Helium

General

Helium is one of the smallest NVIDIA® Jetson™-based embedded systems on the market. Despite its compact size, it delivers impressive computing power and is designed for use in extreme environments. Thanks to its IP67 rating, it is waterproof, dustproof, and shock-resistant, ensuring reliable operation even under the harshest conditions.

  • NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano / NX with Super Mode: up to 157 TOPS of AI performance

  • Camera Interfaces: 4x GMSL2 with up to 20 GBit/s

  • Industrial-grade connectivity: 2x Gigabit Ethernet (M12), 1x USB-C 3.2 (10 GBit/s)

  • Rugged design: IP67 rated, waterproof, dustproof, shock-resistant

  • Customizable connectivity: WiFi, GPS, 4G or 5G

More information about Helium: https://www.pcb-arts.com/en/helium

Overview

On this page you will find all software related topics for operating the Helium correctly. For all hardware, installation, accessories or similar topics, please also take a look to the User Guide: https://static.pcb-arts.com/helium/Users_Guide_Helium.pdf

Boot characteristics

The Helium itself is in a always-on mode. When there was a power outage, it automatically restarts all the time to ensure maximum uptime.

When you perform a reboot, then the Helium will automatically reboot without turning the power to peripherals down. E.g. as a result, the configuration on the GMSL Deserialzier/Serializers will not change.

When you perform a shutdown, the system cuts off the power and after 250ms, it performs a fresh cold-boot.

Build in Functionalities

  • 4x Opto Isolated GPIOs: Opto Isolated IOs which can be used as Input or Output.

  • IMU ICM-42670-P: A 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer which can be read via I2C.

  • Crypto Chip ATSHA204A: A crypto security chip to encrypt your software, which is running on Helium.

  • External RTC: An external RTC for keeping the time without access to an NTP server.

  • GMSL2 MAX96724: A GMSL deserializer, which is connected with 8x MIPI CSI Lanes to its two ports. It is connected to CSI0,1,2,3 and has a dedicated I2C Channel (CAM_I2C).

Opto Isolated GPIOs

Within the M12 A-Coded connector, there are 4x opto isolated IOs which can be configured as output or as input, for the thresholds and electrical characteristics, please take a look to the User Guide mentioned above. Please be aware, that the same pin from the Helium has two different Software-Pins. You can read the inputs with the command gpioget 0 126 (For Opto-IO 0), you get the information from the command gpioinfo. To set a gpio and keep it high until the user presses ENTER use gpioset -m wait 0 134=1 (For Opto-IO 0)

Software Pin Users Guide Pin Description

PY.04

Opto-IO 0

Input 0

PY.01

Opto-IO 1

Input 1

PY.02

Opto-IO 2

Input 2

PY.00

Opto-IO 3

Input 3

PZ.04

Opto-IO 0

Output 0

PZ.07

Opto-IO 1

Output 1

PZ.03

Opto-IO 2

Output 2

PZ.05

Opto-IO 3

Output 3

IMU ICM-42670-P

There is a gyroscope and accelerometer type "ICM42670P" build into the Helium for detecting vibrations or forces, which the Helium is facing. It is connected to the I2C Bus 1 and has the address 0x69. If you need a example python script, please contact PCB Arts under support@pcb-arts.com.

Crypto Chip ATSHA204A

When you want to encrypt your software, you have the ATSHA204A crypto chip placed on I2C Bus 1 with the address 0xC8.

External RTC MCP7940NT

The RTC driver is automatically loaded by the BSP, so automatically it will count the time, even when the power is shut down and not having access to a NTP Server. If the time isn’t count, please ensure, that a RTC Battery is placed in the Helium. For questions how you place a RTC Battery into helium, please take a look to the User Guide.

GMSL2 MAX96724

There are multiple GPIOs how you can interact with the GMLS2 Deserializer:

  • MFP0 / GPIO0: Select 12V / 24V Serializer Operation

  • MFP1 / GPIO1: Check the Power Good status from Power over Coax (PoC)

  • MFP2 / GPIO2: Enabling/Disabling PoC

Select 12V / 24V Serializer Operation

Some GMSL Cameras need 24V, therefore in the Helium there is a switch option between 12V and 24V Power over Coax. Default state of this value is 12V, every time the Helium has a cold-boot the GMSL PoC will start with 12V. All the GMSL links will have the same voltage level, so it’s not possible to mix 12V/24V Operations.

Caution: this option can result in hardware-defects from your camera perspective, do not change this value to 24V without consulting your camera manufacturer.

Read the power level of the PoC: i2ctransfer -y 2 w2@0x27 0x03 0x00 r1

The PoC is 24V when the result is 0x89.
The PoC is 12V when the result is 0x81.

Set 12V operation: i2ctransfer -y 2 w3@0x27 0x03 0x00 0x88

Set 24V operation: i2ctransfer -y 2 w3@0x27 0x03 0x00 0x10

Check the Power Good status from Power over Coax (PoC)

Verify if the PoC status is good: i2ctransfer -y 2 w2@0x27 0x03 0x03 r1

The PoC status is good, when the result is 0x89.
The PoC status is not good, when the result is 0x81.

Enabling/Disabling PoC

With Helium it’s possible to enable or disable the Power over Coax to reset the cameras fully.

Verify if the PoC status with an I2C command. i2ctransfer -y 2 w2@0x27 0x03 0x06 r1

The PoC is enabled, when the result is 0x89 or 0x99.
The PoC is disabled, when the result is 0x88.

Enable PoC: i2ctransfer -y 2 w3@0x27 0x03 0x06 0x99

Disable PoC: i2ctransfer -y 2 w3@0x27 0x03 0x06 0x88