Developers can often overcome these challenges by using large software packages and real-time operating systems, which lengthens development time and demands more effort, cost, and security vulnerabilities. Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announced a new rapid development board for the Internet of Things (IoT) as part of a broader agreement with Google Cloud that enables designers to prototype connected devices in minutes. This solution combines a powerful AVR® microcontroller, a CryptoAuthentication™ security chip, and a fully certified Wi-Fi® network controller to provide a simple and efficient way to connect embedded applications. Once connected, Google Cloud IoT Core facilitates data collection, processing, and analysis for large-scale decision-making.
The AVR-IoT WG development board gives developers the ability to add Google Cloud connectivity to new and existing projects with a single click via the free portal www.AVR-IoT.com. Once connected, developers can use Microchip's rapid development tools, MPLAB® Code Configurator (MCC) and Atmel START, for cloud development and debugging. The board consists of smart, connected, and secure devices so designers can quickly connect IoT designs to the cloud, including:
• A powerful AVR microcontroller with integrated peripherals: The 8-bit ATmega4808 microcontroller offers the processing power and simplicity of the AVR architecture and adds advanced sensing and robust drive capabilities. Thanks to the latest Core Independent Peripherals (CIPs), which reduce power consumption, it delivers advanced performance in real-time sensing and control applications.
• Secure element to protect the hardware root of trust: The ATECC608A CryptoAuthentication device provides a trusted and secure identity to each device that needs to be securely authenticated. ATECC608A devices are supplied pre-registered with Google Cloud IoT Core and are ready to use thanks to their automatic configuration.
• Wi-Fi connectivity to Google Cloud: The ATWINC1510 is an industry-certified IEEE 802.11 b/g/n IoT network controller that simplifies connection to the microcontroller via a flexible SPI interface. The module does not require designers to have knowledge of network protocols.
“Designing secure, cloud-connected systems doesn’t have to be a complicated process, and expanding our Google Cloud offering simplifies the development process for quickly bringing IoT designs to market,” said Steve Drehobl, vice president of Microchip’s 8-bit microcontroller business unit. “Because the board supports both MCC and Atmel START, designers can accelerate development using their preferred tool.”.
Among the advantages of connecting devices to the Google Cloud IoT Core infrastructure are the power of its data and analytics, which enable designers to create better, smarter products. Embedded designs, which are part of the infrastructure, can better leverage and respond quickly to changing conditions across numerous sensor nodes.
“Microchip’s solutions allow Google Cloud IoT customers to develop or scale their applications to suit their speed and size, without compromising security,” said Antony Passemard, Head of Product Management for Google Cloud IoT. “Together with the Google Cloud platform’s network infrastructure and Google IoT services, the board’s simplicity empowers analytics tools and makes machine learning capabilities accessible to everyone.”.
Development Tools
As announced last week, AVR devices now have beta support from the MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE), giving designers the option to choose between MCC or Atmel START when developing with the AVR-IoT board.
This board is compatible with over 450 MikroElektronika Click boards™, expanding the range of sensor and actuator options. Developers who purchase the kit will have access to an online portal to immediately view their sensor data
