Getting access to Arduino hardware is easy these days, either through official channels or by picking up a compatible clone. This flexibility also enables the development of alternative platforms that don't focus exclusively on Arduino, but incorporate its support as another resource. That's the case with LattePanda, a mini x86 computer based on Intel's Atom Cherry Trail SoC, paired with an Atmega32u4 microcontroller, the same one found in the Arduino Leonardo and Micro.
All the documentation is available free of charge, there's a huge number of projects to create or use as a base, and it plays well with other platforms. The Arduino concept opens a wide range of possibilities, from standalone and autonomous elements to the hyper-connected solutions promised by the famous “Internet of Things”. The best part is that the emergence of new technologies like the Raspberry Pi has only stimulated the creation of additional developments. In other words, a compact computer, the vision of the Raspberry Pi, and the versatility of Arduino can coexist on a single PCB. That's what leads us to visit campaigns like the one completed by the people behind the LattePanda device.
Specifications and Arduino support
According to the official page and their old Kickstarter profile, the LattePanda is based on an Intel Atom Cherry Trail SoC with four cores at 1.84 GHz, which makes us think of an Atom x7 with a slight overclock (unfortunately, we can't confirm it). Both the available RAM and storage depend on the models, which are divided into 2-32 GB and 4-64 GB. In both cases, the hardware is more than sufficient to receive a full Windows 10 installation (and not the IoT edition), but what brought us here was the Arduino support.
The Arduino support is implemented from the popular Atmega32u4, the same controller used in the Arduino Leonardo, the Arduino Micro, and the version 2.0 of the Teensy. Both sides of the LattePanda are connected by a serial interface, so loading Arduino code to the Atmega from the Windows environment should be very easy.
Price and availability
The best way to buy the LattePanda was indeed through Kickstarter, due to the generous discounts offered in the campaign; however, those who don't look kindly on crowdfunding should know that the LattePanda can be bought today, at a price of $109 for the 2-32 GB edition, and $139 for the 4-64 GB (currently sold out). To that we must add other accessories, such as a sensor package, a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1024 by 600 pixels (the maximum supported by the LattePanda’s video), a touch panel, and several cases. Check out the offers on this page if you’re interested.
Official site: lattepanda.com
