NUCLEO-N657X0-Q

ST NUCLEO-N657X0-Q Stm32 Development Board

STM32 STM32N657X0H3Q Arm Cortex-M55 800 MHz Neural-ART Accelerator H264 Encoder Neo-Chrom 2.5D GPU 512-Mbit Octo-SPI Flash 4.2 Mbytes CSRAM STLINK-V3EC Debugger Programmer Ethernet Camera MIPI20

     The NUCLEO-N657X0-Q is the original Nucleo-144 development board made by STMicroelectronics for the STM32N6 series (board reference MB1940). Its STM32N657X0H3Q microcontroller combines an Arm Cortex-M55 core running at up to 800MHz, the ST Neural-ART Accelerator neural processing unit (NPU), an H.264 video encoder, the NeoChrom 2.5D graphics processor (GPU) and 4.2MB of contiguous SRAM in a VFBGA264 package. This makes it possible to run AI models such as object recognition on camera images or sound and vibration classification on a microcontroller at low power.

     The STM32N657 has no internal program flash; the 512Mbit Octo-SPI flash memory on the board stores the program and model data, and the program runs from this flash at start-up. The board has an FPC connector for a camera module, an RJ45 Ethernet port, a MIPI20 debug connector with trace signals and two USB Type-C connectors: one for the on-board STLINK-V3EC programmer / debugger and the other for the microcontroller's own USB.

     Thanks to the on-board STLINK-V3EC, no separate programmer is needed; the same USB connection also provides a virtual COM port and a mass storage drive for drag-and-drop loading. The ARDUINO Uno V3 compatible ST Zio connector and the ST morpho pin headers give access to the input / output pins of the microcontroller. The board is supported by the STM32CubeN6 software package, STM32CubeIDE, IAR Embedded Workbench and MDK-ARM.

Key features:

     Microcontroller with AI accelerator: The STM32N657X0H3Q carries the ST Neural-ART Accelerator (NPU) next to its Cortex-M55 core; neural network inference runs in hardware without keeping the core busy.

     Image and video hardware: With the camera module FPC connector, DCMIPP camera interface, H.264 video encoder, JPEG codec and NeoChrom 2.5D GPU, camera images are captured, processed and compressed.

     Large memory: 4.2MB of contiguous SRAM in the microcontroller and 512Mbit Octo-SPI flash memory on the board give room for image buffers and model weights.

     On-board STLINK-V3EC: Programming, debugging, virtual COM port and mass storage loading over USB Type-C; no separate programmer is needed.

     Ethernet and expansion: RJ45 Ethernet (IEEE 802.3-2002), ARDUINO Uno V3 compatible ST Zio connector, ST morpho pin headers and MIPI20 trace connector.

Features:

• Product type: Original STMicroelectronics STM32 Nucleo-144 development board (MB1940)
• Microcontroller: STM32N657X0H3Q, VFBGA264 package
• Core: Arm Cortex-M55, up to 800MHz
• AI accelerator: ST Neural-ART Accelerator (NPU)
• Graphics and video: NeoChrom 2.5D GPU, Chrom-ART Accelerator (DMA2D), JPEG codec, H.264 video encoder
• Internal memory: 4.2MB contiguous SRAM; no internal program flash
• On-board flash: 512Mbit Octo-SPI flash memory
• Debugger / programmer: On-board STLINK-V3EC; mass storage, virtual COM port and debug port
• Ethernet: IEEE 802.3-2002 compliant, RJ45 connector
• USB: 2 USB Type-C connectors (STLINK and user USB, USB 2.0 high speed)
• Camera: Camera module FPC connector, DCMIPP camera interface
• Debug connectors: MIPI20 compatible connector with trace signals, SWD
• Expansion connectors: ARDUINO Uno V3 compatible ST Zio connector, ST morpho pin headers
• Microcontroller interfaces: 6 x SPI, 4 x I2C, 2 x I3C, 5 x USART, 5 x UART, 1 x LPUART, 4 x I2S, 2 x SAI, 3 x FDCAN, 2 x USB OTG HS, 2 x SDMMC, 2 x 12 bit ADC
• Security: True random number generator, 2 AES coprocessors (one DPA resistant), public key accelerator (PKA), hardware Hash accelerator
• User interface: 3 user LEDs (red, green, blue), blue USER button, black RESET button
• Clock: 32.768kHz crystal oscillator
• Power supply: 5V; from STLINK USB, user USB Type-C or VIN input, selected by jumper
• Boot selection: BOOT0 (JP1) and BOOT1 (JP2) jumpers
• Software support: STM32CubeN6 package, STM32CubeIDE, IAR Embedded Workbench, MDK-ARM, STM32CubeProgrammer
• Board color: White
• Dimensions: 133.35mm x 70.00mm
• Weight: approximately 112gr (including box)

Usage information:

• Connect the board to the computer through the STLINK USB Type-C connector on the top edge; with the power selection jumper in the "5V_STLK" (1-2) position the board is powered from this connection. On the computer the board appears as a virtual COM port and a mass storage drive.
• The STM32N657 has no internal program flash. For programming and debugging, BOOT0 = 0 (JP1 position 1) and BOOT1 = 1 (JP2 position 2) are used; after the program is written to flash, set BOOT1 = 0 (JP2 position 1) and power-cycle the board so that the program runs from flash.
• The image written to flash must be signed; use a current STM32CubeProgrammer version (2.18.0 or later) and the signing tool. Details are in ST's UM3417 board user manual.
• Plug shields and modules into the Zio (ARDUINO Uno V3) connector or the morpho pin headers; insert the camera module into the FPC connector after opening its latch.

Application areas:

•  Object recognition on camera images
•  Face and person detection
•  Predictive maintenance from vibration and current data
•  Voice command and sound event detection
•  Smart camera and security camera prototypes (H.264 recording)
•  Image processing for product and quality inspection
•  User interfaces with graphic displays (GPU)
•  Ethernet-connected edge AI devices
•  Software and model development with Cortex-M55 and NPU
•  STM32N6 development in university and R&D laboratories
   

Precautions:

•  No USB cable is included in the package.
•  The STM32N657 has no internal flash; the program runs from the external flash on the board. With the BOOT jumpers in the wrong position the board does not run the program or cannot be programmed; check the jumper positions.
•  The microcontroller pins are 3.3V logic; before plugging in a 5V logic shield or module, check the 5V tolerance of the pins in UM3417 and the microcontroller datasheet.
•  The board is a bare printed circuit board; do not operate it on a metal surface and make sure the solder joints on the bottom side are not short-circuited.
•  Set the power selection jumper (5V_STLK, 5V_USB_SNK, 5V_VIN) according to the source that powers the board; in the wrong position the board does not start.

Package contents:

•  1 Piece NUCLEO-N657X0-Q
•  Note: USB Type-C cable and camera module are not included in the package.