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Kyle Drake edited this page Oct 3, 2025 · 1 revision

Hardware Requirements

This document outlines the full hardware stack required for deploying the Arch-based in-car platform on the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano 8GB. Components are grouped by functional subsystem. Alternative hardware is listed where applicable to support incremental or experimental builds.

Hardware Requirements (Table)

Subsystem Component Notes / Options
Core Compute NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano 8GB Dev Kit Primary compute (GPU + CPU + Tensor cores)
NVMe SSD (≥256 GB, PCIe Gen3 x4) OS, SDR captures, AI model weights
Cooling solution (fan/heatsink) Stock OK; upgrade for sustained DSP/AI
12V→5V DC-DC Converter (≥5A) Automotive-grade buck converter
Projection Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W (USB gadget) Emulates Android Auto device for head unit projection
USB-C OTG Cable + Adapters Head unit ↔ Pi Zero ↔ Jetson
RF (SDR) USRP B200/B210 Wideband SDR, 70 MHz–6 GHz
HackRF One (optional) Budget SDR, 1–6 GHz
RTL-SDR v3 (optional) Low-cost narrowband or IF capture
X-Band (10.525 GHz) Patch/horn antenna Front-end RF capture
LNA (10 GHz) ≥20 dB gain, low noise figure
Bandpass Filter (~10.525 GHz) Suppresses out-of-band noise
Downconverter (10.5 GHz → IF) Converts to SDR-friendly range
K-Band (24.125 GHz) RFbeam K-LC7 / K-MC4 module Provides IF output directly
Ka-Band (33–36 GHz) Ka-band horn antenna Directional RF capture
mmWave LNA (33–36 GHz) Low-noise gain stage
Bandpass Filter (Ka-band) Suppresses adjacent signals
Downconverter (Ka→IF ~100 MHz) Required for SDR
Optical (Laser) 905 nm PIN photodiodes (x3) Front + side coverage
Narrowband 905 nm filters Rejects sunlight/IR noise
Fast TIA (transimpedance amplifier) MHz-class response
USB ADC (≥1 MS/s) Or high-speed sound card
Telemetry OBDLink MX+ Bluetooth/serial OBD-II interface
USB2CAN Adapter (optional) Raw CAN bus access
9-DOF IMU module Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer
Cameras UVC-compliant USB webcams 1080p, low-light capable
CSI cameras (optional) Jetson supports up to 6 via MIPI
GPS & Net iPhone Hotspot (Wi-Fi + GPS feed) Provides LTE + NMEA GPS stream
u-blox USB GNSS (optional) Backup GPS source
LTE/5G USB modem (optional) Independent connectivity
Misc SMA RF cables/adapters For SDR and front-ends
Bias tees / LNA power supplies RF subsystem power
Mounting hardware / 3D-printed case Secure Jetson + Pi Zero in car
Automotive EMI filters Noise suppression & surge protection

1. Core Compute

  • NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano 8GB Developer Kit
    • 1024 CUDA cores, 32 Tensor cores, 8 GB LPDDR5 RAM.
    • Selected for balance of GPU acceleration (DSP + ML), compact footprint, and automotive power envelope.
  • NVMe SSD (≥256 GB)
    • Required for Arch root filesystem, SDR capture storage, AI model weights.
    • PCIe Gen3 x4 recommended for sustained I/O bandwidth.
  • Cooling Solution
    • Stock fan + heatsink acceptable for baseline.
    • For SDR-heavy or AI workloads: consider a low-profile copper heatsink or car-integrated fan duct.
  • Power Supply
    • Car 12V to 5V regulated DC-DC converter (≥5A).
    • Ensure automotive-grade buck converter with transient suppression.

2. Projection & Interface

  • USB Gadget Bridge
    • Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W or Pi 4 configured in USB OTG/gadget mode.
    • Required to emulate an Android Auto device and project the Jetson’s custom UI to the head unit.
  • Cables/Adapters
    • USB-C OTG cable (head unit ↔ gadget board).
    • USB Ethernet/Wi-Fi link (gadget board ↔ Jetson).

