When you're ready to take your robotics project ― or another device that requires a small and powerful computing module ― to the next level, NVIDIA's Jetson Nano system on module (SOM) presents an attractive option.
With an embedded-friendly footprint of just 70 x 45mm, the Nano has some impressive features:
- Maxwell GPU with 128 NVIDIA CUDA cores
- Quad-core ARM Cortex-A57 MPCore processor
- Ability to deliver an impressive 472 GFLOPs of processing power.
Check out a full rundown of the machine to make sure it's the right choice for your project. But once you've decided on the Nano, how can you get started with this powerful system? We'll outline everything you need to get up and running.
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You'll need to collect a few additional items before you can start experimenting with your Jetson Nano.
1. Micro USB power supply capable of supplying 2A to the module's Micro-USB port. As 2.5A is the official recommendation, you can find ones that are specified to run Raspberry Pi boards. There's also a barrel jack on the board you can use to supply power if you prefer as well.
2. USB keyboard and mouse to control your device.
3. HDMI or DisplayPort monitor to see what's going on.
4. Micro-SD card that's 16GB or greater (UHS-1 minimum) to store the operating software.
While optional, you can also add a Wi-Fi dongle to allow wireless communication, though a wired Ethernet jack comes standard. While it might seem strange that wireless capability isn't included, not all applications require this functionality, which leaves you to spec it for your individual needs.
Software Installation
Like the Raspberry Pi — here's our comparison between the two— the NVIDIA Jetson Nano doesn't come with any pre-loaded software, and you'll need to flash it onto a microSD card yourself. Once you download the software, you can find instructions for writing the image to the card for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The install outlined here uses Windows 10. Here's how to complete the process:
1. First, insert and format your micro-SD card using the official software from the SD Association. Make sure you select "Quick format."
2. Install and launch Etcher to write the image, selecting the image zip file downloaded from NVIDIA and the drive where your card is located.
3. Ignore or cancel any pop-ups that ask you to format the drive, and click "Flash!" in Etcher.
If everything goes according to plan, the process should take around 10 minutes.
Troubleshooting Flashing Issues
Occasionally, an error may occur during the flashing process that renders the disk unusable. The bad news is that reformatting the drive normally won't work, but the good news is that it's fixable if you follow a few steps:
1. Hit the windows key, type "cmd" and press enter.
2. In the command prompt, enter "diskpart," which will take you to the Windows disk partitioning tool.
3. Type in "list disk" and find your SD card.
4. Enter "select disk" and the number of your drive, then enter "clean" and finally "create partition primary."
This process will get you back to square one, where you can use the format utility to start the process over again.
When you're following the flash/format/partition procedures outlined here, be sure that you're working on the right disk. You can physically remove and insert it if you wish, entering "list disk" between states. Don't be afraid to experiment; you may notice varying success during flashing depending on what kind of adapter you're using.
Insert Disk and Power Up
Once you've properly flashed your card, insert it into the Nano, and apply power into the board. If you've connected everything correctly, the text output will indicate that a Linux system is booting up. Next, you'll see various dialog screens where you can set language and password options.
You'll be in a Linux GUI, complete with a sparkly green NVIDIA logo as the background. The left panel contains tools, including a folder with README files for getting started, and the upper left Ubuntu logo will allow you to access other programs.
As we mentioned, there's no default Wi-Fi access, so you'll need to connect to a network with an Ethernet cable or set up your own wireless dongle with a few simple steps:
1. Once you plug in the wireless dongle, click on the gear icon in the upper-right hand corner of the screen.
2. Select System Settings, which will open a new folder containing a network icon.
3. Activate this icon, and you'll be able to select your network and supply login info to connect to the internet.
From here, you're ready to take advantage of the Jetson Nano's powerful processing capabilities. Depending on your project's needs and your own creativity, your options are nearly endless.