Antmicro Unveils the RISC-V ARVSOM System-on-Module, Pin-Compatible with the Raspberry Pi CM4
Built around the same StarFive SoC as the BeagleV single-board computer, this RISC-V SOM is a drop-in replacement for a CM4.
Free and open source silicon pioneer Antmicro has announced the RISC-V ARVSOM, a system-on-module designed to be open from the ground up — and it's pin-compatible with the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 range.
"Since its conception, Antmicro has been enabling its customers to tap into the technological freedom that is inherent in open source," the company claims by way of introducing its latest creation. "We’ve been developing cutting-edge industrial and edge AI systems using vendor-neutral and customizable solutions as well as actively developing and contributing to the tooling ecosystem, improving processes and unlocking even more system design options — often in alignment with our efforts driving RISC-V International and CHIPS Alliance."
"Targeted at a range of different use cases and enabling unmatched flexibility, ARVSOM is the latest product and example of Antmicro’s expertise in creating practical and easily modifiable technologies using open source."
The ARVSOM open source system-on-module is built around the StarFive 71x0 system-on-chip, a proprietary implementation of the free and open source RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) - and the same SoC which powers the recently-announced BeagleV single-board computer. The chip includes a dual-core 64-bit SiFive U74 processor, an NVIDIA Deep Learning Accelerator (NVDLA), SiFive's in-house Neural Network Engine (NNE), one MIPI DSI and two MIPI CSI interfaces, HDMI, gigabit Ethernet, dual ISP, and USB 3.0. Later models of the part will also include PCI Express connectivity, missing from pre-production samples.
This chip is then installed on the ARVSOM system-on-module itself, a fully open source design which is pin-for-pin compatible with the Arm-based Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4. As a result, all Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 carrier boards — including Antmicro's server-focused Scalenode, which squeezes 18 boards into 1U of rack space — will accept the ARVSOM without modification.
Sadly, ARVSOM isn't available just yet. "Our SoM is in development," Antmicro explains, "and will be gradually unveiled throughout the year with the increasing StarFive 71x0 SoC availability."
More details are available on the Antmicro website.