is written in Python, and code for the microcontroller is written in the Arduino language. Ichiken sees this link between the two processors as the source of the board's wide range of uses.
Running the example took longer than Ichiken expected. After about 30 seconds it was still starting, and Ichiken notes it usually takes about a minute. Once running, it displayed what looked like a cloudy icon on the matrix LEDs. The Arduino sketch showed the forecast was for Turin. Ichiken suggests viewers browse the other examples to see how much the board can do.
Mode Three: Standalone Single-Board Computer
Next, Ichiken used the UNO Q without a PC. An external display, mouse, and keyboard were connected through a USB hub. The home screen has App Lab at the bottom, and opening it lets you develop much as you would on a personal computer.
Ichiken found the desktop sluggish. Browsing felt slow, and Ichiken attributes this to limited processing speed rather than a slow internet connection. In Ichiken's view, the board isn't really meant for web browsing, so this is acceptable. The tested unit has 2 GB of RAM. A 4 GB model is also planned, and Ichiken expects standalone use to be somewhat more comfortable on it.
Standalone App Lab works the same way as on a PC. You can use only the SoC, only the microcontroller, or both together.
Real-Time Object Recognition With a USB Camera
For a standalone demo, Ichiken connected a USB webcam to the hub and ran an object-recognition example in App Lab. The images in the readme did not display, and Ichiken wasn't sure why. The code was all Python, so this example appeared to use only the SoC.
With a mouse and scissors in front of the camera, the model correctly labeled both. A hand was labeled "person," which Ichiken interprets as recognizing a human hand. Ichiken finds it impressive that this image-recognition AI runs in real time on the UNO Q board. Ichiken also points to what sets the board apart from a Raspberry Pi: while the SoC handles tasks like this, the onboard microcontroller can control other devices at the same time.
Conclusion: A Different Direction for Arduino
Ichiken sums up the UNO Q as flexible. It can be used as a microcontroller board connected to a PC, or as a self-contained development system in standalone mode. The combination of a microcontroller and an SoC widens what an Arduino can do. Ichiken acknowledges this is a different direction from what Arduino has been so far, but thinks it is a good one.
This video is brought to you courtesy of DigiKey. Hello. It's finally here. Arduino UNO Q is now available. From Ichiken's viewpoint, this Arduino UNO Q is the next generation of Arduino. Today, we'll actually use it and see what the concept of the product is and how it differs from previous Arduinos. But first, let me introduce today's sponsor, DigiKey. Go ahead.
For those who have purchased electronic components from DigiKey, or who might buy electronic components from now on, here's some must-see information. DigiKey is back this year with a little early grab bag campaign! We are giving away a DigiKey grab bag to all applicants, containing assorted goods not usually available for purchase. You'll have to wait to see what's inside when you receive it. If you're lucky, you'll win a premium edition novelty! If you've ever bought parts from DigiKey, we encourage you to apply!
Also, thank you for participating in the Eleki Expo in August of this year. A campaign is underway to give an Ichiken acrylic stand to everyone who participated and has purchased parts from DigiKey. If this applies to you, you may have received an email from DigiKey on November 7. Please check it out! Start with the link in the description. We look forward to hearing from you!
Let's take a quick look at the appearance of the Arduino UNO Q. Compared to previous generations of Arduino UNO R3 and R4 Minima, the placement and density of the components on the board are very different. ICs are mounted at a very high density. I feel like it's rather close to the previous R4 WiFi model. But the basic form factor is the same as before.
Taking a closer look at the components of UNO Q, there's a Qualcomm QRB2210 SoC in the center. What a surprise! Arduino has basically been a microcontroller until now. With UNO Q, it now looks like a single-board computer. Linux runs on it. In terms of SoC specs, it has four Cortex-A53 cores at 2 GHz and a built-in GPU. I think it's pretty good.
Because it's now a single-board computer, you might wonder whether the microcontroller functionality has been lost. I don't think so. On the back side, there's a microcontroller mounted in this area: the STM32U585 from STMicroelectronics. This has an Arm Cortex-M33, with an operating frequency of 160 MHz, 2 MB of flash memory, and 786 KB of SRAM. Incidentally, it's running the Zephyr real-time OS.
The microcontroller in the R4 Minima is made by Renesas, with an operating frequency of 48 MHz, 256 KB of flash memory, and 32 KB of SRAM. Given that, the specs are much improved. UNO Q runs a real-time OS, so I can't make a simple comparison, but it looks like it could be several times faster.
The memory is also mounted separately: 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of eMMC on the back side. It's much faster than loading an OS and data from an SD card, like on a Raspberry Pi. I'll try it later, but you can also write programs on the single-board computer and upload them to the microcontroller. In other words, development can be completed with a single unit.
