As we celebrate Arduino Day 2023, let’s reflect on the various products, events, and partnerships that occurred in the past year.
A Decade of Arduino Day Celebrations On March 25th, 2023, the 10th anniversary of Arduino Day will be celebrated, featuring the latest product releases, community highlights, and a variety of events and challenges. The annual Arduino Day Community Challenge will select 10 winners, each receiving an Arduino Day Box filled with boards, kits, and components. Additionally, the Arduino Cake Challenge invites members of the community to bake an Arduino-themed birthday cake in honor of this momentous occasion. As we anticipate the festivities of 2023, it’s crucial to also reflect on the accomplishments of the past year.
The Latest Version of Arduino IDE: Arduino IDE 2.0
The growth of the Arduino community Over the past year, the Arduino community has continued to grow and thrive. There are now more than 35,000 libraries available for use with Arduino boards, with new ones being added all the time. This has made it easier than ever before for developers to find pre-written code that they can use to create their own projects.
In addition to the libraries, there are also numerous online forums and communities where Arduino enthusiasts can share their knowledge and ask for help. The Arduino subreddit, for example, has more than 250,000 members, while the official Arduino forum has over 180,000 members. These communities have proven invaluable for both beginners and experienced developers, as they provide a space to learn and collaborate with others.
New Arduino products and projects Over the past year, Arduino has also released several new products, including the Nano RP2040 Connect, which features built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and the Arduino Portenta Machine Control, which is designed for industrial automation applications.
The Arduino community has also seen many exciting new projects, including the creation of a robot that can solve a Rubik’s cube in under a second, and a project that uses an Arduino board to control a drone that can fly autonomously and avoid obstacles.
Looking to the future As we look to the future, it is clear that Arduino will continue to be a driving force in the world of electronics and programming. With its powerful boards, expansive library of code, and dedicated community of developers, there is no limit to what can be achieved with Arduino.
An updated command line interface for the Arduino Cloud has been released
As managing Internet of Things (IoT) devices at scale involves tasks such as provisioning, updating, and data transmission, Arduino has developed a new tool called the Arduino Cloud CLI. This tool enables developers to interact with the Cloud API programmatically, making it easy to manage multiple physical devices with similar properties. Additionally, developers can deploy these devices with the option of receiving future over-the-air (OTA) updates individually or in bulk, starting from a single prototype. The ultimate goal is to streamline IoT device management and simplify the deployment of updates.
Opta and programmable logic controllers
Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are specialized computers designed for use in industries such as manufacturing and robotics, where high reliability and fault tolerance are essential. With the growing need for automation, there has been an increased demand for PLCs. To meet this demand, a dedicated Arduino PLC Integrated Development Environment (IDE) was introduced. This IDE enables PLC programs to be written in the five languages specified by the IEC 61131-3 standard.
In addition to the Portenta Machine Control board, Arduino has launched the Opta, its first micro PLC with Industrial IoT capabilities. This device is designed to facilitate the rapid scaling up of automation projects in an open-source format. There are three versions of the Opta, each with varying degrees of connectivity, but all offering the same processor, security, and code support. These versions are the Opta Lite, Opta RS485, and Opta Wi-Fi. All three models come equipped with an STM32H747XI dual Arm Cortex CPU (1x Cortex-M7 and 1x Cortex-M4), 18MB of total RAM, 8 analog inputs, 4 high-power relays for switching AC sources, and an IP rating of 20.
MicroPython support
Python has gained widespread popularity among hobbyists, students, and data scientists, making it a popular choice for those new to programming or those coming from a non-hardware background where C/C++ are commonly used. Taking this into account, Arduino has collaborated with Damien George, the creator of MicroPython, to incorporate the embedded Python interpreter into a new IDE. This application, known as Arduino Lab for MicroPython, includes a Python-focused text editor, a button to connect to the target device, and various controls to modify the interpreter’s behavior, such as Run, Stop, and Reset. The lower section of the window provides access to the device’s Read, Evaluate, Print Loop (REPL) interface, allowing users to execute statements interactively.
