IoT Development Boards – The Key to Smarter Devices
In this article, we shall try and understand the concept of IoT development boards. We will cover several interesting topics like what is an IoT development board, what features to look for when selecting a board, and the different types of it.
While looking at the 3 types of boards, we will also look at a few examples for each type. Finally, we shall conclude by looking at a few of the most used IoT boards.
What is an IoT Development Board?
We all know IoT needs software, protocol, hardware, and cloud to function properly. IoT boards are part of IoT hardware, essentially a printed circuit board having circuitry and hardware that helps to perform experiments with a specific microcontroller.
An IoT development board consists of a programming interface allowing you to program the microcontroller using a desktop, power circuit, basic output buttons, basic input, and input/output pins used to connect sensors, motors, LCD screens, and more.
Developers mainly use IoT boards for prototyping before releasing the main product. A microcontroller is capable of lots of interesting things, but for it to do all that, you need to set up a group of circuitry and hardware on the breadboard.
What Do You Need To Look For While Choosing An IoT Board?
Different IoT boards have different features and specifications. Let us look at some features you need to look for while buying an IoT development board:
1. Wireless Capabilities
This feature in an IoT board provides wireless communication apart from the external transceiver module. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular, and Zigbee are some popular examples of wireless protocols.
2. Memory
Memory is a crucial feature because the board must store volumes of data. Therefore, you must also ensure that the board you choose has built-in flash memory and allows you to connect to a MicroSD or a MiniSD to enhance data storage as and when necessary.
3. Processing Power
When you are looking for a processor, it could be in any form. You can find it in the form of a microcontroller, a CPU, a CPLD, or an FPGA. A microcontroller is generally preferred for programming IoT-enabled devices as most manufacturers provide the IDE you will require.
4. Peripheral Support
This is another factor to consider, as the IoT board must support peripherals, including access to common ports like HDMI and USB or pin-outs for PWM devices such as servo motors and dimmable lights.
5. Scalability
Since you are investing money in an epic IoT development board, check whether you can add more functionalities to it. Otherwise, the board will become outdated faster than ever as IoT technology advances exponentially.
6. Connectivity
We all know that IoT apps cannot function unless they are compatible with other devices or adequately connected to the internet. Therefore, while choosing an IoT development board, you must always focus on the connectivity options. So check if it supports various wireless connections like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and, most importantly, ethernet.
What are the Different Types of IoT Development Boards?
IoT boards are classified into 3 types — Microcontroller-Based boards, System-On-Chip boards, and Single-Board Computers. Let us look at each of these types using a couple of examples.
1. Microcontroller-Based Boards
These IoT development boards contain a mini computer built on a metal oxide semiconductor circuit chip. They are primarily used in implantable medical devices, power tools and automobile engine control systems.
Microcontrollers are small computers made of CPUs, memory, I/O hardware, and other programming peripherals. These boards are mainly used for learning purposes and DIY projects.
Examples of Microcontroller Boards
a. Arduino Uno Rev
This microcontroller is an open-source, robust, and easy-to-use board that is perfect for getting started with microcontrollers, electronics, or coding. It comes with an ATmega328p microchip with 14 input/output pins, out of which 6 are PWM outputs, 6 analogue inputs, a power jack, USB connection, 16Mhz ceramic resonator, and ICSP header in addition to a reset button.
Advantages:
i. Easy to implement and construct.
ii. It is affordable.
iii. Arduino has a large number of libraries.
iv. It is open source.
Disadvantages:
i. Low-performance speed.
ii. It needs a large PCB.
b. ESP8266
ESP8266 is another board from Arduino that can be used for basic projects such as Wi-Fi, home automation, robots, and so on. The ESP8266 development board can be accessed through the internet and comes with various features, such as memory storage and number pins.
Advantages:
i. When compared to its rivals, it is inexpensive.
ii. Readily available in the market.
Disadvantages
i. The documentation is hard to understand as it is written in Mandarin.
2. System on Chipboards
A System-On-Chip or SoC development board contains many system components in a single Si chip. It predominantly consists of an audio receiver and memory. Additionally, it also has peripherals like USB, PCI, SATA, a microprocessor, and an application processor. In a nutshell, it consists of all the required electronic components and circuits.
These kinds of boards are used in numerous industries. One example is the healthcare sector, where SoC-based nanorobots can work as programmable antibodies to fight serious illnesses. Another example in the healthcare sector is SoC-based video and audio devices that can be installed in blind and deaf people’s brains, respectively.
