computer science

Intel Edison

Intel Edison is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Intel Edison rather than just read about it. In short: The Intel Edison is a computer-on-module that was offered by Intel as a development system for wearable devices and Internet of Things devices. The system was initially announced to be the same size and shape as an SD card and containing a dual-core Intel Quark x86 CPU at 400 MHz communicating via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Key takeaways

Intel Edison belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Intel Edison to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Intel Edison from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Intel Edison is a computer-on-module that was offered by Intel as a development system for wearable devices and Internet of Things devices. The system was initially announced to be the same size and shape as an SD card and containing a dual-core Intel Quark x86 CPU at 400 MHz communicating via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. A later announcement changed the CPU to a 500 MHz Silvermont dual-core Intel Atom CPU, and in September 2014 a second version of Edison was shown at IDF, which was bigger and thicker than a standard SD card. The board was discontinued on June 19, 2017.

First version Its launch was announced at CES in January 2014. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich showed a demo of a baby monitoring system (Nursery2.0) which was created using Intel Edison. He also announced that the Wolfram Language and Mathematica will be available on the Intel Edison and that the device will be able to run Linux.

Second version In March 2014, Intel announced changes in the Intel Edison project and the second version of the board was presented in September 2014. Its dimensions are 35.5 x 25 x 3.9 mm, with components on both sides. The board's main SoC is a 22 nm Intel Atom "Tangier" (Z34XX) that includes two Atom Silvermont cores running at 500 MHz and one Intel Quark core at 100 MHz (for executing RTOS ViperOS). The SoC has 1 GB RAM integrated on package. There is also 4 GB eMMC flash on board, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4 and USB controllers. The board has 70-pin dense connector (Hirose DF40) with USB, SD, UARTs, GPIOs. The price of the device is around 50 USD. It runs Yocto Linux with development support for Arduino IDE, Eclipse (C, C++, Python), and Intel XDK (NodeJS, HTML5).

Interface connector The connector on Intel Edison is a Hirose 70-pin DF40 Series “header” connector. (Hirose part number: DF40C-70DP-0.4V(51)). It exports many signals (USB, GPIOs, SPI, I²C, PWM, etc.). The mating Hirose connector on an expansion board is the “receptacle” connector and is available in three different heights (1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 3.0 mm).

Development boards

Arduino board

Intel Released an Arduino Uno compatible board (with only 4 PWM pins instead of 6) that accepts the Intel Edison module. Newer revisions have 6 PWM pins. Board I/O Features:

20 digital input/output pins, including 6 pins as PWM outputs 6 analog inputs 1 UART (Rx/Tx) 1 I²C 1 ICSP (In-system programming) 6-pin header (SPI) Micro USB device connector OR (via mechanical switch) dedicated standard size USB host Type-A connector Micro USB device (connected to UART) SD card connector DC power jack (7 to 15VDC input)

Intel breakout board

Intel released a breakout board that is twice the area of the Intel Edison module and is designed for prototyping with open-source hardware and software.

Exposes native 1.8 V I/O of the Edison module 0.1” grid I/O array of through-hole solder points USB OTG with USB Micro Type-AB connector USB OTG power switch Battery Charger USB to device UART bridge with USB Micro Type-B connector DC power supply jack (7 V – 15 V) DC input The table below lists the signals from the Edison Module that are routed to the four breakout connector (J17-J20). The figure below shows the location of each connector.

Modulowo board In October 2015, Modulowo published information about the development kit Modulowo Explore E for Intel Edison. Development Board allows for quick prototyping and design new solutions and adding sensors, controllers lights, motor drivers, GPS modules, communication modules and more.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Intel Edison

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Intel Edison claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Intel Edison before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Intel Edison ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Intel Edison

In research: Intel Edison appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Intel Edison in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Intel Edison is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Intel products, Internet of things, Single-board computers, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Intel Edison outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Intel Edison in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Intel Edison means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Intel Edison out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Intel Edison in simple terms?

Why does Intel Edison matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Intel Edison?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Intel Edison.