Arduino UNO Q: The UNO family's leap into AI and Linux

The new plate Arduino UNO Q inaugurates a new era in the UNO range by combining, on the same device, a microprocessor capable of running Debian Linux and a microcontroller oriented to deterministic tasks. This approach of "double brain" brings students, makers, and professionals a more versatile platform for connected projects, robotics, vision, and automation.

The launch comes as part of the collaboration with Qualcomm, and represents the arrival of a much more ambitious UNO without sacrificing Arduino's open DNA. The idea is to offer computing power and real-time control in a family format, with tools that facilitate development from the first prototype to the product phase.

What is Arduino UNO Q and who is it for?

UNO Q is a compact SBC that integrates a microprocessor compatible with Linux Debian along with a microcontroller for real-time control. This combination allows for running high-level applications (e.g., graphical interfaces, connectivity services, or AI logic) and, at the same time, maintain time-critical loops for sensors, actuators or industrial protocols.

Because of its approach, it fits into education, rapid prototyping, IoT and professional environments where a balance between ease of use and advanced capabilities is needed. The Arduino community, with more than 30 million users, thus finding a general-purpose board that serves both in the classroom and on the production floor.

The design respects the classic UNO format and adds high-speed connectors, making it easy to reuse accessories and leverage existing shields without losing modern expansion options. For many developers, it is a convenient way to jump to Linux and AI at the edge without starting from scratch.

Dual-brain architecture

The "Linux brain" is provided by the Qualcomm Dragonwing QRB2210, an MPU ready to run a full Debian environment and accelerate modern workloads, including artificial intelligence applicationsThe graphics solution and core set provide scope for interfaces and local processing without constant reliance on the cloud.

As a counterpart, the microcontroller STM32U585 It handles real-time, low-power tasks. This MCU allows peripherals to be managed with predictable latencies and supports RTOS as zephyr, coordinating with the Linux processor to keep the application's "hard" and "soft" domains separate.

Communication between both worlds is designed so that the developer synchronize user logic and critical processes with a simple flow. This allows vision, audio, or motor control pipelines to be orchestrated, leaving deterministic loops in the MCU and intensive or full-stack tasks in the MPU.

Whoever needs it can work with Linux services and libraries, containers, and familiar desktop tools, while keeping the microcontroller dedicated to real-time work. This separation of responsibilities simplifies integration and reduces the complexity of many projects.

Connectivity and interfaces

The plate arrives with Wi‑Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.1, in addition to a port USB‑C for data and power. Storage includes eMMC of 16 GB or 32 GB and memory options 2GB or 4GB LPDDR4, a clear leap from what is usual in educational plaques.

In the expansion section, UNO Q maintains the classic UNO format headers and adds high-speed connectors. At the bus level, it offers interfaces such as I2C/I3C, SPI, PWM, CAN, UART, GPIO and ADC, making it easy to integrate additional sensors, actuators and communication modules.

For multimedia projects, there is support for cameras and audio, with support for USB and MIPI CSI cameras depending on the use case. Output to displays and peripherals can be managed via USB-C, so the board can also operate autonomously connecting monitor, keyboard and mouse.

All of this comes in the classic UNO size (approx. 68,85 × 53,34 mm), maintaining the philosophy of a small, versatile board ready to grow with each project.

Software, AI, and the new App Lab

In addition to the traditional IDE, Arduino releases AppLab, a unified environment that allows merge streams real-time workspaces, Linux, Python, and AI. The goal is to make development more straightforward, with fewer tool hops and a smooth learning curve for those coming from the maker world.

The board is designed for projects of vision and sound inference on the edge, with integration with platforms such as Edge Impulse to detect people, classify images or recognize keywords. This opens doors in domótica, predictive maintenance or perimeter security without relying on external servers.

True to its philosophy, Arduino maintains an open approach: hardware schematics and designs are published under the CC BY‑SA 4.0 license and the software (including App Lab) under GPLv3 and MPL. For the community, This implies transparency, reuse and the possibility of auditing and adapting each piece..

Those who already work with Arduino will find compatibility with familiar tools and the option to scale prototypes to product with a modern stack. The goal is to accelerate the design cycle without losing control over each system component.

Availability and roadmap

UNO Q will be launched in two configurations Main: 2GB RAM with 16GB eMMC and 4GB RAM with 32GB eMMC. Marketing is scheduled for October, with a distribution plan that includes the official store and the usual channels for Arduino products.

From the organization It is emphasized that the brand, tools and open spirit will remain intactThe agreement with Qualcomm seeks to expand its reach and provide resources for the ecosystem to grow without closing doors to other microcontroller or processor manufacturers.

ONE Q arrives as first step of a roadmap which points to more software tools and new boards geared toward AI and edge computingThe community will have extensive support, documentation, and ways to bring their developments to professional environments.

With this plate, Arduino combines a mature dual architecture with modern connectivity, familiar form factor, and open tools, a set that simplifies the transition from idea to prototype and from prototype to deployment, both in the classroom and in industry.