Marking a distinct move into more professional use, STMicroelectronics has teamed up with Arduino to develop boards with a range of microcontrollers and sensors for IoT applications.
Arduino has been popular with hobbyists, but the first product of the STAR (ST and
Arduino) program, the STM32F469-based STAR Otto baseboard, means IoT developers and other
makers can build high-performance graphics into their smart devices using
accessible hardware and software to improve their applications with easy-to-use
touch displays and audio for command and control as well as for media-streaming.
The STM32F469 MCU is based around a 180MHz ARM Cortex-M4 core alongside ST’s Chrom-ART graphics accelerator and MIPI DSI display
interface along with an open-source software graphics library. The board also provides a pre-integrated wireless link and audio capabilities,
enabled by an ST MEMS microphone
together with the necessary open-source drivers. This efficient and optimized
approach lets makers focus on their value-add and makes integration a breeze
while enabling a broad range of Smart Home and Smart Industry applications.
In addition to the STAR Otto microcontroller baseboard, the
cooperation aims to deliver a range of Arduino shields that expand the
functional possibilities. DSI-display and NFC-reader shields are planned for Q2
2016 and a Sensor shield is scheduled to be available in H2 2016. Moreover,
several STM32 Nucleo expansion boards and software libraries, including those
for environmental sensors and proximity detection, have already been ported to
the Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and can seamlessly be used
with the new STAR Otto baseboard.
“By adding ST’s broad family of industry-leading STM32 ARM
Cortex-M-based microcontrollers to the Arduino universe along with a broad
array of ST sensors and other components, makers will have at their fingertips
the ability to design, build, and manufacture just about anything,” said Daniel
Colonna, Marketing Director, Microcontroller Division, STMicroelectronics.
“Because of the tremendous enthusiasm within the maker community for Smart Home
and Smart Industry applications, we’re supporting those development efforts
with our audio- and graphics-friendly STM32F469 MCU and other exciting products
from ST broad portfolio.”
Arduino is the world’s leading open-source software and hardware ecosystem. The Company offers IoT developers and Makers of all ages the ability to build smart, connected and interactive devices using affordable technologies.
“Arduino has grown by encouraging kids – from 10 to 100
years old – to learn electronics and programming to make projects by building
on the learnings of others and now we’re excited to add the STM32 family into
the Maker community, to broaden learning with new features such as audio
input/output and touchscreen display control,” said Federico Musto, CEO &
President of Arduino in Italy. “We fully expect commercial IoT companies to also
use these new features to easily design new smart home devices and
applications, or improve products that drive industrial automation and control.”
