The field of IoT hardware is experiencing a lot of fascinating advances. However, our ability to achieve Agile hardware development through a quick prototyping process and early tech stack integration is arguably one of the most intriguing. If you’ve previously developed IoT hardware using the Waterfall method, transitioning to Agile can enable more effective and quick operations.
However, adopting the appropriate board is the first step in leveraging the Agile technique for IoT hardware development. We’ll discuss our top recommendations for the microcontrollers, microprocessors, and IoT boards required to create a reliable IoT solution in this article.
Defined by Dev kits
Throughout this post, we’ll frequently mention “dev kits.” A dev kit, in essence, is a small, hackable computer designed for tinkering.
Dev kits, more particularly, are typically single board computers (SBCs) with natively integrated, pre-certified RF communications. In general, they give us quick access to input/output (I/O) pins so we may design specialized circuitry and begin creating the code needed to operate the components. Dev kits, which comprise IoT boards, give us a foundation for creating IoT devices.
Imagine a dev kit as a ready-to-eat dinner that you can quickly reheat in your home oven after buying it at the shop. If you enjoy it, you might later prepare a comparable dish from scratch that is tailored to your particular tastes. We first test the “taste” of the components in development kits to see whether we like them, and if so, we put them together to create a unique “meal” that will satisfy the requirements of our clients.
selecting an MCU (microcontroller) or a microprocessor (MPU)
Your bill-of-materials cost will be affected by the processor you select, either an MCU or an MPU. Cost-wise, a less powerful MCU that uses embedded C or an RTOS will be less expensive than a more potent MPU that can use embedded Linux.
Cost is one factor in choosing between MCUs and MPUs, but capability is a much more crucial one. The intricacy of the software/firmware is what matters. An MCU is definitely the best option because it’s inexpensive and uses little power if all you need to do is read some sensors and communicate the data. You’ll need a more potent MPU if you need to perform more difficult tasks like machine learning or edge-hosted applications, which will cost more and consume more power.
Recently, the choice of IoT hardware components has also begun to be much more influenced by the chip scarcity. There are a few ways to get around the chip scarcity, but it should go without saying that you can’t make a product if you can’t find the necessary chip part. We use embedded firmware frameworks like MPU + Linux and MCU + Embedded C/RTOS to get around the chip problem.
MPU + Linux
At Very, Nerves, an IoT-specific Elixir platform that enables us to create bespoke Linux systems, is our preferred Linux option. With Nerves, we are able to launch a basic target system in a matter of weeks and finish many projects with a minimum viable product (MVP) in under six months.
MCU + Embedded C/RTOS
Our most recent efforts with Zephyr RTOS, an embedded C framework that offers built-in support for over 350 boards, have proved successful. It is scalable, simple to set up, and independent of any specific cloud service. What’s more, Zephyr makes it surprisingly simple to recompile the firmware by altering just one line of code for a different processor in the same family. This enables us to bring embedded Linux’s portability to the lower-level, less expensive realm of microcontrollers.
What To Look Out For & How to choose an Iot Board
Watch out for these four essential components when you start your search for an IoT board.
The board’s connectivity options come first. Given that a smart device’s connectivity capabilities play a big role in defining it, this should go without saying.
The board’s capacity to test end-to-end is the other strict criterion. Preferably, development kits should host the necessary connection protocol (s). They should at the very least offer a way to connect to other hardware so that the necessary connection protocol can be used (s).
Additionally, you should confirm that the board supports the needed features and peripherals. Common ports such as USB or HDMI, serial busses such as I2C and SPI, or pin-outs for pulse width modulation (PWM) devices such as dimmable lighting or servo motors can all be examples of these.
The use of open-source hardware (OSHW) is the last benefit. Schematic and Gerber files, which display the printed circuit board (PCB) designs, should also be included.
Top ten IoT boards and development kits for 2022
Here are our top 10 IoT boards for product development and rapid prototyping in 2022, without further ado. All of the boards listed are under $100 as of the writing of this blog.
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nRF52840 DK
Nordic Semiconductors’ nRF52840 serves as a stand-in for the complete nRF52 series. It is a system-on-chip (SoC) that gives BLE5.3 devices a stable development environment. Zephyr RTOS offers strong support for it, making it an excellent choice for battery-operated devices. The nRF52840 DK comes with a native coin cell battery and can operate on either a 1.8V or 3.3V power rail. The nRF52 series SoCs have a number of advantages, but this development kit has a built-in JLink that can program and debug external nRF52 targets.
