At the heart of the ANAVI Dev Mic is a Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller, seamlessly integrated into a Seeed Studio XIAO module.

Raspberry Pi, known for their single-board computers, took a bold step in 2021 by introducing their first microcontroller, the RP2040. Designed for embedded systems and IoT applications, the RP2040 offers: a dual-core, 32-bit, ARM Cortex-M0+ processor running at 133 MHz, plenty of GPIO pins, flexible peripherals, and support for various communication protocols. It supports multiple programming languages, including Assembly, Rust, C, C++, MicroPython, and CircuitPython. Its ability to run TensorFlow Lite showcases its impressive computing power. The combination of performance and affordability makes it a go-to choice for many projects.

Seeed XIAO is a family of compact and user-friendly development boards that are available with various microcontrollers, including the Raspberry Pi RP2040 used in the ANAVI Dev Mic. The uniform size of all XIAO modules opens up endless possibilities for our open-source projects. The XIAO RP2040 is FCC and RoHS-compliant, and features castellated holes for easy surface-mounting and a USB-C connector that offers faster data transfer, better power delivery, and a reversible design. Intentionally, we’ve retained access to the battery pads on the XIAO RP2040 module. By attaching a battery, you can transform your ANAVI Dev Mic into a stand-alone device for your specific use cases.

A few weeks ago, Raspberry Pi launched their new microcontroller, the RP2350, which boasts even more impressive hardware capabilities than the RP2040. Seeed Studio has already released a drop-in replacement version of the XIAO module featuring the RP2350. I’m considering using this new module in future projects like new mechanical keyboards or even the ANAVI Dev Mic 2, depending on feedback from you, the community. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can improve the ANAVI Dev Mic and what additional hardware features you’d like to see in a eventual future new version built around the RP2350. Please reach out and share your ideas.

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