Electronics News
Archive : 11 September 2026 год
Erqos has introduced hardware-verified agentic programming for its EQSP32 Connected MicroPLC. The new capability adds native Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) functionality, allowing an AI agent to generate, execute and validate industrial control programs directly on the physical controller.
Erqos EQSP32 – AI-generated control programs tested on real hardware
Key Features
- Real-silicon execution during automated verification
- Deterministic sensor-state and actuator-state injection
- Repeatable testing of safety interlocks
- Compressed testing for long-duration control sequences
- Persistent test artifacts for regression workflows
- Closed verification loop: AI generates → loads → tests → revises code on real hardware
- Works with a sub-$200 EQSP32 MicroPLC + USB + AI agent (no expensive test bench required)
The EQSP32 runs the actual control program on its own silicon while the AI agent injects simulated sensor conditions and observes the outputs through a serial connection. This creates an independent hardware check instead of relying solely on software simulation.
What It Enables
- Safe testing of pressure, temperature, level and switch inputs at precise values
- Observation of pumps, valves and alarms under controlled conditions
- Injection of fault scenarios (sensor failures, out-of-range values, threshold violations)
- Compressed evaluation of long operating sequences, delays and interlocks
In a documented reverse-osmosis water-treatment example, an AI agent generated the functional specification, control program, 31-case HIL test plan, test harness and final report in just 18 minutes of unattended operation — with all 31 tests passing on the real controller.
Target Applications
- AI-assisted industrial programming
- Machine control systems
- Water treatment and process automation
- Safety-critical control logic validation
Source: Electronics For You
Waveshare has released the ESP32-C5-Pico, a compact development board based on Espressif’s ESP32-C5 SoC in a Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible form factor. It brings dual-band 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5 LE, and IEEE 802.15.4 connectivity together with onboard lithium battery charging at a starting price of just $8.99.
Waveshare ESP32-C5-Pico – dual-band Wi-Fi 6 development board
Key Specifications
- SoC: Espressif ESP32-C5 (single-core 32-bit RISC-V, up to 240 MHz)
- Memory: 384 KB SRAM + 16 KB low-power SRAM + 320 KB ROM + 4 MB SPI Flash
- Wireless:
- Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz)
- Bluetooth 5 LE
- IEEE 802.15.4 (Zigbee 3.0 / Thread)
- GPIO: 20 multifunction GPIOs (Pico-compatible headers) + 7 additional I/O via TCA9554PWR expander
- Interfaces: UART, I2C, SPI, ADC, PWM
- Power: Onboard lithium battery charging circuit + 3.7 V battery connector
- Programming: USB Type-C, ESP-IDF and Arduino IDE support
Waveshare offers four variants: PCB antenna (Pico / Pico-M) or external FPC antenna (Pico-U / Pico-UM), with or without pre-soldered headers.
Why It Matters
Unlike traditional Pico-sized boards that are limited to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, the ESP32-C5-Pico adds 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6 while retaining Bluetooth LE and 802.15.4. This makes it ideal for smart-home, IoT sensors, controllers and gateways in environments where the 2.4 GHz band is congested.
Target Applications
- Smart home and building automation
- IoT sensors and gateways
- Zigbee / Thread devices
- Battery-powered wireless projects
- Prototyping multi-protocol connectivity
Source: Electronics For You