Simplify Low-Power, Cloud-Connected Development

For the upcoming Embedded World tradeshow in Nuremberg, Germany, the Silicon Labs MCU team is showing off some unique ways to ease the challenges of developing cloud-connected applications. The demo consists of the EFM32 Giant Gecko 11 MCU, which is running Micrium OS and connects to Amazon Web Services via the new XBee3 cellular module from Digi International.

This particular demo is quite simple – a closed-loop system with an MCU monitoring a temp sensor and controlling a fan. However, the real-world use cases that these building blocks and tools can scale to serve are much more profound.

For example, many smart city applications including bridge sensors, parking meters, waste management sensors, and others often consist of portable sensor devices that require seamless long-range connectivity to the cloud. They may be battery powered with user demands of 10+ year battery life. They may have lots of sensor inputs and extra features like button inputs and local displays. Finally, they might need to be designed quickly, but with a long field-upgradeable lifetime in mind. These are the types of applications that this demo speaks to, with Micrium OS, Giant Gecko 11, and Digi’s XBee3.

Micrium OS is running on the MCU and helps modularize the application functions. It’s helping the MCU maintain communication with the cellular module, monitor the temp sensor, drive the TFT display, and update control settings when local push buttons are pressed. By using Micrium, these various pieces can easily be divided and coded in parallel without having to worry about any messy integration at the end. In fact, this is exactly what the Embedded World demo team did – three different development teams in three different cities built the demo, and Micrium was the underlying glue that made it seamlessly come together.

Another challenge being addressed here is the connectivity piece. As devices are now adding wireless connectivity, there are lots of hurdles to clear: RF design in some cases, FCC certifications, understanding wireless networking, security, and more. Not only does Silicon Labs offer homegrown, low power SoCs and modules, but now Digi helps add simple cellular connectivity. The Digi XBee3 is a plug-and-play NB-IoT module that has built-in security and is pin-compatible with 3G and LTE-M modules. It’s programmable via MicroPython and comes pre-certified so developers can focus more on the application itself.

This brings us to the developer’s main focus, the application. The Giant Gecko 11 is a new 32-bit energy friendly microcontroller from Silicon Labs, and our the most capable yet. It helps simplify complex, cloud-connected applications with its large on-chip memory (2MB/512kB), lots of flexible sensor interfaces, SW and pin compatibility with other EFM32 MCUs, and unique low power capability to help prolong battery life. For example, not only does Giant Gecko 11 allow for autonomous analog and sensing in “Stop Mode” (1.6 uA), but it also has Octal SPI interface for external data logging, which could be used to reduce cellular transmission duty cycling.

There is one more unique offering in this demo. Considering that cellular connectivity might not be the solution for all IoT applications, the SW compatibility of Giant Gecko 11 and all EFM32s with Silicon Labs Wireless Geckos makes it easy to migrate to another wireless SoC or module, if needed. For example, some use cases and markets may use NB-IoT (such as this demo), while others might need their own proprietary sub-GHz solution (Flex Gecko).

For more information about what we’re doing at Embedded World, click here: https://www.silabs.com/products/wireless/internet-of-things.