Arduino has introduced a new computing platform, the Ventuno Q, a system that combines high-performance AI processing with the real-time control capabilities required for robotics and other interactive devices.
Arduino, an Italian open-source hardware platform known for its microcontroller development boards, was acquired by Qualcomm in late 2025 as part of its push into industrial IoT and robotics.
Qualcomm’s Dragonwing
Powering the new board is Qualcomm’s Dragonwing IQ8 series processor, paired with a dedicated STM32H5 microcontroller. The Dragonwing processor handles AI inference and general computing workloads, while the microcontroller manages deterministic actions such as motor control and other real-time operations.
The board delivers up to 40 trillion operations per second of AI processing through a neural processing unit integrated into the Dragonwing chip. It also includes 16 gigabytes of LPDDR5 memory and 64 gigabytes of onboard storage, with more expansion available through an NVMe slot.
This hardware combination is designed to support systems that perform tasks and analyze data in real time. The goal is to incorporate AI capabilities into physical devices to boost functionality.
“With Ventuno Q, AI can finally move from the cloud into the physical world,” said Fabio Violante, VP and general manager for Arduino. “This platform makes it possible to build machines that perceive, decide, and act, all on a single board.”
The Ventuno Q supports operating systems including Ubuntu and Debian Linux for high-level applications, while the microcontroller runs the Arduino software environment on the Zephyr OS.
Significantly, the design allows developers to manage both AI workloads and hardware control within the same platform.
Robots and Machine Vision
In practical terms, the board is geared for projects like autonomous robots, smart kiosks, machine-vision systems and interactive devices that do not need constant cloud connectivity. Developers, for example, could use it to build robotic arms that rely on visual guidance or voice-enabled assistants that run entirely offline.
The system also supports a range of AI frameworks and pre-trained models accessible through Arduino’s development environment. These models include gesture recognition, object tracking, pose detection and speech processing. Developers can also train custom models using integration with Edge Impulse, a platform widely used for machine learning on edge devices.
Connectivity and expansion are designed with robotics and IoT in mind. The board includes high-speed camera interfaces that can support multiple vision sensors, along with Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth connectivity. A standard GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) header and compatibility with Arduino shields allow developers to attach motors and sensors.
Processor Paired with Microcontroller
The Ventuno Q continues a line of hybrid system designs that combine a powerful processor with a microcontroller. However, it offers significantly more computing power than the earlier Uno Q board, which was capable of running Linux and handled lighter AI workloads.
The release also highlights Qualcomm’s strategy of using the Arduino ecosystem to reach a broad community of developers. Arduino estimates that its platform is used by more than 30 million people worldwide, ranging from students and researchers to product engineers.
Arduino said the Ventuno Q will be available in the second quarter of 2026 through its online store and distribution partners. Early reports indicate the board is expected to cost under $300.
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Originally published by Techstrong.IT. Republished with attribution.