3. RF Subsystem (Radar Detection)

SDR Hardware

  • Primary SDR: Ettus USRP B200/B210 (70 MHz–6 GHz).
  • Alternative: HackRF One (1 MHz–6 GHz, half-duplex, less dynamic range).
  • Low-cost add-ons: RTL-SDR v3 for narrowband telemetry or IF capture.

Band-specific Front-Ends

  • X-band (10.525 GHz):
    • Patch/horn antenna.
    • LNA (≥20 dB gain, low NF at 10 GHz).
    • Bandpass filter (centered ~10.525 GHz).
    • Downconverter (10 GHz → 100 MHz IF).
  • K-band (24.125 GHz):
    • RFbeam K-LC7 or K-MC4 radar module with IF output.
  • Ka-band (33–36 GHz):
    • Ka-band horn antenna.
    • mmWave LNA (30–40 GHz).
    • Bandpass filter (Ka-band).
    • Downconverter (LO tuned 32–35 GHz → IF ~100 MHz).

4. Optical Subsystem (Laser/LIDAR)

  • Photodiodes: 905 nm PIN photodiodes (x3 for front + side coverage).
  • Optical filters: Narrowband 905 nm bandpass filters to suppress sunlight.
  • Amplifier: MHz-class transimpedance amplifier (low noise, fast rise time).
  • Digitization: USB-connected ADC (≥1 MS/s) or high-speed sound card.

5. Telemetry & Vehicle Data

  • OBD-II Interface: OBDLink MX+ (Bluetooth LE preferred for Arch).
  • CAN Bus Adapter: USB2CAN (optional, for raw CAN sniffing).
  • IMU Module: 9-DOF accelerometer/gyroscope/magnetometer for dead reckoning.

6. Cameras & Vision

  • USB Cameras: 1080p UVC-compliant webcams (low-light capable).
  • CSI Cameras (optional): Up to 6 supported natively by Jetson MIPI-CSI lanes.
  • Encoder: Jetson NVENC/NVDEC hardware used for low-latency H.264/H.265 streaming.

7. GPS & Connectivity

  • iPhone Hotspot (GPS feed + LTE)
    • Jetson connects via Wi-Fi to iPhone hotspot.
    • NMEA GPS data extracted from iOS location sharing stream.
    • Also provides backhaul for internet connectivity.
  • Alternative GPS Module: u-blox USB GNSS dongle if independent positioning required.
  • LTE/5G Modem (optional): Quectel or Huawei USB modem with ModemManager integration.

8. Miscellaneous

  • RF Accessories: SMA cables, adapters, bias tees, antenna mounts.
  • Mounting Hardware: 3D-printed Jetson + Pi Zero enclosure, dashboard mounts.
  • Automotive Power Conditioning: EMI filters, surge protection.

Minimal Viable Setup

For initial proof-of-concept:

  1. Jetson Orin Nano 8GB + NVMe SSD.
  2. Pi Zero 2 W as USB gadget.
  3. RFbeam K-LC7 module + RTL-SDR v3.
  4. OBDLink MX+.
  5. iPhone hotspot for GPS + internet.
  6. USB webcam for basic vision.

Scalable Configuration

For full-spectrum research-grade platform:

  1. Jetson Orin Nano 8GB + NVMe SSD (512 GB+).
  2. Pi Zero 2 W (gadget) + Gigabit link to Jetson.
  3. USRP B200/B210 SDR + band-specific LNAs/downconverters.
  4. Ka-band mmWave front-end.
  5. Multi-camera CSI array.
  6. OBDLink MX+ + USB2CAN.
  7. Optical 905 nm laser detector array.
  8. u-blox GNSS module (backup to iPhone hotspot GPS).
  9. LTE/5G USB modem.

Next: Install Guide

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