Cypress Unveils a $49 Solar Powered IoT Development Kit with Bluetooth LE Connectivity

Cypress Semiconductors has recently launched a Solar powered IoT device kit, with the easy-to-remember codename S6SAE101A00SA1002, featuring the company’s CYBLE-022001-00 Bluetooth Smart module, and S6AE101A energy harvesting power management IC (PMIC) on the main board, as well as all accessories such as a small solar panel, a BLE-USB bridge, and all necessary components and cables. Target applications include battery-less wireless sensor node (WSN), IoT device that monitors various sensors, BLE Beacon, wearable device, building energy management system (BEMS), Home EMS, Factory EMSystem, wireless lighting control,wireless HVAC sensor and security system.

The main features of the Energy harvesting motherboard include:

• Cypress CYBLE-022001-00 Bluetooth Smart module with ARM Cortex-M0 @ 48MHz, 128 KB flash, 16KB SRAM
• Cypress S6AE101A energy harvesting PMIC
• Sensor – Temperature & humidity sensor
• USB – 1x USB port for programming and debugging
• Debugging – SWD (serial Wire Debug) connector, JTAG header for USB-BLE
• Expansion – Sensor expansion connector with I2C/UART/SPI/GPIO signals
• Misc – LEDs for USB power and status, DIP switch for future expansion
• Power Supply / Energy harvesting:
  • Panasonic AM-1801 solar module to harvest light energy as low as 200 lx
  • Optional external diode bridge to harvest vibration energy (not included)
  • Optional battery for Hybrid power supply
• Dimensions – 45 x 25 mm

The firmware supports two modes: Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Beacon, transmitting data at 1.5 sec intervals with ambient light as low as 200 lx; and Wireless Sensor Node (WSN), transmitting data at 6 sec intervals with ambient light as low as 200 lx. You can also monitor Bluetooth communication with the BLE-USB bridge provided with the kit, and pre-programmed with custom firmware. This works with Windows 7/8/8.1/10 only.

Documentation include the reference schematic, BOM list, and layout data, as well as a user’s manual, a quick starter guide, and release notes. You can also download the complete DVD (1.1 GB) with all the tools and documentation.

You can get all this and/or buy the kit for $49 on Cypress S6SAE101A00SA1002 product page. Alternativble, Mouser also list the kit for $45.94.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.

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