Advancing the Project Hub
Originally established as a joint effort between Hackster and Arduino, the Project Hub has served as a centralized platform for makers to display their latest innovations to the wider community. However, on December 21st, 2022, Arduino declared that they will be fully integrating the Project Hub into their operations, with a series of migrations from the old system to the new one scheduled to take place in early 2023.
The Arduino Cloud, ESP32, and Your Smartphone
The process of setting up and configuring a new board in an IoT ecosystem can be laborious and prone to errors due to the numerous aspects that require attention. These include configuring sensor data reading, Wi-Fi connectivity, and dashboard creation, among others. Arduino has sought to simplify this process by introducing the Arduino Cloud, but beginners still struggle with collecting and sending data from their device to the Cloud. However, a new feature called “phone device” eliminates the need for a physical board. With this feature, users can install the Arduino IoT Remote App on their phone, sign in, and start capturing data using the phone’s built-in sensors.
Another goal of the Arduino Cloud is to extend its functionalities, such as remote deployment, online editing, and internet-based management, beyond Arduino boards. Given the widespread adoption of ESP32 as a cost-effective IoT device, integrating it with the Arduino Cloud became a top priority. Consequently, instead of going through the hassle of retrieving a locally stored sketch and connecting the ESP32 board to a computer using a USB cable, users can now deploy their projects wirelessly by simply clicking a button on either the Arduino IoT Cloud management interface or the Arduino Web Editor.
The Nicla Voice
The Nicla lineup of small-sized boards focused on machine learning has expanded with the addition of the Nicla Voice, a Bluetooth-enabled device that boasts impressive capabilities, despite its compact size of just 22.86×22.86mm. The board runs on the Syntiant NDP120 Neural Decision processor, making it an ideal choice for performing complex audio recognition tasks such as event detection and keyword spotting. Along with a built-in microphone, the Nicla Voice also features a six-axis motion sensor and a magnetometer, allowing it to react to accelerations. What’s more, it is designed for always-on, ultra-low power operations that can be sustained by a single battery.
The collaboration between Arduino and K-Way has led to the creation of smart clothing that incorporates Arduino technology.
For more than half a century, K-Way has been renowned for crafting legendary outdoor jackets. In October 2022, the company teamed up with Arduino to encourage individuals to incorporate machine-learning capabilities and sensors into their attire. Arduino designed a compact pendant equipped with a Nicla Sense ME and powered by an Edge Impulse-produced model to detect environmental factors in real time. This innovative device could identify polluted air and weather conditions and transmit the data via Bluetooth to a companion smartphone app. Other initiatives included detecting asthma risk, identifying falls, and tracking outdoor activities.
A refinement has been made to the MKR IoT Carrier.
Designed specifically for integration with the MKR IoT family of boards, especially the MKR IoT Carrier, the MKR IoT Carrier Rev2 offers an enhanced user experience with additional features while maintaining the simplicity of its predecessor. The board features a range of environmental, inertial, and ambient light sensors, a central OLED display, and connectors that support the attachment of additional modules via I2C or analog pins. Notable improvements in the Rev2 model include updated humidity and pressure sensors, a different IMU, and repositioned components.
Portenta X8 and Max Carrier
As technological demands evolve and the need for more powerful hardware increases, it becomes crucial to develop products that meet those specifications. The Arduino Portenta X8 is a solution that addresses this challenge by integrating two processors – the NXP i.MX 8M Mini Cortex and the STM32H747XI – into a single board, resulting in a total of nine CPU cores. This setup enables the X8 to run an embedded Linux distribution, with the added benefit of onboard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, providing users with greater flexibility and faster prototyping capabilities.
The Portenta Max Carrier board offers an array of connectivity options such as Fieldbus, LoRa, RS232, USB, mPCIe, Ethernet, CAN, and more, making it an excellent complement to the computational power provided by the Arduino Portenta X8. Additionally, the Max Carrier board seamlessly integrates with the Arduino Cloud, enabling over-the-air (OTA) deployments and monitoring as a convenient bonus feature.
What lies ahead in the future?
The previous year saw a plethora of new product releases, community-driven initiatives, and numerous educational and entertaining events for enthusiasts, hobbyists, and professionals alike. With the upcoming Arduino Day, as well as the remainder of 2023 and beyond, it is thrilling to envision the innovative ideas and projects that Arduino and its community will unveil in the future.