Examples of SoC Boards
a. Tessel 2
Just like Arduino, Tessel 2 is also an open-source IoT. Tessel operates on Javascript and creates scripts using Node js. This SoC board is a platform for the internet of things and to design, implement, develop and achieve hardware functionality.
Tessel comes with a range of command line interfaces that allow you to start with Tessel 2. Therefore, you must first install Tessel tools and use the command line to execute the script code.
Advantages
i. Makes use of Javascript.
ii. High speed.
iii. Requires less maintenance.
Disadvantages
i. It is expensive when compared to its competitors.
b. Particle Photon
These SoC boards are small IoT development boards containing Wi-Fi modules and are ready-made for IoT. Moreover, they make designing quicker as it includes a range of expansion kits.
Advantages
i. Beneficial for rapid prototyping in IoT.
ii. Supports code migration and remote programming.
iii. You can charge it using smartphone chargers.
Disadvantages
i. It does not have any online documentation like Arduino.
ii. The board must be connected to Wi-Fi and the cloud to flash code.
c. Intel Edison Board
The Edison board from Intel s a small computer board that allows you to build projects and applications based on IoT. This tiny board packs a lot of punch with the Intel Atom Processor with a dual-core CPU, 500 Mhz, and a microcontroller of 100 Mhz. It can also support various platforms like Arduino and Eclipse.
Advantages
i. Small form factor.
ii. Supports Microsoft.
iii. Widely used in the industry.
Disadvantages
i. User’s imagination is limited due to limited potential.
ii. Expensive when compared to its rivals.
3. Single Board Computers
As the name suggests, an SBC board is a complete computer developed on a single circuit board. It has all the characteristics of a functional computer, such as memory, microprocessor, input/output, and so on.
These boards are usually built as development or demonstration systems and have a wide range of portable computers and home computers to integrate all their functions onto one circuit board easily.
Examples of SBC boards
a. BeagleBoard
Just like Tessel and Arduino, BeagleBoards are also open-source. BeagleBoards are ideal for beginners and software professionals to get hands-on experience with SBCs. Like Tessel, it has a Linux computer that offers huge scope for expansion and quick development in production.
Advantages
i. Does not limit user imagination.
ii. It comes with eight analogue inputs.
Disadvantages
i. It is not compatible with audio and video.
b. Raspberry Pi3
Raspberry boards are one of the most used IoT development boards, so common that you can find these boards in any regular household IoT device. Raspberry pi was developed by the Raspberry Pi foundation to help students learn programming from scratch.
These boards come with a built-in quad-core-64-bit ARM v8 processor and operate at 1.2 GHz. It also consists of 4 USB ports, onboard Wi-Fi, GPIOs and many more.
Advantages
i. Pocket friendly and affordable.
ii. Easily available in the market.
iii. It has a lot of input-output pins.
Disadvantages
i. Less memory storage compared to Windows or Mac.
ii. Less CPU performance when compared to its rivals.
Popular IoT Boards in the Market
In today’s market, there are a lot of IoT development boards and based on the project size, duration, and budget, one can easily buy a board that fits their needs. Here are some more popular IoT boards (apart from the 7 we already discussed)
1. Sense HAT 8×8 RGB LED Matrix
The Sense hat is a board from Raspberry Pi that assists your project with sensing features. These sensors can sense temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.
This board comes standard with an 8X8, 16-bit LED display to show the output obtained by sensing the surrounding environment and has python libraries that offer easy access to the board to create projects easily.
2. Bluetooth Module HC-05
It is simple to set up this board and easy to use. This IoT board is designed for setting up wireless serial connections. The Bluetooth Module HC-05 board communicates through serial communication, making interacting with controllers or personal computers easier.
3. Omega2
Omega 2 is an IoT development board from Onions that is based on Linux design systems and Wi-Fi. This board provides connection computing functions for various IoT applications. Omega 2 has Linux in-built into the board. In addition to Wi-Fi, it also provides FCC and CE certifications.
4. Banana Pi
Banana Pi is a relatively powerful single-board computer specifically used for various IoT applications. This SBC comes with an ethernet connector with two USB ports and an InfraRed receiver, allowing you to work with IR remotely.
Even though Banana Pi is new to the market, it is dominating the market with its support for Linux and Android. This board also comes with a regular audio jack and microphone. Banana is similar to Raspberry Pi but differs in input-output functions and performance.
Summary
As you have seen, IoT development boards are printed circuit boards with circuitry and hardware designed to assist experiments with a specific microcontroller.
You have learned what an IoT board is, the different things you need to keep in mind while buying one, the different types of IoT boards, and some of the most popular IoT boards in the market.