Specs:
- Processor: Nordic Semiconductors nRF52840
- Memory:
- 1MB internal flash
- 256kB internal RAM
- Low Level IO: I2C, SPI, UART, PWM, GPIOs, I2S, USB, ADC
- Multimedia: Audio – I2S
- Inputs: Buttons
- Connectivity: BLE5.3, NFC, USB OTG
- Power: USB connectors, headers, coin cell
2.i.MX6ULL Colibri SOM + Colibri Evaluation Kit
The NXP i.MX6ULL, which has many of the same connection choices as our older favorite MPUs but appears to have more of the family in stock, has become one of our new favorite targets. Unfortunately, that has not always been the case for some of the dev kits that have previously hosted this target and we loved. The Toradex Colibri i.MX6ULL SOM was what we came across when looking for a fresh development kit to continue working with the i.MX6ULL. Although this can be linked with a variety of host boards, we have been using the fully functional Colibri Evaluation Board. For carrier boards, there are still a lot of different choices.
The beautiful thing about the SOM is that, if the project has enough room and money, it is feasible to simply mount a SODIMM connector on a host board, freeing up time to concentrate on building the peripherals and larger product. This is advantageous for two causes. First off, all that is required for the MPU to function is hosted on the SOM; all that is needed is main input power. Second, Toradex makes the carrier boards’ design files available. If they are utilized as a guide, it will be able to return to a known-working design if you need to debug your unique design.
Specs:
- NXP i.MX 6ULL 800MHz processor with an ARM Cortex-A7 core
- Memory:
- MicroSD, 4GB eMMC for long-term storage
- 1 GB DDR3L RAM for processing
- Low Level IO: GPIOs, CAN, SDIO, I2C, SPI, UART, PWM,
- Multimedia includes analog line in, analog mic in, and analog headphone out for audio and LVDS,
- HDMI, VGA, and RGB for display.
- inputs include buttons, capacitive touch, resistive touch, and a MIPI CSI camera port.
- 10/100 Mb Ethernet and USB OTG connectivity
- Power: 7–27V DC into header, barrel jack, and terminal block
3.STMP32MP157A MPU Discovery Kit
The STM32MP157 CPU on this board, which also supports embedded Linux programming, is its key selling point. The specialized 3D graphics processing unit (GPU) that drives the MIPI-attached LCD display with a touch panel is one of its primary differentiators. Even an audio codec is included for completeness.
Hard real-time and lower power modes are made possible by the internal M4 MPU. Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity are also available on this board. This dev kit is excellent for IoT devices that run user-facing applications as a result of all these features.
Specs:
- Processor: STM32MP157 ARM® dual Cortex®-A7 32-bit @ 800 MHz + Cortex®-M4 32-bit MPU @ 209 MHz
- Memory:
- MicroSD
- 4Gbit DDR3L @ 533 MHz
- Low Level IO: SDIO, I2C, SPI, UART, 12-bit ADC, PWM
- Multimedia: Display – MIPI DSI 4″ touch screen TFT 480×800 pixels; Audio – Codec
- Inputs: Buttons, Touch screen
- Connectivity: 1Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi, BLE 4.2, USB
- Power: 5V/ 3A USB Type-C power supply
4. Giant Board
In the Adafruit Feather form format, the Giant Board is the first single-board computer (SBC) ever created. It’s a significant portion of OSHW designed to utilize the CircuitPython Blinka libraries from Adafruit. Debian Linux is preinstalled on the Giant Board as well, and reflashing it with Nerves takes our favorite embedded Linux platform to a whole new level. Although it’s currently relatively challenging to obtain the necessary MPU, it would be difficult to leave this development kit off of our list due to its compact form factor.
Specs:
- Processor: Microchip SAMA5D2 ARM® Cortex®-A5 Processor @ 500 MHz
- Memory:
- MicroSD
- 128 MB DDR2 RAM
- Low Level IO: SDIO, I2C, SPI, UART, 12-bit ADC, PWM
- Multimedia: Display – LCD; Audio – I2S
- Inputs: Power Button
- Connectivity: USB
- Power: USB, with support for LiPo batteries
5) BeagleBone® Green Gateway
This OSHW, created by Seeed Studio and BeagleBoard.org, excels in creating customized Internet of Things gateways. It has two2 32-bit programmable real-time units (PRUs) @ 200MHz and is pre-configured with Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) networking features.
This development kit is ideal for industrial internet of things (IIoT) applications that need incredibly low latency for deterministic control when combined with real-time Nerves functionality.
Along with the common BeagleBoard headers, it features interfaces for Seeed’s special Grove sensors, which speeds up integration.
Specs:
- Processor: AM3358 ARM® Cortext®-A8 @ 1 GHz with 2 32-bit PRUs @ 200 MHz
- Memory:
- 4GB eMMC, 4KB EEPROM, MicroSD
- 4Gbit DDR3L @ 533 MHz
- Low Level IO: SDIO, I2C, SPI, UART, 12-bit ADC, PWM
- Multimedia: Display – HDMI, LCD; Audio – Codec
- Inputs: Buttons, Touch screen
- Connectivity: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi, BLE 4.2, USB
- Power: 12V DC – Barrel Jack
- BeagleBone Expansion Headers
- Grove connectors
6.BeagleBone Black
A number of appealing features for IoT development are present in The Black. Beyond the fact that it is open source, we favor using the Black and Black Wireless only because they work well. There are no Ethernet + Wi-Fi/BT on a single board, but everything else that was said about the BeagleBone Green is still true.