On the reverse side, there are two separate sockets in this section. These connect to microcontroller and SoC pins and are designed to be used for analog signal input and output. As you would expect, since a microcontroller and SoC with so many pins are used, it would be a waste to use only the standard number of pins in the Arduino UNO series.
There's also an LED matrix, like on the R4 WiFi. And it has a wireless module. You can use 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth 5.1.
I purchased this UNO Q from our sponsor, DigiKey. There was no Japanese technical certification mark on the box or the board. There is an FCC mark. In this case, I'll try running it using the special exception system for experiments with devices that have not yet acquired technical certification.
Incidentally, I've had a similar situation before. When I bought my Raspberry Pi 5 from DigiKey, no technical certification mark was attached to the product when it was first released. I bought it again about a year later, and the technical certification mark was printed on the board. Arduino UNO Q may also acquire technical certification one of these days. I'll try buying it again in another six months or a year.
As for the price, it was about 7,000 yen at DigiKey. I think that's the price of a low-cost single-board computer. My impression is that it's a little cheaper than a Raspberry Pi 4.
Now we'll actually use UNO Q. There are many ways to use it. You can connect it to a computer and program the microcontroller as before. Since this is itself a single-board computer, you can write programs on it and run the microcontroller. You can also combine the SoC and microcontroller to make it behave in a hybrid manner.
First, let's connect it to a computer with a USB cable and program it as before. Let's actually upload an LED blink program! Watch this area. The LED is blinking properly like this.
UNO Q is equipped with a wireless module, so you can also upload programs via Wi-Fi without connecting a USB cable. When I actually upload it, the LED blinks like this. The program was uploaded via Wi-Fi. I think being able to upload wirelessly without a USB cable connection is pretty convenient. What do you all think?
If you use the Arduino IDE, the C-based Arduino language is available as before. This is the same as in the past.
Next, while still connected to the computer, we'll use Arduino App Lab instead of the Arduino IDE. This is a new development environment for Arduino UNO Q. It allows you to combine the SoC with the microcontroller, so you can do even more things!
There are various examples in the Examples section here. I'll give one a try. For example, let's try this Weather Forecast. The README section explains how it works. The single-board computer part, using Qualcomm's SoC, connects to the internet and retrieves weather forecast data. It processes that information in various ways, then uses the microcontroller to display the weather on the LED matrix. As you can see here, since the microcontroller and SoC are connected, you can do quite a wide range of things by linking them together.
Here in the files, there are sections called Python and Sketch. If you want the SoC to do something, write it in Python. If you want the microcontroller to do something, use the Arduino language here. That's how it works. Now let's see it in action.
It takes longer than you think. About 30 seconds have passed. It usually takes about a minute for something like this. It's working properly. Is this a cloudy symbol? It's displaying properly on the LED matrix. If you look at the Arduino sketch, apparently it shows the weather in Turin.
There are many examples besides the one I just ran. I think you should take a look at what you can do. It looks like it could do quite a wide range of things.
Next, let's try standalone mode, using this board alone without connecting it to a computer. The idea is to use it as a single-board computer. I just need a display and so on. Connect a USB hub like this, and use an external display, mouse, and keyboard. There's App Lab at the bottom of this home screen. When you open it, you can develop in the same way as on a personal computer.
The operation is a little sluggish. I wouldn't say it's running extremely smoothly. When I use the browser like this, it's still slow. This seems to be more than slow internet speeds; it's simply slow, as though the processing speed isn't fast enough. It's not something you'd use for a lot of web browsing, so this is acceptable. The model I'm using this time has 2 GB of RAM. There will also be a 4 GB model. With that one, standalone operation will probably be somewhat more comfortable.
Back to App Lab. The basic usage is no different from what I just did on the computer. You can use only the SoC, or only the microcontroller. You can also combine both and use them in a hybrid way.
As an actual demonstration, I'll try some object recognition using this camera. I'm connecting the camera to a USB hub. This is the standalone version of App Lab. I'm not sure why the images in the README aren't showing up. I'm not sure why this is. If you look at the code here, it's only Python, so apparently this example uses only the SoC. Let's run it.
The image is showing. Using this webcam, I'm showing the mouse and scissors I have on hand right now. Like this, the object recognition is correct: scissors and a mouse. When I show my hand, it says "person." Maybe it means human hands. This image recognition AI is running on the UNO Q board. That's pretty amazing, isn't it?
And unlike a Raspberry Pi and the like, it also has a microcontroller running in real time. While running the SoC, you can simultaneously have the microcontroller control other devices.
So I've briefly tried out the Arduino UNO Q. You can connect it to a computer and use it as a microcontroller board as before, or develop on a single unit in standalone mode. That's also quite good! UNO Q now takes the form of a microcontroller plus an SoC, which expands the range of what we can do. That's the main advantage. Although it's a different direction from Arduino up to now, I think this is pretty good.
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