And a TPU! Together with it's CSI this board is perfect for running image related neural networks like face detection.
> It has 2 RISC-V cores
These are separated though, with the default firmware the big core runs linux and the small core runs rtos.
They implemented a protocol called mailman to interact between the big (linux) core and the small (arduino/rtos) core.
The 8501 also implements mailman and this core can be used to wake up the others.
The usb-c connection is used for rndis so you can plug it in and immediately access it's internal network. But the usb-c connection can also be used to flash Arduino code (replacing RTOS).
Additionally the board supports 5 serial consoles via UART.
I now own a couple of these boards and the possibilities of what I can do with them seem endless. I also have the Duo S which includes an additional CSI lane, an ethernet port and a usb port (as well as color coded gpio pins).
It cannot utilize the arm and big risc-v core simultaneously. You can choose which one to use by jumping a gpio pin (or with a physical switch on the Duo S).
The big core typically runs Linux, while the smaller core typically runs RTOS (or arduino).
And using a protocol (mailman) they can communicate.
The 8501 also uses mailman and can be used to wake up the rest of the system.
With the low price it could be interesting as a platform in an educational setting perhaps.