Specs:
- Processor: AM3358 ARM® Cortext®-A8 @ 1 GHz with 2 32-bit PRUs @ 200 MHz
- Memory:
- 4GB eMMC, 4KB EEPROM, MicroSD
- 4Gbit DDR3L @ 533 MHz
- Low Level IO: SDIO, I2C, SPI, UART, 12-bit ADC, PWM
- Multimedia: Display – HDMI, LCD; Audio – Codec
- Inputs: Buttons, Touch screen
- Connectivity: 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi, BLE 4.2, USB
- Power: 5V DC – MicroUSB, Barrel Jack
7.ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1
Another budget-friendly target is built using ESP32-S3-WROOM modules from Espressif. The modules support Wi-Fi and BLE, and they come at prices that are frequently difficult to match. Zephyr RTOS offers a lot of support for ESP32s and comes with either a built-in antenna or a u.FL connector for an external one. The documentation has improved over time.
Specs:
- Processor: ESP32-S3-WROOM with Xtensa® 32-bit LX7 @ 240 MHz
- Memory:
- 128KB ROM, 4MB external SPI flash
- 2MB PSRAM, 320KB SRAM, 16KB SRAM in RTC
- Low Level IO: I2C, SPI, UART, ADC (not recommended to use), PWM
- Multimedia: Audio – I2S
- Inputs: Buttons
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi, BLE5, USB OTG, USB-UART bridge
- Power: MicroUSB, headers
8. Feather nRF52840 Express
This development kit combines the Featherwing footprint from Adafruit with the adaptability of the nRF52840 from Nordic Semiconductors. While the Featherwing form factor is more compact and offers a large variety of “Feathers” for testing as direct plugins, the nRF52840-DK is fairly hefty. This offers OSHW and FW references that can help you get your project off the ground.
You can always 3D print a case and solder the Featherwing to a sensor development kit if you’re looking to put together an early, functional prototype.
Specs:
- Processor: Nordic Semiconductors nRF52840
- Memory:
- 1MB internal flash
- 256kB internal RAM
- Low Level IO: I2C, SPI, UART, PWM, GPIOs, I2S, USB, ADC
- Multimedia: Audio – I2S
- Inputs: Buttons
- Connectivity: BLE5.3, USB OTG
- Power: USB connector, headers, Li-Po battery + charger
9. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
Even though the well-known Raspberry Pi (RPi) only offers a small number of schematics and design files, this SBC nevertheless makes our list due to its affordable pricing, widely used form factor, and general hackability. While creating the product on a different dev kit, letting an RPi run in the field can produce vast amounts of insightful project data.
The compute module 3+, which is simple to design as a system-on-module (SOM), the RPi 0 W, which is less expensive and best suited for less demanding applications, and the RPi 4 with 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB of memory are all choices offered by Raspberry Pi.
Specs:
- Processor: Broadcom BCM2711, Quad core ARM® Cortex®-A72 64-bit @ 1.5 GHz
- Memory:
- MicroSD
- 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB LPDDR-3200 SDRAM
- Low Level IO: I2C, SPI, UART, 12-bit ADC, PWM
- Multimedia: Display – 2x Micro HDMI, LCD; Audio – Codec
- Inputs: Buttons, Touch screen, MIPI CSI camera port
- Connectivity: 1 Gbps Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB 2.0 & 3.0
- Power: 5V USB-C, Power over Ethernet (PoE)
10. Evaluation of EVB 2.0 Modules and IoT Device Development Kit
You might not always have a strong interest in a target MCU or MPU. Instead, you must assess a new cellular or Wi-Fi module. Just that is possible thanks to the Telit EVB 2.0, which offers a platform for prototyping connections with a number of their target radios.
For instance, the host port of a BeagleBone can be directly linked to the ME910 NB-IoT/Cat-M1 cellular module with GNSS compatibility. You’ll be able to use cellular connectivity in a few hours.
In many situations the MCU/MPU target dev kit may not have Wi-Fi/BLE on board, and you might want to evaluate the WE866C6 dual-band Wi-Fi module. One option includes using the EVB2.0 to host the WE866C6-P Wi-Fi EVK, which has an SD card form factor for the SDIO interface, and then connecting via USB and a combination of jumpers. Not only are their current modules supported, but Telit aims to build future dev kits that can interface with EVB 2.0. Having a familiar platform to prototype with can make a world of difference in speeding up your next design.
Conclusion:
Any Agile IoT project needs the correct IoT development kit at its core. You can save money, shorten the time it takes to market, and include more of the features you’ve been wanting to include by selecting the option that is ideal for your project.