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ON Semiconductor continues to progress in IoT through its new IDK

Date: 20/03/2017
ON Semiconductor has evolved with a new IoT Development Kit (IDK) which features expanded portfolio of software applications for IoT objects based on ARM Cortex-M3 technology with vast connectivity, sensor and actuator options.

The multi-faceted product comes with a unique modular construction and encompasses both hardware and software elements. It presents a configurable platform which enables engineers to evaluate, develop and release to market IoT systems in the shortest possible duration. The IDK finds its scope in applications such as environmental monitoring, healthcare, home/building automation, industrial control and wearable electronics.

The IDK’s baseboard features NCS36510 system-on-chip (SoC), with a low power-optimized 32-bit ARM Cortex-M3 core, running the ARM mbed OS. By attaching different daughter boards to the Wi-Fi enabled IDK baseboard, a wealth of connectivity protocols enabled by the company’s low power radios (SIGFOX, Thread, EnOcean, Wireless Mbus, Bluetooth Low Energy, ZigBee, PoE, CAN, etc.), sensors (temperature, moisture, ambient light, proximity and pressure, along with heart rate monitoring and bio sensor interfaces) and actuators (with stepper and brushless motor driving, plus the ability to drive LED strings) can be added to the system. The portfolio also includes support for functions important for implementing security, including encryption, secure debug, secure boot and authentication.

On the software side, this is complemented by an Eclipse-based integrated development environment (IDE) that includes a C++ compiler, debugger and code editor. A set of application examples, use cases and related libraries have also been included into the package, in order to facilitate the process of taking IoT designs from the initial concept phase through to full scale deployment. The IDK supports the default cloud software platform as well as the industry standard Cloud connectivity protocols (MQTT and REST).

“So far semiconductor vendors have not adequately seized on the total range of opportunities the IoT embodies, offering just single board solutions that have fixed connectivity and sensor options. This simply isn’t enough. What is needed is a far less restricted, completely modular approach,” states Wiren Perera, who spearheads IoT Strategy at ON Semiconductor. “Having sampled the IDK to some of our key customers, the feedback we’ve received has been phenomenal, with everyone recognizing the value in what has been created here. It not only underlines the strength of our product portfolio, but also our unique ability to integrate various technologies together to create more effective, simple to implement solutions that combine sensing, communication, actuation, power management and processing.”

“Facilitating extensive configurability in out-of-the-box prototyping requires a broad portfolio of sensors, connectivity and actuators,” said Michael Horne, deputy general manager and vice president of marketing and sales, IoT Business, ARM. “ON Semiconductor’s IoT Development Kit (IDK) utilizes ARM mbed OS and simplifies the complexities of IoT development, enabling customers to focus on key IoT solution differentiators.”

Availability

The IDK product recommendation tool offers a step-by-step process to select the correct configuration for your design and to place an order.

Daughter boards available are SIGFOX, PoE, and CAN connectivity; motion, ambient light, and touch pad sensing; and stepper motor, BLDC motor and dual LED driver actuation.
EnOcean, Thread and Wireless Mbus support is planned to be available in Q2, 2017, with BLE planned to follow in Q3, 2017.
Unique temperature, moisture, proximity and pressure sensing devices are also planned to be available in Q2.