I recently received an XM125 Pulsed Coherent Radar Module. Since received I have put Acconeer’s Exploration Tool on both a Windows (11) and a Ubuntu machine (NVIDIA Orin) following Acconeer’s published directions. The program (Exploration Tool) “comes up” in normal fashion. In each case Exploration says it can connect to the XM125 module through the USB serial link and I can successfully flash the most current .bin file to the XM125 in each operating system implementation, but I cannot get any other application in Exploration, like distance measuring, to work. In distant measurement, for example, the device fails to calibrate when the sensor calibration button is pushed. If I select the “measure” option in any of the available Exploration apps I get an error message. Am I missing something? At this point it looks to me like maybe part of the module is bad, but I don’t see a good way to check.
Are you me? I have had the nearly the exact same experience. I’m able to get the Exploration tool up, it can connect through serial(I see the CH340 in Windows at least), but none of the examples work and say calibration needed, and fails to start calibration when the GUI button is pressed. I followed the firmware upload directions, did the latest, etc. It says it flashes the most current firmware successfully (and fails when I don’t have the parameters set right), so I think that’s working, but I don’t think you’re missing something and I got on here to post almost this exact same post(even nVidia Orin and Windows, but Windows 10 in both of my 2 cases). I’ve tried multiple USB cables and as you said, I don’t see a good way to check. The reset button doesn’t cause any change in the power indicator light, which remains solid at all times.
I’d guess maybe that python versioning/libraries are the issue, but first: The default firmware is the i2C_presence_detector.bin. Make sure that you have the other binary flashed to the board https://docs.sparkfun.com/SparkFun_Qwii … are_xm125/ (and that STMcube IDE is working properly)…
Then check your python version (needs 3.8+, unsure if 3.1x breaks anything?) & ensure you have ch340 drivers installed https://docs.sparkfun.com/SparkFun_Qwii … tion_tool/
Finally, if none of that helps try opening an issue here https://github.com/acconeer/acconeer-py … ion/issues (it appears to be a problem with either python or the acconeer software rather than the actual hardware…we had someone internally whose PC didn’t work but 2 other folks’ did with the same xm125 unit)
The default binary file for the Exploration Tool isn’t any i2c binary file as there is no I2C connection to Exploration Tool - just a UART connection. If a file other than their “Exploration Server” binary is flashed the board does not want to connect at all. It appears that to check this board I’ll have to duplicate your I2C example and forego the Exploration Tool as it simply does not appear to work as advertised - it does flash, but nothing else.
A bug report to Acconeer resulted in a solution that works for me. It appeared from the traceback I sent that the string from the board was partially corrupted. The solution was to go to the Exploration Tool serial adjustment and put a baud rate of 115200 in the window instead of “Auto” (Exploration Tool “Gear Shape” next to the Connect/Disconnect symbol). After adjustment I got a good calibration (took about 10 seconds) , then distance measurements began working.
Good to hear!
I’ve had a similar problem: I can flash different firmware bins using the Acconeer or STM tools, but I can’t actually connect to running the xm125 with either the Acconeer exploration tool (using the non-I2C version of the presence detector firmware, which I tried on a PC running Windows and two different Macs running both Windows and MacOS, with the CH340 drivers and baudrate set to 115200) or over i2c with the Arduino example library—I get a Start Error Code 0: device failed to setup message over the serial monitor from my SparkFun ThingPlus RP2040 board with the i2c firmware bin flashed on the xm125.
Could this be a bad board, or is there something else I’m missing? Many thanks! S.